BLANK GETS READY FOR TRIP BACK TO LLOYDS September 2, 2010 SIR Victor Blank, who quit Lloyds Banking Group last year in the aftermath of its controversial merger with HBOS, is returning in a few days’ time for a happy occasion. Blank is there as the guest of current chairman Sir Wyn Bischoff who is hosting an unveiling ceremony of a portrait of his predecessor in [...]
Pack a tax plan if you want a retirement on the beach September 2, 2010 IF YOU are tempted to spend your golden years in the sun and escape overcrowded, polluted London, you are not alone. Emigration from the UK reached a record high in 2008 and that was before the introduction of a 50 per cent higher tax rate and the impending austerity measures. But planning is essential if [...]
The period mansion with its own chapel September 2, 2010 IN London, homes with good river views are much sought-after and hard to come by – once you have one, you’re not likely to relinquish it. Homes with 80 metres of uninterrupted Thames frontage, however – not to mention 10 bedrooms and a ballroom – present a very, very rare opportunity for anyone with the [...]
Derwent posts higher profit on bargain hunters August 25, 2010 OFFICE landlord Derwent London reported sustained growth in the value of its portfolio to £2.2bn yesterday, easing fears of a new real estate slump as Britain’s economic prospects wilt. Chief executive John Burns said Derwent’s signature strategy of providing affordable offices in the capital’s nascent business hubs would hold up as firms budgeted for slower [...]
Swannell is the right man for M&S August 23, 2010 WHEN I had breakfast with Robert Swannell, the newly appointed chairman of Marks & Spencer recently, it was clear that the former investment banker was in anything but wind down mode. After three decades of working on mergers and acquisitions, sometimes over seven-day weeks involving late nights, Swannell could have been forgiven for putting his [...]
CITY MOVES | WHO’S SWITCHING JOBS August 23, 2010 Future Group The media business has appointed former ITN chief executive Mark Wood as chief executive of its UK business. Wood, who stood down from ITN last year, has been a non-executive director at Future since April 2009. He will leave the board on taking up his new post at the end of the month. [...]
Rent soars for best West End window space August 22, 2010 WEST END retail rents are set to soar further in the wake of a record £700 per square foot lease secured by Spanish retailer Desigual. The fashion chain will pay the eye-watering sum for the lucrative window-side parts of the shop floor, as part of a deal with property investor Prupim last week. Desigual’s rent [...]
PROPERTY NEWS August 19, 2010 LUXURY DEVELOPMENT ON FINCHLEY ROAD A slice of leafy North-West London has just become more accessible with the unveiling of West Heath Place, a collection of 48 apartments, including penthouses and a cottage on the Golders Green end of the Finchley Road. Flats from £795,000. For more info call Glentree Estates on 0208 201 8780 [...]
Defenders hold the key in Monday night battle August 19, 2010 MANCHESTER CITY VS LIVERPOOL MONDAY – 8.00PM SKY SPORTS MANCHESTER City would have counted themselves slightly fortunate to have escaped from White Hart Lane with a point on Saturday. Joe Hart produced a brilliant performance, particularly in the first half, while the defence looked fairly solid throughout. It will take a while for their attacking [...]
Blackpool buck the spending trend as agents rake in record £12.7m in fees August 18, 2010 BLACKPOOL are living proof that big money payments to agents don’t necessary bring success. Ian Holloway’s (right) men sealed a shock promotion to the Premier League last May after beating Cardiff in the Championship play-off final. But new figures released by the Football League yesterday showed the Seasiders achieved it with their house well and [...]