A group of Labour MPs want the £8.6 billion Crown Estate to be turned into a Sovereign Wealth Fund. They will make the call at the Co-operative Party’s annual conference which begins tomorrow in Edinburgh. The Crown Estate, which dates back to 1760, manages a substantial portfolio of land and commercial property throughout the... Read More
The supermarket sector is one of the most competitive areas of the retail industry in the UK, with Tesco traditionally holding the number one spot despite stiff competition. However, if recent results are to be believed, the tide could be turning with Sainsbury’s close to snatching the supermarket giant’s crown. Sainsbury’s like... Read More
Work has finally begun on a new project which will address the shortage of Grade A office space in Bristol. The 60,000 sq ft scheme marks the return of speculative development to the city, demonstrating confidence in the local economy and the prospects for the commercial property market. The building is in the prime location of Queen... Read More
Everyone loves a bargain, and Poundland has plenty of those on offer. But after recording an increase in sales this year, the company now plans to grow its property portfolio and increase its presence on the high street. Poundland currently has 500 stores located throughout the country. However thanks to a sharp increase in annual... Read More
The manufacturing industry is currently experiencing an upturn in the UK, with a favourable export market and high demand within the Eurozone leaving many businesses with more custom than they have seen since the pre-recession years. This has led to a large increase in the number of skilled workers being taken on within the industry, with... Read More
But the market is bouncing back says report Irish commercial property prices have dropped by over two-thirds since reaching their peak and are now at 1983 levels, according to a report released by Goodbody Stockbrokers. Dublin Docklands The country is moving out of, what has been described as, a "painful recession." During this time,... Read More
Investment in West End office property soared to £5.1 billion in the half year to June 2013 new research reveals. The figure represents a huge 68 per cent year-on-year increase on the same period in 2012 and confirms that confidence in the sector remains high. The data comes from the second West End Office Investment Report, produced... Read More
Small retailers have long struggled against the dominance of large supermarket brands, with businesses such as butchers, bakers and newsagents often losing custom thanks to consumers being drawn to the convenience option offered by larger brands. However, in recent years communities have begun to support small businesses more and have... Read More
Cardiff Council has successfully completed the purchase of two buildings and a plot of neighbouring land essential to the Capital Square regeneration scheme. Now locally based commercial developers Rightacres Property can finally move forward with the plan to provide up to a million sq ft of office and leisure space. There is also a... Read More
Stonehenge may be just some old stones that have been there for a while to some of us, but to others they are a huge part of our history. To embrace the historic significance of the 4000 year old stones, a new visitor centre and museum has just been built. The Stonehenge visitor centre and museum is located around two kilometres away... Read More
Internet shopping has, in recent years, become one of the toughest challenges facing small commercial property based retailers, with low prices and huge ranges of stock drawing consumers away from the high street and onto their computers. In response, stores now tend to implement initiatives such as “click and collect” in order to... Read More
One of the key issues highlighted by the Portas Review was a lack of affordable parking. With some town centres charging up to £3 per hour for council-run car parks, it is hardly surprising that consumers have turned to out of town retail parks, where there are usually hundreds of available spaces offered to customers for free. Now,... Read More
Domestic property investors are turning towards the regions as overseas money continues to dominate the London Market, according to Knight Frank. The news follows a series of reports suggesting that the improving economy is stimulating demand and the boom in prices seen in the capital may be about to filter through to other parts of the... Read More
With a number of new leisure and retail developments currently undergoing work across the country, developers are in a race against time to ensure theirs will be current, popular and achieve optimum footfall levels. This is why so many are working overtime to stick to schedule and even complete milestones ahead of time – with one firm... Read More
The recent boom in housing has led to an increase in consumer enthusiasm for home furnishings, with chains such as B&Q and Homebase greatly benefiting from a marked rise in sales. In turn, this factor has led to huge improvements in the economy as a whole, with consumers now much more willing to spend on bigger ticket items rather than... Read More
Rural English estates have continued to perform well against other asset classes, according to the results of a new survey. The Saville 2013 Benchmarking Survey results showed that the average gross income on all estates grew by 5.3 per cent to £212 per acre. This upward trend started in 2001 and has been boosted by the strong... Read More
Dunkin' Donuts, the US chain, is to make a second attempt to crack the UK market. The American chain, which pulled out of Britain in the mid-nineties as its sugary offerings and coffee failed to win over customers in the UK, plans to open 150 restaurants around the country. The company has signed agreements with two franchise groups -... Read More
While job creation is on the rise and the unemployment rate has significantly stabilised, many British workers still find themselves short of cash as a direct result of low pay or underemployment. Many believe this issue could be solved by employers agreeing to pay their employees a “living wage” – a rate calculated on an... Read More
Wall Street banks will soon be faced with an increase in demand from borrowers seeking commercial property loans in the wake of the Federal Reserve's announcement to maintain its current pace of stimulus measures, according to JPMorgan. Interest rates have fallen since the central bank made its announcement, after a surge that started... Read More
Amazon has announced it is recruiting more than 15,000 seasonal staff across the UK to meet customer demand in the run-up to Christmas. The US internet retailer, which is expanding its UK operations, said it expected hundreds of the temporary staff would eventually be offered permanent jobs. The company said it will create a variety... Read More
Consensus emerging that system is no longer fit for purpose This week Labour leader Ed Miliband pledged to freeze business rates if his party is successful at the next election. While this has been cautiously welcomed by the business and commercial property sectors, a new report highlights the adverse impact the delayed revaluation is having... Read More
Harrods, the famous Knightsbridge department store, is set to undergo a multi-million pound revamp which won’t have any detrimental effect on its historic architecture. The main part of the revamp will involve the installation of a new escalator in the famous store. But this isn’t just a normal escalator that you see in the likes... Read More
