London’s unfinished Scalpel tower already half-let November 7, 2018 National Australia Bank and insurer Lombard International are the latest occupiers-to-be at the newest office tower on London's skyline, The Scalpel, at 52 Lime Street. Over half of the tower, which owes its unusual shape to protected views of St Paul's Cathedral, is now pre-let or under offer as the building nears completion. National Australia [...]
The sky’s the limit: Solving the housing crisis involves unlocking the UK’s air rights November 7, 2018 The biggest and brightest cities in the world are known for their skylines, where towers and skyscrapers made of glass and steel jostle with one another, vying for our attention. Skyscrapers are the hallmark of bustling and healthy cities – a sign that a lot of people want to live and work within a few square [...]
Industry veteran Steve Morgan retires from housebuilder Redrow November 7, 2018 While much of today’s property talk has revolved around the bonus-related resignation of Persimmon boss Jeff Fairburn, rival housebuilder Redrow also bid its farewell to founder and chairman Steve Morgan. The industry veteran, who set up the FTSE 250 company in 1974, revealed he was retiring this morning a decade on from returning to the [...]
UK house price growth slows to weakest rate in five years November 7, 2018 House prices slumped to their lowest rate of growth in more than five years last month, as sales remained flat in the latest sign of subdued activity within the UK property market. Prices in the three months to October were 1.5 per cent higher than in the same three months a year earlier, marking a drop from 2.5 [...]
Farewell Fairburn: Persimmon boss asked to leave after £75m bonus backlash November 7, 2018 The fate of under-fire Persimmon boss Jeff Fairburn was finally sealed this morning, with the chief executive resigning in the wake of one of the most heated corporate pay rows since the financial crash. Fairburn, who was the UK’s highest paid boss in 2017, is to leave at the end of the year “at the [...]
Purplebricks posts sharp revenue growth as boss remains confident despite ‘challenging’ housing market November 6, 2018 The boss of online estate agent Purplebricks sought to ease City nerves this morning, after saying that the firm was confident of its future despite wider troubles within the UK’s housing market. Having posted a 20 per cent rise in year-on-year revenue growth in the six months to the end of October, chief executive Michael [...]
You can live opposite Queen Elizabeth II for £47,000 per week November 5, 2018 A palatial mansion opposite Buckingham Palace is available to rent for £2.4m for a year, provided the resident purchases the property if they like it. The "try before you buy" £47,000 per week rental arrangement gives potential buyers a test run before committing to the £76.5m price tag. In addition to the Grade II-listed mansion, residents [...]
What to look out for at next weekend’s Handmade Chelsea so you get ahead of the Christmas shopping game November 2, 2018 In the run-up to Christmas, shopping should be a pleasure, not a chore. And although shopping online has its conveniences, finding a gift that’s original, beautifully crafted and sold by the maker all add to the fun (or effort, depending on how you rate Christmas) of buying and giving. Handmade Chelsea is the luxury craft [...]
Is a ball pit in the office more of a hindrance than a help? Designers are calling time on tech playgrounds and creating offices that make you more efficient November 2, 2018 As the tech giants of Silicon Valley scrabble over the world’s best programmers, they’ve been inventing increasingly excessive office perks. We’ve all heard of them; Facebook’s ball pit, Google’s unlimited free food and on-demand masseuses, Reebok’s fitness classes. But while free concerts, haircuts and therapy puppies may get the talent to sign a contract, are [...]
Belfast has big plans to become the home of the Titanic and a top TV shooting location. But will that help the property market? November 2, 2018 A couple of weeks ago, a consortium of hedge funds clubbed together to raise $19.5m to buy bric-a-brac from the bottom of the ocean. At first glance, these 5,500 items bore no relation to each other; a bowler hat, the sleek curves of a bronze angel, a steel door. Their immense value derives solely from [...]