Putin Turns towards Korea
By Oliver Ward Since Kim Jong-un came to power in the final days of 2011 he hasn´t left North Korea, however there are strong indications he may be preparing to leave the peninsula at the start of May. Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov has suggested there are "positive signs" that he will attend a ceremony in Russia commemorating the end of WWII on May 8th. This is the latest in a string of moves dubbed "Putin´s Pivot" which has seen...
The Bonneville – Review
Fear is not something I want to associate with a restaurant, but in this case it was (in a backstreet murderer way rather than the dream about waking up naked at school, but I’ll get back to that in a minute). The Boneville is barely advertised by its faded sign, sitting on Lower Clapton Road like it has been there for decades. The restaurant recreates the café culture of France, walking through a huge felt curtain to enter the establishment...
Grexit or no Grexit, Greece must tackle its tax evasion problem
By David Binder Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you won’t have failed to notice the sudden rise of the radical left in Southern Europe and the social, political and economic shockwaves this has sent across the continent. As voters across the Mediterranean have reacted against severe austerity measures, parties previously seen on the fringe of national parties have seen an unprecedented surge in support. In Greece, this has been manifested through Syriza, which has grabbed headlines for its incredible...
First Annual Dubai Property Show arrives in London
By Steve Taggart The first annual Dubai Property show takes place at the London Olympia from February 27th-March 1st. The free event will host over 120 exhibitors, offering private islands, beach resorts and luxury villas. Dubai is now the Brit’s third most preferred destination to invest in, and this three-day show will offer prospective buyers direct access to every part of the regions real estate industry, from consultants and brokers to developers and marketing agents. A bustling metropolis and poised to...
It’s Never Too Late
Sport News 24/7 By Noy Shani @NoyShani @TLE_Sport A 28-year-old Table Tennis player has won third place in his first national para competition earlier this month.Sweden-born Martin Polash bagged the bronze medal in the Open Table Tennis Championship, part of the BATTAD Grand Prix series in the Waterside Table Tennis Centre in Southampton.Professional salesman Polash, who is classified as grade 7 in terms of his disability, as set by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), was born with diminished movement...
Restaurant Review – Sticks ‘n’ Sushi, Greenwich
By Jonathan Hatchman Situated on the outside corner of Greenwich’s world famous bustling market, Sticks ‘n’ Sushi’s third UK branch is a welcome addition to the area. Inspired by brothers Kim and Jens Rahbek’s half-Japanese, half-Danish background, the cuisine on offer at Sticks ‘n’ Sushi is a fusion between two culinary traditions: Japanese Sushi and Danish Yakitori – hence the restaurant’s title. The 90-seat Greenwich restaurant is split into two sections, we were seated within the back section by the friendly...
To rent or to buy? That is the question
By Mark Coulter, Managing Director, Coulters In 1918 homeownership was at a mere 23%, but this accelerated from 1953 and this was solidified further by Thatcher’s ‘right to buy scheme’ scheme in the early 1980’s. Britain has traditionally been a nation obsessed by property and house price inflation. Everyone has traditionally aspired to home ownership and a rising housing market has a disproportionate effect on peoples feeling of wealth the direct health of the economy, and even perceived social status....
Restaurant Review – The Britannia, Kensington
By Jonathan Hatchman Situated just off Kensington High Street, The Britannia can be traced all the way back to 1834. Perched atop the original Britannia Brewery site, the pub was bought by Young’s in the 1920s having sold off the brewery while keeping the pub itself. Now having undergone even further recent renovation in order to maintain the real original fire place as well as adding a stylishly quirky decorative touch, not forgetting the addition of an upstairs meeting area...
Social Value – you can’t measure what you don’t have
By Dan Ebanks The ‘transformative’ Social Value Act came into force in January 2013. Two years on and the evidence suggests not a huge amount has changed. Of approximately 480 English councils surveyed by the Social Value Portal, only 15 per cent said they were developing a council-wide approach to Social Value Act. Why hasn’t the Act been taken up more widely, especially as its potential benefits would be of great succour to resource starved community based organisations and small...