London’s hidden houses November 3, 2005 Author, photographer, broadcaster and campaigner Lucinda Lambton goes in search of the hidden country houses of Greater London and unearths some unexpected jewels that have somehow survived the rampages of modern development Barking and Dagenham, Carshalton, Bexley Heath and Ickenham: these are not usually names to conjure up visions of the great English country house. [...]
To have and to fold November 3, 2005 Ben Laurance meets Andrew Ritchie, the Brompton founder who has created a manufacturing rarity – a flourishing British engineering firm that exports 60 per cent of what it makes You see them nestling behind seats on trains. You see them behind desks in offices across the capital. Above all, you see them on the roads, [...]
The house scouts who do all the leg work October 27, 2005 Buy-to-let investors don’t always have the time and the knowledge to find the perfect property. It is still possible to make a living out of buy to-let — by setting up a business that helps others find and run the right investments. Buy-to-let support staff are multiplying fast in a property market which seems unable [...]
Rentokil to relocate October 26, 2005 Rentokil Initial is abandoning its rural lair for central London, a habitat thought to be more suited to the royal ratcatcher. Fresh from its tussle for control with celebrity businessman Sir Gerry Robinson, the world’s largest pest-controller is to relocate from rural Surrey to new offices in Belgrave House, next to Victoria railway station. Rentokil [...]
House price drop cannot be hidden October 24, 2005 Annual house price inflation was 1.8 per cent according to the latest analysis by the Nationwide Building Society. That is the lowest figure since May 1996, but it is still an exaggeration. Prices rose by 1.8 per cent in the six months to last April — but they have not risen at all in the [...]
Max Petroleum set for AIM flotation October 24, 2005 Max Petroleum is to become the eighth largest AIM quote this year in the ever-growing oil and gas sector when it floats on Wednesday. The company is raising £26m and expects to reach a market capitalisation of £90m. It is also due to list in Frankfurt on the same day. The group specialises in oil [...]
House prices to stay static October 19, 2005 John Watson, chief executive of Bellway, the housebuilder, yesterday dampened expectations of a significant increase in house prices between now and next summer. Commenting as the company delivered otherwise impressive annual results, he said: “My feeling is that it is right to assume nil house price inflation in our next financial year, which is to [...]