New York’s last affordable Manhattan property is way better value than London September 7, 2023 At Inwood Hill Park, New York, there’s a metal plaque pointing out where Manhattan was sold from native Americans to a Belgian coloniser in 1626. The land was exchanged for the lowly price of some trinkets and beans. A tulip tree had marked this spot for 280 years but when it died in 1938 it [...]
Wine trails and artsy towns: why a USA road trip through Alabama is truly sweet May 20, 2024 Why Alabama is the USA state to choose for your RV adventure
Square Mile and Me: AKQA founder Ajaz Ahmed on why he thinks London is the greatest city in the world November 23, 2023 Each week we ask a City figure to take a trip down memory lane. Today Ajaz Ahmed, founder and CEO of design agency AKQA, tells us how he came to love life in London.
Sadiq Khan’s £15 congestion charge is preventing London’s bounce back from the pandemic August 20, 2021 There is rarely such a thing as a temporary regulation or tax, even those instituted in response to an emergency. Politicians enjoy the power to regulate and even more the receipt of taxes. But regulation and taxes are the enemy of innovation and business, especially small businesses. The damage they do can take years to correct. [...]
Belfast is Kenneth Branagh at his sentimental best January 21, 2022 While many might associate him with his acting roles, Sir Kenneth Branagh has been prolific behind the camera, too. Belfast is his nineteenth film as a director, with a CV that has included everything from his epic 90s adaptation of Hamlet to the first Thor movie. This new film, however, comes from a personal place. [...]
D-Day for Rishi Sunak: What do City insiders expect from the Autumn Budget? October 27, 2021 In today’s Autumn Budget, Chancellor Rishi Sunak will outline how he plans to “drive growth while keeping the public finances on a sustainable path”. City A.M. checked in with a number of Square Mile professionals this morning to see what they hope or expect the Budget will bring today. VAT Yesterday the news broke that there will [...]
Sadiq Khan calls for Sunak to U-turn on scrapping VAT exemption for tourists December 7, 2020 Sadiq Khan has added his voice to the chorus of figures calling for Rishi Sunak to U-turn on his decision to scrap the UK’s VAT exemption for tourists. Khan today said the move would be “hugely counter-productive” as the UK economy recovers from the Covid crisis next year and that revenue lost from the change [...]
Airbnb backs creation of EU digital regulator after court victory January 29, 2020 Airbnb has backed calls for the creation of a digital regulator for the European Union after winning a landmark court case in the bloc that meant it could be classed as an online platform rather than a property agent. The short-term home rental platform said a new watchdog should form part of the discussion around [...]
Scrapping the VAT refund for tourists would be catastrophic for the UK economy October 30, 2020 Retail, hospitality and tourism are three of the sectors that have been hardest hit by Covid-19 and the ongoing lockdown restrictions. Employing close to six million people, job losses in these sectors are expected to be devastating. The government should be doing all it can to support these businesses at this critical time. Instead, it [...]
Sadiq Khan: London needs post-war plan for Covid recovery February 1, 2021 A post-war-style programme is needed to breathe life back into London following the Covid-19 pandemic, mayor Sadiq Khan said today. The mayor said the government had to accept that London was the “country’s biggest asset”, adding that “ministers can’t take for granted that once restrictions are lifted things will simply return to normal”. He called [...]