Canadian pensions giant Omers moving into the Cheesegrater October 8, 2015 Omers, one of Canada’s largest pension funds, is moving into the City’s Cheesegrater skyscraper, which is owned by the company’s real estate arm Oxford Property and British Land. The company said yesterday it plans to make the 225-metre tower, formally known as the Leadenhall Building, its European headquarters after taking up 25,000 square feet [...]
New West End Company boosts board with retail appointments March 17, 2015 THE NEW West End Company has bolstered its board by hiring seven heavyweight retail executives to help oversee the regeneration of the busy shopping district. The lobby group, which represents retailers on Oxford Street, Regent Street and Bond Street, said the new members included John Lewis retail director Andrew Murphy and Brian Duffy, the chief executive [...]
Boris Johnson admits Oxford Circus is the most polluted street in London November 13, 2014 We all know Boris Johnson isn't one to mince his words, but every now and then even he has to admit he's wrong. Cue a groveling apology to scientists at King's College after he blustered in July that reports Oxford Street is the most polluted street in the capital is a "ludicrous urban myth".
West End shops’ business rates set to soar 80pc March 29, 2015 WEST END retailers are set to be the big losers from the next business rates revaluation, with research undertaken by property consultancy and rating specialist Gerald Eve showing they face increases in their bills of over 80 per cent. The firm said that shops situated on Bond Street, Oxford Street and Regent Street will pay [...]
Scalpel tower in the City appoints CBRE as leasing agents as search for tenants kicks off November 9, 2015 CBRE has been hired as leasing agents on the Scalpel skyscraper in the City, as the search to find tenants for the 35-storey development in London’s insurance district gets underway. The property advisory firm will partner with Cushman & Wakefield, filling the gap left by the latter’s merger with DTZ, the previous joint agent. The 190m-tall [...]
London Fashion Week ditches Somerset House for Soho April 27, 2015 London Fashion Week is leaving its home at Somerset Home to take up a new venue in Soho. The 62nd edition of the biannual fashion show will take place in September at Brewer Street Car Park, across two floors. It will host more than 100 designers exhibiting their latest collections to buyers from the [...]
John Lewis has started selling the iPhone, Samsung Galaxy S6 and other smartphones, partnering Vodafone to offer contracts June 23, 2015 High street favourite John Lewis is going mobile and will for the first time stock smartphones on its shelves in an ambitious move to sate people's appetite for mobile devices and grab a share of the rocketing market. More than 25 sim-free handsets will go on sale online from today, while the department store is [...]
Headache for retailers as business rates to reach record level in 2017 March 30, 2015 Businesses will be footing a rates bill based on half of the rental value of their properties – the highest level yet – according to research out today. Business rates, charged on commercial properties including offices and shops, are calculated according to their rental value. The system has been blamed for the demise of the [...]
London’s cabbies are taking on Uber, and TfL in high stakes fight for capital’s streets May 25, 2015 Transport for London’s (TfL) headquarters will be the scene of a protest by black cab drivers today. The action is a demonstration of the simmering tensions between traditional cabbies and modern firms like Uber, which show no sign of dying down. Black cab drivers are represented by the London Taxi Drivers’ Association (LTDA), Unite [...]
UK train strikes: Network Rail, DLR strike action and further taxi driver protests spell May bank holiday travel hell for Londoners May 15, 2015 London is speeding towards a bank holiday that could bring utter misery to commuters with the prospect of strike action looming. Workers for Network Rail, the company which keeps the entire UK rail network running, have voted in favour of strike action over pay which has the potential to bring rail services in London and [...]