Newcastle's commercial property market is showing clear signs of improvement in some sectors, which is providing cause for cautious optimism. The city's retail market is quite diverse and its city centre shopping district is continuously evolving with Northumberland Street considered one of the finest high streets in the UK. Eldon... Read More
In 2011, it was announced that almost all Government funding for university courses was to be dropped in time for the next academic year – a move which saw three in four UK institutions raise their fees considerably in order to meet costs. The Science Building, Staffordshire University As many universities now charge up to £9,000... Read More
A new survey by Savills reveals that the pace of recovery in the commercial property market increased sharply last month. The Total Commercial Development Activity Index, which monitors the overall performance of the UK’s commercial property industry, climbed from 5.8 per cent in May to 18.9 per cent in June. This was greatly aided... Read More
British manufacturing has become extremely popular in recent months, with almost constant growth in the sector attracting considerable investment from both domestic and overseas companies. Although the industry tends to fluctuate fairly regularly from brief periods of contraction, the overall strength of British firms has meant that... Read More
The new owners of the Lloyd’s Building are facing the prospect of losing their blue chip tenant after it emerged that Lloyd’s of London may quit the property due to rising maintenance costs. The insurance institution has been the sole tenant of the eponymous building since it opened in 1986 and has occupied successive HQs on the... Read More
Manchester City have revealed plans for an extensive stadium expansion which could see the capacity of the Etihad Stadium increase by up to 12,500. At present the capacity stands at around 47,500, meaning that this extension could see the 60,000 mark crossed upon completion. In order to prepare for this project, and further assess the... Read More
With the economic worries of the country no longer an immediate threat to businesses, pre-recession aims such as cutting carbon emissions and improving the energy efficiency of commercial properties are once more coming into the spotlight. New technologies such as solar panels and energy efficient lighting are being welcomed by firms keen to... Read More
Fashion designer Pierre Cardin has bowed to pressure and scrapped his controversial plans to build a skyscraper in Venice. Cardin - along with his architect nephew Rodrigo Basilicati - hoped to erect the 60 storey tower in the mainland district of Porto Marghera six miles from the city centre. The mixed-use glass structure was intended... Read More
The O2 Arena has become one of the top concert venues in Europe, with established acts such as the Rolling Stones and Queen gracing the stage in the past several years. However, its uses are not just limited to entertainment purposes – business shows, political party conferences and international sporting showcases have all played a role in... Read More
The recession took a heavy toll on retailers, with both high street brands and luxury labels struggling to keep their heads above water. However, with the economy slowly recovering, many of these firms are now experiencing a welcome return to form as consumers begin to spend once more. One brand which had a particularly hard time was... Read More
Internet shopping has had a huge effect on the way consumers do their weekly grocery shop, with an ever-increasing number turning to online ordering in a bid to beat the crowds. Britain’s number one chain, Tesco, now offers a plethora of ways to buy both food and non-food items, from online order and delivery to click and collect, in order... Read More
Supermarkets have been a key aspect of British life for many years, winning over consumers who previously visited a number of smaller high street stores in their weekly grocery shop. However, thanks to the growth of internet shopping in recent years, it seems the pendulum has swung back in favour of smaller store formats, with consumers... Read More
Center Parcs has begun a recruitment drive to fill 1,500 vacancies at its new £250m holiday resort. Center Parcs Whinfell Forest The group, which specialises in short family breaks, plans to open a 365-acre holiday village in Bedfordshire next year, its fifth complex in the UK. The Woburn Forest site is expected to boast 625 forest... Read More
During the global financial crisis, consumers were forced to tighten their belts and cut down on non-essentials. This had a huge impact on luxury brands including Mulberry and Burberry, who tend to perform well in overall UK sales yet saw a huge reduction in profits which caused some industry experts to question the fashion houses’ futures... Read More
Some 19,000 Asda employees will pocket record pay-outs averaging £3,240 under parent company Wal-Mart's Sharesave programme, the supermarket chain has said. The scheme allows staff to set aside between £50 and £250 of their salary every month over three years, in return for a share bonus. The pay-outs received by staff this year... Read More
A market trader in Sheffield who has been running a successful butchers and fishmongers for over 70 years is shunning a move to a new market hall in favour of a shop location. Castle Market Simmonite butchers and fishmongers which is run by a pair of brothers, currently resides at Castle Market, but their time there is limited as the... Read More
Dalston’s Kingsland Shopping Centre is set to be demolished to make way for a new mixed use development that could also threaten the future of a popular community garden. The owner of the centre, commercial property company Criterion Capital, is understood to be consulting over a proposal to bulldoze the building and replace it with... Read More
The retail industry has increasingly become one which relies on computers and smartphones rather than traditional bricks and mortar. Thanks to the variety of apps and e-tailers on offer, consumers may stock check, order and pay for items online, and can now even order groceries for door-to-door delivery rather than brave the traditional... Read More
A group of Greenpeace activists is currently attempting to scale the Shard. The six climbers, all women, are staging the stunt in protest against oil and gas drilling in the Arctic. The women began their ascent of Europe’s tallest building early this morning. Later the environmental groups’ Twitter feed carried a photograph of the... Read More
High street guru Mary Portas has come up with another plan to reduce town centre vacancy rates and increase footfall. The latest review of the Portas Pilots scheme reveals that a consultation will take place over the next six months to examine the benefits of turning abandoned retail units into residential accommodation. While changes... Read More
The five remaining Remploy factories in Scotland are to close their doors for the final time, the UK government has announced. The businesses affected by the move are the Marine and Frontline Textile factories at Leven, Dundee, Clydebank, Cowdenbeath and Stirling. The government also said no viable offers had been made for packaging... Read More
The UK has been ranked as the world’s most developed online retail market and landlords and developers must adapt to this new world, says Cushman & Wakefield (C&W). The warning follows a comprehensive analysis of online retailing carried out by the property firm which places the UK marginally ahead of the US due to sales per... Read More
