Tube set to open all night on Fridays and Saturdays November 21, 2013 THE TUBE will keep running through the night at weekends from 2015, in a plan hailed by firms as changing the face of London’s night-time economy. However, unions threatened strike action after TfL announced alongside the night Tube that it was scrapping ticket office staff. Mayor Boris Johnson said London will be “a city fit [...]
Lessons of the crisis loom large for challenger November 21, 2013 Metro Bank’s Craig Donaldson is determined not to make the same mistakes as the big banks METRO Bank has made a splash since it was granted a banking licence just over three years ago. When it launched in 2010 the new lender was the first to the high street in more than 100 years – [...]
A new public square for north London November 21, 2013 New homes in West Hampstead will be inspired by Bauhaus architecture and contemporary design ACCORDING to rock legend, The Rolling Stones wrote their first song while locked in a West Hampstead flat in 1964. The tale goes that, despite The Stones’ success, The Beatles were making more money because the talented rascals had the cheek [...]
Hussey reveals Marble Arch vision November 20, 2013 ALMACANTAR said it is to submit plans for the overhaul of Marble Arch Tower before the end of the year after unveiling its final proposals for the prime West End scheme yesterday. The property developer founded by the former London boss of Land Securities Mike Hussey wants to demolish the current 24-storey tower on the [...]
Chile: the most varied country in the world November 17, 2013 From mountains to desert, Ashwin Bhardwaj is enchanted by the diverse delights of Chile AT UNIVERSITY, we teased our Geographer housemate for doing a degree in “colouring in.” But we secretly envied his trips to exotic corners of the globe, digging ice cores and monitoring volcanoes. Visualising geography is difficult in England as this green [...]
Capco reports strong financial position on back of Covent Garden estate November 15, 2013 Capital and Counties (Capco) has posted strong results this morning, announcing that its Covent Garden estate is on track to achieve £60-65m estimated rental value (ERV) by December 2015. It also said that its achieved significant progress in its £8bn Earls Court development. (Release) Since 30 June, Covent Garden has seen new lettings and renewals [...]
Culture and shopping in Shanghai and Hong Kong November 10, 2013 When Michelle Filmer went to China, she split her time between its two most vibrant cities. From luxury to history, she selects the top ten highlights of her visit 1. THE BUND The waterfront area in central Shanghai that runs along the west bank of the Huangpu river is known as The Bund. The west [...]
Great Portland joins forces with Hong Kong Monetary Authority November 7, 2013 GREAT Portland has joined forces with Hong Kong’s central bank to develop a scheme that will sit next to Crossrail’s new Bond Street Station. The West End developer said yesterday it will sell properties that form part of Hanover Square in Mayfair to the joint venture fund, GHS Limited Partnership, for £202m. The Hong Kong [...]
How ending the letting free-for-all could save our failing high streets November 7, 2013 THE RECENT purchase of much of the retail property along London’s Queensway by Meyer Bergman and a Brunei family was a keynote deal. As all successful retail property investors know: control the mix of shops, and you control the fortunes of the area. Control the Queensway mix and you can restore a down-at-heel shopping offer [...]
US bus division helps FirstGroup to narrow losses November 6, 2013 AMERICAN buses have fuelled growth at FirstGroup while it works on overhauling its businesses in Britain, the FTSE 250 travel group said yesterday. FirstGroup narrowed its pre-tax losses to £8m in the six months to the end of September, an improvement on the £20.6m loss it posted a year ago. Revenues were up 1.6 per [...]