Nearly 20 per cent of London households are in debt after paying for essentials February 24, 2016 Nearly one in five London households end up in the red on a monthly basis after paying for essentials, according to new data. Figures from Scottish Friendly also found that after buying essentials such as housing, energy, water, groceries and transport, the average London household has just £934 left per month to save or use [...]
Focus On Shadwell: Good transport and pubs mean promising times ahead in East London February 23, 2016 St Chad – after whom east London’s Chadwelle, now known as Shadwell, is named – is jokingly referred to as the patron saint of botched elections. This modern nickname was applied after the 2000 US election, when irregular “chads” (punched holes) may have defaced enough ballots cost Al Gore the 2000 US election. Chad is [...]
Crossrail is dead: Long live the Elizabeth Line, as London’s latest infrastructure project is renamed February 23, 2016 Crossrail is getting a rebrand before it has even launched. The multi-million-pound network, which will stretch from Reading in the West to Abbey Wood in East London and Shenfield in Essex, is going to be called the Elizabeth Line, in deference to our good lady monarch. The Queen visited the project formerly known as Crossrail today, dropping [...]
London mayoral election 2016: Conservative candidate Zac Goldsmith’s belief in Brexit on EU referendum proves he champions what’s right – not just what’s political February 22, 2016 Neither the former or current Mayors of London could be described as party poodles. London has a history of rewarding straight talking, independent minded candidates and Zac Goldsmith has those attributes in spades. Of course as a fellow Tory I’d be supporting him in his bid to be the Mayor of London, but at a [...]
West End residential sales jump despite stamp duty fears, says CBRE February 22, 2016 CBRE said it has seen no let-up in demand for homes in London’s West End despite concerns over stamp duty reforms and that overseas demand may be slowing. A third of homes (33 per cent) sold by CBRE in the fourth quarter reached prices of more than £2,250 per square feet, which was 23 per [...]
EU referendum: The European Union has shown it is not willing to reform. It’s time for us to leave February 21, 2016 I’ve spent the whole of my adult life standing up for what I believe in: that the voter is sovereign, our environment precious, and that politicians should deliver on the promises they make. My constituents – the people who know me best – know I have stood by those principles over the last six years. [...]
City Moves for 19 February 2016 | Who’s switching jobs February 19, 2016 Ogilvy & Mather Ogilvy & Mather London has appointed Mick Mahoney to the role of chief creative officer to lead the agency’s creative output across its client portfolio in the UK. He will report into newly appointed chief executive Charlie Rudd. Mick was executive creative director (ECD) at RKCR/Y&R from 2013 to 2015, and previously worked [...]
Proptech: Technology is poised to transform the UK housing market February 19, 2016 The phrase “fintech” has long since entered mainstream use, while buzzwords like adtech, edtech and medtech are becoming increasingly familiar too. Now a newish category is entering the technology startup lexicon: “proptech”. The UK’s property industry has remained stubbornly resistant to change, even as innovation reshapes entire verticals across the wider economy. Compared with, say, [...]
London house prices: As with Crossrail, all major transport projects must now define themselves within the property debate February 18, 2016 Last week at the London Assembly’s Transport Committee hearing, Lord Adonis provided evidence on how he will assess the case for Crossrail 2. As chair of the National Infrastructure Commission, his views will be pivotal in deciding the fate of the embryonic scheme. Of particular interest was what Adonis said about the difference between Crossrail 1 [...]
Oxford Street, Blackwall Tunnel, Southwark and Holborn teams win Transport for London funding to build streets for the future February 18, 2016 London's streets might not be paved with gold but they are about to become home to something arguably more interesting. Four schemes have been awarded funding by Transport for London, including an "intelligent" energy-generating side-street in the West End and a "noise-absorbing barrier" near the Blackwall Tunnel. The four grants have been awarded as part of its future [...]