City of London approves Barbican Centre regeneration ahead of 50th anniversary December 6, 2024 A £191m funding package has been approved to repair and upgrade the Barbican, the City of London’s flagship cultural and performing arts centre. The City of London Corporation approved the package yesterday, and construction on the Barbican Centre will begin in 2027. The package will fund 80 per cent of the first phase of the [...]
Aviva set for £3.6bn Direct Line takeover December 6, 2024 Direct Line is set to agree to a £3.6bn takeover by its bigger rival Aviva, after the FTSE 100 firm returned with a sweetened bid for the company today. In a joint statement to the market this morning, the two firms said they had struck the outlines of a deal in which Aviva will pay [...]
Oxford Street M&S: Angela Rayner gives all-clear for demolition December 5, 2024 Angela Rayner has given the all-clear for the demolition of the flagship Oxford Street Marks & Spencer store. The deputy prime minister has granted permission for M&S to demolish the 94-year-old shop at Marble Arch in a decision published today. Plans to knock down Orchard House, which dates to the 1930s, and two other buildings, [...]
Shock poll puts Reform UK ahead of Labour for first time, as Tories surge December 5, 2024 A new poll has put Reform UK one point ahead of the Labour Party for the first time. Research by pollsters at FindOutNow put Nigel Farage’s party on 24 per cent, one point above Labour on 23 per cent. While Kemi Badenoch’s Conservative Party came higher than both, at 26 per cent, with the Lib [...]
Burford Capital turning its back on London over government delays December 5, 2024 Listed legal financial firm Burford Capital is rolling back on using London due to "uncertainties" in the legal market as a result of government delays
Gatwick and Birmingham airport chiefs urge Rachel Reeves to tackle business rates threat December 5, 2024 Chief executives from Gatwick and Birmingham Airport have criticised Chancellor Rachel Reeves' planned changes to business rates.
‘I’m not going to apologise’: Emotional Hamilton braces for Mercedes farewell December 5, 2024 Lewis Hamilton admits he has struggled to control his emotions this season as he prepares to bring the curtain down on a glittering 12-year stay at Mercedes. The 39-year-old, who signed a deal to join Ferrari from 2025 ahead of the season, has won six of his seven world championships with the Silver Arrows but [...]
UK start-ups punch above their weight — and it’s being noticed worldwide December 5, 2024 Despite the “doom and gloom” narrative and post-Budget fears looming over the UK’s start-up ecosystem, the country still holds its ground at the forefront of global innovation. At least that is the view of Ashish Patel, managing director at Houlihan Lokey’s Capital Market Group, who says that a rise of international investment into UK start-ups [...]
Bank of London shakes up UK board in investor-led recovery plan December 5, 2024 The Bank of London has appointed four new directors to its UK bank board and replaced its chair as the troubled fintech ‘unicorn’ looks to recover from a string of setbacks in recent months. The lossmaking start-up, which has faced heavy scrutiny over its governance and finances, said on Thursday that Metro Bank director Catherine [...]
Complex building requirements ‘holding back the City’ as development pipeline stalls December 5, 2024 "A large commercial scheme can take up to 10 years from a decision to obtain vacant possession through to occupation," the CPA said.