surge in number of new property listings gives buyers more choice

This year's property market is already offering London home hunters more properties to choose from as a new report highlights a significant increase in the number of 'fresh-to-the-market' homes being listed across London. The research by Rightmove shows a 13 per cent increase in the number of newly-marketed properties being listed for sale in the capital, since this time last year. According to Rightmove's director and housing market analyst Miles Shipside, this relative surge in available Read more [...]

Homebase brand to disappear as £340m sale agreed to Australian group Wesfarmers

Wesfarmers, which will abandon the 37-year old Homebase name in favour of its Bunnings Warehouse brand in the next three to five years, plans to invest £500m to overhaul the store estate and open new sites. It marks a stark contrast to the strategy pursued by Home Retail, which had been cutting costs at Homebase and recently closed about 60 stores as the business struggled to compete against BQ. Home Retail said in October 2014 it planned to close one in four Homebase sites. David Goyder, managing Read more [...]

Demolition of Benwell chapel causes a stir in the West End of Newcastle

A row has broken out over the demolition of an ancient West End chapel. Campaigners against the knocking down of the Bond Memorial Chapel in Benwell, Newcastle, say it is being done with no community or council consultation. The chapel, which has adorned Adelaide Terrace for 117 years, was built in replacement of the Iron Chapel in 1899, but is to be consigned to history. The soon-to-be-empty lot is rumoured to be the site of a new car park for the childcare centre and children’s charity that Read more [...]

SMALL CAP IDEAS: Flowgroup looks as cheap as CHPs after having been overtaken by events last year

'Events, dear boy, events,' was Harold Macmillan’s reply when asked what he feared most as Prime Minister.Events are also the bane of most company bosses who don’t have the standard issue crystal ball.Late last year events overtook Flowgroup, which was forced to suspend the UK launch of its combined heat and power boiler. An EU edict querying the amount of VAT charged on green products here in the UK meant it had to get down the cost of a product it was effectively giving away free. That’s Read more [...]

SMALL CAP IDEAS: Flowgroup looks as cheap as CHPs after having been overtaken …

'Events, dear boy, events,' was Harold Macmillan’s reply when asked what he feared most as Prime Minister.Events are also the bane of most company bosses who don’t have the standard issue crystal ball.Late last year events overtook Flowgroup, which was forced to suspend the UK launch of its combined heat and power boiler. An EU edict querying the amount of VAT charged on green products here in the UK meant it had to get down the cost of a product it was effectively giving away free. That’s Read more [...]

The Laundrette’s advert listed ‘plenty of attractive floor staff to flirt with …

The Laundrette in Manchester, has since edited the original job descriptionAd read: 'Plenty of attractive floor staff to flirt with'Facebook users branded it 'disgusting' and 'degrading'Others defended the advert, saying it was a bit of a laugh By Bianca London for MailOnline Published: 14:28 GMT, 18 January 2016 | Updated: 14:40 GMT, 18 January 2016 5 View comments Read more [...]

Clandon Park fire: National Trust to restore stately home in ‘biggest project …

The announcement is likely to set the Trust at odds with the Onslow family, who have owned the house since it was built to when it was handed to the Trust in 1956, who have said they do not wish it to be rebuilt. The 8th Earl of Onslow, Rupert Onslow, a hereditary peer and insurance broker, has said he would prefer the money to be spent on preserving other Trust properties for the nation, saying Clandon as he knew it is "lost". The Trust has now said it is confident that "a number of principal Read more [...]

Northern Lights for events

People Also Read Paul Colston shines some light on England’s Northern Powerhouse for events and what it means for organisers. England’s Northern Lights shining for business tourism are projecting themselves brightly on the meetings market, capitalising on rapid investment in infrastructure and helping develop new knowledge-based economies. The region’s cities will also be able to tap in to £1m of the government’s £10m Northern Tourism Growth Fund (a sum to be Read more [...]

Eurovision to have X Factor style show to find UK act

A televised selection show for the song and act to represent the UK at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest will be aired on the BBC, hosted by Bake Off favourite Mel Giedroyc. Eurovision: You Decide will show six short-listed acts taking to the stage in a bid to impress viewers at home and a professional panel in the venue. Giedroyc says she is a huge fan of Eurovision (Dominic Lipinski/PA)The acts will compete for the honour of representing the United Kingdom at Eurovision 2016, Read more [...]