Beat Europe’s economic blues by setting sights upon a brighter future March 4, 2012 MONEY, as they say, makes the world go around. Capital drives innovation and as success begets success the fruits of previous endeavours are ploughed into products and services of future creative destruction. Silicon Valley is the modern pinnacle of this virtuous cycle of money, brains and optimism. It’s all too easy to compare our failings [...]
Sipps are a tasty cocktail but are too neat for some March 4, 2012 ON THE face of it, self-invested personal pensions (Sipp) appear to be the perfect way for everyone to save for the future – offering the investment trinity of value, flexibility and choice. But Sipps aren’t always and everywhere the right choice – it could pay to weigh up the pros and cons. THE TRANSFER MARKET [...]
Fixing rates is a safer option March 4, 2012 ALONG with discussing our regularly inclement climate, house prices and mortgages are a national obsession of the British. However, according to the latest research from unbiased.co.uk, there is room to take the level of interest in the interest we pay on our mortgages up another notch. Unbiased.co.uk has recently found that only 49 per cent [...]
The ultimate no-fuss, late-season ski resort March 4, 2012 WE are having dinner in the swankiest restaurant in Les Deux Alpes when a strange story comes through on the iPhone. A high-flying Tory MP has been pictured at an outrageous Nazi-themed stag do in nearby ski resort Val Thorens (he is eventually forced to resign as an adviser to David Cameron). Though just a [...]
Luxury by the racetrack at Ellenborough Park March 4, 2012 IT’S hard to know which view to admire more: the grand sweep of Ellenborough Park’s main house, which began life as an sixteenth-century manor, or the view from that house of Cheltenham racecourse. The rails are so close that a decent pair of binoculars could almost save you buying a ticket to the club enclosure. [...]
On top of the world at Capri’s Punta Tragara March 4, 2012 THE tour boat rounded a bend. “Look up there,” the driver told us. “That’s the Punta Tragara, the fanciest and best hotel on the island.” Everyone looked up at the grand orange palace, all jutting balconies and terraces, perched on the top of one of Capri’s highest spots. My friend and I chuckled and kept [...]
£33m: Blues count cost as AVB gets the bullet March 4, 2012 Villas-Boas becomes sixth Chelsea manager to be axed in Abramovich era, after eight months CHELSEA finally lost patience with manager Andre Villas-Boas yesterday, bring to an end an eight-month tenure that cost the club around £33m. Villas-Boas was sacked hours after Saturday’s defeat at West Brom delivered another blow to their hopes of returning to [...]
United and Young show Spurs true hallmark of champions March 4, 2012 TOTTENHAM (1) vs MANCHESTER UNITED (3) MANCHESTER UNITED extinguished Tottenham’s flagging Premier League title hopes with a clinical display at White Hart Lane yesterday, but manager Harry Redknapp insists his side remain on course to end the season as London’s top club. Redknapp held a team meeting on Thursday in which he stressed the need [...]
Pogrebnyak treble fuels Fulham romp March 4, 2012 FULHAM (5) vs WOLVES (0) FULHAM manager Martin Jol is ready to hand January signing Pavel Pogrebnyak a new contract after the Russia striker plundered a perfect hat-trick in an emphatic drubbing of sorry Wolves. Pogrebnyak, who joined from Stuttgart until the end of the season, scored with his head and both feet to take [...]
French fightback denies Ireland rare triumph March 4, 2012 FRANCE (17) vs IRELAND (17) IRELAND captain Paul O’Connell rued a second-half slip-up as the visitors allowed France to fight back and deny them a race Six Nations victory in Paris. Two tries from winger Tommy Bowe put the Irish 17-6 up at the interval and within touching distance of their first win on French [...]
