Why I’m voting for Boris Johnson as mayor today May 2, 2012 THE City has taken its fair share of stick lately. Criticism from politicians is to be expected, and insofar as they represent public opinion, we have to respect that. But when the hot air dissipates, you’re left with one simple fact – financial services employ hundreds of thousands of people in this city, and not [...]
Resilient London stays at the top by adapting March 11, 2012 MIPIM is an acronym which I suspect not many people, outside of the property industry, have come across. It is a real estate show for professionals held every year in Cannes, France. This year over 19,000 attended over 4 days to talk about property. Although the location may suggest this is just another junket it [...]
Madrid might just be the best capital city you’ve never been to January 6, 2013 TO MOST Brits, Barcelona is the Spanish city. The whacky cathedral by Gaudi that isn’t finished almost 90 years after he died, “Barca” the only football team in the world that leads a debate on independence, Las Ramblas, F1, the list goes on. Yet to the Spanish, Madrid is their Capital, not just in name [...]
Bonuses set for delay as tax cut looms March 25, 2012 BANKERS are set to try to delay the receipt of bonuses to take advantage of the abolition of the 50p top rate of tax. City workers could increase by tens of thousands of pounds the net value of their awards for this year’s performance by deferring payment by a few months from the start of [...]
A feast fit for a king to raise money for our real heroes February 7, 2012 The City’s hottest dinner ticket – the Square Mile Salute – is almost upon us again: and this year the organisers are hoping even to surpass last year’s fantastic evening. The charity event will see a bakers’ dozen of the country’s finest chefs prepare amazing canapés and caviar and an unbeatable six course feast accompanied [...]
HOW THE 2012 OLYMPICS WILL AFFECT YOUR COMMUTE January 30, 2012 CITY workers have been warned they will bear the brunt of travel disruption during this summer’s Olympics, with Bank and London Bridge the two worst-affected Tube stations. Transport for London commissioner Peter Hendy yesterday urged Square Mile employees and businesses to consider alternative routes or working from home, where practical. Mayor Boris Johnson said extra [...]
Balls Brothers owner seeks new investor for expansion February 20, 2012 BALLS BROTHERS part-owner Novus Leisure is on the lookout for a new investor as the bar and club operator seeks to double the size of its London business in a ambitious expansion plan. Current owners Barclays and RBS – who seized control in a debt-for-equity swap that all but wiped out private equity house Cognetas [...]
Ronson attacks politics of envy March 27, 2012 PROPERTY tycoon Gerald Ronson launched a scathing attack on the political establishment yesterday, hitting out at the “hypocrisy and envy” that is driving public opinion. In one of the most outspoken public critiques yet from a senior British business figure, Ronson said that our society is being “fuelled by the continual negativity of envy” and [...]
Chrysan: lost in translation? November 12, 2012 RESTAURANT CHRYSAN 1 Snowden Street, EC2A 2DQ Tel: 020 3657 4777 FOOD **** SERVICE **** ATMOSPHERE ** Cost for two people with drinks: £160 A FRIEND of mine has recently taken up learning Japanese. So, last month, I found myself spending a surreal afternoon watching a Japanese detective drama series, Deka Kurokawa Suzuki, which really [...]
Chrysan: lost in translation? November 12, 2012 RESTAURANT CHRYSAN 1 Snowden Street, EC2A 2DQ Tel: 020 3657 4777 FOOD **** SERVICE **** ATMOSPHERE ** Cost for two people with drinks: £160 A FRIEND of mine has recently taken up learning Japanese. So, last month, I found myself spending a surreal afternoon watching a Japanese detective drama series, Deka Kurokawa Suzuki, which really [...]