Apes film tops US box office August 14, 2011 Sci-fi movie Rise of the Planet of the Apes hung on to the top spot at the weekend box office for the second week in a row, according to studio estimates. The revival of the Planet of the Apes franchise pulled in an estimated $27.5m (£16.9m) at US and Canadian theatres over three days, distributor [...]
Evonik plans real estate sale August 14, 2011 German unlisted chemicals maker Evonik wants to sell the majority of its real estate business’ apartments. Through focusing on its core chemicals business, Evonik hopes to bolster itself for a planned initial public offering (IPO). Evonik’s residential real estate operations, Evonik Immobilien GmbH and THS GmbH jointly hold around 130,000 residential apartments.
GREAT NORTHERN HOTEL FREEHOLD SOLD August 14, 2011 THE freehold on the 157-year-old Grade-II listed Great Northern Hotel, which will form part of the new King’s Cross station redevelopment, has been bought by US real estate investor Pramerica for £12m. A pedestrian arcade that links the station and the hotel has already been completed, and the renovated hotel is slated to reopen in [...]
Office space take-up in the City stays flat August 14, 2011 TAKE-UP of office space in the City remained at its lowest level since 2009 in the last quarter, according to new research by Equipe. There have been no moves to offices larger than 50,000 sq ft in the last six months, with take-up of office space at just 834,000 sq ft, slightly down on the [...]
Time to choose: Fiscal union or euro break-up August 14, 2011 IT’S all getting a bit Cheryl and Ashley Cole in the Eurozone recently. To quote Cheryl’s no.1 hit, the EU seems to think that “if it’s worth having, it’s worth fighting for”. Well, I beg to differ. If you’re in a situation that clearly doesn’t work, then get out and don’t look back. Even after [...]
Jackson sets up private jet firm August 14, 2011 CLIVE Jackson, the serial entrepreneur behind digital marketing firms including Autotorq and Global Reach, has launched a private jet-share business, which aims to make luxury travel more accessible to the wider market. Victor, the new jet broking business, allows members to book spare seats on private flights already chartered by other travellers through its website. [...]
Pension deficit troubles Hachette August 14, 2011 THE UK’S biggest book publisher is taking steps to address a £35m pension black hole and could see some of its top editors leave in the process. Hachette is closing its remaining final salary pension schemes to new accruals this autumn, affecting some 250 long-serving workers. Negotiations are understood to have dragged, with sources suggesting [...]
Magic Circle law firms rule UK’s top 100 August 14, 2011 TOTAL revenues at the UK’s top 100 law firms hit £14.27bn in 2010-11, a four per cent increase from the previous year and a return to growth after declining turnovers since 2008. Profit at the biggest firms hit £4.3bn – also up four per cent from the £4.15bn in 2009-10, while the overall profit margin [...]
King of Shaves valued at £25m August 14, 2011 SHAVING paraphernalia firm King of Shaves has been valued at almost £25m after selling an increased stake to Japanese investor Kai Industries. The blade manufacturer tripled its holding from seven per cent to 21 per cent, according to the Sunday Telegraph. Kai and King of Shaves have had a successful relationship in the past, with [...]
Travelodge eyes National Parks August 14, 2011 BUDGET hotel chain Travelodge yesterday announced plans to open 37 hotels near to the UK’s 15 national parks in a £135m expansion drive The group, which currently has 475 hotels in the UK, Ireland and Spain, said the move came in response to high customer demand for hotels close to the UK’s top rural locations. [...]
