The Family Doctor Association has warned that rural surgeries with three or fewer GPs in residence may face closure as the NHS attempts to save money. This would mean that many patients living in the countryside will be forced to travel to larger surgeries in their nearest town or city for check-ups and health queries. Furthermore, GPs... Read More
UK retail sales fell suddenly in January, confounding economists' hopes for a rise. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said volumes fell 0.6 per cent from December 2012, as shoppers were deterred by heavy snowfall. Snow is blamed for the fall in sales in January The ONS highlighted weak sales in the food sector, which plummeted... Read More
The commercial real estate market is continuing to improve in Kentucky’s second largest city Lexington, according to the results of the NAI Isaac Commercial Properties' Report. The semi-annual market assessment revealed that vacancy rates were lower in all categories. The report included figures for suburban and downtown office... Read More
Yahoo’s Chief Executive Marissa Mayer, who only joined the company in July last year, is making some drastic decisions that not all members of staff are happy about. Marissa Mayer The Chief Exec recently informed thousands of staff members in a memo that she is putting an end to remote working and forcing everyone back to the office... Read More
A 27 storey eyesore is in the process of being transformed to help revitalise City Road in Hackney. In association with the already refurbished Eagle House property, the skyscraper will provide both residential and commercial space to raise employment and boost income in the London district. The plan was originally laid out two years... Read More
In its heyday when walking around the high street there were varieties of different kinds of shops, which had something for everyone. You could get a new outfit from one store and a pair of shoes from another, not to mention a bottle of wine from an off-licence to enjoy later. But nowadays the high street is beginning to look a little... Read More
The AA has warned motorists that the cost of fuel is set to rise dramatically thanks to a combination of the falling value of the pound and a planned rise in fuel duty in the Chancellor’s budget next month. Petrol prices have already increased 6 pence per litre thanks to the rising cost of wholesale oil in recent weeks – a rise... Read More
Tennis star Andy Murray has bought the hotel where his brother got married and plans to turn it into a luxury five-star hotel. The US Open champion and Olympic gold medallist reportedly paid £1.8 million for the Cromlix House Hotel, which is not far from his Dunblane home town. His brother, Jamie married his wife Alejandra at Cromlix... Read More
The government is facing a setback to its plans to allow landlords to convert offices to residential use without planning permission. Eric Pickles, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, was confident the new rules could be in place by this spring but he may now be forced to delay their introduction or face legal... Read More
A two-story building in Beverly Hills has been sold for almost $12 million to a local investor. The 11,000-sq-foot Marian Building was built in 1928 by movie mogul Jack Warner and is one of the oldest commercial properties in the city. It is located at Little Santa Monica Boulevard and North Beverly Drive. Douglas Fairbanks and Mary... Read More
According to the world’s leading commercial property services advisor, the value of the Scottish market fell to the lowest recorded level since 2001 in the final quarter of 2012. In research conducted by CBRE it is shown that only £212 million worth of investment deals were completed between the 1st of October and the 31st of December,... Read More
Plans for a new £30million city centre building at Sheffield Hallam University have been submitted to the council for planning consent. If given the go-ahead, the new building will be located on the corner of Charles Street and Arundel Gate. Sheffield Hallam University's Student Union Building The new building will provide a home for... Read More
The landlords at the centre of an international wrangle over a mural by celebrated street artist Banksy have finally broken their silence over the issue. Robert Davies and Les Gilbert, directors of property firm Wood Green Investments, claim they are ‘mortified’ by the attention the case has brought and wish the work had never appeared on... Read More
The chief executive of business and tourism body Destination Bristol, John Hirst, has revealed that the southern city is managing to do what few others in the UK can – sustain and even post growth in its retail sector. In fact, the number of sales posted by city centre stores grew by 1.75 per cent in January when compared to the same period... Read More
The head of the Queen’s extensive property portfolio has revealed she is considering a ten year plan for the £8 billion Crown Estate. Speaking to the Evening Standard Alison Nimmo, the first woman to hold the post, was also keen to highlight the diversity of the Estate’s assets. Regent Street Nimmo took over the running of the... Read More
If present Google offices are anything to go by, with vibrant colours, fun break out rooms and comfy working areas, the new Google office will be another delight to work in. Google has started the construction of a new office around its Silicon Valley headquarters in California, which is rapidly becoming known as the Googleplex. The... Read More
For many years, London has been a leading international business destination, with a wealth of international businesses based in the city. However, the capital city may have a rival hot on its heels with the launch of Birmingham’s city centre enterprise zone. Lord Heseltine has been heavily involved in the project The venture has... Read More
A councillor has expressed his fears for the future of a number of Liverpool leisure businesses following the announcement that the annual Mathew Street Festival is to be replaced by another event. The popular festival, which has been running for 20 years, attracts around 300,000 revellers to the city centre over the August Bank... Read More
Following the release of the Portas Review concern was expressed in some quarters about the number of bookmakers monopolising town centre properties. In fact, it was found that many high streets now contain a number of different chains in which people may place a bet or play on a gambling machine – often, a row of commercial properties will... Read More
The architect responsible for The Shard says he doesn’t remember why it is so tall and he doesn’t really care. In an interview with the BBC’s Hardtalk Renzo Piano also dismisses criticism of the building and reveals that he doesn’t trust the judgement of Prince Charles. Speaking to Sarah Montague, Piano said he didn’t set out... Read More
Figures released for 2012 show a continued slow and steady recovery for the US commercial real estate sector. Ron Kaiser, the chairman of the National Council of Real Estate Investment Fiduciaries (NCREIF) stated recently; “Real estate investment returns have a reputation for stability, and 2012 has reinforced that." He went on to... Read More
It is no secret that the changing face of the retail industry together with continuing economic uncertainty has had a massive impact upon both independent and chain stores. A dramatic rise in the popularity of internet shopping and the administrations of several staples of the high street has effectively chased consumers away from town... Read More
