Southern Railway strike: The RMT is ignoring the interests of commuters and its members May 18, 2016 For the second time in four weeks, the RMT union is striking on the Southern Railway network today, causing havoc for the 300,000 people we carry on their commute every day. This pointless and unnecessary dispute will doubtless infuriate every one of our customers. And I don’t blame them one bit. I share their frustration. People [...]
London Eye Finnish-ed? Helsinki gets world’s first giant ferris wheel with sauna cabins May 17, 2016 Finland’s Skywheel Helsinki is set to steal London Eye’s thunder with the launch of SkySauna, the world’s first sauna cabin mounted on an observation wheel. Due to launch next month, each cabin will carry up to five people who’ll be able to bask in temperatures of up to 94F (90C). Visitors on the two-and-a-half-minute ride [...]
Tale of two cities: Winners and losers in the London housing market May 17, 2016 House prices in some of prime central London’s most expensive postcodes have plummeted by more than 10 per cent, while further out of town prices have powered ahead, resulting in a new two-speed market in the capital. The sea-change, caused by factors as diverse as stamp duty reforms and an economic slowdown in China, is creating [...]
London bus crash injures 13 in Harlesden May 15, 2016 A bus has crashed into a shop injuring as many as 13 people in north west London. The double decker bus crashed into a shop in Harlesden at around 2pm on Sunday. The incident occurred at a junction with Harlesden High Street and Manor Park Road, said London Fire Brigade, which had firefighters from Park Royal, Stanmore and Wembley attending [...]
This bank just moved into the Cheesegrater May 13, 2016 Lettings in the Cheesegrater, aka the Leadenhall Building, are creeping up: this morning the City's tallest skyscraper announced the newest of its tenants. Clydesdale Bank has signed a 15-year lease on the 17,300 sq ft 15th floor of the building, British Land and Oxford Properties, which co-own the building, said this morning. That pushes lettings at the [...]
Businesses in London face £7.5bn tax increase May 12, 2016 Industry groups have warned of a London exodus if business rates are not cut, as new research predicts that firms in the capital will face a £7.5bn tax hike after next April’s revaluation. Property consultancy Gerald Eve, who compiled the eye-watering estimates, predicts that businesses solely within the Square Mile will have to pay more than [...]
City folks these days just want to start a family May 12, 2016 Even with their sky-high rents, crowded transport networks and lack of greenery, research out today has found that many people think major cities are the perfect place to start a family. The study by the international pensions unit of Allianz discovered that the birthrate in 41 major European and US cities is seven per cent higher than [...]
Sadiq Khan’s rent caps could benefit London landlords May 12, 2016 London’s newly elected mayor, Sadiq Khan, has already committed to making the London housing crisis a priority. He has announced a raft of policies aimed at helping the capital’s two million private renters, and one is attracting particular scrutiny and controversy – the introduction of a London rent cap. Few people doubt rents in London [...]
London is still the world’s most luxurious property market while Auckland is the “hottest” city according to Christie’s International Real Estate May 12, 2016 This may come as little surprise, but London has retained its title as the world's most luxurious property market for the fourth year in a row, according to Christie's International Real Estate. The capital topped the list of 100 cities surveyed, beating Hong Kong, New York, Los Angeles and Singapore to the real estate top [...]
Open data: London is streets ahead when it comes to helping commuters plan their journey – but we mustn’t become complacent May 12, 2016 Whether we’re trying to navigate around traffic jams or route closures, find the quickest way to a meeting or explore a new area of the city, many of us rely on technology to identify the best route to take. Transport and navigation apps have been allowed to flourish in London thanks to the availability of real-time and static [...]