The beautiful sunshine seen throughout summer lent a much-needed helping hand to the retail industry, with consumers flocking to the high street to pick up summer staples. However, it appears that this positive trend is set to continue even as autumn sets in. According to the British Retail Consortium (BRC), sales in August increased... Read More
Although the news from the retail industry has become increasingly positive of late, industry experts still believe that not enough is being done to rescue the ailing high street. This is despite the fact that, across the course of the summer, the high street consistently racked up the highest sales figures and footfall levels when compared... Read More
The developers of London’s Walkie Talkie are carrying out investigations after the skyscraper was blamed for causing damage to cars parked in the street below. Last week it was reported that sunlight reflected from the building was creating intense heat and dazzling passers-by. Now it has emerged that parking bays underneath the... Read More
London benefitted from almost half of Middle Eastern investment in European commercial property in the first half of 2013, according to CBRE. Buyers were drawn by its political stability and prospects for growth. Investors from the Middle East made up nine per cent of all real estate buyers in Europe in the first half of 2013. One year... Read More
Hotel transactions in the United Kingdom in the first six months of 2013 increased nearly fourfold compared to the level of activity during the last half of 2012, according to analysis conducted by Deloitte. The sale of the Intercontinental Hotel is among the deals completed this year The total volume for H1 2013 added up to £1.96... Read More
Following the release of A-Level results last week, the UK’s top universities were inundated with a record number of applications from students keen to begin their further education in September. In fact, the majority of universities had already filled places on courses less than 24 hours after results were released. NUS President Toni... Read More
Despite the fact that several firms have been forced to enter administration recently, the overall news from the retail industry remains encouragingly positive. This is thanks, in large part, to a boom in consumer confidence which has seen retailers benefit from a rise in spending throughout the summer. According to the monthly GfK... Read More
UK Commercial Property Trust has announced its interim results for the half year ended June 30 2013, and has reported that its net profit was £18.0 million. In the same period last year, the Guernsey based trust lost £4.42 million. Earnings per share are reported to be 1.50 pence. Last year a loss of 0.37 pence was posted. In the... Read More
Getting people back into work has been a key aim for the government in recent months as it attempts to tackle the issue of rising benefit costs in the UK. Part of this target has focused on helping those with disabilities gain employment with understanding businesses which have the capacity to cater for those with mobility issues. Remploy... Read More
Outline plans for a 190-metre tower have been approved by Tower Hamlets Council. A proposal, for a three-storey development, at Heron Quays West, was first approved in 2008 but the project was abandoned following the financial crash. The latest plan is for a single 190 metre tower providing 130,000 square metres of office space. The... Read More
NatWest and Royal Bank of Scotland have launched a scheme that gives customers cash back or rewards when shopping with their debit cards at participating retailers. The simple reward scheme - the first of its kind - effectively turns a bank card into a Clubcard or Nectar-style loyalty card at a selection of retailers including BP,... Read More
There are promising signs of recovery in the retail industry following several years of recession, with consumer confidence beginning to climb once more and a number of exciting developments in the pipeline across the country. One such project is the Great Homer Street development in Liverpool, which this week has been granted detailed... Read More
In most areas of British industry, especially those geared towards consumerism, advancements in technology now play a vital role in day to day business. Retailers have widely embraced online shopping and “click and collect” services to meet the demands of customers, while restaurants and cafes frequently offer free Wi-Fi for customers as... Read More
U.S. commercial property prices fell by a single percentage point in July from the previous month. Rising interest rates are blamed for increasing the cost of financing deals. The Green Street Commercial Property Price Index was four per cent higher than the peak it reached in August 2007, even with the decline, according to the... Read More
The wealthiest shopping street in Britain – Bond Street – is to undergo its first overhaul in 30 years as part of a drive to keep the area ahead of international shopping rivals in Hong Kong, Milan and New York. The new Bond Street Development Group has drawn up a £20m plan to regenerate the historic West End area – including a... Read More
The controversy surrounding zero hours contracts rages on, with yet another major employer dragged in to the mix. This week, Premier Foods has been forced into the spotlight after staff at its Hovis bakery in Wigan made the decision to take strike action over the use of agency workers employed under zero hours contracts. In summary,... Read More
Nando’s has taken the UK by storm over the last few years. It’s a bit like Marmite; you are either obsessed with it or can take it or leave it. For those of us who love Nando’s, a visit isn’t complete unless you get a chicken stamp on your cardboard loyalty card to gain rewards. But the chicken stamp is being replaced! Instead... Read More
An anticipated rebound in commercial real estate development in the United States has fallen flat in 2013, and it may be 2014 before it gains momentum, according to research from Citigroup Inc. Public sector budgets at the state level have been squeezed, resulting in weak demand and delays in getting projects off the ground. Analysts... Read More
Recently it was reported that Oxford Street is on course to smash the £5 billion sales barrier by the end of the year. Yesterday there was a further boost for the street when leading figures from the fashion industry endorsed it as one of the greatest shopping destinations in the world. The endorsement came as seventy five 12 foot... Read More
It is reported that Nationwide, one of the UK’s largest building societies, has made the decision to delay the launch of its SME lending programme. Vince Cable is critical of the 'Capital Taliban' According to the Financial Times, this decision was caused by regulators demanding Nationwide hold more capital in order to cushion itself... Read More
The Co-op has become the last major British retailer to move into the online grocery sector, announcing plans for a trial delivery service. The four trial schemes, which will each test a different delivery method, are an attempt by the mutually owned supermarket chain to win back market share as its 2,800 outlets face increasing... Read More
London’s first designer outlet village will be unveiled by Quintain Estates shortly. The developer, which is in the process of completing the first phase of the Wembley Park regeneration project, believes the destination will attract in the region of 12 million visitors a year. The 350,000 sq ft London Designer Outlet (LDO) is... Read More
