A Middle Eastern royal has spent £21 million on a garage in one of London’s most expensive districts February 9, 2017 A Middle Eastern royal has come up with a clever way of dealing with London's notoriously difficult parking system, spending £21 million to buy an entire parking garage. According to a report in The Times, the unnamed Gulf royal bought the parking garage in the Knightsbridge district of the capital to store their collection of [...]
Property of the week: Ovington Square proves that vendors are looking for flexible solutions to sell their homes in an uncertain market March 3, 2017 It’s no secret that property prices in prime central London are starting to plateau and, in some cases, fall. We’re all aware of the problems – overzealous estate agents, Stamp Duty increases, Brexit – but how can you make the best of it if you’re selling your house? Prime estate agency Russell Simpson thinks it’s [...]
High street stalwart Debenhams shakes off payment scandal February 22, 2017 Last week, Debenhams was named by the government as one of the worst companies for underpaying staff. YouGov Brand Index data shows how the news has altered perception of the brand. Over the last year, I have discussed how adverse stories about pay have damaged companies including Sports Direct and Harrods, but also how positive [...]
Is this London’s most exclusive piece of real estate? One of Royal Albert Hall’s £2.5m Grand Tier boxes has gone on sale January 9, 2017 Here's the ultimate gift for the culture vulture who has everything: a Grand Tier box at the Royal Albert Hall has gone up for sale. The only catch? Its owner is accepting offers in excess of £2.5m. It's the first time in a decade a box on the grand tier, the same level as the royal box, [...]
City Moves for 15 November 2016 | Who’s switching jobs November 15, 2016 Harrods Bank Harrods Bank has appointed Mark Stephens as its new chief executive officer. Mark joins Harrods Bank following seven years at Aldermore Bank, most recently in the role of deputy chief executive and group commercial director. Mark will be responsible for the overall leadership and direction of the bank as it enters an exciting [...]
City Moves for 1 November 2016 | Who’s switching jobs November 1, 2016 Carter Jonas Carter Jonas has appointed Dudley Holme-Turner as partner and national head of valuations. Dudley will be based out of Carter Jonas’s head office in Chapel Place, London, and will work closely with the valuations team across the UK which is currently 26 people strong. Dudley joins from Cushman and Wakefield where he was joint-head [...]
London’s most iconic department stores are unveiling their festive window displays: Here’s what’s on show so far November 4, 2016 It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and that can only mean one thing – London’s most iconic department stores are unveiling their festive window displays. Here’s what’s been on show so far: Fortnum and Mason: Looking to deliver a Christmas message with a higher purpose than simple commercial gain, Fortnum & Mason have [...]
My inspiration: Michelin-starred chef Tom Kitchin on his favourite cookbook, Memories of Gascony by Pierre Koffmann November 9, 2016 When I was a young apprentice cook, I was working at the Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland. It was very traditional and I was very raw and working in a rough kitchen. We used to talk about London like it was a distant land, the other end of the world, but there was a book out [...]
Estée Lauder: The woman behind the brand May 2, 2017 Estée Lauder's story could have started on the stage. Before her head was filled with visions of making women beautiful, the woman who would revolutionise the cosmetics industry wanted to be an actress. But, the business of beauty pumped through her veins. Stage Gem Estée toyed with becoming an actress, as she believed that “actresses [...]
Pret-phobia: Londoners are not happy with the lunch options available to them December 5, 2016 Londoners are not happy with their lunch options. According to research from lunch platform MealFix, 40 per cent of us are getting sick of what's being served up on the high street. Having a Pret on every corner is starting to get Londoners down, with a third of us feeling guilty about buying lunch from [...]