Surge in fraud as hard times encourage investors and firms to drop their guard July 19, 2009 FRAUD is hitting record levels in the UK, with over 160 cases of serious fraud with charges of more than £100,000 during the first half of this year, according to the latest barometer from business advisers KPMG. The half-year figures are the highest recorded since KPMG began the survey 21 years ago. Together the cases [...]
CANTERBURY TRIES BUT FAILS July 13, 2009 THE European arm of rugby shirt maker Canterbury yesterday fell into administration, with the loss of 72 jobs in the UK. Canterbury Europe supplies teams including the London Wasps, Leinster and the Scottish national side. Administrators KPMG said all contracts with clubs have now been cancelled. The rest of Canterbury Group, including the global Canterbury [...]
Canary Wharf versus the City row is reignited July 12, 2009 THE departure of Japanese bank Nomura from Canary Wharf to the City has reignited the row between the two hubs over where the true heart of the financial sector lies. Nomura is quitting the Isle of Dogs for the new new 525,000 sq ft riverside City complex Watermark Place. But Canary Wharf achieved a coup [...]
GRINDING DOWN July 9, 2009 ADMINISTRATOR KPMG yesterday said 10 of the 20 outlets directly owned by coffee chain Coffee Republic had shut their doors with the loss of 66 jobs. The group collapsed into administration on Tuesday after it was hit by consumers scaling back on discretionary spending. KPMG yesterday said it was now in talks with potential buyers [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING July 9, 2009 FINANCIAL TIMESSTRATEGIC REVAMP FOR LLOYD’SLloyd’s of London has begun the biggest strategic review it has undertaken this decade in an attempt to ensure the more than 320-year-old insurance market does not fail in exploiting the gaps in the market thrown up by the financial crisis. The institution, which deals in insurance risks from all over the [...]
GRINDING TO A HALT July 8, 2009 COFFEE Republic, the chain which fell into administration earlier this week, named 20 group-owned stores which will close yesterday. The list of stores to shut up shop includes London branches in Canary Wharf and on the King’s Road. Another 167 franchises and concessions will not be affected, said administrator KPMG.
Michael Page: UK job market is stabilising July 7, 2009 SHARES in job market bellwether Michael Page rose yesterday after its chief executive Steve Ingham said that it had seen a stabilisation in some markets but did not expect a firm recovery until next year. “I wouldn’t say the shoots are green out there but there’s some stabilisation which is reassuring,” Ingham said. The statement came as [...]
KPMG called in as Coffee Republic fails July 7, 2009 COFFEE Republic, the high street coffee shop chain, yesterday said its three main subsidiaries had fallen into administration after months of teetering on the brink due to the slump in consumer spending. KPMG’s David Crawshaw and Richard Hill – who have been appointed joint administrators to Coffee Republic UK, Coffee Republic Franchising and Goodbean – warned [...]
Omega joins the big boys on the main London Stock Exchange market space July 7, 2009 OMEGA Insurance, the Lloyd’s of London underwriter, has ascended to the main market of the London Stock Exchange, after it last week boosted its control of Lloyds’ successful Syndicate 958. The insurer yesterday left the smaller Aim space to join bigger rivals on the main market, and is now one of seven non-life insurers on [...]
Nomura’s exit triggers AIG Wharf payout July 6, 2009 JAPANESE bank Nomura’s decision to ditch the former Lehman Brothers office and house its 3,600 employees in the City will trigger a rental insurance payout of up to £224m for Canary Wharf. As City A.M. revealed yesterday, Nomura has signed a deal to move into the riverside complex Watermark Place in 2010, meaning it will [...]