Build on the green belt to ease home price crisis, say economists September 21, 2014 ROLLING back the green belt and easing planning laws are needed to address the cost of living crisis, analysts at the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) argued today, hitting out at Labour’s plans to cap rents and set conditions on the type of homes built. The think tank argues that house prices have shot up [...]
Manufacturers demand more support to aid their recovery September 21, 2014 MANUFACTURERS feel left out of the economic recovery and are today demanding politicians give the sector more support in their 2015 general election campaigns. Industry body the EEF has made wide-ranging recommendations for policies to promote investment in skills, innovation, infrastructure and energy security, and also wants to stay in the EU. While mostly consisting [...]
EE ready to buy up to 60 Phones 4u stores today September 21, 2014 BRITAIN’S largest mobile network operator EE is in talks to buy up to 60 Phones 4u stores following the retailer’s collapse into administration. PwC is understood to be planning to announce the deal as soon as this morning. However sources close to the administrator said talks were ongoing last night. Phones 4u’s collapse was triggered [...]
Marks & Spencer’s clothing sales through Alibaba soar in China September 21, 2014 Alibaba, the Chinese e-commerce giant which could hold the title of having the world’s biggest ever initial public offering after raising $21.8bn on Friday, has helped to boost Marks & Spencer’s (M&S) online clothing sales in China. The head of M&S’s overseas internet business, Ricky Wilson, said on Saturday that M&S is now the fastest [...]
In pictures: Ed Balls involved in bloodbath at MP charity game September 21, 2014 This week, the political excitement has migrated south from Scotland to Manchester, where Labour has started its annual party conference. What better way to kick things off (literally) than with the now infamous MPs versus lobby hacks footie match? And it was a goodie. MPs including Ed Balls, Sadiq Khan and Andy Burnham donned their [...]
Metro Bank chief joins the City abseil bonanza September 21, 2014 NOT ONLY have people been gaining access to some fantastic buildings this weekend, a lot of people have also been zooming down the outside of them, too. Friday saw the Lord Mayor Fiona Woolf and Lloyd’s chief exec Inga Beale abseil down the side of the Lloyd’s building. Yesterday Metro Bank employees, chief exec Craig [...]
Run on the Bank of England or is it just Open House weekend? September 21, 2014 Anyone walking past the Bank of England yesterday would’ve been forgiven for thinking there was a Northern Rock-style run on the Bank, as a queue formed right around the historic building and down the street. Luckily, it was just Open House weekend. The Cheesegrater, The Gherkin and The Lloyd’s Building also welcomed visitors for a [...]
Three things you didn’t know about… September 21, 2014 Co-founder and managing partner of WestBridge Capital Guy Davies 1 Despite growing up in Nottinghamshire, when it comes to the beautiful game Guy is a Chelsea fan and has held a season ticket since 2004. 2 He’s not afraid of leaving terra firma – he’s been a PADI-certified scuba diver since 1999 and once dived [...]
The FTSE 100’s Twitter power-users (and its social flops) September 21, 2014 FTSE 100 companies have upped their game on Twitter according to social media agency Battenhall, sending out a total of 1.4 million tweets in the past year compared with 582,227 in 2013. The agency puts companies’ increased efforts on Twitter down to the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s 2013 legislation, which gave firms permission to [...]
Every Lidl helps when it comes to boosting local house prices September 21, 2014 Living close to a discount store such as Lidl can increase the price of your property by almost £30,000, according to research released today. Research by online estate agents Housesimple.co.uk looked at the location of Lidl supermarkets in some of the major towns and cities across the UK and found that, in 80 per cent [...]