Budget 2014: What to watch out for today March 18, 2014 WHO: GEORGE OSBORNEWHEN: 12.30PM TODAYWHERE: HOUSE OF COMMONS WHAT WE ALREADY KNOWA facelift for the pound coinOsborne will announce plans to give the £1 coin a facelift in his Budget today. This will see a new two-coloured 12-sided coin introduced in 2017 after a consultation. Help to buy extended to 2020The equity loan scheme set up to [...]
Spirit Pub Company planning to start buying more pubs this year January 14, 2014 SPIRIT Pub Company, the firm behind brands such as Chef & Brewer, Flaming Grill and Fayre & Square, yesterday reported a seven per cent rise in sales during the 20 weeks to 4 January due to strong trading over the Christmas period. The firm said it is continuing with work to grow its own managed [...]
Britain’s traumatic national pay cut is finally coming to an end March 17, 2014 BRITAIN’S traumatic national wage cut could be about to come to an end – or so the Treasury would like us to believe. For once, it may have a point: while many are still suffering, there is growing evidence that pay is starting to rise for some workers. Let me first point out that I’m [...]
How regenerating failed high rises can gift London thousands of extra homes January 20, 2014 A QUIET announcement, with potentially significant implications for London’s housing crisis, lay hidden in the detail of last year’s Autumn Statement: the government will “explore options for kick-starting the regeneration of some of the worst housing estates through repayable loans.” Is this just another excuse to spend taxpayers’ money? I hope not. It could be [...]
Our booming population faces a crippling shortage of homes January 12, 2014 ANOTHER day, another report providing yet more evidence that Britain’s housing crisis is getting worse. Countrywide estimates that England will face a shortfall of 1m homes by 2021, half of which will be in London and the South East. The problem, of course, is that our planning rules have throttled house-building in the UK, guaranteeing [...]
Canary Wharf plots new tech neighbourhood December 10, 2013 CANARY Wharf Group submitted revised plans yesterday to expand its east London estate by building more than 3,000 homes, shops and offices that will target fast-growing media and technology firms. New Wood Wharf is a 20-acre semi-derelict site that was previously used for shipping and storage of timber and is about a third of the [...]
Tailoring your EMBA: How the right focus can boost your career February 26, 2014 But choosing the right electives is just one half of ensuring you get the most out of your executive education REGARDLESS of why you may choose to study an executive MBA (EMBA), the experience can make a huge difference to ambitious professionals wanting to progress past middle management. But moving up the career ladder via [...]
Innovation Diary: There will be plenty more Wongas to come – even as the fintech sector begins to grow up February 9, 2014 FEW NEED telling about the growth of peer-to-peer lending. Whether driven away by dissatisfaction with traditional banking, or pulled by attractive returns and convenience, lenders and borrowers are increasing interested. According to Nesta, P2P business lending grew by 211 per cent between 2012 and 2013. And while P2P lenders control just 1 per cent (about [...]
How toy businesses’ pinkification limits girls and the economy February 6, 2014 The economy is being harmed by toys aimed at boys and girls, according to one minister. "The way we play as children informs the skills we develop", said Jenny Willott, consumer affairs minister. While toys marketed towards boys boost interest in science and maths, and girls shy away from those subjects, UK businesses will "miss [...]
Shadow banks grow despite fears of risk to market stability November 14, 2013 THE SHADOW banking sector expanded strongly last year despite regulators’ concerns about the risks it may pose to the rest of the financial system, the Financial Stability Board (FSB) said yesterday. Its study of the sector, which includes a range of funds with some bank-like characteristics, found non-bank financial intermediation grew by $5 trillion (£3.1 [...]