GPE boss warns London’s office rebound could hit a wall amid runaway inflation May 19, 2022 The boss of GPE, formerly known as Great Portland Estates, has warned that London’s office leasing rebound could hit a wall as inflation shrinks the appetite for new developments. The capital’s post-pandemic recovery for offices has seen some of the UK’s largest developers – as well as GPE – hail record leasing activity and surging [...]
Heartbreaking testimonies at Horizon IT inquiry today as former sub-postmistress says ‘I just couldn’t cope anymore’ May 18, 2022 A former sub-postmistress told the Horizon IT inquiry today how she cashed in £50,000 of her pension as she struggled to pay the debts the Post Office claimed she owed. Heather Earley described how one customer to her branch repeatedly exploited a flaw in the system that saw her cash withdrawals credited as deposits on [...]
Space-tech real estate to take-off as investment gathers pace May 18, 2022 Space-tech real estate is forecast to take-off, following in the footsteps of the UK’s post-Covid-19 life sciences property boom, according to Savills. The UK has doubled down on its blossoming industry, which pulls around £16bn into the economy each year, as it looks to launch from its own soil this summer. “The space industry [...]
High street bosses plead for crisis cash to help with dramatic energy bill hikes May 18, 2022 High street businesses have called for emergency help over skyrocketing energy bills, as bosses warn a cocktail of cost pressures threaten to subdue their pandemic recovery. Without government action, historic levels of inflation and dramatic energy bill rises pose a risk to the beauty sector’s recovery, the British Beauty Council has said. The industry group [...]
Netflix lays off 150 staff amid subscriber dip May 18, 2022 Following a brutal set of results last month, Netflix has laid off around 150 staff.
Experian posts ‘very good year’ with revenue and profits booming for credit reporting firm May 18, 2022 Credit reporting firm Experian reported a strong full year this morning with revenue up 17 per cent at $6.3bn.
Investors look through inflation headwinds to focus on strong earnings May 17, 2022 Investors dismissed concerns over inflationary pressures firming in the UK economy and focused on a string of positive company earnings, lifting London’s indexes today. The capital’s premier FTSE 100 index climbed 0.72 per cent to 7,518.35 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health of the UK economy, [...]
Pubs and restaurants battle to keep prices competitive amid ‘intense pressure’ on margins May 17, 2022 The hospitality sector has warned of “intense pressure” on margins while shoppers have been told food prices could surge as much as 10 per cent. Marks & Spencer chairman Archie Norman cautioned that shoppers could see an even pricey weekly shop amid historic levels of inflation. Speaking to the BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on [...]
Brexit: UK announces plan to kill off Northern Ireland protocol, outrage and disbelief in EU capitals May 17, 2022 Foreign Secretary Liz Truss just announced the Government’s intention to introduce legislation “in the coming weeks to make changes in the [Northern Ireland] protocol”. She told the Commons: “As the Prime Minister said, our shared objective has to be to find a solution that commands the broadest possible cross-community support for years to come and [...]
Back in the black: London landlord Landsec posts record office leasing in capital May 17, 2022 Property giant Landsec has delivered record office leasing in London as the company returned to profit after five years. Pre-tax profit rose to £875m in the year to the end of March, a turnaround from a £1.39bn loss the previous year. Landsec, which is the landlord for big names in the capital including Deutsche Bank, [...]