Play it, Sam. play as time goes by – for $3.4m November 25, 2014 OF ALL the auction houses… Bonham’s New York on Monday night put film memorabilia under the hammer, including a piano from the 1942 classic Casablanca, which fetched $3.4m (£2.2m). Also sold was the Cowardly Lion costume from the Wizard of Oz, which went for $3.1m.
Which London borough will pay most stamp duty under Osborne’s new rules? December 3, 2014 Buyers moving to Kensington and Chelsea will contribute more stamp duty than any other London borough under new plans revealed by George Osborne in his Autumn Statement today. More than 12,500 homes in the borough will be subject to a higher rate of stamp duty after the changes come into effect. New Westminster residents would [...]
Floyd Mayweather v Manny Pacquiao in numbers: £160m purse, £1,948 tickets, £1,000 hotel rooms February 21, 2015 It's finally on. After years of fans hoping, promoters bickering and negotiations stalling, the long-awaited bout between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao has finally been agreed for 2 May at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The fight pits two of the greatest pound-for-pound fighters against each other for the first time in their [...]
Insurers win reprieve over rule changes after Bank of England ERM warning March 2, 2015 Insurers such as Just Retirement have escaped a potentially devastating blow to their earning power thanks to a regulatory re-think over new capital requirements. The Bank of England’s prudential regulation authority (PRA) had been considering rules that may have forced them to abandon the highly lucrative equity release mortgage (ERM) market. Industry sources last [...]
Car review: The Volvo XC90 is still one of the best March 23, 2015 Around 15 years ago Volvo hit the jackpot with its first full-size premium SUV, prompting a stampede of “active” families to dealerships seeking seven seats, upmarket looks and a lofty driving position. The XC90 combined thoughtful detailing with the usual Volvo attributes of rock solid build and impeccable safety. It sold so well that the [...]
The fast lane: Spencer Ogden co-founder David Spencer-Percival talks medevacs, detoxes, the youth of today and why banks get a hard time June 7, 2015 It is unlikely that David Spencer-Percival, co-founder of Spencer Ogden, will be reading this any time soon. On Saturday, he and his wife embarked on a caffeine, alcohol and tech detox in an Ibizan forest. “I feel frazzled. Our offices are end-to-end in terms of timezones, so I just never stop. You have to have [...]
888 snuffs out William Hill takeover talks February 16, 2015 ONLINE gambling company 888 yesterday said negotiations over its mooted £720m takeover by rival William Hill had ceased after a key stakeholder vetoed the deal. 888, which saw its stock surge 20 per cent last week after the talks were made public, said it had discussed a recommended offer from William Hill worth 200p plus [...]
Telford commits to £1.1bn London building plans as profits improve November 26, 2014 LONDON housebuilder Telford Homes yesterday announced it was pushing forward its construction plans, committing to build £1.1bn of new housing in the capital, a 25 per cent increase year-on-year. Telford sold 600 homes in the six months to 30 September, more than its entire total in the previous financial year. The company improved its first-half [...]
Fed up with London’s insane property market? A houseboat could be the answer to your prayers January 29, 2015 Young couples faced with the daunting task of establishing a foothold on the property ladder can be forgiven for wanting to jump on a boat and sail as far as they can from the glittering circus of estate agents, sky-rocketing prices and penury caused by endless saving. Anyone who follows through with this escapist urge [...]
House of Fraser could be sold December 17, 2013 DEPARTMENT store House of Fraser is in advanced talks with opulent French retailer Galeries Lafayette about a takeover. The French company is closing in on a deal to buy the British favourite after the two entered exclusive negotiations. The talks, first reported by the FT, cast doubt on a touted float of the company next [...]