Modern living in reborn Wembley May 20, 2010 WITH three weeks to go until the World Cup, the red and white flags and bunting have started appearing in the shops this week, which must mean it’s okay now to be getting excited. Notwithstanding the unfortunate comments of Lord Triesman last weekend, there’s still the hope that in eight years time we’ll have the [...]
Efficient tale of swords and magic May 20, 2010 Film PRINCE OF PERSIA: SANDS OF TIME Cert: 12A *** BASED on a computer game, Prince of Persia: Sands of Time sees doe-eyed actor Jake Gyllenhaal switch to swashbuckling action star, not entirely successfully. He’s got the beefy physique, and thanks to CGI there’s no end to the acrobatic leaps and somersaults he can perform [...]
Skyscrapers to surge in building boom May 20, 2010 LONDON office space has been the subject of much consternation amongst the financial elite. The recession caused office construction to grind to a shuddering halt as firms battened down the hatches and waited for the worst to pass. As the economy shifted into growth, the construction industry lagged behind and office rates crept up. Prime [...]
WORLD CUP FOOTBALL FANTASY WINS THE HEARTS OF THE LADIES May 19, 2010 PUT A bunch of ladies in a room for a corporate networking event, and what’s the last topic you’d choose to centre the discussion on? Football? So when The Capitalist rocked up yesterday at the swanky Mayfair hotel for a “Ladies’ Day” organised by law firm Crowell & Moring, it was surprising, to say the [...]
Polo’s hottest event returns to Hurlingham May 18, 2010 FOR a game that’s nearly 3,000 years old, polo has certainly kept up with the times. Last year’s MINT Polo in the Park event at Hurlingham attracted a crowd of 24,000 and a TV audience of more than two million viewers, making it the most watched polo match ever. The first recorded game took place [...]
Darling to quit front line politics and sit on the backbenches May 17, 2010 ALISTAIR DARLING is returning to the backbenches, ending his thirteen-year career in front-line politics. Darling, who along with Jack Straw and Gordon Brown was one of just three surviving cabinet ministers from Tony Blair’s original line-up in 1997, said it had been an “enormous privilege” to serve in government. He added: “But I believe it is time for me [...]
City looks to REITs for new building sites May 16, 2010 ANALYSTS are hoping for a wave of new property developments as three of Britain’s largest listed real estate investment trusts (REITs) report their year-end numbers this week. British Land, Great Portland Estates and Land Securities will all reveal increases in the value of their portfolios, according to City consensus. The trio of positive results will [...]
Crossrail hails decision to finish the link May 13, 2010 CROSSRAIL hailed the decision by new Lib-Con transport secretary Philip Hammond not to scrap the £16bn east-west rail link across the capital yesterday. Terry Morgan, chairman of Crossrail, said: “This is welcome news. To get such early and firm support from the government means the project can go forward with confidence.” Morgan added: “This construction [...]
Cameron fails to turn Britain blue May 7, 2010 TORY leader David Cameron had hoped to turn Britain blue today but the party’s plan to target swing voters waned the further the Conservatives moved away from their heartlands in the South East. Conservative strategists masterminded wins from Labour in seats like Kingswood in South Gloucestershire with a swing of 9.4 per cent, or Sutton [...]
GOLDMAN EXECUTIVES KEEP IT IN THE FAMILY May 5, 2010 A RIFLE through the proxy statement issued by Goldman Sachs to its shareholders ahead of tomorrow’s general meeting throws the spotlight firmly back on compensation – and it seems the firm’s executives aren’t the only ones being scrutinised. That’s right – not only are investors being asked to give their thoughts on the pay packages [...]