SEASONAL THOUGHTS FROM THE CITY GIRL November 30, 2009 As 2009 comes to a close, City folk are craving a bit of fun. After being forced to keep their heads down all year amid the misery, bailouts and chaos, most bankers I know are desperate to let their hair down, get drunk and embarrass themselves. One of the things I miss most about the [...]
OUT OF OFFICE November 30, 2009 CALEDONIART SCOTS ART SHOWThere are some beautiful pieces of art on show at Caledoniart in honour of St Andrew’s Day which should delight Scots and non-Scots alike. It’s a colourful, sensual collection of 25 of Scotland’s finest contemporary artists, including work from Gregory Rankin, Robert Kelsey, Roseanne Barr and Tim Cokburn, whose enchanting Bride and [...]
FOOD & BOOZE NEWS November 30, 2009 FOOD AND MUSIC IN CAMDENA taste of Sicily is coming to Camden Town, in the shape of new restaurant Caponata, which opens tomorrow night. And Camden being the centre of London’s live music scene, it’s got its own music and arts space, called The Forge. Signature dishes in the main restaurant will include the, um, [...]
Online organisation tools are the next big thing November 30, 2009 FREQUENTLY I find myself in discussions on panels where some well-intentioned moderator asks, “when will the advertising market come back?” Sir Martin Sorrell and other advertising executives frequently get quoted on their views on this subject, and overall, most people seem to think that the dip is cyclical, and if we wait long enough, good [...]
CAN DE BEERS REFINANCE WITHOUT HELP FROM ANGLO AMERICAN? November 30, 2009 CHARLES KERNOT EVOLUTION“Investing in De Beers would be a positive move for Anglo – there’s little opportunity to increase supply in diamonds and we are looking at a shortfall in supply over demand into 2010. As De Beers is in talks to restructure its debt, it could be that the banks want to see some [...]
Denman set for Aon showdown November 29, 2009 CHAMPION chaser Denman will prepare for the Cheltenham Gold Cup by running in February’s Aon Chase at Newbury instead of heading to Ireland for the Lexus Chase. The Paul Nicholls-trained nine-year-old galloped to a sensational Hennessy Gold Cup win at Newbury on Saturday and will now be giving a well-earned break, sitting out the Christmas [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING November 29, 2009 THE SUNDAYSThe Sunday TelegraphRATE HIKE THREATENS EXISTENCE OF RURAL PETROL STATIONSHundreds of rural petrol stations face closure if an “outrageous” increase in business rates is pushed through next April, forecourt owners have warned. Owners of the UK’s 6,000 independent petrol stations will this week launch a major MP-backed campaign to urge a government body to [...]
Spending down for Xmas November 29, 2009 SPENDING was down over the Black Friday weekend in the US, data out yesterday showed, although more people turned out to peruse the shops than last year. In the post-Thanksgiving period, which traditionally kicks off the holiday shopping rush, average spending was down 7.9 per cent a person as shoppers reined in their spending and [...]
EX-BANKER TO LAUNCH ART FUND VENTURE November 29, 2009 REGULAR readers may remember Nasser Azam, the former equities and derivatives trader at Merrill Lynch who swapped his high-flying City career for life as a humble artist. But it seems Azam has discovered a way to combine his twin passions, having just launched a new art investment fund called the Azam Collection. Actually, it isn’t [...]
Gartmore gears up for acquisitions November 29, 2009 GARTMORE, the City investment house, plans to make strategic acquisitions after it has boosted its balance sheet through its expected £1bn stockmarket flotation. Chief executive Jeffrey Meyer said the firm would look to buy medium-size boutiques whose skill sets complemented Gartmore’s expertise in hedge funds and European equities. Gartmore’s initial public offering is due to [...]