By Jonathan Hatchman, Food Editor, @TLE_Food For a short while, I thought that our most recent reservation at Oblix would never have gone ahead. Thankfully, the restaurant understands that Southeastern can be a cruel beast, with it a train service that’s more temperamental than the British weather. Located upon the 32nd floor of London’s tallest skyscraper – The Shard – it’s a real shame that the view is often more famous than the restaurant’s food. Having visited Oblix twice beforehand,...

By Paul Lindsell, managing director and founder of ThoughtSpark Over the last few years, new international banking regulations have made bank credit less available, resulting in a greater need for alternative funding. Private equity is proving an increasingly popular growth funding option for firms, whether as seed capital or at a second stage. However, buoyant business growth typically requires a set of key business skills – ranging across business management, financial management, new product development, HR, sales, product/service distribution, IT...

London is currently home to almost two-thirds of all artists’ studios in the UK, mainly concentrated in Hackney and Tower Hamlets, according to the most recent numbers compiled in the 2010 Cultural Metropolis report. But for how long? In the midst of all the desperate land grabbing and selling, and the apartment blocks being thrown up hastily all around us – eloquently described as “the city that ate itself” just last month by Rowan Moore - London’s artists are being...

By Bea Patel, TLE Property Editor and Director of Shop for an Agent Greeted by fluffy pillows and Egyptian cotton sheets, jet spa baths and a range of Molton Brown products – why wouldn’t we love a good night’s sleep in a luxury or boutique hotel? Meticulously designed rooms are laid out to maximise space, décor and furniture is tailored to the hotel’s style, large spa bathrooms are designed with each tile, feature and amenity firmly in mind. It’s no...

By John Newton, CTO and founder, Alfresco Software “It would be disastrous for the UK economy to leave the EU. That is why I am saying a firm ‘no’ to a UK Brexit. And now I will tell you why… Much has been written on productivity recently – the so-called ‘productivity puzzle’ as it has been tagged. George Osborne devoted a large part of his Budget to helping the UK move up the international league tables and has launched a...

Sport News 24/7 By Matt Allen Following Arsene Wenger's recent criticism of Manchester United’s transfer policy, I felt compelled to reminisce about a few home truths for the legendary French football encyclopaedia. A man often referred to as “The Professor” with a footballing brain the size of a football itself should surely know when his arguments are moot and his conclusions less than sound. Wenger was quoted as saying: “Most of the clubs who have been successful are clubs who...

By Julia Prigmore (@JuliaPrigmore) New Yorker Sunny Ozell shines the light on some hidden treasures in her debut album ‘Take It With Me’, adding her own jazz-infused touch to a handful of carefully selected tracks from a bygone era. Originally from Nevada, Ozell’s musical interests started at four when she took up the violin, beginning classical vocal training at the tender age of ten. With over a decade of experience performing live in the Big Apple, Take it With Me...

By Thomas Villeneuve, CEO and Founder of flatsharing network Weroom: Britain is in the midst of a housing crisis and today the number of people in privately rented accommodation in the UK has never been higher. A recent article stated that private rents grew faster than house prices in June for the first time in nearly two years – a new record high. More worryingly for Londoners, the report which was based on 20,000 properties, states that London is the...

 By Tom West from accounting firm Crunch @TomAlmeidaWest We spend all day being ripped off - whether it’s paying for that gym membership we never use, or spending £1.80 on a 99 Flake (the nerve!). If you’re running your own business, the last thing you can afford to do is rip yourself off. Of course modesty can get the better of anyone, but if your rates don’t reflect the quality of your work, you’ll be selling yourself short and hurting...