Central London office take-up stays sluggish April 17, 2012 LEASING activity in the City and West office market remained sluggish in the first quarter of 2012 as tough economic conditions continued to dampen appetite for new space, according to research by Knight Frank. The property agent said take-up in the West End stood at 1m square feet in the quarter, down from 1.3m sq [...]
Should sanctions be lifted before Burma reforms? April 15, 2012 YES Derek Tonkin SANCTIONS are a potentially valuable tool but, unless they can be carefully targeted, their effects can be counterproductive. Burma is a case in point. The effectiveness of sanctions has been minimal because no country in the region agreed to support the West. Burma’s immediate neighbours, notably China and Thailand, have captured the [...]
Miami Nice: there’s lots more to Florida than Disney World April 15, 2012 FOR most of the 1.5m Brits who travel to Florida each year, it’s the allure of the Mouse that does it. But there’s much more to the state than Disney. While Orlando promises wholesome family entertainment (especially for those who don’t mind queuing), the rest of Florida offers some serious fun for grown ups. Miami [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING April 4, 2012 FINANCIAL TIMES THREAT TO UK ACCESS TO VENTURE CAPITAL European rules on state aid have jeopardised small UK companies’ access to venture capital funding worth hundreds of millions of pounds each year, placing further strain on a sector already starved of credit. Under a measure included in the Finance Bill, venture capital trusts that invest [...]
…But Skype hires 400 and puts 100 workers in new London hub April 4, 2012 SKYPE yesterday unveiled an expansion plan that will see the online phone group increase its European presence and hire 400 extra people across five cities worldwide. The Microsoft-owned company, which already has an office in the West End, is upping its London workforce by 100 and opening a new technology centre in the city. Skype [...]
German fund spends £235m on Kings Place April 4, 2012 GERMAN fund manager Deka has bought the home of the Guardian newspaper in King’s Cross for £235m, property agent Savills said yesterday. Savills, which acted for Deka, said Deka Immobilien’s open-ended fund WestInvest InterSelect bought the seven-storey Kings Place building from developer Peter Millican in an off-market transaction. Property consultant DTZ represented the seller. Kings [...]
Honeymooning for one in the Maldives April 1, 2012 GOING on holiday alone is one thing. Going on holiday alone to the world’s foremost couples’ destination is rather another. I wasn’t off to backpack around the villages of the Himalayas or go down and out in Bangkok and Hanoi, bumping into new people and places every five minutes. No: I set off on a [...]
NEWS from the SHOP March 29, 2012 Ted Baker quick to the draw with its new Spring/Summer menswear collection Ted Baker launched its menswear Spring/Summer collection this month, rather grandiosely dubbed The Great Exhibitionist and His Private Views. Its business-wear range focuses on suits in taupe, silver and navy jacquard, with a tendency towards lustrous material – very indicative of the bolder [...]
Shawbrook to ramp up lending after buying asset finance firm March 28, 2012 SHAWBROOK, the new business bank chaired by former RBS boss Sir George Mathewson, is set to grow this year after snapping up an asset finance business from the administrators of Icelandic lender Kaupthing. It has bought Singers Asset Finance, a major provider of finance to NHS trusts and small and medium sized enterprises, which did not [...]
Dominos presses on with expansion plans March 28, 2012 Britain’s biggest pizza delivery firm Domino’s Pizza UK reported a rise in first quarter sales, helped by a recovery in Ireland, and said it was sticking with plans to open 72 new stores in 2012, including 12 in Germany. Domino’s, which operates the British and Irish franchises of the global delivery brand, said on Wednesday [...]