The former president and three executives of a failed Boise real estate company are facing fraud charges. Douglas L. Swenson, the founder and president of DBSI Inc, and a group of other companies, and three executives have all been indicted. Boise, Idaho Assistant U.S. Attorney Wendy Olson announced that Swenson, his company's general... Read More
Indie band the Yeah Yeah Yeahs have made history by asking fans at a recent gig in New York to resist filming songs from their set on smartphones. The crowd in Webster Hall were encouraged to take photographs as the band powered through the gig, yet it was made very clear by singer Karen O that anyone watching the set on the screen of their... Read More
The first quarter of 2013 has yielded some excellent property deals in the UK’s capital city, proving beyond doubt that London is still one of the prime markets for businesses to locate to in Europe. With a strong financial sector, a booming tourism industry and a wealth of consumers on the doorstep it is becoming imperative to have a... Read More
There’s good news for web-based businesses this week after a survey found the internet has become more important to households than water, heating or television. In the results of the survey, conducted by Infosecurity Europe, 38 per cent of the 1000 respondents listed a lack of internet access as the most stressful when compared to... Read More
Two of Britain’s most profitable car manufacturers will be celebrating the news that sales in the first quarter of 2013 have been exceptionally strong, especially in emerging markets. Jaguar Land Rover and Bentley have performed well both in the UK and abroad, with both companies managing to post a boom in sales between January and March of... Read More
Today Britain’s first female Prime Minister, Baroness Thatcher, will be laid to rest in a ceremonial funeral with full military honours. The coffin bearing Baroness Thatcher, who occupied Downing Street for over a decade, will be drawn by a gun carriage of the King’s Royal Horse Artillery to St Paul’s Cathedral where the service... Read More
Recent figures released by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) have revealed that life is beginning to return to the high street, with our town centres outperforming shopping centres and out of town retail complexes for the first time in several years. However, the high street is by no means out of the woods yet, which is why retailers in... Read More
Think back to March 2012, the sun was shining and we experienced a mini heat wave towards to end of the month. In fact March 2012 was probably the best month in terms of heat that we had last year. Now look at March 2013, snow, snow and more snow. Many people may have hoped this March would have been similar the last year’s – even... Read More
Two major hotel groups are pressing ahead with new developments at Pacific Quay in Glasgow. Premier Inn confirmed it would start building work soon on a 180-bedroom hotel and restaurant opposite the new Hydro arena and the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre. And De Vere Group plans to begin work next month on a new urban resort... Read More
In the construction industry, health and safety is key to ensuring jobs are completed efficiently, by deadline and, crucially, without danger or harm to anyone on site. Even the slightest cutting of red tape can be a risky manoeuvre – especially in commercial developments, which can be taller and involve heavier materials than a residential... Read More
In recent years sustainability has become increasingly important with the result that businesses are now being challenged to “Go Green” and attempt to operate in a more environmentally friendly manner. However, the carbon footprint of one particular office building can be of little concern to its tenants. As far as “green”... Read More
Commercial property consultants CBRE have released figures for final investment spend data for the Irish commercial property market for the first three months of 2013. They indicate the momentum experienced in this sector during the last six months of 2012 has continued into this year. More than €336 million of investment properties... Read More
Budget hotel group Travelodge has found new operators or new franchisees for 38 of the 49 hotels it agreed to shed under the terms of its Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) and financial reformation. The company said that 18 of the hotels would move to new operators, including Ibis, Best Western and Metro Inns. Four of those 18 will... Read More
The recent spate of winter weather caused disruption to businesses around the country, with suppliers and employees struggling to arrive at workplaces due to havoc on the roads. However, deep snow benefited the Scottish snow sports industry, as the fresh powder drew many avid daredevils to mountain slopes. Centres at The Lecht,... Read More
Travel companies, retailers and airlines will be banned from charging excessive fees when people make debit or credit card payments online. Consumers are currently being charged as much as £12 to use their cards when they pay, even though the transactions can cost as little as 20p to process. Consumer minister, Jo Swinson, said... Read More
Italian restaurant chain Prezzo has defied the poor economic conditions by posting a healthy annual growth total, and has announced that it will be using the welcome boost to business to further expand its commercial property portfolio across the UK. The chain, known for its affordable and high quality pizza and pasta dishes, has... Read More
Canada's commercial property market is performing very well and CIBC World Markets Inc is forecasting that it may outperform for a fifth year in a row. CIBC said that the combination of low interest rates, the availability of debt and equity, and "healthy supply-demand fundamentals" have put the Canadian market in this favorable... Read More
Parents who buy baby formula are being restricted to two packs by many retailers amid fears that supplies will run low in the UK due to an increase in “unofficial exports” to China. Supermarkets including Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose are putting a cap on the amount of powdered baby milk customers can purchase. The... Read More
U.S. office construction dropped to its lowest level in 14 years in the first three months of 2013 as high vacancy levels discourage developers from getting shovels into the ground, according to Reis Inc. In the three months ended March 31, office completions totaled 1.58 million sq ft. This figure was down by 45 per cent year on year.... Read More
Last month, the country experienced weather more suited to Christmas than Easter, with some areas seeing several inches of snow falling over the course of only two days. For the retail industry this caused a number of issues, especially for clothing stores which have already released their spring and summer lines in anticipation of warmer... Read More
The difficulties facing the pub trade have been well documented with CAMRA reporting that, on average, 16 pubs a week closed their doors in the second half of 2012. Although this figure is well down on that of 2009, when closures peaked at 52 a week, it is still a very worrying trend. The reasons for this are a combination of economic... Read More
With the Eurozone crisis not nearing a resolution, Britain is fast becoming a highly attractive destination for international companies seeking a foothold in Europe. As a result commercial space, particularly Grade A offices, are in high demand – meaning those who choose to invest wisely in the development of such properties could see a... Read More
