PRESS DIGEST-British Business - July 22

July 22 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories on the business pages of British newspapers. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

The Times

- Britain's economy could gain an extra 3.7 billion pounds ($4.99 billion) a year and create more than 73,000 new jobs if the government reinstated tax-free shopping for overseas visitors, ministers have been told.

- BP BP.L,named outsider Albert Manifold, the former boss of building materials producer CRH CRH.N, as its new chairman, as it grapples with a major strategy reversal in an attempt to turn around a weak share performance.

The Guardian

- Britain will create a new powerful regulator for its water industry following public fury over sewage spills, accepting the key proposal of an independent report that also suggested easing up on pollution fines to prevent companies from collapsing.

- Britain's insolvent Lindsey oil refinery will close down after no buyers were found for the site, workers have been told.

The Telegraph

- Six million Britons risk being forced to delay their retirement after Labour announced a review into the state pension age.

Sky News

- BT Group BT.L, Britain's biggest broadband and mobile provider, is looking for a new finance chief to succeed Simon Lowth, who will retire within a year.

- One of the founders of money transfer company Wise WISEa.L has urged shareholders to reject plans to move the company to the U.S. because the plans also include changes to the shareholder structure which he said were buried in the proposal.

($1 = 0.7418 pounds)