London house prices hit record highs due to impact of stamp duty holiday January 20, 2021 London house prices jumped at the end of last year, with average values breaking the £500,000 threshold for the first time. Average house prices in London rose four per cent between October and November last year, according to the latest official data. The annual price rise of 9.7 per cent took the average property value [...]
Perception is everything: Why this decade is all about reputation January 20, 2021 The last decade has been all about data. As our digital lives have become inseparable with our offline selves, the power and value of the data that underpins the digital world has exploded. It is easy to forget that it is only 14 years this month since the launch of the iPhone, and even harder [...]
Rishi Sunak mulls over a UK corporation tax hike in March Budget January 18, 2021 Rishi Sunak is reportedly considering raising corporation tax in the upcoming March Budget in a bid to pay off some of the UK government’s Covid spending bill. The chancellor is also now expected to increase business support in the 3 March Budget by extending the furlough scheme and Covid business loan programme. Senior government sources [...]
Uptick in central London office interest offers hope to struggling businesses January 18, 2021 There was an uptick in interest in London office properties at the end of 2020, offering city centre firms hope that the end of the remote-working boom is on the horizon. The latest research by real estate giant JLL showed that there had been a “significant” jump in viewings and negotiations, suggesting recovery could be [...]
House prices fall as sellers hope to beat tax deadline January 18, 2021 Average property prices fell by nearly £3,000 this month (-0.9 per cent) as sellers tried to temp buyers to squeeze in a sale before the end of the stamp duty holiday. Despite their efforts sellers are unlikely to beat the stamp duty deadline, according to Rightmove, as it typically takes more than four months to [...]
Best of travel: A food odyssey across the South China Sea January 16, 2021 Throughout January we’re remembering better times and sunnier climes by reposting some of our favourite travel stories from the last decade. In this instalment, our Life&Style editor Steve Dinneen eats a path across the South China Sea. ••• Hong Kong’s most celebrated restaurants are the kind of Michelin-rated palaces to gastronomy that you can find [...]
UK house prices: What will happen to property values in 2021? January 16, 2021 The UK residential property market boomed in 2020, with house prices ending the year at a record high, despite the shutdown of the sector during the first coronavirus lockdown. Government measures such as the stamp duty holiday helped revitalise the market, while the lifting of lockdown restrictions prompted a surge in demand. Lockdown also inspired [...]
Hammerson finance chief James Lenton to step down January 15, 2021 Hammerson has announced its chief financial officer James Lenton intends to step down after less than 15 months in the role. The company, which owns Birmingham’s Bullring shopping centre, said it had started looking for Lenton’s replacement but he would continue in his role until then. Lenton took the role in October 2019, before the [...]
The Gym Group eyes expansion despite pandemic hit to trading January 15, 2021 The Gym Group is eyeing future expansion opportunities despite the impact of the pandemic on trading, which caused revenue to plummet last year. The budget fitness chain said total revenue last year was £80.5m, down from £153.1m in 2019, as the company lost 45 per cent of trading days due to closure as a result [...]
Real estate giant Savills reports ‘extraordinary rebound’ for markets outside London January 14, 2021 Savills reported this morning an “extraordinary rebound” since May as regional markets outside London delivered its strongest performance since the 2008 financial crisis. The estate agent said profits topped expectations in 2020 but the firm hesitated to give guidance for the new year amid Covid-19 uncertainty. Against the backdrop of the pandemic, the group delivered [...]