Spend £3m to live in a former youth hostel January 21, 2010 PROPERTIES at Wellgarth Manor, a luxury residential development in north London’s Hampstead Garden Suburb, start at a cool £3m. Cynicism might be your reaction – it’s a hefty price tag for a development in a former youth hostel who’s closest Tube station is scruffy Golders Green in Zone 3. But not every re-vamped youth hostel [...]
Why strategic downsizing is on the up these days January 21, 2010 EVERYBODY’S doing it. Not smoking or breaking their New Year’s resolutions – though there’s a fair bit of that going on too – but downsizing. Sue Laming, of Savills, says: “Finally, there’s decent value in the market. Nobody’s getting short-changed. Only 18 months ago there was virtually no downsizing, only distress sales. But now that [...]
Dow suffers worst 2010 trading drop January 20, 2010 THE Dow suffered its worst drop of 2010 yesterday day as US stocks succumbed to fears that China’s curbs on bank lending might jeopardize the global economic recovery, while IBM’s outlook sparked caution about the technology sector. Chinese authorities have ordered some major banks to curb their lending over the rest of this month after [...]
Shareholders in Cadbury to chew on offer January 19, 2010 CADBURY shares closed 3.6 per cent up at 836.5p yesterday after US food group Kraft announced its £11.7bn takeover bid had been recommended by the board. Under the offer, Cadbury investors will receive 500p and 0.1874 new Kraft Foods shares for every share, plus a special dividend of 10p. Shareholders have until 2 February to [...]
Morgan joins KP in IPL but Swann left on shelf January 19, 2010 ENGLAND batsman Eoin Morgan is set to join international team-mate Kevin Pietersen at Bangalore Royal Challengers after the Indian Premier League outfit snapped him up at auction. Bangalore paid £134,000 for the 23-year-old left-hander, but the seven other Englishmen on offer at yesterday’s sale were all overlooked, including in-form spinner Graeme Swann. England stars Monty [...]
Find value and beauty in an Austrian chalet January 14, 2010 SKIING down tree-lined snowy vistas in winter; hiking through lush green mountains by crystal blue lakes in summer. This is what’s on offer in Austria’s traditional Alpine towns. “Austria’s valley towns are proper year-round places,” says Giles Gale of Savills’ Alpine Homes. “In the summer they are filled with people mountain biking and hill-walking. And [...]
Cadbury dips below Kraft offer price January 7, 2010 CADBURY shares breached the psychologically-important level of Kraft’s hostile bid price for the first time yesterday, as pressure for the US food giant to increase its offer substantially starts to wane. Cadbury’s stock dipped to an intraday low of 767.5p on the London Stock Exchange yesterday, well below the 771p at which Kraft’s cash-and-shares bid [...]
Borders to close all 45 UK shops December 21, 2009 The Borders bookshop chain will close all its UK branches tomorrow after administrators failed to find a white knight to produce a rescue package. Borders, which struggled in the face of rising competition from online retailers and supermarkets, will make 1,150 people from 45 outlets redundant. MCR, which is unwinding the business, said: “The joint [...]
FOCUS ON: NOTTING HILL December 17, 2009 SHREWSBURY MEWS, W2 Price: £695,000 Located near the junction of Westbourne Park Road and Chepstowe Road, this 900sq ft traditional mews house has a first floor reception, two bedrooms, and two bathrooms, one en suite. It is close to bars and restaurants, and Westbourne Grove Tube station. Contact: Hamptons Notting Hill, 020 7034 0404 KENSINGTON [...]
Tag Heuer to ponder next Woods’ move December 14, 2009 SWISS watchmaker Tag Heuer last night insisted they are yet to decide on whether or not to turn their back on troubled Tiger Woods. Management consultants Accenture pulled the plug on their sponsorship deal with Woods on Sunday after the world No1 confessed he had been unfaithful to his wife Elin. The firm insisted the [...]