Poll: Millennials split on Help to Buy November 25, 2018 Fresh fears that the government’s Help-to-Buy programme has failed to help its target millennial market have been underlined today, with a new poll suggesting that young adults were the most likely group to oppose the scheme. According to a survey by property investment platform British Pearl, more than 40 per cent of people between the [...]
Saudi Aramco signs $25bn in deals as part of attempt to increase local content November 25, 2018 Saudi Aramco has said it will sign deals valued at around $25bn (£19.5bn) with local and foreign companies as Saudi Arabia pushes to diversify its economy. The oil company plans to pen 30 agreements during a two-day long event in the Gulf state. The In-Kingdom Total Value Add Program, which runs on Monday and Tuesday, [...]
Giggling Squid founder Andy Laurillard on provincial dining and the secrets of his chain’s success November 25, 2018 It’s a laugh a minute for Giggling Squid. The Surrey-based restaurant chain is cropping up in more and more affluent market towns and sleepy suburbs across the south of England, looking to entice customers with its unique offering of accessible Thai cuisine in a relaxed environment. Co-founders Andy Laurillard and his wife Pranee opened their [...]
Over a third of companies totally in the dark about HMRC’s controversial new tax scheme November 25, 2018 Following a call by the House of Lords to delay the government’s rollout of a key new tax policy, a survey has found over a third of businesses have not even heard of the scheme. With just over five months until the deadline for companies to digitise their VAT tax processes as part of the [...]
Giggling Squid founder used ‘Range Rover count’ to choose locations for Thai restaurants November 25, 2018 The founder of Thai restaurant chain Giggling Squid counted the number of Range Rovers in suburban towns to decide whether they would be suitable locations for his restaurant. Andy Laurillard told City A.M. he counted how many Range Rovers passed a potential restaurant site during morning rush hour as part of his research into a town’s [...]
Jingle sells: Ice rinks and golden baubles on the wishlist as Christmas decorators report best year yet November 25, 2018 Live reindeer, ice rinks and 22 carat-gold Christmas tree baubles – these are the extravagances on offer as wealthy homeowners increasingly turn to interior designers to decorate their houses this festive season. For a growing number of the rich and famous, gone are the days of struggling to put up the tree with the children. [...]
Aston Martin shrugs off Brexit fears with plan to double production by 2025 November 25, 2018 James Bond may have to change his car if he wants to stand out from the crowd as Aston Martin’s chief executive today revealed plans to double production by 2025. The company is shrugging off concerns around Brexit and slowing Chinese demand as it looks set to make 6,400 cars this year, but it has [...]
Yours for £4m: A piece of literary history goes up for sale as writer’s London home hits market November 25, 2018 THE HOUSE where William Makepeace Thackeray wrote Vanity Fair could be yours for around £4.5m as the iconic late-17th century building goes up for sale. Grade II-listed 16 Young Street, in the heart of Kensington, is currently home to both offices and Richmond University’s Kensington campus. It was once inhabited by 19th-century author William Makepeace [...]
Short-seller who took on Steinhoff sets sights on plastics firm RPC Group November 25, 2018 The short-seller whose research group uncovered financial irregularities at South African retailer Steinhoff has struck out at plastics company RPC Group. Fraser Perring claims the FTSE 250 company has used a string of acquisitions to mask falling earnings, and said it had used “aggressive accounting” processes to allocate large sums of money as goodwill, making [...]
Sadiq Khan faces fresh scrutiny over Crossrail delay after July dossier emerges November 25, 2018 London mayor Sadiq Khan is facing fresh questions over what he knew about the delay to Crossrail following the emergence of a dossier from July that indicated the £15.4bn project would not open on time. Khan has repeatedly said that he was only informed of the delay two days before it was made public on 31 August, [...]