Virgin Active IPO: London misses out as gym chain plans South Africa float January 7, 2015 Gym chain Virgin Active is looking for investment bankers to run the likely £1.5bn flotation of its shares on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange over the coming months. A South African sale would be a loss to London, as the brand has a strong presence in the UK. The group traditionally had more sites in the [...]
In pictures: This is what Peckham’s own Walkie Talkie Sky Garden would look like January 6, 2015 Peckham could one day have its own version of the Walkie Talkie Sky Garden thanks to a local architecture student's plan to transform the area's disused railway into an elevated green space. (Source: peckhamcoalline.strikingly.com) The proposal, which is currently in drawing stage, would see the creation of a 1km-long green park and cycle route [...]
Walkie Talkie Sky Garden: Bookings roll in but rules have riled January 5, 2015 The lifts of 20 Fenchurch Street opened to the public yesterday, with roughly 80 excited guests heading up to be among the first to experience the building’s Sky Garden. Booking opened to visitors on 1 December and according to Rhubarb, the company running the Sky Garden’s attractions, it has been popular, with 500 bookings for [...]
Robert Sarver: Phoenix Suns owner circles for Glasgow Rangers FC January 5, 2015 Robert Sarver, an American financier and owner of the Phoenix Suns basketball team, has made an approach for Glasgow Rangers, the football club confirmed in a statement yesterday. The approach remains unofficial, with Rangers adding in the statement that “there can be no certainty that an offer will be made, nor as to the terms [...]
The Walkie Talkie has opened its Sky Garden to the public, but is it the City’s ugliest building? January 5, 2015 Christopher Costelloe is director of the Victorian Society, says Yes Despite tough competition – the new UBS HQ in Broadgate promises to be quite remarkably ugly when completed – the Walkie Talkie is probably the ugliest building in London. We owe its architect, Rafael Vinoly, a great debt for demonstrating precisely why almost all buildings [...]
New Year resolutions for trading success January 5, 2015 The new year has arrived with a bit of a bang for markets: a euro selloff, further slides in the oil price, and the rouble is still getting hammered. And for UK investors, the run-up to the General Election is bound to bring with it several waves of serious uncertainty. Between now and May, says [...]
Wiggins signs Sky deal for Paris-Roubaix bid January 5, 2015 CYCLIST Sir Bradley Wiggins has confirmed plans for a final attempt at winning one of the sport’s most iconic events, the Paris-Roubaix one-day classic, before he swaps road for track racing later this year. Former Tour de France winner Wiggins has agreed a short-term contract with Team Sky that will take him into a sixth [...]
The sky’s the limit for Walkie Talkie diners January 4, 2015 CITY-workers looking for a pick me up to soothe the January blues can now take that phrase literally and look to the top of London’s curviest new skyscraper, the Walkie Talkie. The block on Fenchurch street will today fling open the doors to its much-anticipated sky garden, a public green space on the roof of [...]
Walkie Talkie Sky Garden: How to book a visit to the stunning public park with views across London January 4, 2015 The Walkie Talkie building (or 20 Fenchurch Street as it’s officially known) is opening the doors to its crowning glory – spectacular views of the city amid a stunning park in the sky. The huge skyscraper’s Sky Garden on floors 35, 36 and 37 is the final part of the building to open, and can [...]
Cameron refuses to rule out coalition with Ukip and Nigel Farage January 4, 2015 Was this morning the time we saw the first tentative, flirting moves towards a Conservative/Ukip coalition? Appearing on the Andrew Marr show Cameron faced questions about an allegiance between the two parties and declined to deny it, whilst also avoiding any overtly negative comments about Nigel Farage’s party. The most negative thing Cameron [...]