Canary Wharf to outstrip other London office districts in 2016 with strongest rental growth February 3, 2016 Canary Wharf’s gleaming office towers have lagged slightly behind rival districts last year, posting an eight per cent rise in rental growth against 12 per cent in the City and an astonishing 24 per cent leap in Shoreditch – thanks to the cool kids moving in. However, with rents becoming increasingly unaffordable for small to [...]
Former Lib Dem MP and ex-chief secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander poised to join Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank January 25, 2016 Sir Danny Alexander, who was chief secretary to the Treasury under the coalition government until 2015, is odds on for a new post at the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), according to the Financial Times. Alexander is expected to be named as one of five resident vice presidents of the bank. The AIIB is seen as [...]
Is this the best job in the world? Lego’s looking for model builders January 24, 2016 If you've ever thought of giving it all up to pursue your dream job, it might just be the perfect time. There are new openings for what just may be the best job in the world – building Lego for a living. A new production facility in Florida is where hundreds of intricate Lego models become [...]
Impending tax increase sparks buy-to-let rush – Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors January 21, 2016 A higher tax rate on house purchases due to start in April has caused a surge in demand from buy-to-let investors, new figures show this morning. From April, buy-to-let investors will have to pay three per cent more in stamp duty land tax (SDLT) than residential buyers. In December, 10 per cent more chartered surveyors in [...]
SCS shares soar as sofa chain hikes full-year profit expectations January 19, 2016 Sofa and floorings chain ScS’s share price has soared by almost 17 per cent after the company said it expects full-year profits to beat City forecasts. In an unscheduled update the retailer, which floated last year, said trading over the key Christmas and January sales period was strong within both its 97 ScS stores and 30 [...]
Boris Johnson just made an announcement in Minecraft to launch the new Games London initiative January 19, 2016 Boris Johnson has never shied away from unexpected ways of doing things. So why should we be surprised the London mayor has chosen to promote the future of London’s gaming sector by turning himself into a Minecraft character? To launch the new initiative Games London, BoJo has appeared in an “in-game press-conference” held within the [...]
Croydon Tech City: What 2016 means for the Silicon Valley of South London as it attracts new startups and invests in skills January 8, 2016 As we enter into 2016, this year will be the fourth for the Croydon Tech City project which has grown into a formal organisation and movement of over a thousand entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and software developers. In that time, the borough has experienced a 38 per cent growth in tech, digital and creative startup activity [...]
Buy-to-let tax hike: Our guide to the government’s plans to raise stamp duty on second homes – with rules to cover joint owners, landlords, investors and overseas property owners January 6, 2016 Details of the government’s plan to raise stamp duty on purchases by homeowners with more than one property were released over the festive period. Simply, it will be a 3 per cent surcharge on each stamp duty land tax band when an additional residential property is bought by someone who already owns a home. With the [...]
Fine wine investor Cult Wines to make splash in Hong Kong January 5, 2016 Fine wine investor Cult Wines is poised to open a new office in Hong Kong to take advantage of increasing demand in Asia for rare and expensive bottles of tipple. The company, founded by the BBC’s Apprentice finalist Tom Gearing in 2007, said it has seen a rise of new markets such as Hong Kong and [...]
Electra Private Equity rings in the new year with changes naming Alex Fortescue as new managing partner as Hugh Mumford retires January 5, 2016 Private Equity firm Electra Partners has announced Alex Fortescue has taken over as its new managing partner. Fortescue has been Electra's chief investment partner since he joined in 2011 and succeeds Hugh Mumford, who is retiring after 34 years with Electra. Mumford will remain as chairman of Electra' investment committee, and Bill Priestley will take over Fortescue's position [...]