From Grumpy Cat and falling oil prices to Google blackouts and the weather bomb: Here are 10 things we learned this week December 12, 2014 It's been another busy week… here's our pick of the things we learned. 1. Grumpy Cat may not look too impressed but for once she certainly had something to smile about. Turns out the feline internet celebrity earned £32m last year. That's more than a host of business bosses, including Sir Martin Sorrell, Jamie [...]
Lending Club flotation: It’s good news and bad news December 12, 2014 Lending Club is a US-based peer-to-peer (P2P) lender. It acts as a conduit for the passage of money from individuals and institutions to businesses. Some call that crowdfunding – though increasingly that term is being reserved for platforms that raise money for equity, or property investment, or special purposes such as charity. Whatever you [...]
Which supermarket has the cheapest petrol? Supermarkets announce price cuts as oil falls December 12, 2014 Major UK supermarkets have announced cuts in the cost of petrol and diesel in response to the fall in global oil prices. The biggest discounter is Asda, which will cut 2p per litre off the price of both petrol and diesel on 13 December. Sainsbury's was the first to cut prices on 11 December, announcing a cut of [...]
London’s super-sewer is safe from Ofwat’s water bill reduction plan December 12, 2014 Ofwat's plan to lower household water bills in England and Wales will not hinder the build of a new super-sewer under London, according to Thames Water. The company, which would oversee the creation of the £4.2bn drainage system extending from west to east London, had previously asked the UK's water regulator to increase household [...]
These London boroughs have made the most from parking charges: Westminster, Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea December 12, 2014 London boroughs netted an astonishing £293m from parking charges last year, according to new research by transport and research policy organisation the RAC Foundation. They contributed 44 per cent to the £667m of the overall total raked in by local councils across the UK. The total figure has surged 12 per cent from last year's [...]
Three of UK’s biggest energy firms slapped with £4.6m fine for not meeting environmental targets December 12, 2014 Ofgem has demanded that three of the UK's biggest energy firms pay hefty fines for missing government environmental targets. Under the Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP), the energy regulator said the companies should produce lower carbon emissions and reduce household bills by the end of 2012, but many failed to meet expectations including Scottish [...]
Which London street is the most expensive to live on? Belgravia beats Kensington and Chelsea December 12, 2014 Grosvenor Crescent, near Buckingham Palace, has been named London's most expensive street to live on, according to new research by Lloyds Bank. Home buyers who want to live in one of the prestigious crescent's white Georgian townhouses will, on average, have to shell out a whopping £16.9m. It's located in high-end Belgravia, one of the wealthiest [...]
Construction output falls 2.2 per cent – but it’s not as disappointing as it looks December 12, 2014 Growth in the UK construction industry rose by a modest 0.7 per cent in October compared with the year before, and contracted 2.2 per cent on the previous month. Does this mean the sector – which has until recently put in a reliable performance – is beginning to suffer? It's worth pointing out that the [...]
Oil drops again as the International Energy Agency slashes its growth forecast December 12, 2014 Is £1-a-litre petrol about to become a reality? Oil prices fell again this morning, after the International Energy Agency (IEA) slashed its forecast for growth in the oil sector. According to the IEA's monthly oil market report, global growth in the market will hit 900,000 barrels a day next year, 230,000 fewer than previously expected. [...]
Cost of household water bills in UK set to drop by £20 over next five years December 12, 2014 The cost of water bills for households in England and Wales is set to fall by an average five per cent over the next five years, under a new rule being introduced by industry regulator Ofwat. Before adjustments for inflation, average bills received by home owners across the two countries will fall to £376 [...]