Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has revealed new legislation and a new Code of Practice designed to handle the issue of outstanding commercial rent debts accrued during the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns. The UK government has shielded commercial property tenants from potential eviction until 25th March 2022, giving businesses and their landlords ample opportunity to discuss the way forward regarding...

The Worcestershire town of Redditch was once the global epicentre of the fishing tackle and needle industry. Positioned due south of Birmingham city centre by approximately 15 miles, Redditch offers an enviable business location, with direct road and rail links into England’s second city and elsewhere in the West Midlands and beyond. At one time, the 19th century saw 90...

Proposals to reform regulations surrounding flexible working are under consultation, in response to the relevant suggestions within the ‘Good Work Plan: Proposals to support families’ consultation in the summer of 2019. As long ago as 2003, new laws came into force enabling parents and guardians to request flexible working arrangements, surrounding their work hours and patterns. More than a decade...

The last 18 months have been a testing time for commercial property tenants and landlords alike. Although tenants’ issues and demands naturally ebb and flow over time, few landlords could have anticipated the ferocity and scale of change that has occurred in tenant behaviour since March 2020. The successful roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccine has enabled sufficient relaxation of social...

The UK’s Small Business Saturday campaign will roll into Britain’s high streets again this winter on 4th December 2021. The now-iconic campaign, designed to champion the benefits of shopping with small retailers, will see its nationwide tour commence in the coming days, starting with Glasgow ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26). In total, this year’s Small Business Saturday...

The UK’s largest small business group, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has published a set of measures designed to accelerate the recovery of small businesses and simultaneously save taxpayer funds. Within its submission to Chancellor Rishi Sunak ahead of the Budget 2021, the FSB said small firms have a desire to “turn the page after a torrid 18 months”...

A leading analyst of the UK’s commercial real estate market has published its most recent trends from H1 2021. EG’s Propertylink Occupier Sentiment Report, titled ‘The new normal: The property landscape after lockdown’, provides a snapshot of the sectors and locations most active and in demand.   The report utilises EG Propertylink data to compare the activity in the UK...

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has penned an open letter to the UK government, urging them to consider an aggressive overhaul of a business rates system the FSB deems to be “regressive and outdated”.   The FSB insisted to government ministers that small business owners should not be stung with more expensive business rates bills for improving the eco...

England’s second city of Birmingham has been named the UK’s eighth best city for work-life balance. That’s according to a new study from Shawbrook Bank, which researched the 15 cities offering the best blend of work opportunities and a comfortable standard of living.   The report assessed a host of metrics including average monthly salaries, weekly working hours and average...

One-in-ten office spaces in London may fall foul of impending upgrades to energy efficiency standards in England and Wales. Property agents Colliers believe that 20,000,000 sq. ft of prime grade London commercial space will fall below the new standards, which are due to commence from 1st April 2023.   The new standards will make it illegal for commercial property landlords...