Green rules could make it impossible to rent some flats March 6, 2012 THE BRITISH Property Federation has called on the government to provide more clarity on the minimum energy standards that will be required by commercial and residential landlords beyond 2018 under new legislation. Changes being brought by the Energy Act 2011 will mean that hundreds of thousands of UK properties with the least energy efficiency – [...]
Antarctica is a mysterious, icy wonderland and a visual feast September 23, 2012 THE Antarctic tundra is a black and white world, except for the occasional colourful beak, feather, foot or fin, or the blue ice and turquoise underbelly of a whale. While it is certainly remote and desolate, it is also pure and peaceful: it makes you feel alive. From October to March, there is no night [...]
Bank’s Paul Tucker stumbles upon a Barclays bonus truce October 31, 2012 IT has become the City’s most wearyingly familiar formula: bank floats pay proposals with investors; investors cry foul; bank showers its largesse on employees regardless; bank suffers revolt at annual meeting. Repeat, year after year. The 2013 bonus round should, at last, provide an antidote to the toxic relationship between Britain’s biggest lenders and the [...]
UBS commits to Broadgate development January 30, 2012 INVESTMENT bank UBS committed to a future in the City yesterday, after it finalised a pre-let agreement to move into British Land’s new Broadgate development. The deal is the final seal of approval for the £850m project, which was last year threatened by an application for listed status of the original estate by conservation group [...]
UBS commits to Broadgate development January 30, 2012 INVESTMENT bank UBS committed to a future in the City yesterday, after it finalised a pre-let agreement to move into British Land’s new Broadgate development. The deal is the final seal of approval for the £850m project, which was last year threatened by an application for listed status of the original estate by conservation group [...]
Google’s awful day reminds us it is becoming less special October 18, 2012 YESTERDAY was a terrible day for Google, a firm used to success. Its slump in profits came as a shock to the markets. It shouldn’t have: the company is merely becoming more normal, especially following its decision to overpay for Motorola, and normal firms don’t do as well as revolutionary, super-smart start-ups. As proof of [...]
Google’s awful day reminds us it is becoming less special October 18, 2012 YESTERDAY was a terrible day for Google, a firm used to success. Its slump in profits came as a shock to the markets. It shouldn’t have: the company is merely becoming more normal, especially following its decision to overpay for Motorola, and normal firms don’t do as well as revolutionary, super-smart start-ups. As proof of [...]
George Osborne celebrates the start of new City base for UBS at Broadgate March 1, 2012 CHANCELLOR George Osborne yesterday broke new ground to mark the start of construction work on UBS’s new headquarters at 5 Broadgate. The occasion marks the beginning of three years of building work overseen by site owners British Land and Blackstone, and the success of a campaign by City A.M. to allow the £850m development to [...]
Borrows set to reign at 3i after Queen leaves May 13, 2012 TOP City rainmaker Simon Borrows is set to be named this week as chief executive of 3i, Britain’s oldest private equity firm. Borrows, who joined as chief investment officer last summer, will take over from Michael Queen, who in March announced his intention to step down. The promotion of Borrows will surprise few in the [...]
British Land snaps up City apartment block for £57m June 30, 2011 BRITISH LAND has agreed to buy Wardrobe Court, a residential investment property in the City for £57m. Wardrobe Court, which is being sold by the Warnford Group, a family company, will mark British Land’s first residential acquisition in the square mile. The FTSE 100 group, best known for its retail and office schemes, is expanding [...]