London house prices might be mind-boggling for renters and young buyers, but it’s forcing creative solutions to the problem like never before October 15, 2015 This month, Daniel Radcliffe reportedly put his New York apartment up for rent at an eye-watering price of $19,000 (£12,500) per month. But now you can live the real “Harry Potter” lifestyle for a snip of the cost after an eager London renter in search of a new home tweeted a ‘room’ that was available to rent [...]
Virgin Money share price rises as mortgage lending jumps: More proof challenger banks are winning? October 15, 2015 The "Big Four" have good reason to worry about challenger banks, after Virgin Money announced net mortgage lending almost doubled in the nine months to the end of September. The figures Gross mortgage lending jumped 38 per cent to £5.5bn in the first three quarters of the year, the bank said today, with net mortgage lending rising 98 per [...]
UK property market: Why Victorian housing associations are just as relevant today October 15, 2015 The problem for many housing associations with this week's Housing Bill is that a focus on extending home ownership or even on supply alone serves only to deal with some of the problems facing those on low incomes. For those now too old for a full mortgage, constrained by the limits of zero hours contracts [...]
London set to maintain reputation as global divorce capital after landmark ruling October 15, 2015 London is set to maintain its cosy reputation as the divorce capital of the world after yesterday's Supreme Court ruling, which gives divorcees the right to go back to the negotiating table if their ex has lied about or hidden their wealth. The highest court in the land has backed Alison Sharland and Varsha Gohil, [...]
The war on the driver is a war on freedom – and autonomous cars are part of the problem October 14, 2015 Freedom-hating municipal politicians have it in for the motorist: London has its congestion charge, Dublin is closing off ever more of its urban core, and Paris is now experimenting with sporadically banning all private transport. Young people, faced with turbo-charged costs, onerous restrictions and absurd taxation – not to mention rising housing costs – [...]
German drugs giant Merck launches makeover to differentiate from US competitor October 14, 2015 German pharmaceutical company Merck KGaA is re-branding itself in order to stand out against competitors. By re-designing its logo and altering its business structure, it hopes to have a greater claim over the “Merck” brand. Everywhere outside the North America, where US company Merck & Co has dominance over the Merck name, it is ditching [...]
Just a Lidl bit: How the discount supermarket conquered the wine world October 14, 2015 Don’t tell anyone, but the other day I paid a visit to my local Lidl. I must be the first person to go there and spend more than I expected. There’s been a lot of hype about Lidl’s recently launched Wine Cellar collection. Still, I was sceptical, expecting to find wines that were cheap but [...]
British Chambers of Commerce wants a return to compulsory work experience for under-16s October 14, 2015 A body that represents nearly 100,000 UK businesses has called for work experience for under-16s to be made mandatory. Survey results published today by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) show 82 per cent of business bosses and 73 per cent of education leaders believe pupils should be offered work experience. “Business and school leaders [...]
What it’s really like to be picked for an England cricket tour – and then be told you’re 12th man October 12, 2015 All the focus will be on the XI selected by England to take on Pakistan this morning on day one of the first Test in Abu Dhabi, but what about the players who did not make the team, what happens to them? During my career I spent time on tour but out of the side [...]
Matt Fitzpatrick’s maiden win is just start for exceptionally talented English youngster October 12, 2015 He may look like the offspring of former England cricket captain Michael Atherton, but it’s golf in which exceptionally talented young Yorkshireman Matt Fitzpatrick looks to have a very bright future indeed. Fitzpatrick claimed a fantastic first European Tour win on Sunday at the British Masters, the youngest man in the field, still just 21, [...]