This week’s announcement that the government is putting an extra £100 million on the table to speed up the growth of Enterprise Zones has been welcomed by business groups and local authorities. Eric Pickles MP The cash injection is intended to fund infrastructure projects, such as road building and land clearance, in order to unlock... Read More
Sheffield Council has parted with the original developer behind the city’s Sevenstone scheme and now plans to “go it alone” without entering into a new partnership. The decision follows four years of delays by property firm Hammerson, with financial issues playing a large part in the stalling of the project. The council intends... Read More
A scheme to create new retail and office space at the interchange next to the main city centre bus station in Wolverhampton has been approved. It is anticipated that approximately 250 jobs will be safeguarded or created as a result of the scheme which will also include restaurants and coffee shops. The council said that potential... Read More
Traditionally, the run up to Christmas is one of the busiest times in the calendar for retailers, with a flood of consumers desperate to get their hands on the year’s must-have gifts. However, during the recession, shoppers tended to spend more cautiously even during the festive season, with saving money seen as hugely important to the vast... Read More
Many local high streets have tried a variety of schemes to try and bring life back to their city centre. The Government has spent both time and money investing resources to try and entice people away from their computers and tablet devices, but many are to no avail. But now a district in Stoke-on-Trent has launched a scheme designed to... Read More
The UK is on course to start up more than half a million businesses in 2013, beating last year’s record, according to statistics from StartUp Britain, the campaign to boost entrepreneurship. Over 390,000 businesses had been set up by late September and the figures are set to hit the 500,000 target for the campaign, led by Luke... Read More
In the first six months of 2013, North American investors made a strong showing in the European retail property market, according to CBRE. Sales were up 17 per cent over the same period last year, for a total of €15 billion. North American investors were the most active cross-regional buyers of European retail properties in the first... Read More
After a three year break, Kate Moss is planning a new range of clothing to be sold in Topshop stores throughout the country. Kate Moss originally joined Topshop to create a line of clothing in 2007, but the contract was frozen three years later. However she has been working with Kate Phelan, Topshop’s Creative Director and Katy... Read More
A law firm which specializes in commercial property law and litigation has been praised in a national guide for its "outstandingly good all round" service. Cumbrian-based Burnetts, which has offices in Carlisle, Newcastle and Penrith, is top of the county rankings in the 2013 issue of the Legal 500. Burnetts also has more top tier... Read More
Since the end of the recession, an upturn in demand has kick-started several commercial development schemes which were placed on the back burner during the economic downturn. One of the latest developments to be rejuvenated is the Westfield Broadway shopping centre in Bradford, which has long frustrated local councillors due to a... Read More
With the economic situation in the UK improving markedly each quarter, consumers have one again begun to spend on luxury items rather than making saving their priority. This, teamed with the manufacturing upturn, has led to new car sales reaching their highest level in five years. According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and... Read More
The state owned Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) is poised to invest in Manchester’s Airport City development, the FT reveals. The deal is expected to be signed when Chancellor George Osborne visits Beijing this month following a thaw in diplomatic relations between the two countries. The investment is the latest in a... Read More
After sluggish growth in 2012, bank credit to the Indian commercial property sector increased in 2013. Credit rose by 11.5 per cent in comparison to the overall credit growth of 14.3 per cent. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has released data indicating that in the first five months of the year alone, credit growth was 7.9 per cent. In... Read More
Museums and galleries in the UK are being forced to reduce their numbers of professional staff and increasingly rely on volunteers to compensate. A recent survey of more than 120 museums and museum services across the UK revealed that more than a third had cut staff numbers while nearly half had increased the number of volunteers and... Read More
Last week King's Cross Square officially reopened, marking the final stage of the redevelopment of the station and its surroundings. The 75,000 square foot public space reveals the original facade of the station for the first time in 150 years. London Mayor Boris Johnson described it as "a whole new vibrant district." He went on to say... Read More
It has been a year since pensions auto-enrolment rules came into force and we're fast approaching the point at which small and medium sized businesses will be required to sign up their employees to pensions. However a recent survey has indicated that one third of SMEs plan on ignoring the new rules. Research conducted by Clarity... Read More
This week we’ve heard a great deal from the Prime Minister about “hardworking people,” but it appears over 50 per cent of workers believe they simply cannot work any harder for their boss. David Cameron has spoken a great deal about hardworking people In a study conducted by recruitment agency Randstad, 53 per cent of the 2000... Read More
The recession and resulting unemployment crisis made way for a wave of business start-ups, with many unable to find work instead deciding to hone their entrepreneurial skills. And while the recession may be over, the enthusiasm for self-employment remains, paving the way for young people to make the most of their ideas. In fact, a new... Read More
Take up of office space outside London is at its highest level for five years. The latest figures show that 1.6 million sq ft was let in the first six months of 2013 as renewed confidence encouraged businesses to seek larger premises. This has attracted investors hoping to snap up undervalued commercial property ahead of further rises in... Read More
Do you find yourself eating more and more at your desk as you are just too busy to take a lunch break? Or do you feel guilty for taking what you are entitled to, if others in the office do not leave during lunch? Then you may be in need of the ‘Dine Ink Pen Utensil Set’. The utensil set is a basic idea which turns biro lids into... Read More
Redevelopment projects have accelerated since the end of recession, with developers keen to acquire exciting properties with varied scope. This has been seen mainly in London, with current schemes including Admiralty Arch and Battersea Power Station undergoing transformation. Yet one of the latest redevelopments in the pipeline is... Read More
Aldi plans to create 6,000 jobs this year after announcing record profits and increasing its market share. The German supermarket has pledged to open 50 new stores in the UK in 2013 after sales soared 40 per cent to £3.9bn in 2012. The retailer said it would open its 500th store later this month after opening 34 new stores in 2012 and... Read More
