A TV monitor in the lobby of a Birmingham office and retail building has been credited with helping to cut energy consumption by over 55 per cent. This is the finding of the Climate Change Property Fund (CCPF) which owns and manages the building in the city’s central business district. Retrofitting can result in a significant reduction... Read More
Last week, it was announced that the bumper Christmas sales season so hoped for by retailers on the high street failed to materialise, with only a select few such as John Lewis enjoying a high measure of success during the past few weeks. This could spell trouble for a number of chains which have suffered from a fall in consumer confidence... Read More
The public is invited to enjoy the work of some of the leading British artists of the 20th century at a contemporary Swindon office turned temporary gallery space. Swindon Borough Council is staging the exhibition, which opens today, in conjunction with property group Amalgamated Berkshire at the firm’s refurbished Station Square building... Read More
The New Year was barely underway when MP Stephen Mosley officially opened a new farm shop in Chester. Cheshire Made offers local farmers and producers the opportunity to display and sell their produce, and its opening confirms the growing popularity of the farm shop. There are a number of factors that have led to the increasing numbers of... Read More
Commercial real estate specialists in the Atlantic City area are pleased by the slow but steady growth pattern the market experienced in 2012 and are hoping it continues into 2013. Vacancy rates for industrial, retail, and office properties are expected to decline further over the next 12 months and the National Association of Realtors... Read More
The majority of respondents to a survey conducted by the Association of Foreign Investors in Real Estate (AFIRE) have indicated they would prefer to buy property in the United States this year. Turkey is expected to be another hot spot in 2013, while China’s popularity is waning among international investors. London is the second most... Read More
It is no secret that life in the UK is becoming more expensive for everyone. To make the situation even tougher, the prices of essentials such as food, drink and heating bills are expected to rocket in the next few months, putting further strain on the household budgets of the average family. Unfortunately, it seems that many workers are... Read More
More than $120 million in commercial loans in Las Vegas went into default in November, according to a report released by the Nevada Title Co. The $37.9 million loan on the Rainbow Promenade shopping centre is included on the list. JP Morgan is the original beneficiary of that loan. Depressed property values and high vacancy rates are... Read More
The expansion of an Oxfordshire business park could boost the local economy by £10.5 million a year by the end of the decade officials believe. However, residents of nearby villages are concerned about the impact of the development and insist they have not been adequately consulted. Construction at Milton Park has been given the... Read More
Until the end of 2012, it seemed that no company in existence would be able to challenge Apple’s dominance in the smartphone market. The iconic iPhone range has literally millions of fans all over the world, with new release the iPhone 5 seeing thousands queue for up to a week in advance of the new model’s launch outside Apple stores from... Read More
2012 was a tough year for small and large businesses alike, with many popular high street stores struggling to attract customers through their doors. In fact, trading was so poor that many high profile brands such as JJB Sports, Clinton Cards and Peacock’s were forced to enter administration. Unfortunately, it seems that this trend is set... Read More
The demolition of a former industrial building in Cambridge has unearthed a surprise which could spell good news for a local charity. Workers pulling down an 80 year old cement works, that closed five years ago, discovered an old briefcase containing documents relating to the firm’s now defunct social club. Among these papers were... Read More
While many areas of the country are still struggling to emerge from the long recession, business leaders in York are feeling optimistic about the year ahead. York was recently named Britain’s most beautiful city and its heritage and culture attracts 7 million visitors a year. Add to this two highly respected universities and it’s easy to... Read More
With money tight for many families at the moment, a luxury holiday to Florida may not be top of the household agenda for everyone. Yet even at the height of the worldwide financial issues, Disney Parks in all corners of the globe managed to turn fairly respectable profits due to their family friendly settings and appeal for the young and old... Read More
Certain commercial properties which currently have an energy performance certificate (EPC) are now required to display it following legislation which came into force yesterday. The new requirement applies to properties over 500 sq. m. in size which are “frequently visited by the public.” However, businesses will not be compelled to... Read More
Plans have been announced for the regeneration of Stocksbridge district centre in Sheffield with a £46 million mixed use property development. The project will be delivered on a former industrial site off Manchester Road and will transform the area into a vibrant destination. The development being proposed by a partnership of... Read More
Christmas is generally the most successful period for retailers in the food and drinks industry, with many chains racking up as much as 40 per cent of their annual profits in only a few weeks. However, this makes competition tough, especially among Britain’s “Big Four” supermarkets as promotions and sales offers flood the market in a... Read More
The downward trend in UK commercial property values will bottom out this year according to Deloitte. Although the market will show little sign of improvement until later in the year, 2013 is expected to mark the beginnings of the long awaited recovery. Deloitte’s forecast follows the Halifax’s similarly optimistic outlook for the... Read More
Sofitel Luxury Hotels has announced it will continue to expand its brand by opening a new property in Bali. Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort will be situated in Nusa Dua, approximately 40 kilometers (24.8 miles) from Denpasar, Bali's provincial capital. The resort, which is scheduled for completion in September, will have 415 guest... Read More
As people prepared for the Christmas period, Meadowhall in Sheffield enjoyed increased footfall as shoppers flocked to the shopping centre. In the lead up to Christmas, footfall was up by eight per cent in November 2012, when compared to the same period the previous year. In total 1.5 million people visited Meadowhall during the two week... Read More
But Retailer Enjoyed a Successful Christmas Towards the end of last year, supermarkets and industry experts in the food and drinks sector warned that 2013 may yield several substantial price rises due to weather issues during the summer months affecting international harvests. In fact, the price of items such as fruit, vegetables and... Read More
The government is extending its start-up loans scheme, which offers young entrepreneurs loans of around £2,500 to help them start new businesses. The scheme had originally been targeted at 18-to-24-year-olds, but is now being extended to those aged up to 30. To accommodate for the wider age band, the funding accessible for start-up... Read More
