In the ever changing and fast paced retail industry of the 21st century, remaining ahead of the game and keeping consumers interested can make the difference between a business venture succeeding and failing. While the internet plays a huge role in this modern retail industry, retailers are aware that location is a crucial factor in... Read More
In the battle of the supermarkets, Tesco’s top spot is increasingly under challenge from budget brands such as Lidl and Aldi and by its main competitor, Sainsbury’s. However, it appears that the UK’s largest chain may have some breathing space in the coming quarter as it emerges that Sainsbury’s sales have fallen for the first time in... Read More
Small businesses in Bolton — including shops, restaurants and public houses — are to have their business rates cut by £1,000 as part of a council bid to boost the town’s economy. The Government-backed initiative will apply to all premises with a rateable value of £50,000 or less. In a parallel scheme, Bolton’s cabinet has... Read More
South West has the potential to become the new Silicon Valley says CEO Blur Group, the online s-commerce platform that has been described as the eBay of marketing, has named Exeter Science Park as its global headquarters. The company announced last year that, following the launch of an R&D centre in the city, it was preparing to shift... Read More
Almost a third of commercial property in the heart of Birmingham — over four million square feet — is under some form of foreign control, claims a new report. Compiled by real estate management consultancy GVA, the Who Owns Central Birmingham? survey reveals that 30 per cent of all offices, shops and restaurants in Birmingham city... Read More
MIPIM 2014, which closed on Friday, demonstrated a marked improvement in confidence among property investors. The annual industry gathering celebrated its 25th anniversary against the backdrop of a year of strong market growth which suggests the recovery from the crash of 2007 is well underway. Over 20,000 delegates from 93 countries... Read More
UK commercial property values rose again in February, marking the tenth consecutive month of steady growth. The news comes in the IPD UK Monthly Property Index which reveals that values increased by 0.6 per cent last month. Over the ten month period of growth, values have risen by 5.7 per cent but remain 33 per cent below the market high of... Read More
John Lewis is opening its first airport store as part of a “Best of British” plan for the new Terminal 2 at London’s Heathrow Airport. The new £2.5bn terminal will have 69 retail and catering units when it opens this June. The majority confirmed John Holland Kaye, Heathrow’s development director, will be “disproportionately”... Read More
After experimenting by selling direct to the public from kiosks at five major US airports, Google is reportedly about to open its first flagship store in Manhattan — just yards from its arch rival Apple. It’s claimed the tech giant is about to sign the lease on a 4,100sq ft Greene Street, New York, shop that nudges shoulders with... Read More
Commercial insurance costs in the US rose by five per cent in aggregate during the fourth quarter of 2013, according to figures included in the Commercial Lines Insurance Pricing Survey (CLIPS). It was conducted by Towers Watson, a professional services company. This is the third consecutive year of price increases in the US. The... Read More
Commercial property investment in Poland has reached a seven-year high, according to new survey. Last year €3.12bn was ploughed into the country’s real estate market — much of it from Germany. Of the 2013 investments — which increased steadily from the summer onward — German funds and individuals accounted for 25 per cent of... Read More
The high street has been at the epicentre of the retail industry’s focus for some time now, with several industry figures presenting reports to the government outlining potential “rescue” plans which would see consumers return to town centres rather than primarily spending on the internet. However, with the latest figures still showing... Read More
MetLife, Inc. has announced that its commercial real estate division, MetLife Real Estate Investors, originated $11.5 billion in commercial real estate loans in 2013. MetLife continues to be a leader in the commercial mortgage market as well as the largest lender in the insurance industry. The company has a portfolio of more than $42 billion... Read More
Small businesses have increasingly begun to turn to alternative lenders rather than traditional banks of late, largely due to the fact that banks remain wary of lending after the fallout of bad loans resulting in the financial crisis of 2008. While the situation may have improved somewhat as a result of the government pressuring banks... Read More
Gender diversity in the workplace has improved greatly over the past few decades with fewer ‘traditional’ male and female roles than there were 20 or 30 years ago. The property industry has followed this trend, but unlike the residential sector, it appears the commercial sector remains very much a man’s world. This is certainly... Read More
Landlords are being urged to start legal action immediately to recover outstanding rents ahead of new legislation curbing the powers of bailiffs. From 6 April the common law of distress, which allowed bailiffs to seize and sell goods to recover rent arrears without warning, is being replaced by Commercial Rent Arrears Recovery (CRAR).... Read More
For almost three decades now, the future of Oxford’s West End has been up in the air with controversy surrounding a number of different plans aiming to redevelop the retail district. However, this week plans to rebuild the Westgate Shopping Centre and adjacent land gained planning approval from the local authority. First built in... Read More
The owners of a Newcastle shopping centre claim they have been “abandoned” by the city council in its bid to drive business toward the adjacent intu-owned Eldon Square complex — in which the authority has shares. The Intu owned Eldon Square shopping centre The London-based Peer Group acquired the smaller Eldon Garden shopping... Read More
Respected British architect Sir David Chipperfield has called for planning officers to be given greater powers to shape the future of our cities. His call comes in the same week it was revealed that almost 250 tower blocks are either under construction or in the planning stage in London alone. Chipperfield’s practice has offices in... Read More
Shopping centres are hot properties on the market at the moment, with an improvement in consumer confidence and a desire by multiple retail and leisure chains to expand fuelling profits for owners and investors. As a result, prices for high profile deals are reaching heights not seen since before the recession and sites with the potential for... Read More
The retail industry has become increasingly buoyant in recent months, with categories such as home ware and furniture leading many retailers to hope that the difficulties brought on by the financial crisis are firmly behind them. However, the fragility of the retail recovery is demonstrated by the news that High Street sales dropped in... Read More
More than half of companies and individuals that invest in the UK’s commercial property market would be against the country leaving the European Union, claims a new survey. Many would even reconsider doing business on this side of the Channel. In a report undertaken by global property consultants CBRE 60 per cent of investors quizzed... Read More
