All Expert comment articles – Page 6
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InsightLetter from New York
The Big Apple has come to life again with the start of phase II of reopening. Thousands of restaurants opened outdoor seating and encouraged by good summer weather and a sustained reduction in Covid-19 infections, New Yorkers finally enjoyed a taste of pre-pandemic pleasure.
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Insight
Resi landlords suffer in silence
An important principle is taught in training first responders to an accident: check those not crying for help first, as those not making noise are probably suffering too much to muster the energy to scream or, even worse, are already dead.
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Insight
BTR looks to a healthier future
Lockdown is easing and parts of the nation are emerging from weeks of isolation. We’re not out of the woods yet, but a vision of normal life is visible on the horizon.
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Insight
Why we all still need the office
I want to go against the current – and surprising – trend among some property industry experts for extolling the virtues of working from home and sounding the death knell of the office.
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Propertyshe perspectives: West End could see teddy bears’ picnics, we’ll hear more about B Corps, buildings could have bigger health impact than our doctors, keep calm and persevere
As I write, Westminster Council have published their plan to enable outdoor dining in certain parts of London’s West End so hopefully that will give enough time for businesses to be ready to open from 4 July and to some enjoy summer trade.
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We must ensure seniors have access to safe and appropriate care
The news that we will see a 70,000 shortfall in seniors’ homes over the next decade is a timely reminder that ‘generation rent’ is not the only age group facing a housing crisis.
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Insight
Letter from New York
The mood on the streets lifted as New York state governor Andrew Cuomo announced that phase two of the city’s reopening would begin on 22 June – a mere two weeks after the start of the first phase, which allowed little more than construction to resume.
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Insight
Digital must pay its way
Shopkeepers in Britain have been brutalised by circumstance. The last 18 months have seen the feckless Theresa May government, the Brexit saga, the December 2019 general election and then, to top everything off, Covid-19.
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Insight
Interaction is key to creativity
Speculation that the Covid-19 crisis will herald the end of the office makes me think of Mark Twain’s quip that reports of his death had been greatly exaggerated. Just like Twain in 1897, the office has not died in 2020.
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Insight
It’s time for buildings to get smart
Long gone are the days of cubicles and typewriters, smoke-filled offices and the nine-to-five.
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Insight
The BTR sector is primed for success
Institutional property investment in the UK has historically given residential a wide berth.
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Insight
Covid-19: the lessons we can learn from Germany
Many public figures have described the current situation as the War Against The Coronavirus and with a military background, I appreciate and understand the importance of preparing for any eventuality.
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Online
Propertyshe perspectives: London goes ‘al fresco’, the BIDs are still all right, Fly on the Wall with British Land’s Chris Grigg and emerging BTR sector needs to shout louder
Plans are afoot to support the beleaguered hospitality sector as operators get ready to emerge from three months of lockdown.
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Insight
Letter from New York
New York City’s high-end real estate markets remain depressingly stalled. There’s modest life on the office front, but retail is dead in the water.
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Insight
It’s time to redefine our industry
There’s never a dull moment in the property sector, but the past year has had plenty of twists and turns with Brexit, a general election and Covid-19. Last July, I had the honour of being appointed as president of the British Property Federation (BPF) and as I reach the end ...
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Insight
Modular homes are the future
Just over a month before much of the world went into lockdown, at the 50th World Economic Forum in Davos, session after session was devoted to tackling the climate crisis.
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Insight
Why the new property code of conduct will ultimately be toothless
Property owners have been facing a huge uphill struggle during this pandemic and the government has now unintentionally made the situation much worse.
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Insight
Listing ships and a circus
David Atkins is still at the wheel at Hammerson until a replacement chief executive is found. On Monday, Rob Noel entered the map room of the drifting retail giant as incoming chairman. The former Landsec boss is now in charge of plotting the future direction of the listing ship, with ...
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Insight
Cultivating a sense of belonging
In a fast-changing world, we humans instinctively seek familiarity. But when it comes to places, familiar doesn’t need to mean old, repetitive or boring. It should mean ‘relatable’ and ‘made with you in mind’ because, ultimately, if you can relate to your surroundings and other people also using the space, ...
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Online
Propertyshe perspectives: The welcome return of retail, the climate crisis challenge call to arms, the future of the workplace, fixed and flex, making planning fit for the future
As we prepare for those retail shops designated as ‘non-essential’ to reopen, it remains to be seen whether we will witness the type of ‘revenge spending’ that occurred when luxury retail stores first reopened in China or whether UK consumers will be reluctant to emerge from the ...
