Reforms to planning and Help-to-Buy unveiled by government June 27, 2019 A shake-up of Britain’s planning system that will let councils approve applications more quickly and enforce tougher Help to Buy rules on developers was unveiled today. Housing secretary James Brokenshire has revealed plans to introduce new quality controls on housebuilders, while also pledging to prevent developers from selling leasehold houses through its Help to Buy [...]
Remote purchase: Can you buy a house you haven’t visited? March 16, 2021 Since the start of the Covid crisis, there has been a lot of talk about remote purchase as a solution to limitations on movement. Some hoped that virtual viewings and remote purchases would be a lifeline to the industry under lockdown and beyond. At Aykroyd & Co, we have had some significant successes with remote [...]
The City View: Sainsbury’s to cut prices, and the importance of UK private equity May 30, 2022 Today Andy Silvester talks to Michael Moore, Director General at BVCA. They discuss the scale of private equity and venture capital in the UK, their importance in the UK’s employment market, and how vital they are for companies looking to scale up. And in the headlines: Sainsbury’s CEO Simon Roberts has said that the supermarket [...]
Range Rover KR restomod review: making Britain great again August 2, 2021 The Kingsley Cars KR Series restomod transforms the original Range Rover into a modern SUV – but preserves its classic character.
Rosé Prosecco: Why this once-banned drink was the star of 2020 June 18, 2021 I think we can all agree that 2020 had few highlights but let me put this forward as a big hitter… Pink Prosecco. Yes, you heard correctly, rosé Prosecco was only legalised in 2020 which means last year marks the first harvest and creation of an entirely new type of wine. History was made and [...]
Barclaycard defends decision to cut customers’ credit limits by 95 per cent April 20, 2021 Barclaycard has defended cutting some customers’ credit limits after a backlash from people complaining they had been reduced by over 95 per cent. Some customers complained that their limits had been significantly reduced despite having never missed a payment. It was pointed out that Barclaycard had made the reductions at a time when some people [...]
House sales begin to recover as lockdown measures ease July 21, 2020 UK property transactions grew almost a third in the month to June as lockdown measures began to lift around the country, but remain 35 per cent down since last year as market uncertainty and the Brexit deadline continue to weigh on buyer sentiment. Around 63,250 residential property transactions took place in June, up 31.7 per [...]
Soho House founder sells $20m of stake after pandemic hit December 28, 2020 The founder and chief executive of Soho House has cashed in $20m (£14.8m) of his stake after the private members’ club was hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. Nick Jones, who established the exclusive club in 1995, has sold a one per cent stake to Ron Burkle, the US billionaire businessman who already owns roughly 60 [...]
Mortgage approvals jump to 13-year high as pandemic prompts house moves November 30, 2020 Mortgage approvals jumped last month as the coronavirus pandemic, and support measures such as the stamp duty holiday, prompted more people to move home. The number of mortgage approvals for house purchase reached 97,500 in October, compared to 92,100 the previous month, reaching the highest level since September 2007. Approvals were 33 per cent higher [...]
500 cars and counting: Studio434, Europe’s biggest classic car collection March 9, 2021 Located close to north London, the huge and eclectic Studio 434 collection supplies cars to The Crown, Peaky Blinders, Downton Abbey and more.