Landscape Juice

Is it OK to work over a bank holiday?

It is a topic that divides opinion within the landscape profession. Is it right to work in a customer's garden over a holiday weekend? Let's start with a few facts. Spring is the busiest time of year for gardeners and landscapers. Gardens are just awakening from their winter slumber, grass is growing at a pace....weeds are too. For a professional gardener, taking time off during this busy period is not always an option. Miss a scheduled visit and it's hard, not only to get a garden back into shape but also to get schedules back on track. The physical stress... Read more →

UK construction shrinks after Brexit vote

Britain's construction industry suffered its sharpest downturn in seven years last month, according to another business survey on Tuesday which suggests the economy is at risk of recession after June's Brexit vote. The Markit/CIPS UK Construction Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) inched down to 45.9 in July from 46.0 in June -- the lowest reading since June 2009 and some way below the 50 mark that divides growth from contraction. While better than all forecasts in a Reuters poll of economists that pointed to a reading of 43.8, the PMI -- collated entirely after the June 23 referendum -- showed commercial... Read more →

Money Advice Trust supporting stressed business owners

New research from Business Debtline reveals that tens of thousands of small business owners are paying a high personal cost as they take risks to support the economic recovery. As the numbers in self-employment grow, it is vital that we understand SMEs challenges, as well as celebrating their successes. This report, based on the experiences of 104 of Business Debtline clients and their expert advisers, summarises the challenges facing small-business owners who are finding it difficult to make ends meet. Read the full report - The cost of doing business Read more →

Buy-to-let debt is a risk to the economy says Carney

The Bank of England has warned that buy-to-let lending poses a risk to Britain's financial stability. In line with rising house prices investors are in line taking on ever larger loans, which leaves them vulnerable if house prices are to fall, said the Financial Policy Committee in a report. The Bank said that if the housing market were to enter a downturn, landlords could find themselves under pressure. BRITAIN's outstanding buy-to-let loans have now topped £200billion - equivalent to the entire GDP of Hong Kong - according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders. In July buy-to-let loans jumped a huge... Read more →

Britain sitting on a debt time-bomb says report

Households are sitting on a £173billion debt time bomb after being lured into a spending splurge by banks and credit card companies. An investigation by Money Mail has uncovered the startling rise in debt levels due to people splashing out on new cars, TVs, conservatories and home improvements. But with a rise in interest rates imminent for the first time in more than eight years, fears are growing that many families will be left struggling with repayments. Bank of England governor Mark Carney has sent a letter to all fund managers asking for reassurance they are able to deal with... Read more →

Weakest annual house price growth lowest since June 2013

UK house prices rose by 3.2% year-on-year in August, according to the latest survey from mortgage provider Nationwide. That is the weakest annual pace since June 2013, and it marks a slight slowdown from July. Month on month, prices rose by 0.3% in August, compared with 0.4% the month before. The average house value in August was £195,279, according to the Nationwide house price index. Source: BBC Read more →

Marshalls drop 6% in stock market sell-off

Marshalls, a manufacturer and supplier of hard landscaping products, had nearly 6% wiped off its company value yesterday as stock markets around the world went into meltdown. Fears about the Chinese economy - down over 33% since July - have caused concern and left great uncertainty about the prospects for future growth. Marshalls is one to watch. With younger, light-of-foot, product suppliers establishing themselves in the UK domestic landscaping market, there is little wiggle room on the upside. Read more →

FTSE 100 falls into correction territory amid global economy fears

Britain’s blue-chip index of leading shares has fallen into correction territory as fears over the global economy hit European stock markets again. The FTSE 100 index hit a new seven-month low of 6,359 points on Thursday morning, from 6,403 on Wednesday night. This is more than 10% from its record closing high of 7,104 points set in April, meaning that the FTSE is now experiencing a correction (a 20% fall would equal a bear market). Tony Cross, a market analyst at Trustnet Direct, said: “Having dabbled with the level yesterday, there can be no doubting that the FTSE 100 is... Read more →

Blec goes bust again. Acquired by Redexim

So sad to see that Blec have gone out of business again. Redexim have purchased Blec's assets and will continue trading selling Blec products. Redexim - the parent company of Charterhouse Turf Machinery - have reached an agreement to purchase the assets of BLEC Global Ltd. The deal includes the purchase of the BLEC name and means that the products will continue to be traded by Redexim under the name of BLEC. Redexim will now be responsible for the full manufacture and distribution of the current range of over 80 different BLEC machines throughout the world including the UK &... Read more →

Would you monitor staff performance with wearable gadgets?

Ever wanted to monitor staff levels of performance and read them side-by-side on a computer screen or print them out on paper? Well wearable technology is creeping into the workplace with applications ranging from opening doors in office buildings, security surveillance to fitness monitoring and keep abreast of employee activity. In fact the opportunities for wearable technology are endless. There will undoubtedly polarised opinion on the way this kind of technology is deployed. Some will be intrigued and interested in the comparisons or the individual data whilst others will only consider the implications of being monitored with the possibility of... Read more →