Sports Direct buys 11 per cent share in French Connection February 2, 2017 Sports Direct has bought an 11 per cent of French Connection, a stake that would allow the company to disrupt any buy-out bid for the ailing high street retailer. The move comes at a time of flux for the company, which has been hit by losses for five years. Activist investors have been pushing non-executives [...]
Not your average kitchen: John Lewis launches smart home concept at Oxford Street flagship April 7, 2016 John Lewis has prepared for the day when homes will be crammed with Wallace and Gromit-style gadgets by launching an area dedicated to smart home technology in its Oxford Street flagship. The department store chain has today opened a 1,000 square feet space showcasing its most cutting edge range of futuristic inventions – from ovens that can controlled from your phone to smart [...]
Sailing the Faroe Islands in a 60 foot round-the-world racing yacht, with zero experience July 21, 2017 This is a monumental step-up. Six months after a blissful family sailing holiday in Greece, I am climbing into a Fladen survival suit on a 60 foot round-the-world racing yacht in Torshavn harbour, which you will of course recognise as the capital of the Faroe Islands. I’m wondering if I’ve bitten off more than I [...]
Crossrail honcho says £14.8bn project will “change London’s geography” as first Elizabeth Line train enters passenger service June 26, 2017 Eight years after construction started on the £14.8bn Crossrail project, the first Elizabeth Line train entered passenger service last Thursday between Liverpool Street main line and Shenfield. The train, complete with air conditioning and walk-through carriages, will be part of a fleet of 66 that operate on the new line, with eleven being introduced by [...]
Chinese tourist spending soars in London’s West End as Brexit fall in sterling leaves more bang for the yuan January 31, 2017 WEST END sales to Chinese shoppers rose by a whopping 154 per cent year-on-year last week as visitors from the country took advantage of the cheap pound to celebrate the Chinese New Year in London’s key shopping district. Jace Tyrrell, chief executive of New West End Company which represents businesses around Oxford Street said: “The [...]
This Tube map shows average salaries near each London Underground station January 2, 2018 A new London Tube map reveals which stations have the highest paid jobs around them, with Barbican the top Tube stop for average salaries. Average salaries near the Barbican top £52,000, followed by Monument at £51,222, and Bank and Cannon Street, both at £51,217. Job search engine Adzuna compiled the map by analysing average advertised [...]
Focus On Hammersmith: W6 has benefitted from the regeneration of Shepherd’s Bush and the sky high prices in Chelsea January 12, 2018 For many years, Kensington and Chelsea was thought to be the last word in west London property for well-heeled individuals. But if the increasing migration over the border to Hammersmith is anything to go by, its time may be over. Increasingly, upsizers and families are fleeing the Royal Borough for W6 to find similar properties [...]
Last Week in the City: Amazon buys a pharmacy June 29, 2018 Garry White, chief investment commentator, looks at the market-moving events that have shaped the UK equity markets this week (25 to 29 June 2018). The FTSE 100 traded little over the week, despite a rally in oil prices. There was more bad news from the retail sector after The John Lewis Partnership warned on profits [...]
Retail group calls on government to reduce the burden of business rates February 13, 2017 Business rates have become unsustainable and must be lowered to allow companies to invest, a leading business group has told the government. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has warned chancellor Philip Hammond that property taxes need reform because they now represent a "disproportionate burden" to businesses. Read more: Culture shock: How London's theatres will be squeezed [...]
New homes: What’s on sale this weekend, in Croydon, Highgate, Ealing and Uxbridge November 23, 2017 New developments on the market this week Westgate House, Ealing From £299,000 New homes are being added to this development in west London due to high demand. Developer Galliard Homes will apply next month to build two more floors on top of its building on Hangar Lane, a “growth zone” in Ealing. This would up [...]