London, France's sixth biggest city - BBC News
More French people live in London than in Bordeaux, Nantes or Strasbourg and it is now thought to be France's sixth biggest city in terms of population. What is attracting a new generation of young French professionals to the city?
On a wet Friday night in Hackney, a group of young professional women walk into a pub. Laughing about the British weather, they shake their umbrellas, peel off their raincoats and make their way to the bar.
Like many Londoners at the end of a busy working week, they have come to unwind over a few drinks.
But if you move a bit closer, you realise they are all speaking French. They are not tourists, exchange students or off-duty au pairs. They all work in creative industries, have lived in east London quite some time and consider it home.
“Start Quote
End Quote Malika FavreI came to London from Paris straight after graduating from art school, just to have a look - that was seven years ago ”
London has a long-standing French community - but it is no longer confined to the streets around the embassy in South Kensington, where you will find French bookshops, patisseries and pavement cafes patronised by impeccably dressed mothers dropping off their children at the posh Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle.
Today there are French people in every corner of London and their numbers have been growing, with the result that in next week's parliamentary election in France they - along with expats in Scandinavia - will be voting for a candidate to represent them in the National Assembly.
The French consulate in London estimates between 300,000 and 400,000 French citizens live in the British capital - many in London's cutting-edge creative hub, in the East End.
"I came to London from Paris straight after graduating from art school, just to have a look," says Malika Favre. "That was seven years ago and I've no intention of going back."
Malika is much in-demand as an illustrator. Her commissions include a bold, playful design for a new edition of the Kama Sutra, an album cover for a French rock band and artwork for a Californian beachwear company.
Being in London and speaking English gives her access to a wider client base - Malika sees the city as a gateway to globalisation and also relishes freedom from French bureaucracy.
"With a new venture in Paris you always think first of what is going to go wrong. I find the system much easier here - you don't have so many rules and so much paperwork," she tells me.
Marine Schepens, who works for a fashionable advertising agency, says UK companies are more prepared to give young people a chance because it is easier to terminate their contracts than in France.
This fluidity makes employees less risk-averse too.
"I changed careers a year ago but I would have never done that if I was still in France. I'd have thought, 'I'm so lucky to have a job - I must hang on to it.'"
Nadege Alezine, a journalist from Bordeaux, says life in London is not for the faint hearted. She runs a website aimed at the French community called bealondoner.com
"If you want security and nice holidays you stay in France. If you crave adventure and want to get new skills, you come here," she says.
That is not to say she does not miss France. Sipping her drink, she sighs.
"Life in France was easy. You know, good food and wine. I lived near the sea and not far from the ski slopes. And sometimes when London's grey and rainy I think, 'What on earth am I doing here?'"
All the young women I met complained about London's over-priced property. London rents are twice those in Paris.
"In Brick Lane, we had bedbugs and rats," says Malika, "and for the same money I paid for one room, friends back home had their own flats."
Of course, many people living in London have it far worse, but by choosing the East End Malika and her friends are following in the footsteps of her compatriots centuries ago.
The French first came en masse to the East End in the 17th Century. These Huguenots, who had endured years of persecution in France because of their Protestant faith, were offered sanctuary here by King Charles II.
They called their flight Le Refuge - coining the word refugee.
Many settled east of the City of London, where food and housing were cheaper. There are many French street names around nearby Spitalfields Market such as Fournier Street, Fleur de Lys Street and Nantes Passage.
The Huguenots were skilled craftsmen but some feared that they were depriving Londoners of work. A protectionist priest, a certain Dr Welton, called them "the offal of the earth".
Today competition for jobs is intense, especially among the young, and cross-channel migrants are not always welcomed with open arms.
Recently the French consulate commissioned a report called The Forgotten People of St Pancras. It focuses on the young French who arrive in London on a one-way ticket and sometimes find themselves in desperate straits.
The Centre Charles Peguy, a French charity in Shoreditch, helps new arrivals to find work and a place to live.
Cedric Pretat, one of the advisers, says the numbers have shot up this summer.
"Many French people imagine that because of the Olympics, lots of new jobs have been created in London which is not true. But people arrive with this dream."
He adds: "Others are escaping from things in France such as family problems, educational problems and areas like Department 93, because people who live in that part of Paris sometimes have trouble finding a job."
Department 93 is shorthand for Seine Saint Denis, just north of Paris - the French suburb which is home to many French nationals of African origin and a large immigrant population.
To the average French person, it conjures up images of riots, bleak high rises, youth unemployment and racism. It is the most-discriminated-against postcode in France, although ethnic minorities from other suburbs have also had a tough time.
Hamid Senni, a business consultant based in London, was one of eight children born to Moroccan immigrants in the south of France. A well-meaning teacher at his school suggested he change his name to Lionel.
“Start Quote
End Quote Cleo SoazandryIt's like my eyes opened up when I came here - I think the American dream is also present here in the UK”
"Because of your name you will be discriminated against, because of your skin colour, and even the address on your CV can stop you from getting a job," he says.
"As for your skills and competencies - none of that counts in France if you don't fit in the box - so I left," he adds.
Hamid now advises many French companies on how to diversify their workforce and he lectures at Sciences Po, one of the country's most prestigious universities.
But he says that in the early days it was much easier to get someone to pick up the phone, if he called from London than from Paris.
I first met him five years ago when he had just written a book. It was called De la Cite a la City and focused on his journey from a rundown suburban estate (Cité) in Valence to London's booming financial district.
Hamid suspects the success of the far right in the first round of the recent presidential elections, the highest share of the vote ever achieved by the Front National in a nationwide poll, might have pushed more young French people across the channel.
"France is really struggling to create jobs and things have got worse because some people are saying the whites should come first," he says.
Cleo Soazandry, another young French national with African roots, has a mother from Madagascar and a father from Guinea. Her parents met in France where Cleo was born. In her early teens, the family moved from Paris to London.
"I was really pushed by my teachers here," she says. "Suddenly I realised I could actually become somebody here, be ambitious."
Cleo adds that seeing black presenters on television made a deep impression on her as there were virtually none in France at the time.
"It's like my eyes opened up when I came here - I think the American dream is also present here in the UK."
Listen to The French East End on BBC Radio 4 on Wednesday, 30 May at 11:00 BST and listen again via the Radio 4 website.
London close: Stocks drop on Spanish worries - Life Style Extra
- Eurozone economic sentiment slips
- Miners fall on euro, Chinese concerns
London's blue-chip index closed near its intraday low on Wednesday as ongoing concerns over the Eurozone, and particularly Spain, sank global equity markets.
"Spain has taken centre stage again today. Ongoing concerns over the country's banking system are forcing investors to re-adopt a risk-off approach," said analyst Craig Erlam from Alpari. In fact, some analysts, like Matthew Lynn from Strategy Economics, are saying that Spain is more likely to leave the euro before Greece.
The European Central Bank (ECB) has today denied press claims that it has been sticking its nose into Spain's affairs and advising on the southern European country's plans to inject 19bn into the stricken lender Bankia. Nonetheless, the central bank may have unwittingly muddied the waters a bit further when it later ammended a rectification to a subsequent clarification.
Also dampening sentiment today was the news that the governor of the Bank of Spain, Miguel Angel Fernndez Ordez, has announced that he will resign on Sunday, June 10th, instead of waiting for his term to expire on July 12th.
Further complicating matters, ECB data today revealed that the retail and corporate deposits in Spanish banks declined from 1.656tn to 1.624tn in April, a fall of 1.9% month-on-month compared with a slight rise the month before.
Before the close in London, Spain's 10-year bond yield was 21.2 basis points (bp) higher at 6.658%, while Italy's was up 17.2bp at 5.938%. Italy sold 5.73bn in five- and 10-year debt this morning, short of its maximum 6.25bn target and at higher borrowing costs than at the last auction.
In other news, the European Commission's economic sentiment index fell from 92.9 to 90.6 in May, well below the 92.0 figure expected by analysts. Sentiment now stands at its lowest level since October 2009.
FTSE 100: Resource stocks track commodity prices lower
Commodity futures dropped sharply today after the Chinese government said that it does not intend to introduce additional economic stimulus measures, in direct contrast to recent market chatter. Oil prices were also pressured lower on speculation that US stockpile data (to be released tomorrow) will show that inventories rose to their highest levels since 1990 last week. Mining peers ENRC, Vedanta, Kazakhmys, Rio Tino and Antofagasta were suffering heavy losses by the close.
Risk aversion was also dampening the financial sector with banking peers Lloyds, RBS, Barclays and HSBC firmly in the red, joined by insurance groups Aviva, RSA and Standard Life.
Several stocks on the Footsie were also falling after going ex-dividend - trading without the right for their latest dividend payouts - including National Grid, Capital Shopping Centres Group, Marks & Spencer and AMEC. AMEC, the engineering and project management group, also announced this morning that it has acquired a Brisbane-based consulting, engineering and technical services business to expand its Environment and Infrastructure service offering in Australia. ??
Natural gas giant BG Group dropped after saying that it is to sell its stake in to gas-fired power generation plants in the Philippines as part of its planned release of $5bn of capital over the next two years. ??
Leading the upside were the utilities stocks, benefitting from their defensive characteristics during a 'risk-off' session. Severn Trent was the best performer despite pre-tax profits falling 38% in the year to the end of March; the group announced a special dividend and said it forecast no water restrictions for customers this year.
FTSE 250: Essar surges late on
India-focused energy group Essar Energy soared in the last ten minutes of trade after it noted media reports regarding an Indian ministerial coal block meeting. The company's coal block at Mahan in Madhya Pradesh state rumoured to be among those to have been provisionally approved by the Group of Ministers for Stage 1 Forest Clearance. While the company assured that not final decision has been made by the Indian Cabinet, it said that the approval would allow it to enter and clear the coal block areas.
Energy support services firm Cape jumped after announcing that a new Chief Executive will join the firm at the end of June. Joe Oatley will become Group Chief Executive and comes from Hamworthy, a global engineering business serving the oil and gas industry. ??
Food wholesaler Booker Group rose after saying it is to buy Makro UK, a subsidiary of the huge German retailer Metro, in a combined share and cash deal. Booker says the transaction will enable it to become the "UK's leading wholesaler to caterers, retailers and small and medium sized enterprises." ??
Ex-dividend stocks on the second-tier were trading lower; these included Britvic, Daily Mail & General Trust, Marston's, Cable & Wireless Communications and Intermediate Capital.
FTSE 100 - Risers
Severn Trent (SVT) 1,706.00p +2.52%
Morrison (Wm) Supermarkets (MRW) 275.00p +0.62%
Next (NXT) 3,013.00p +0.37%
ARM Holdings (ARM) 508.50p +0.20%
International Power (IPR) 414.30p +0.07%
Tate & Lyle (TATE) 677.00p +0.07%
United Utilities Group (UU.) 642.00p 0.00%
FTSE 100 - Fallers
Eurasian Natural Resources Corp. (ENRC) 434.60p -6.58%
Vedanta Resources (VED) 940.50p -5.38%
Capital Shopping Centres Group (CSCG) 307.70p -4.94%
BG Group (BG.) 1,224.00p -4.64%
National Grid (NG.) 650.00p -4.48%
Kazakhmys (KAZ) 680.00p -4.29%
Petrofac Ltd. (PFC) 1,542.00p -4.16%
Rio Tinto (RIO) 2,801.00p -4.14%
CRH (CRH) 1,121.00p -4.11%
Amec (AMEC) 975.00p -3.94%
FTSE 250 - Risers
Essar Energy (ESSR) 141.80p +21.93%
Booker Group (BOK) 87.00p +9.99%
Centamin (DI) (CEY) 64.25p +4.05%
Euromoney Institutional Investor (ERM) 763.00p +3.39%
Telecom Plus (TEP) 733.00p +3.31%
Cape (CIU) 238.00p +3.25%
Dignity (DTY) 836.50p +1.83%
Synergy Health (SYR) 813.00p +1.82%
London & Stamford Property (LSP) 107.80p +1.41%
Aquarius Platinum Ltd. (AQP) 76.95p +1.18%
FTSE 250 - Fallers
Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC) 27.29p -15.25%
New World Resources A Shares (NWR) 289.90p -9.24%
Intermediate Capital Group (ICP) 244.60p -7.45%
Ocado Group (OCDO) 98.00p -6.67%
Petropavlovsk (POG) 361.70p -6.46%
Lonmin (LMI) 706.00p -5.93%
Ferrexpo (FXPO) 205.60p -5.90%
Northgate (NTG) 168.00p -5.83%
Talvivaara Mining Company (TALV) 138.60p -5.71%
Heritage Oil (HOIL) 121.00p -5.62%
BC
London Gets Gold for ID Fraud - Yahoo Finance
NOTTINGHAM, UNITED KINGDOM--(Marketwire -05/23/12)- London could be set for a rise in identity fraud this summer as new figures from Experian CreditExpert reveal that 7.7 million Britons from outside the capital are set to descend on some of the UK's worst areas for ID theft - while 1.9 million Londoners plan to escape.(1)
London, the boroughs around many of the Games venues in particular, is already home to the UK's worst ID fraud hotspots, with rates of attempted fraud up to 11 times higher than the national average. These include East Ham (11 times higher), Woolwich (6.5 times higher) and Stratford itself (six times higher).(2)
There will be a mass influx of people into these areas, carrying personal information in the forms of UK bank account details, and credit card details. This leaves individuals at a high risk of Identity Fraud with individuals, in unfamiliar surroundings, exercising less caution than they would normally adhere to in their normal surroundings. This presents a massive opportunity to fraudsters, with visitors likely to have passports and other pieces of personal identification about their person, be freely using smart phones and unsecured WiFi hotspots, and also potentially sharing hostels or rented accommodation with strangers all of which increase the risk of identity theft.
Visitors are therefore advised to keep a close eye on their personal information, and on their credit report following their visit for any signs of unusual activity. CreditExpert also provides alerts if your personal details appear anywhere unexpectedly online so it is easy to protect yourself pro-actively.
TOP FIVE RISKS TOP FIVE TIPS TO STAY SAFE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Passports Think about how much sensitive information you really need to have about your person - if your hotel booking has your card number and address, do you need to carry it around with you, for instance? Likewise, don't take your passport out with you unless you absolutely have to. If you are staying in a hotel for the Games, ask for sensitive documents to be securely stored in the hotel safe when you are not using them. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- PIN codes Make sure that no-one else can see you enter your PIN code at ATMs and chip and pin machines, particularly in large crowds. Do not write down or carry your PIN code with you. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Smartphones If you have a smartphone, you'll certainly want to photograph and tweet your time at the Olympics, but be particularly careful what you share when connected to an unsecured wireless network. Also ensure you switch off Bluetooth and roaming settings when not required and ensure you use a password. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post If you're going to be one of the lucky ones visiting London for a few weeks to enjoy the Games, think about what you'll do with your post. Intercepted post is one of the key ways in which fraudsters can take people's detail, so it could be worth setting up a redirect for the duration of the Games. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Face-to-face Check the credentials of anyone asking for your personal information, whether by phone, face-to-face or over the internet. If in doubt, don't do it!
The Experian CreditExpert research reveals that no fewer than one in six Britons (16 per cent) is planning on visiting London during the Olympics, half as tourists and half to attend the Games themselves. Seventeen per cent of people coming to the capital have not been for more than a decade, with a further three per cent making their first ever trip to the city.
Nearly six out of 10 (59 per cent) will be staying for several days. Although one in four (25 per cent) will be staying in hotels and one in five (21 per cent) with friends, a significant minority (four per cent) will risk staying in a hostel and two per cent will be renting a property or someone's spare room - some 154,000 people.(3)
And although they are concerned about large crowds (23 per cent) and the expense of London (20 per cent), just three per cent are worried about identity fraud.
The risk of ID fraud among visitors is arguably heightened by the decision of many Londoners to quit the capital during the course of the Games. One in 14 (seven per cent) are looking to leave London for the duration of the Olympics, with a further one in six (17 per cent per cent) planning to get out of the city for at least some of the period.
But it's not just newcomers who need to be careful. The one in 20 Londoners taking on a lodger or renting out a room or their whole property need to be aware they are putting themselves at risk of ID fraud by inviting a stranger into their home and are advised to ensure personal details are locked away and post collected promptly.
Peter Turner, Managing Director at Experian Interactive, commented: "This is set to be a once in a lifetime summer. But that doesn't mean people should let their guard down - just because you are holidaying in the UK, you should still take the same precautions you would if you were on a city break to Europe.
"Identity fraud is one of the fastest-growing crimes of the 21st century, and anyone could be at risk from fraudsters getting hold of their personal information, particularly if they are in an unfamiliar area, renting a flat short-term or a room in a B&B. Likewise if you are a homeowner letting a spare room just for the Olympics, do ensure all your personal details are kept safe from visitors."
"This is why it is so important to have proper safeguards in place to protect your identity. With Experian CreditExpert if the worst should happen you will be alerted to any significant changes to your credit report so that you can react quickly and keep the risks to a minimum."
Identity fraud hotspots
Top 10 10k households Top 10 in 10k households nationwide Cases London Cases ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Slough 25 East Ham 78 London (all) 22 Woolwich 46 Gravesend 20 Stratford 43 Birmingham 17 Ilford 33 Luton 16 Walthamstow 27 Manchester 15 Harrow 27 Leicester 14 Cheapside 26 High Wycombe 13 Lewisham 26 Peterborough 13 Hatfield 26 Windsor 12 Enfield 26
To avoid becoming a victim of identity fraud this summer, Experian CreditExpert suggests some further tips:
1. Keep an eye on your credit report It's a history of all your credit accounts and will highlight any irregularities such as suspect applications for credit and rises in card balances. You can view your credit report free with a 30 day trial with Experian CreditExpert.(ii)((i)New customers only. Monthly fee after trial ends) 2. If in doubt, don't click If an email purporting to be from a hotel or linked to the Games seems suspicious, contact the relevant organisation and don't give out personal details. Your bank, credit card provider and any reputable business will never ask for confirmation of details by email. 3. If you do become a victim of fraud Don't forget you can sign up to Experian's CreditExpert whose dedicated victims of fraud team will work on your behalf to resolve the issue.
Notes to editors:
1. The UK adult population is 48,091,600 (ONS). Sixteen per cent of adults are set to come to London during the Olympics. Therefore: 0.16 x 48,091,600 = 7,694,656 or 7.7 million.
The population of Greater London is 7,753,000 (ONS) 24 per cent of Londoners are looking to leave the capital during some or all of the Games. Therefore: 0.24 x 7,753,000 = 1,860,720 or 1.9 million
2. Based on analysis of information from the National Hunter anti-fraud data sharing system and the Insurance Hunter database.
3. 0.02 x 7694656 = 153,893 or 154,000
Key benefits of Experian CreditExpert membership:
- Experian is the UK's most trusted credit reference agency
- Experian is the credit expert with more than 30 years of experience
- Free 30-day trial of CreditExpert(i)((i)New customers only. Monthly fee after trial ends)
- Unlimited access to your Experian Credit Score
- Weekly alerts of changes to your credit report
- Access to an award-winning, UK-based customer services team
- Identity Protection Insurance of up to GBP 75,000(ii) ((ii)terms and conditions apply)
- Expert advice and tools to help improve your credit rating
- Intelligent price matching to credit products suited to your credit history
- Consumers can apply directly from the website: www.creditexpert.co.uk
About Experian
Experian is the leading global information services company, providing data and analytical tools to clients around the world. The Group helps businesses to manage credit risk, prevent fraud, target marketing offers and automate decision making. Experian also helps individuals to check their credit report and credit score, and protect against identity theft.
Experian plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 index. Total revenue for the year ended 31 March 2012 was US$4.5 billion. Experian employs approximately 17,000 people in 44 countries and has its corporate headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, with operational headquarters in Nottingham, UK; California, US; and Sao Paulo, Brazil.
London 2012 Olympics: best of British food? Locog are taking the tea and biscuit - Daily Telegraph Blogs
Best of British not on offer in copious amounts on the Olympic Park
For some time now London Olympic Games organisers have been insisting that food at the London Olympics would be the best of British.
There were visions of high tea, Sunday roast, Beef Wellington, steak and kidney pie, Cornish pasty, fish and chips, Eton Mess all washed down with a nice hot cup of tea, or a pint of ale.
But it’s not to be, sadly.
The scale and complexity of feeding hundreds of thousands of people at speed means the London 2012 Olympic Games threatens to be like every other recent Games before it: a poor convergence of the expensive and the pedestrian.
Most spectators might accept the higher prices if the quality and consistency was apparent, but if the catering at the Olympic test events were a taster then prepare to be underwhelmed.
The Olympic Park offerings were bland and overpriced, with only the tucker on offer at Horse Guards Parade – where the beach volleyball will be played – the only exception.
Let’s look at the expense first. Locog released its pricing card on Wednesday and immediately the chief executive Paul Deighton was on the defensive, claiming the cost was similar to those found at other major sporting events and the premium was justified because "their temporary nature are often more expensive than the high street".
He forgot to mention the Games’ food suppliers don't pay rent. Or perhaps they do – it’s called 'sponsorship'.
So how much more expensive is it to queue at Olympic Park, rather than bring in food to the Olympic Park from the Local Sainsbury's?
The cost of a 500ml bottle of water (£1.60), an Innocent orange juice (£2.50), a blueberry muffin (£2.50), some oats with maple syrup (£2.20) and a gourmet cheese sandwich (£3.80) at the Olympic Park will cost £12.60 in total.
The same five items from the Sainsbury's en route to the train station cost £5.69.
But I can't bring my four-pack of Heineken 330ml beers (£4.49 for the lot) to the Olympics as they will be confiscated by security.
I would be forced, therefore, to shell out £4.20 for one small bottle at the Olympic Park. Forget ale, unless you happen to be at Lord’s – the archery venue – where it will be available, but only from unmarked taps.
The line at the supermarket might be too long, so consider the High Street alternatives. Olympic coffee priced at £2.60 is £2, and Olympic Coca Cola costing £2.30 is £1.60. At Pret A Manger the water is 95p. At Upper Crust the tea is £1.65.
Next, consider the lack of variety – the very spice of life – as English poet William Cowper famously said.
"We have gone to great lengths to find top quality, tasty food that celebrates the best of Britain," insists Deighton.
The menu – and this comes from the sample provided by the organisers because the whole list is too big and complex to release in its entirety, apparently - is as follows: Singapore noodles; chicken wings; pizza; penne pasta; and chicken burrito. There is Coke and Heineken to drink.
Best of British? No wonder McDonald’s has built its world's biggest restaurant on the Olympic Park capable of seating 1,500.
London Welsh 29 Cornish Pirates 20 (agg 66-41): Championship heads to Old Deer Park - Daily Mail
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London Welsh have done all they can on the field to win promotion to the Aviva Premiership, after beating Cornish Pirates over two legs to win the Championship.
Now the club need another significant victory off the pitch if they are to claim a place among England's elite clubs next season.
London Welsh have outlined their determination to appeal the decision - made by the Professional Game Board and approved by the Rugby Football Union - to block their promotion.
We are the champions: London Welsh get the party started at the Kassam Stadium
Chairman Bleddyn Phillips vowed before the game that London Welsh, if crowned champions, would do 'everything within our power' to overturn the RFU's decision.
London Welsh came into the second leg of the play-off final at Oxford's Kassam Stadium - their proposed Premiership home - with a 16-point advantage.
They overcame a spirited Pirates performance to seal victory on the night with tries from Hudson Tonga'hui and Jack Moates and 19 points from the boot of full-back Alex Davies.
The Pirates had threatened a comeback when wing Matt Evans finished an electric breakaway try to put them 13-6 ahead.
But by the time Ryan Storer drove over for a try five minutes from time, the Championship title was already heading to Old Deer Park.
Victory salute: Ed Jackson and team-mates savour a memorable evening
The result will extend the uncertainty for Newcastle, who finished bottom of the Premiership but do not yet know whether they will be relegated.
'Hopefully everything off the pitch will get sorted now. We have given the RFU something to think about,' London Welsh captain Jonathan Mills told Sky Sports 1.
London Welsh had finished fourth in the league season but timed their run of form to perfection to win the title through the controversial play-off system.
The club were told four hours before the first leg that they had failed to meet the minimum standards required to attain a place in the Premiership.
That only served to galvanise the team and they needed all that desire to douse the early fire from the Pirates, who threw everything at London Welsh.
Teenage fly-half Aaron Penberthy proved to be an inspired selection and his drop-goal, plus a penalty from Rob Cook, helped the Pirates open an early 6-0 lead.
Trusty right boot: Alex Davies converts
Davies pegged it back before the Pirates forced a turnover inside their own 22 and hit London Welsh on the counter-attack.
Cook surged over the halfway line, kicked for the corner and Evans raced past a napping Tonga'uiha to score the try.
London Welsh were not content to preserve their advantage and wing Joe Ajuwa, a try-scorer in the first leg, was heavily involved and a Davies penalty reduced the arrears to 13-9 on the night.
Two more penalties from the full-back eventually edged London Welsh into the lead just after the hour mark and they took control of the match with Tonga'huia's converted try.
The Pirates refused to buckle and Storer crashed over from close range but London Welsh rounded off the victory with Moates racing away for their second try.
'We took last week as a semi-final and tonight we took as a final," said man of the match Lee Beach. We had a 0-0 policy going in and it was a must-win game.
'The Pirates are a great team. We knew they would be coming hard at us for 30 minutes. We finally put their fire out and the gaps appeared and we took our opportunities.'
Foxtons Sale Fuels Hunt’s Move Into London Luxury Office Suites - Bloomberg
Founder of Real-Estate Broker Foxtons Ltd. Jon Hunt
Simon Dawson/Bloomberg
Founder of real-estate broker Foxtons Ltd. Jon Hunt poses for a photograph at his Dryland Business Associates offices in London.
Founder of real-estate broker Foxtons Ltd. Jon Hunt poses for a photograph at his Dryland Business Associates offices in London. Photographer: Simon Dawson/Bloomberg
Jon Hunt, who made 375 million pounds ($582 million) selling London real-estate broker Foxtons Ltd., is using some of his wealth to create a chain of luxury office- properties across the city.
Hunt, 58, will start marketing the first Dryland Business Members’ Club on west London’s Kensington High Street next month, providing flexible workspace to entrepreneurs who don’t want to commit to an office lease. The club offers clients high- speed Wi-Fi, round-the-clock access and a chauffeured Maserati.
The venture “suits everything that I like,” Hunt said in an interview at the club’s first-floor coffee lounge near an open-plan floor of cubicles that members will lease. “It’s property, the deal, it’s buying it right and extracting value.”
Hunt’s sale of Foxtons to private-equity firm BC Partners Ltd. in May 2007, four months before the U.K. housing market’s peak, cemented his reputation as a deal maker. Since then, he has avoided the limelight, investing “several hundred million pounds” in development sites and residential and commercial properties, mostly in the London region.
He declined to comment on the Sunday Times’ estimate in April that his assets are worth 882 million pounds, ranking him in the top 100 wealthiest U.K. residents.
Dryland seeks to combine prime office and business-lounge facilities with a luxury hotel-style service, he said. The first club has a cafe, library and terrace as well as a conference center and meeting rooms.
Cloud Computing
Flexible-workspace providers are increasingly targeting niche customers as more entrepreneurs use mobile devices and cloud computing to run their businesses. Regus Plc, the world’s largest provider of serviced offices, formed a chain of women- only business clubs in Bristol, Manchester and London called B.Hive with public relations entrepreneur Lynne Franks.
Regus (RGU), based in Luxembourg, has also developed virtual office software and plans to offer its services in transit locations like gas stations and airports. Regus generated 1.16 billion pounds of revenue last year from its centers in 95 countries.
Dryland offers three types of membership. The cheapest monthly rate is 139 pounds for access to the club’s lounges, increasing to 1,299 pounds for private office suites. The fees exclude sales tax and Hunt said his aim is to avoid angering customers with hidden additional charges.
‘Instant Network’
“At first I thought it was a push for me,” said Billie Booth, a freelance personal assistant who rents a cubicle for her work station under the mid-range membership rate of 799 pounds a month before tax. “By working here on a daily basis, I’ve met hundreds of people and have an instant network.”
Hunt set up his first serviced offices at a former bank branch in the Battersea district after the local authority rejected his plan to turn the upper floors into apartments.
“It was a total accident,” he said, when asked how his Dryland venture started.
The club in Kensington will probably reach full membership within two years, lifting the net annual rental income to about 4 million pounds, Hunt said. That’s more than double what the building would generate leased as regular offices, he said.
Dryland’s next center will be near the Chancery Lane subway station in the Holborn district of central London. The building, close to the city’s main law courts, will have 100,000 square feet of space that will probably be used mostly by lawyers and accountants.
Hunt said he is also looking at opening a site in Shoreditch, near the City of London financial district, which has become a hub for media and technology start-ups.
Classic Cars
Hunt, who has a classic-car collection, has invested mostly in real estate, he said. He owns rental properties and bought plots of land in a bet the sites will appreciate when planning approval or consent for a change of use is obtained. His separate Bacchus venture works with local partners to buy low- quality properties and upgrade them.
Hunt owns Heveningham Hall, an estate in eastern England, and a house on London’s Kensington Palace Gardens, the city’s most expensive street.
Not all his ventures have been a success. An attempt to sell homes in the U.S. at discounted 3 percent commissions ended with Foxtons Inc. closing its operations after the housing market slumped. He shut down the New Jersey-based business in August 2008.
Hunt predicts the U.K. housing market will struggle until 2014 because the scarcity of mortgage finance will keep first- time-buyers on the sidelines.
“The market is unhealthy unless first-time-buyers are back in the market,” he said. “We have two years more of downward- moving finance before we hit the floor. Lending is going to get tougher and tougher.”
To contact the reporter on this story: Simon Packard in London at packard@bloomberg.net.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Andrew Blackman at ablackman@bloomberg.net.
Vladimir Putin to snub London 2012 Olympics - The Guardian
Vladimir Putin will not be coming to the London Olympics, diplomatic sources have said, in an apparent signal of the Russian president's continuing displeasure and irritation with Britain.
Putin will not attend the London 2012 opening ceremony on 27 July, sources confirmed, despite the fact that Moscow will host the Winter Olympics in 2014 in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. Instead, the Russian president is likely to dispatch his prime minister, Dmitry Medvedev, to London.
The snub follows Putin's controversial decision earlier this month to boycott the G8 summit hosted by the US president, Barack Obama. Putin claimed he was too busy forming his new government to attend, and sent Medvedev instead. He has accused the US of inciting street protests against him and is unhappy with Washington's missile defence plans in Europe.
Putin has a long list of grievances against Britain. As well as the unresolved Alexander Litvinenko affair – a source of smouldering tension – the Kremlin has been infuriated by calls to ban senior Russians accused of human rights abuses.
In March, a group of backbench MPs voted to refuse visas to officials implicated in the death of Sergei Magnitsky, a Russian lawyer who died in prison in 2009. The Foreign Office has so far ignored the non-binding vote and ruled out a Magnitsky ban.
Putin was inaugurated for a third time as president on 7 May. Soon afterwards, he announced that one of Moscow's top foreign policy priorities was to prevent government and other officials from being placed on visa blacklists abroad. Campaigners say visa bans are one of the few effective measures against bureaucrats who enjoy visiting London and other EU capitals and typically hold bank accounts in the west.
On Wednesday, Denis MacShane, the former Labour Europe minister, said he welcomed Putin's decision to avoid the Games. Earlier this year, the MP said Downing Street should make it clear Putin was not welcome at the Olympics.
The threat of Magnitsky sanctions has received "phenomenal coverage" in the Russian press, he said, probably contributing to the decision to stay away. "I think Putin doesn't want to come to Britain and face difficult questions," he said.
He went on: "This is further evidence of the turning inwards of Putin towards a more nationalistic authoritarianism and a rejection of western values. He doesn't want to come to a democratic country and realise how unpopular he now is, because of his refusal to uphold the rule of law and justice back in Russia."
Putin attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing Games in August 2008. At the time Putin was prime minister, having installed his protege Medvedev as president. The ceremony was dramatically overshadowed by events in Georgia, which came under Russian air and artillery bombardment after Georgian troops briefly seized back the rebel province of South Ossetia. Putin and Bush were seen having a heated conversation about who was to blame for the unfolding war.
Since David Cameron's coalition government took over in 2010 there has been a modest improvement in bilateral relations, with foreign secretary William Hague – who was in Moscow on Monday – keen to promote bilateral trade. But Putin remains incensed about Britain's refusal to extradite leading Kremlin critics based in London, including the fugitive oligarch Boris Berezovsky and the Chechen separatist leader Akhmed Zakayev.
There are also major differences on international affairs, with the west exasperated by Moscow's stalwart support for Syria's President Bashar al-Assad and its spoiling role at the UN security council. Russia, for its part, sees US and UK support for Syria's rebels as part of a western-engineered plot to force regime change in Damascus.
Since returning to the Kremlin this month, Putin has kept a surprisingly low profile. There have been none of the stunts or photo opportunities that characterised his election campaign. Kremlin minders are apparently keen to avoid spontaneous – and potentially risky – encounters with ordinary Russians. Street protests in Moscow that began last December continue, with anti-Kremlin activists organising an Occupy-style camp and holding spontaneous mass walks.
Some 120 heads of state have said they will attend the London 2012 opening ceremony. It will be the largest top-level international gathering in diplomatic history, the Foreign Office believes.
The number far exceeds the 87 leaders who travelled to Beijing in 2008. Several controversial leaders on an EU blacklist will also not be coming: they include Assad, Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe, and Belarus's Alexander Lukashenko.
But other authoritarian rulers not on the list are likely to travel to London. They include Uzbekistan's despotic leader, Islam Karimov, and his counterpart from Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov. Both visited the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
Geneva motor show 2012: Vauxhall Ampera wins Car of the Year - Daily Telegraph
"This is one of proudest moments of my career," said Karl-Friedrich Stracke, chief executive of Opel/Vauxhall as he received the award with Susan Doherty, president and managing director of Chevrolet Europe. The Ampera's sister car, the Chevrolet Volt, which has been on sale for 18 months in the USA, won the North American Car of the Year award in 2011.
RFU Championship final: London Welsh 29-20 Cornish Pirates (agg: 66-41) - BBC News
London Welsh sealed the Championship title and a chance of securing a Premiership place after beating Cornish Pirates 66-41 over two legs.
Welsh are now expected to take legal action over the Rugby Football Union's ruling that they are not eligible for promotion to the top flight.
Matt Evans went over for Pirates but Alex Davies' fifth penalty put Welsh ahead before Hudson Tonga'uiha's try.
Ryan Storer reduced the deficit but Jack Moates rounded off Welsh's win.
An RFU report said the Exiles had not achieved the minimum standards criteria to go up but the Richmond-based side are expeted to explore "all possible avenues" to gain promotion after seeing off Pirates in the final.
Having proposed to play their matches next season at Oxford United's Kassam Stadium, where the second leg of the final was played, an RFU statement said that not having primacy of tenure at their chosen ground was one of "various failures" in Welsh's promotion bid.
Three Premiership sides share grounds with football clubs; London Irish with Reading, London Wasps with Wycombe and Saracens with Watford, while Sale will share with Super League side Salford City Reds next season.
On Wednesday club president John Dawes said chairman Bleddyn Phillips would take the "ultimate" action to ensure Welsh do go up .
Having won at Pirates 37-21 last week , Welsh fought back from a seven-point deficit which threatened their first-leg advantage, to secure the Championship title having finished the regular season in fourth place.
Aaron Penberthy's drop goal had put Pirates ahead, Alex Davies then levelled for Welsh before Rob Cook's penalty and a second from Davies made it 6-6.
Evans gave Pirates a clear lead with the opening try of the match, picking up on a loose ball after Cook's punt forward bounced into open space deep in the Exiles' half.
Cook then added the extras before Davies failed with a penalty attempt on the stroke of half-time.
The Exiles fly-half was successful with his next two attempts with the boot after the break, closing the gap to one point and putting the hosts nine points ahead on aggregate.
Davies added a fifth penalty before Tonga'uiha, who had scored in the first leg, broke through the Pirates defence to touch down and Davies then added his first of two conversions.
Pirates responded with a consolation try as replacement prop Ryan Storer forced his way over after a scramble on the line before Cook added the extras.
But Welsh were not yet done as a fine move saw Ed Jackson feed the ball to Jack Moates, who crossed over to add the gloss to their victory.
LINE-UPS
London Welsh: A. Davies, Ajuwa, J. Lewis, Tonga'uiha, Scott, Ross, R. Lewis, Lahiff, George, Tideswell, Mills, Corker, Beach, Denbee, Jackson.
Replacements: Ma'asi, Moss, Bateman, Purdy, Russell, Moates, Jewell.
Cornish Pirates: Cook, Evans, Pointer, Locke, D. Doherty, Penberthy, Cattle, Rimmer, Ward, Paver, McGolone, Nimmo, D. Ewers, Burgess, Maidment.
Replacements: Storer, Elloway, Myerscough, Marriott, Kebsel, Cooper, McAtee.
Referee: David Rose (RFU)
Queen's Diamond Jubilee: London travel guide - Daily Telegraph
The Queen will also be attending the Epsom Derby on Saturday - tickets are still available through www.epsomdowns.co.uk. A Diamond Jubilee Concert is taking place on June 4, but the event is sold out.
On June 4, thousands of beacons will be lit around the world to mark the Queen's 60 years on the throne. To find out where your nearest beacon is, see www.diamondjubileebeacons.co.uk. And on June 5, a Diamond Jubilee Carriage Procession will take the Queen from Westminster Hall to Buckingham Palace, with thousands expected to line the streets.
There are also dozens of events taking place at the country's English Heritage properties, including Aspley House and Eltham Palace and Gardens in the capital. For a full list, see www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/events
Special exhibitions are also on at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, the Museum of London, the National Portrait Gallery, Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace.
As many as 10,000 street parties are also planned for the weekend. For tips on what food and drinks to serve your guests, and what to wear, see www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/9284333/Queens-Diamond-Jubilee-Entertaining-guide.html
What else is there to do?
Telegraph Travel's London city break guide features the best things to see and do across the capital. There are also individual guides to London's districts.
Where to stay
Telegraph Travel has expert reviews of more than 75 hotels in London, the majority of which can be booked through the website at the lowest price guaranteed.
Many hotels have also launched a variety of Jubilee-themed offers, ranging from the tempting to the tenuous.
Restaurants
A number of restaurants and bars have unveiled themed menus in the run up to the Jubilee. Among the most bizarre dishes being coronation chicken ice cream, currently available at Gelupo in Soho.
Transport
Tube: Engineering works on the London Underground are few and far between this weekend, for a change, with just the Waterloo and City Line and parts of the London Overground facing closure. However, there will be no access to Buckingham Palace from Green Park station on Monday - visitors are advised to use Westminster or St James’s Park stations.
Roads: There will be a number of bus diversions and curtailments. Drivers are advised to avoid central London between June 3 and June 5. Sunday will be particularly busy due to a number of road and bridge closures. Seven London bridges will be closed to both road users and pedestrians for most of the day.
River: There will be no river services on Sunday June 3 from 1430 until 1800 between Battersea Bridge and the Thames Barrier at Woolwich.
For more information, see www.tfl.gov.uk
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Jubilee London, then and now
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