Commercial real estate activity in Hawaii surged during the first six months of the year to $2.2 billion, according to a report released by Colliers International Hawaii. The increase, which was led by hotel sales, represents a gain of 134 per cent from mid-2012 levels. The report stated that transaction counts for commercial real... Read More
John Lewis has become something of a powerhouse in British retailing, with the department store chain consistently achieving record results even at the height of recession. With both department stores and the group’s supermarket chain Waitrose going from strength to strength, bolstered by the improvements in the economy, it appears that... Read More
An influential business group has added its voice to the growing criticism of the HS2 high speed rail project. The Institute of Directors (IoD) has described the proposal as a ‘grand folly’ that will have no impact on the productivity of UK businesses. The criticism follows a survey of its members which shows that only 27 per cent... Read More
As you walk down your local high street, you may have noticed the odd charity shop along the way. But have you noticed that more and more are appearing at a startling rate? According to a report by the Local Data Company (LDC), there are around 10,000 charity shops on Britain’s high streets. This has increased by a whopping 30 per... Read More
U.S. property/casualty insurance companies' net income rose by 58 per cent in the second quarter compared with the same period in 2012, according to an analysis released by Moody's Investors Service. The positive earnings figures were driven by lower catastrophe losses during the period. The Moody's report stated that investment income... Read More
Following the Christmas trading period, John Lewis staff were delighted to receive a bonus to thank them for all their hard work which saw the department store chain achieving several consecutive weeks of record sales. Now, it seems that the good news for the brand’s employees is set to continue, with executives announcing a further pay top... Read More
Santa Clara County and south San Mateo County is undergoing a commercial real estate boom, with developers currently constructing or renovating approximately six million square feet of office space. Construction activity is proceeding at double the activity level of just 12 months ago. More than a third of the new office and research... Read More
There was a time when Oxford Street’s reputation had fallen to such an extent that many regarded it as a dismal shopping destination. Today, thanks to what has been described as a ‘phoenix-like transformation,’ Europe’s busiest shopping street is booming once again with this year’s sales figures forecast to break the £5 billion... Read More
During the recession, fashion labels suffered from plummeting sales due to consumers cutting back on luxury spending. This saw firms such as Mulberry and Burberry posting profits warnings and forecasting lower than predicted annual sales due to consumers turning to more affordable brands. Although the economic difficulties have lifted... Read More
Canary Wharf Group has announced that another six retail brands will open at the Jubilee Place Shopping Mall expansion in early November. In addition to the nine retail brands already announced, Michael Kors, Tiger of Sweden, Monica Vinader, Schuh, Godiva and ASICS will be moving in. The expansion features 44,000 sq ft of retail space... Read More
Everybody loves to find a bargain in the shops. So when you find a sofa that was originally £1000, but now is £499 you can’t help but think you have bagged yourself a good deal. But is it really as genuine as you think it is? According to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) six high street retailers selling furniture products have... Read More
During the recession, many workers left without jobs turned to self-employment in order to utilise their skills and make ends meet. Unfortunately, however, many found that the lack of financial support due to banks restricting lending limited their growth opportunities – a factor which boosted the closure rate simultaneously. Levi Roots... Read More
Edinburgh Airport has announced plans for a £150m expansion. The investment includes £25m for the redevelopment of the international airport's terminal building. The 6,000 sq m facility will be built around a new state-of-the-art security area that will allow passengers to move through that part of the airport faster. The airport... Read More
With efforts to rejuvenate the high street in full swing, and the recent spate of good weather providing a welcome boost to consumer confidence, one would be forgiven for assuming that this summer has been one of the best in recent history for coastal towns. However, statistics released this week from a report conducted in 2010 have shown... Read More
Many people first became aware of 3D printing when it was reported that a functioning gun had been manufactured using the method. This was perhaps an inauspicious way to enter the public consciousness but it at least had the effect of making people sit up and take notice. Subsequently the future of 3D printing has been widely discussed... Read More
With demand for business units going through the roof in Flintshire Wales, one industrial park is planning to offer a much needed supply for businesses requiring space. Deeside Industrial Park, which is owned by Dandy’s, is planning to build 18 new units on its land at a cost of £3 million. The units would be built on a six acre... Read More
An ambitious commercial development plan will see the creation of thousands of new jobs for the local community in Bradford. Work has already begun on the brand new high-tech advanced manufacturing park in Baildon, which will consist of “bespoke” buildings. Bradford Council, which owns the land, is expecting the first planning... Read More
The London commercial property boom continues to grow, with both foreign and domestic investors keen to take advantage of the improving economic climate. However, whilst new builds continue to attract international attention, redevelopment projects tend to be the cornerstone of this surge in activity. This week, Westminster City... Read More
In stark contrast to other banking groups, which are reducing their high street presence, Santander is planning to open dozens of new branches as part of its plans to make further advancement into the UK banking market. The Spanish giant hopes to grow in the small to medium sized enterprise market and support its mortgage lending, as... Read More
Commercial property values in the U.K. increased for the third straight month in July with office buildings leading the way, according to Investment Property Databank (IPD). The average value of shops, warehouses and offices increased by 0.2 per cent in comparison with the previous month. Total return, which combines changes in real... Read More
At the height of the recession, a spate of administrations affected both large and small businesses alike, with the high street suffering from the losses of HMV and GAME particularly. Although the economic forecast has picked up somewhat, it is clear that businesses are still struggling to make ends meet in many cases. This has been... Read More
UK manufacturing SMEs are at their most confident for 18 months and are ready to invest in preparation for an expected upturn in demand. Over half of small manufacturers questioned in a recent survey expect to be spending over the coming six months as belief in sustainable growth rises. The statistics are revealed in the latest... Read More
