Hamleys’ Chinese owner eyes exit with strategic review of toy shop October 21, 2018 Hamleys’ Chinese owner is considering a sale of the toymaker a week after it posted a 500 per cent decrease in profits. C.banner, which acquired Hamleys for around £100m in 2015, has started a strategic review after being approached by potential buyers. Read more: Hamleys replaces finance chief after disappointing results However it is unlikely [...]
Opinion: Would a People’s Vote inspire investors to take a punt on London or would it just cause more uncertainty? October 19, 2018 This weekend sees the People’s March come to London, with thousands of people set to take to the streets to demand a People’s Vote on the final Brexit deal. As a buying, I’m often asked about the impact of Brexit what the prospect of a People’s Vote could have on the prime London property market [...]
TfL is building tiny, affordable one-bed flats around London for priced-out first-time buyers October 18, 2018 A series of “genuinely affordable” but tiny one-bedroom homes are set to pop up around the capital, marketed at buyers priced out of the housing market. Single people or couples buying one of the 125 flats would own the entire property from day one, said Transport for London (TfL), which has partnered with private developer [...]
Blame the bank: How finance caused today’s housing crisis October 18, 2018 Home ownership is increasingly out of the reach of younger adults in the UK. The share of those aged 25-34 who own their home fell from 55 per cent in 1997 to 35 per cent in 2017, according the Institute of Fiscal Studies. A decade of stagnant wage growth means that the gradual house price [...]
New homes: Here are the new developments going on sale in London this week October 17, 2018 New developments on the market this week Weavers Quarter, Barking From £78,750 for a 30 per cent share (fmv £262,500) First time buyers can part-buy, part-rent new homes in east London. A show apartment is open for prospective buyers to view who wish to take advantage of the Shared Ownership scheme, where people buy a [...]
UAE T20x: Icon player Kumar Sangakkara and chief executive Salman Butt on Twenty20’s latest league October 16, 2018 You might think that Twenty20 cricket has reached its saturation point. Since its advent in 2003, the game’s shortest format has gone from strength to strength, culminating in a point now where it dominates agendas both domestically and internationally. Its success has seen tournaments spring up all over the globe in an attempt to catch [...]
Brexit: 23 answers to investors’ questions October 16, 2018 The UK’s scheduled departure from the EU is fast approaching. Many observers are hopeful for an orderly withdrawal. But plenty of potential pitfalls between now and Brexit-day which could result in a chaotic divorce. The only near-certainty at present is that the UK will cease to be a full member of the EU on 29 [...]
Mortgage approvals to first-time buyers hit highest level in more than a year October 16, 2018 The number of first-time buyer mortgage approvals hit 35,500 in August, reaching the highest level in more than a year. The figure was two per cent more than the previous month and peaked at the highest number since June 2017, according to UK Finance's Mortgage Trends Update. Read more: Foxtons closes flagship Park Lane office New lending to [...]
London developer Galliard invests £500m in new Birmingham homes October 15, 2018 London property developer Galliard has embarked on a £500m joint venture project in Birmingham amid efforts to expand beyond the capital’s subdued housing market. In its first Midlands project, Galliard has purchased a portfolio of new developments in partnership with regional developer Apsley House Capital, in a bid to tap into Birmingham’s growing popularity among young couples and first-time buyers. [...]
Why technology won’t transform every brand’s Fashion Week October 15, 2018 Now that this year’s Fashion Weeks in London, Milan, New York, and Paris have all come to a close, many people are questioning the role of a runway show in today’s age, and whether it could be brought into the twenty-first century. Some brands are embracing the latest technology to satisfy modern consumer demands by making [...]