PROPERTY NEWS August 5, 2010 £50M TO FUND AFFORDABLE HOUSING The Mayor of London and London Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) have approved the funding for 16 schemes aimed at providing 518 affordable homes. The schemes’ future was uncertain after the election but have now received a guarantee of a £50m cash injection. Nine new-build projects that will receive some [...]
The star power of Cruise and Diaz can’t save this action flop August 5, 2010 Film review Knight and Day Cert: 12A Rhys Griffiths THIS action-comedy proves that no amount of star power can make up for a lazy script, lazier direction, a total lack of depth and a seriously bad pun of a title. Centered around the whereabouts of the enigmatic “Zephyr”, a top-secret battery gizmo with perpetual power, [...]
Dramatic recovery for Britain’s banks August 1, 2010 BANKS will come under renewed pressure to extend credit to small businesses this week as the UK’s five largest lenders reveal combined pre-tax profits of nearly £12bn. With the stronger players returning to pre-financial crisis levels of success, a fresh row is brewing between politicians – who are demanding more finance for enterprises – and [...]
FSA pay rules to hurt thousands July 29, 2010 LONDON and Europe will lose out to other financial centres if tough rules on pay are rushed in, City figures warned as the UK watchdog revealed plans to curb bonuses yesterday. Fears were stoked after the Financial Services Authority (FSA) said it would update its remuneration code to match harsh measures put forward by the [...]
Illustrious victory for Knight July 29, 2010 RACING: William Knight-trained Illustrious Blue was the big winner on day three of Glorious Goodwood after winning the Artemis Goodwood Cup. The 8-1 shot, ridden by Jim Crowley, beat off Electrolyser (33-1), Purple Moon (13-2) and odds-on favourite Age of Aquarius into the places. Meanwhile, Kieren Fallon led veteran Borderlescott (9-2fav) to a half-a-length victory [...]
Grape escapes: make the vineyard dream come true July 29, 2010 I’D guess that at some point in your career in the City you’ve sat back and daydreamed about a life outdoors, working the land, relaxing at sunset on a terrace overlooking your vines and sipping the product of your labour. Vineyard properties are among the most magical, particularly those in the well-known grape regions of [...]
Two years and counting July 27, 2010 FOUR-TIME Olympic champion Sir Chris Hoy began the two-year countdown for London 2012 yesterday and admitted: “I had goose bumps”. Sir Chris, 33, became the first person to cycle the Olympic Velodrome after riding mock-up circuits on a temporary track as part of a series of special events across the capital. At the same time, [...]
Cable targets bank bonuses and dividends in lending war July 26, 2010 VINCE Cable, the business secretary, yesterday stepped up his war of words against the banking industry, warning that dividends and bonuses could come under attack if banks don’t lend more to small businesses. Unveiling a green paper aimed at getting banks to fund a private sector-led recovery, Cable said: “There clearly is a choice between [...]
Red Knight’s bid for United may go ahead July 25, 2010 A BID to wrest control of Manchester United could be back on after a fans’ campaign against its American owners appears to have taken hold. The club was forced to humiliatingly offer a second batch of season tickets more than seven weeks after the initial deadline. Around 4,000 tickets were put on general sale by [...]
The father of the UK’s transport business sees recovery on the way July 25, 2010 Stagecoach’s chief executive Brian Souter has seen it all in the 30 years since he founded the bus and rail operator – but even he admits the industry is undergoing a difficult period. The transport sector, which is only just emerging from a painful recession, is about to face more pain. Chancellor George Osborne’s emergency [...]