HSBC has announced an extra £1bn of loans will be made available to small and medium-sized businesses looking to expand worldwide. The development of the bank’s existing SME loan scheme, aimed at financing businesses with an annual turnover of up to £25m, comes after a successful pilot of HSBC International SME... Read More
Once the most successful supermarket chains in Britain, Tesco has seen its fair share of struggles throughout the economic crisis. With falling share prices, tough competition from rival brands such as Asda and Sainsbury’s and controversies over workers all plaguing the brand in recent months, it is hardly surprising the group posted its... Read More
The government has pledged £12 million towards the conservation of Ironbridge Gorge, regarded as the birthplace of the industrial revolution. The World Heritage Site, in Telford, is threatened by landslides and slippage, and the money will contribute to protecting the site and the tourist industry it supports. The site,... Read More
Supermarkets are constantly trying to get one up their rivals at the moment, with each chain determined to beat the competition on price and quality in order to draw custom to their stores and onto their websites. With initiatives such as brand matching, promotional codes and in store vouchers plentiful in UK stores at the moment, consumers... Read More
One of the biggest issues facing the country at the moment is the rising cost of fuel. As petrol and diesel prices continue to increase, so too does the price of every day necessities such as food, clothing and, of course, travelling. This is because delivery companies forced to pay more to fill up their lorries pass on the increased cost to... Read More
Budget supermarkets are performing exceptionally well in the current double dip recession, as consumers desert more expensive stores such as Waitrose and Tesco in order to stretch their cash further. Yet one budget brand is seeing their profit margins increase exponentially year on year, leading to management announcing huge expansion of the... Read More
Britain’s summer of sport may have got off to a damp start, yet no one can argue that the Olympic and Paralympic Games have been a huge success. With entertaining opening and closing ceremonies and the best of international athleticism on display, crowds arrived on British shores amidst a high level of anticipation. In... Read More
Logistics is emerging as a distinct and attractive commercial property asset class according to the Investment Property Databank (IPD). The IPD Pan-European Logistics Performance Report published last week shows that logistics property ranks second only to retail in terms of returns. Logistics properties are defined by the... Read More
Receivers will be putting distressed properties worth €300m on the market soon. Developer Noel Smyth's Alburn Real Estate Capital will be offered within the next few weeks. These holdings alone have an estimated value of €147m. Brian and Mary Patricia O'Donnell's property, 15 Westferry Circus, has also been put up for... Read More
Property agent Knight Frank says London is becoming a magnet for foreign commercial property investors in spite of disappointing growth figures for the domestic economy. The company has stated that revenues have grown eight per cent to £334m in the year ended March 31. Knight Frank is one of the largest partnerships in the... Read More
Marks & Spencer has recently announced plans to open 28 bank branches by the end of the year, as its first current accounts went live. The large enterprise, which has so far opened 13 bank branches out of 16 locations which have already been confirmed, revealed a further list of 12 branches scheduled to open by the end of... Read More
In August Movehut reported that the future of seven commercial art galleries on Mayfair’s Cork Street was under threat from developers. Now it has emerged that a further four face being forced out by plans to redevelop a site on the opposite side of the street. The galleries under threat from the new proposal are Hay Hill,... Read More
Shoppers in the current economic climate will do anything for a bargain. Disposable income remains low, meaning that shopping for luxuries is a pastime few can afford. Of course, this is having a profound effect upon retailers, many of which are struggling to post profits for the year. Tesco is one supermarket chain feeling... Read More
Prospective investors who are interested in the Irish commercial property market are more positive than during the past five years, according to the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) chief executive. Brendan McDonagh has said that the perception of the Emerald Isle has changed and that a slight recovery in the market is... Read More
The U.S. Federal Reserve has decided to buy more mortgage-backed securities from Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae and this decision could have an impact on investors, as well as the housing market. The plan involves buying $40 billion in mortgage-backed securities per month to drive a recovery in the real estate market. The purchases will continue... Read More
Petrol prices remain a contentious issue in the UK, with a nation of motorists becoming increasingly disturbed as fuel prices continue to rise. In fact, since the end of August, petrol prices have risen by 5 pence per litre while diesel costs have climbed by 4.5 pence per litre. This makes the UK one of the most expensive countries in Europe... Read More
Everyone loves a bargain, especially in a time where money is tight. As a result, supermarkets in the UK are locked into competition with each other to beat rival prices in a bid to attract higher levels of custom to their stores nationwide. Ocado is the latest online supermarket chain to throw down the gauntlet, entering... Read More
The number of orders for new construction projects fell for the fourth consecutive month in September, despite a rise in civil engineering activity. The construction sector accounts for just 7 per cent of the UK economy, but its poor performance over the course of the year has contributed to the dip back into recession. The... Read More
Discount grocer of the year Aldi is poised to provide a huge boost to employment by creating 4,500 jobs in a multi-million pound expansion. The German retailer, which increased its market share by 54 per cent in June, is planning to open 40 new outlets by the end of 2013, bringing its total UK owned and leased commercial property holding to... Read More
There is no denying that the double dip recession has had a severe impact on British businesses. Companies from sectors such as the leisure industry and the professional services industry have seen budget squeezes, falling client numbers and even cuts to staff members in order to keep the business ticking over. However, it is arguably the... Read More
Pubs, clubs and other venues with a capacity of less than 200 no longer need a licence for live amplified music. This follows a government move to free small businesses from the red tape that restricts their freedom to trade as they wish. It is estimated that this will allow 13,000 more venues to hold live music events... Read More
With many businesses pushed to breaking point over the course of the recession, it is hardly surprising that bosses are expecting higher and higher levels of commitment from their employees. Turning up late to work is a huge faux pas at the moment, especially considering the number of extra hours millions of Britons are putting in to their... Read More
