As shutters become more and more popular and as people get more stuck in to home renovation, many of us will find ourselves with an old set of shutters that are no longer required or need replacing due to wear and tear. But if you are lucky enough to get your hands on a set of attractive antique wooden shutters for example, it would be a waste to throw them away or use them for firewood. Instead you may want to think about how they could be repurposed and used to add something different to your interior décor?
Building Distinctive Furniture
By taking your shutter panels and adding legs to each corner you can easily give life to your old shutter, turning it into a rustic coffee table which would make a unique centre piece in your living room. Obviously a solid shutter would work well here but even if louvred you can use a plate of glass on top to create a solid surface whilst still getting the aesthetic of the louvres underneath. And if you want to add some chairs to go with the table then why not use a shutter panel as a chair back.
Alternatively, shutters can be repurposed as distinctive storage boxes, such as box ottamans, either by fixing together separate shutter panels or by using a panel as a feature side or top to the box. Again solid shutters would give you a solid frame but for an interesting twist louvred shutters could be used to allow the contents to be 'posted' into the box without taking the lid off. Your finished boxes could also then double up as coffee tables to maximise your storage space whilst still being a feature.
Furthermore, the slats on louvred shutters can also be used elsewhere in the house to combine function with style by using them as attractive stands for storing many items such as post, magazines or newspapers.
Room Dividers
Exterior and interior shutters of all shapes and sizes can be reused in a myriad of contexts to form room dividers or separators. With a bit of a spruce up, old tired shutters can be regenerated into characterful features which define the room. Large shutters, such as full height shutters from doorways and conservatories, can be used to build interesting but substantial room dividers and screens to reorganise the layout of a room, whilst smaller panels can be used for screens to hide away unsightly elements such as electrical equipment.
Unique Décor Touches
Shutters can also be reused in many places within the home to create a unique aesthetic, purely as decoration. For example, they can be used to form special displays, either combining a variety of shutter styles if you're lucky enough to have them, or by using them as a centre piece, adding flowers and pictures to compliment them. Rather than holding practical storage like CDs and magazines, these repurposed louvred shutters could just provide a frame from which to mount or hang pictures or photos in such a display. The displays could then be created by hanging the shutter on a wall or simply by propping it up in the corner of a room. What's more if you have a piece of wall space which is slightly marked or stained these displays could double as cover for these blemishes.
In addition, shutters can be provide a deceptively cosy look when used as a headboard. Depending on the size of the shutter they may not even need to be fastened to the bed or wall and instead just propped up behind the bed. A set of weathered painted shutters can really complete a coastal or rustic theme in the bedroom.
Weathered Interior Shutters
Sometimes the weathering of external shutters in particular, when simply brought onto the inside of your windowspace, can give you unique rustic interior shutters that you'd be hard pushed to match with a new shop bought version. They may need a bit of care and attention to patch them up but the distressed look will add something really different to the room
You may already know about all of the practical and aesthetics attractions of shutters as window dressings or doors to cupboards and outside spaces but there really is no limit to the number of ways your old unwanted shutters can be brought back to life within the home. With a little imagination, you can put them to use in truly unique features of which your neighbours will be truly jealous.
Thursday 29 December 2011
Wednesday 28 December 2011
A Comparison of Blinds, Curtains & Shutters
If the time has come to redecorate you may be wondering what your best options are when dressing your window spaces. Perhaps the options that come to mind most immediately are particular styles of curtains and blinds, but how to shutters stack up as an alternative?
A Brief Background
Within each category of window dressing there are many different styles and varieties. Curtains can differ in the type of fabrics used and most noticeably in their appearance, with an almost limitless variety of colours and patterns on the market. There are also many varying styles of blinds but they can be broadly defined in terms of roman, roller, venetian and vertical panel blinds. Roman and roller blinds will tend to be produced in fabric however the slats or panels on vertical and venetian blinds can be made in a range of materials including wood, plastic, metal and fabric.
Shutters can come with either solid or louvred panels, usually made from wood but with plastic and metal options available. Louvred shutters can also be referred to as Plantation shutters and shutter styles can vary from full height (covering the whole window space) to cafe style (across the base of a window space) and tier-on-tier (separate bottom and top panels).
The Look
The first thought when buying a window dressing is most likely going to concern what will suit or look good in a room. Curtains, and some roman blinds, will provide a softer option and can increase the ‘cosy’ factor. They, alongside most blinds, can also be coloured and patterned to suit any decor however they may not provide a distinctive look if that‘s what trying to achieve. Blinds and interior shutters will give a cleaner edged and more minimalist look to a greater or lesser extent depending on the materials and design you choose and therefore can suit a modern interior.
In addition, older style shutters can give a room an authentic aged appearance and in many cases be used to reinstate the original features of an older home which would have been contemporaneous with its construction - particularly those build in the Victorian era or before.
Living Conditions
Your window dressing can have a big effect on living conditions within a room. It is quite easy to simply consider the aesthetics when buying a window dressing but there are many more considerations that should be taken into account...
Light - All window dressings are obviously designed to allow light in when it is needed and provide privacy when it’s not but blinds and shutters will allow greater amounts of light because they can usually be folded out of the way more effectively than curtains. In instances where you may need to limit the direct sunlight entering a room, blinds and shutters will give you the control with adjustable slats and louvres whereas solid shutters will provide the best blackout when required.
Ventilation & Air Flow - Heavier curtains may be effective at blocking air flow whilst light curtains can allow a good ventilation but neither provide much control. Blinds do not tend to be sturdy enough to be used to regulate air flow but shutters are - louvred shutters give flexibility in this respect and solid shutters can provide an easily controllable barrier to air flow when needed.
Temperature - Due to their ability to block direct sunlight and regulate the air flow in a room shutters are particularly useful at controlling room temperature. They can retain heat in a room when it is cold outside and keep a room cool in hot weather.
Privacy - All window dressings can provide a good barrier to prying eyes with the main distinction again being the flexibility and control that both slatted blinds and louvred shutters will offer.
Noise - The more solid construction of shutters, particularly solid shutters, are ideal for blocking out external sounds and a set of heavy curtains can be effective at soaking up noise from all sources.
Cleanliness - If you need to consider how easy it is to keep your window dressings clean then both non-fabric blinds and shutters are likely to be most suitable as their harder services can be wiped clean in situ with little effort. Curtains, meanwhile, require full washes and are more likely to trap dirt and odours in their fabric in the first place.
Allergens - Due to the ease in which they can be cleaned blinds and shutters are again going to be a preferable option for those who suffer from dust and pet allergies or asthma. What’s more, particularly with shutters and slatted blinds, such as venetian, the particles and allergens will be less able to accumulate in the first place than on the fabrics of curtains or to some extent roller and roman blinds.
Durability - Curtains are particularly susceptible to wear and tear at the paws of pets or due to environmental damage like fading in sunlight. Blinds can offer a more durable solution and in some cases, such as with broken slats, can be patched up and repaired but shutters, especially hardwood shutters, should outlast both due to the sturdiness of their construction.
Location/Space - Blinds and curtains are restricted to use as internal dressings, however, shutters are durable enough to be deployed either on the interior or exterior of the window. Blinds and shutters (open or closed) will also tend to take up less space in the room than a set of hanging curtains.
Cost - Blinds and curtains will offer the most affordable options although the cost of shutters is falling due to modern production techniques, the rise in their demand and the range of new materials that they are now available in.
Every home is different and every room is unique but there are a myriad of options to suit any window space and ultimately the best option will be determined by personal taste. However, when weighing up the effect the contenders have on the aesthetic and the quality of conditions in a room it is certainly worth considering interior shutters as a solution.
A Brief Background
Within each category of window dressing there are many different styles and varieties. Curtains can differ in the type of fabrics used and most noticeably in their appearance, with an almost limitless variety of colours and patterns on the market. There are also many varying styles of blinds but they can be broadly defined in terms of roman, roller, venetian and vertical panel blinds. Roman and roller blinds will tend to be produced in fabric however the slats or panels on vertical and venetian blinds can be made in a range of materials including wood, plastic, metal and fabric.
Shutters can come with either solid or louvred panels, usually made from wood but with plastic and metal options available. Louvred shutters can also be referred to as Plantation shutters and shutter styles can vary from full height (covering the whole window space) to cafe style (across the base of a window space) and tier-on-tier (separate bottom and top panels).
The Look
The first thought when buying a window dressing is most likely going to concern what will suit or look good in a room. Curtains, and some roman blinds, will provide a softer option and can increase the ‘cosy’ factor. They, alongside most blinds, can also be coloured and patterned to suit any decor however they may not provide a distinctive look if that‘s what trying to achieve. Blinds and interior shutters will give a cleaner edged and more minimalist look to a greater or lesser extent depending on the materials and design you choose and therefore can suit a modern interior.
In addition, older style shutters can give a room an authentic aged appearance and in many cases be used to reinstate the original features of an older home which would have been contemporaneous with its construction - particularly those build in the Victorian era or before.
Living Conditions
Your window dressing can have a big effect on living conditions within a room. It is quite easy to simply consider the aesthetics when buying a window dressing but there are many more considerations that should be taken into account...
Light - All window dressings are obviously designed to allow light in when it is needed and provide privacy when it’s not but blinds and shutters will allow greater amounts of light because they can usually be folded out of the way more effectively than curtains. In instances where you may need to limit the direct sunlight entering a room, blinds and shutters will give you the control with adjustable slats and louvres whereas solid shutters will provide the best blackout when required.
Ventilation & Air Flow - Heavier curtains may be effective at blocking air flow whilst light curtains can allow a good ventilation but neither provide much control. Blinds do not tend to be sturdy enough to be used to regulate air flow but shutters are - louvred shutters give flexibility in this respect and solid shutters can provide an easily controllable barrier to air flow when needed.
Temperature - Due to their ability to block direct sunlight and regulate the air flow in a room shutters are particularly useful at controlling room temperature. They can retain heat in a room when it is cold outside and keep a room cool in hot weather.
Privacy - All window dressings can provide a good barrier to prying eyes with the main distinction again being the flexibility and control that both slatted blinds and louvred shutters will offer.
Noise - The more solid construction of shutters, particularly solid shutters, are ideal for blocking out external sounds and a set of heavy curtains can be effective at soaking up noise from all sources.
Cleanliness - If you need to consider how easy it is to keep your window dressings clean then both non-fabric blinds and shutters are likely to be most suitable as their harder services can be wiped clean in situ with little effort. Curtains, meanwhile, require full washes and are more likely to trap dirt and odours in their fabric in the first place.
Allergens - Due to the ease in which they can be cleaned blinds and shutters are again going to be a preferable option for those who suffer from dust and pet allergies or asthma. What’s more, particularly with shutters and slatted blinds, such as venetian, the particles and allergens will be less able to accumulate in the first place than on the fabrics of curtains or to some extent roller and roman blinds.
Durability - Curtains are particularly susceptible to wear and tear at the paws of pets or due to environmental damage like fading in sunlight. Blinds can offer a more durable solution and in some cases, such as with broken slats, can be patched up and repaired but shutters, especially hardwood shutters, should outlast both due to the sturdiness of their construction.
Location/Space - Blinds and curtains are restricted to use as internal dressings, however, shutters are durable enough to be deployed either on the interior or exterior of the window. Blinds and shutters (open or closed) will also tend to take up less space in the room than a set of hanging curtains.
Cost - Blinds and curtains will offer the most affordable options although the cost of shutters is falling due to modern production techniques, the rise in their demand and the range of new materials that they are now available in.
Every home is different and every room is unique but there are a myriad of options to suit any window space and ultimately the best option will be determined by personal taste. However, when weighing up the effect the contenders have on the aesthetic and the quality of conditions in a room it is certainly worth considering interior shutters as a solution.
Friday 23 December 2011
A Potted History of Shutters
In the UK we tend to think of shutters as being closely associated with life on the continent, and the hotter Mediterranean countries in particular, or perhaps the colonial style dwellings in the US. We do, however, also have a longer and richer history of shutters in the British Isles than you might imagine.
From Ancient Greece and the Mediterranean
Their prevalence in the Mediterranean stems from the fact that they were first employed in Ancient Greece and, due the climate of the region, they have never ceased to be a popular and convenient solution. Shutters have always been used as a way of simply covering a window space and the original Greek designs would have consisted of basic stone constructions, latterly of marble, to do the job.
The Ancient Greek shutters not only filled the window space (and therefore provided privacy and insulation against the outside elements) but gave the dweller better control over the temperature in the building by blocking direct sunlight, whilst still allowing air to circulate for ventilation. This key feature led to their spread across the Mediterranean and, with this spread, their construction switched to the more practicable and flexible material of wood.
Shutters in Britain
Shutters were commonplace in the British Isles from the Medieval period to Victorian times. The reason behind their initial and longstanding popularity was also the cause of their fall from prominence in the 20th century - the availability and affordability of glass.
We now take it for granted thanks to modern production techniques but in Medieval England glass was rare, expensive and seen as a luxury. As a result only the wealthier homeowners could afford to fill their window spaces with glass panels and even then they often only installed it in the top half of the space (above the sash). To fill the bottom half they would instead use solid shutters to keep the elements out.
As the centuries rolled by and glass became more affordable, shutters became more of a decorative internal feature, however during the Victorian era a change in the approach to house building with thinner walls replacing the thick constructions of previous centuries meant that exterior shutters, which could be reached through the shallower window recesses, made a resurgence.
The Birth of Plantation Shutters
The shutters that we commonly refer to as Plantation Shutters these days came into being through the European colonisations of the Americas, in the south of modern day USA as well as the Caribbean. In particular, the Spanish popularised the louvred shutter across the region, which went on to become common in the homes of the wealthy owners of the burgeoning cotton and sugar plantations. Their popularity no doubt stemming from their aptness, in such a tropical climate, to regulate temperature
Settlers from England and France also took the shutter to the eastern board of the US and the slightly narrower louvred shutter (in comparison to the wider Spanish counterpart) is still poplar in colonial style buildings in New England to this day.
The Louvred Shutter
What we now consider as louvres or louvred panels are thought to have originated as vents built into the roofs or turrets of buildings to allow ventilation for the smoke and steam produced by kitchens, whilst also keeping out the weather. However, some of these early designs may not be that recognisable as louvres to us today as they could vary from timber to ceramic constructions and could sometimes take the form of caricatures with gaps in the features rather than simple slats.
There is also a quaint story of origin which assigns the creation of louvres to the court of the French King Louis XIV who wanted to prevent his guards from being distracted by bathing beauties in the pools of the Palace of Versailles, shortly after the court’s transfer from the palace at the Louvre. By installing shutters with controllable slats he was able to achieve this whilst still being able to observe the women for himself.
Modern Shutters
The humble shutter is now making another resurgence in the UK as not only an interior dressing for window spaces but also an exterior window dressing, a replacement for interior and exterior doors and component of furniture. Their popularity still owes a lot to the fact they allow the user to manage the temperature and light levels in a room although they now also provide more advantages in our modern crowded dwellings as a flexible solution to manage privacy and noise levels.
In addition there is a growing desire to achieve a more historical look in our homes and in particular to reinstate features which may have been faithful to the age of the property, and as such shutters are now making a re-appearance in homes dating from the Victorian era and before.
Modern production techniques mean that shutters, whether louvred or solid, can be made to sate any interior design requirement, fitting any space or aesthetic and providing bespoke flexibility. So if you want to discover what people across the world have benefited from for thousands of years, there has never been a better time to investigate that perfect wooden shutter.
From Ancient Greece and the Mediterranean
Their prevalence in the Mediterranean stems from the fact that they were first employed in Ancient Greece and, due the climate of the region, they have never ceased to be a popular and convenient solution. Shutters have always been used as a way of simply covering a window space and the original Greek designs would have consisted of basic stone constructions, latterly of marble, to do the job.
The Ancient Greek shutters not only filled the window space (and therefore provided privacy and insulation against the outside elements) but gave the dweller better control over the temperature in the building by blocking direct sunlight, whilst still allowing air to circulate for ventilation. This key feature led to their spread across the Mediterranean and, with this spread, their construction switched to the more practicable and flexible material of wood.
Shutters in Britain
Shutters were commonplace in the British Isles from the Medieval period to Victorian times. The reason behind their initial and longstanding popularity was also the cause of their fall from prominence in the 20th century - the availability and affordability of glass.
We now take it for granted thanks to modern production techniques but in Medieval England glass was rare, expensive and seen as a luxury. As a result only the wealthier homeowners could afford to fill their window spaces with glass panels and even then they often only installed it in the top half of the space (above the sash). To fill the bottom half they would instead use solid shutters to keep the elements out.
As the centuries rolled by and glass became more affordable, shutters became more of a decorative internal feature, however during the Victorian era a change in the approach to house building with thinner walls replacing the thick constructions of previous centuries meant that exterior shutters, which could be reached through the shallower window recesses, made a resurgence.
The Birth of Plantation Shutters
The shutters that we commonly refer to as Plantation Shutters these days came into being through the European colonisations of the Americas, in the south of modern day USA as well as the Caribbean. In particular, the Spanish popularised the louvred shutter across the region, which went on to become common in the homes of the wealthy owners of the burgeoning cotton and sugar plantations. Their popularity no doubt stemming from their aptness, in such a tropical climate, to regulate temperature
Settlers from England and France also took the shutter to the eastern board of the US and the slightly narrower louvred shutter (in comparison to the wider Spanish counterpart) is still poplar in colonial style buildings in New England to this day.
The Louvred Shutter
What we now consider as louvres or louvred panels are thought to have originated as vents built into the roofs or turrets of buildings to allow ventilation for the smoke and steam produced by kitchens, whilst also keeping out the weather. However, some of these early designs may not be that recognisable as louvres to us today as they could vary from timber to ceramic constructions and could sometimes take the form of caricatures with gaps in the features rather than simple slats.
There is also a quaint story of origin which assigns the creation of louvres to the court of the French King Louis XIV who wanted to prevent his guards from being distracted by bathing beauties in the pools of the Palace of Versailles, shortly after the court’s transfer from the palace at the Louvre. By installing shutters with controllable slats he was able to achieve this whilst still being able to observe the women for himself.
Modern Shutters
The humble shutter is now making another resurgence in the UK as not only an interior dressing for window spaces but also an exterior window dressing, a replacement for interior and exterior doors and component of furniture. Their popularity still owes a lot to the fact they allow the user to manage the temperature and light levels in a room although they now also provide more advantages in our modern crowded dwellings as a flexible solution to manage privacy and noise levels.
In addition there is a growing desire to achieve a more historical look in our homes and in particular to reinstate features which may have been faithful to the age of the property, and as such shutters are now making a re-appearance in homes dating from the Victorian era and before.
Modern production techniques mean that shutters, whether louvred or solid, can be made to sate any interior design requirement, fitting any space or aesthetic and providing bespoke flexibility. So if you want to discover what people across the world have benefited from for thousands of years, there has never been a better time to investigate that perfect wooden shutter.
Thursday 22 December 2011
Why Use Shutters?
Shutters are increasingly being seen as a staple of modern interior design on the UK as we realise what many continental Europeans have known for centuries - that there is an alternative to traditional curtains, blinds and doors which carries with it is own unique set of benefits.
When most people think of a shutter they are likely to imagine a typical square window shutter but one their most appealing features is the variety of shapes, styles and materials they can come in and therefore the number of different functions they can serve. Shutters can be installed not only to adorn a window space but can also be used to replace interior doors - especially cupboard and wardrobe doors - room dividers and conservatory blinds. The versatility of shutters means that they a are also available in both traditional styles, such as plantation shutters, as well as modern contemporary designs
The most common style of shutter is the full height shutter which covers the entire window or door space but there are many other styles with their own individual benefits such as Tier-on-Tier shutters and their individual panels covering the top and bottom of the window space. But even for the trickiest spaces, most shutter providers will make bespoke shutters to fit your requirements.
Again typical shutters may be straightforward wooden shutters but they can be purchased in many different material/colour combinations to not only suit the aesthetic and decor of any room but to affect the longevity of the shutters and the level of maintenance they may require. Shutters can be produced in many varieties of wood, each with their own individual qualities, from premium quality cedarwood and its distinctive finish to more affordable coloured MDF, but can also be made from metals and plastics.
The most distinctive advantages that shutters provide over and above blinds, doors and particularly curtains are that they offer the ability to control the levels of light, noise, heat and privacy in a room.
Solid shutters can provide a blackout to any unwanted light, noise and prying eyes entering a room while louvred shutters, particularly where the panels can be independently controlled (such as Tier-on-Tier or Full Height shutters) offer the most flexibility and control. People looking to maximise the levels of light entering a room whilst maintaining privacy, on for example a street facing town house window, can opt for Cafe style shutters which only cover the lower half of a space, but again bespoke shutter solutions can cater for any scenario and balance of needs.
Shutters in general are ideal for regulating the temperature of a room as they tend to keep a room cool in hot temperatures and warm in cold temperatures and, as above, the use of independently controlled louvred panels gives the homeowner greater control over these elements.
What’s more where window spaces are in hard to reach places, shutters can be installed which are remote controlled so that panels and louvred slats can be open or closed without a struggle.
In addition shutters are generally easier to maintain and keep clean which is ideal for people with busy lives and particularly those who suffer from dust or pet allergies.
Essentially whatever the requirements of a window space or the persons taste in interior design there should always be a shutter solution to satisfy it whether it be a bespoke round louvred wooden shutters or a tier-on-tier metal shutter.
When most people think of a shutter they are likely to imagine a typical square window shutter but one their most appealing features is the variety of shapes, styles and materials they can come in and therefore the number of different functions they can serve. Shutters can be installed not only to adorn a window space but can also be used to replace interior doors - especially cupboard and wardrobe doors - room dividers and conservatory blinds. The versatility of shutters means that they a are also available in both traditional styles, such as plantation shutters, as well as modern contemporary designs
The most common style of shutter is the full height shutter which covers the entire window or door space but there are many other styles with their own individual benefits such as Tier-on-Tier shutters and their individual panels covering the top and bottom of the window space. But even for the trickiest spaces, most shutter providers will make bespoke shutters to fit your requirements.
Again typical shutters may be straightforward wooden shutters but they can be purchased in many different material/colour combinations to not only suit the aesthetic and decor of any room but to affect the longevity of the shutters and the level of maintenance they may require. Shutters can be produced in many varieties of wood, each with their own individual qualities, from premium quality cedarwood and its distinctive finish to more affordable coloured MDF, but can also be made from metals and plastics.
The most distinctive advantages that shutters provide over and above blinds, doors and particularly curtains are that they offer the ability to control the levels of light, noise, heat and privacy in a room.
Solid shutters can provide a blackout to any unwanted light, noise and prying eyes entering a room while louvred shutters, particularly where the panels can be independently controlled (such as Tier-on-Tier or Full Height shutters) offer the most flexibility and control. People looking to maximise the levels of light entering a room whilst maintaining privacy, on for example a street facing town house window, can opt for Cafe style shutters which only cover the lower half of a space, but again bespoke shutter solutions can cater for any scenario and balance of needs.
Shutters in general are ideal for regulating the temperature of a room as they tend to keep a room cool in hot temperatures and warm in cold temperatures and, as above, the use of independently controlled louvred panels gives the homeowner greater control over these elements.
What’s more where window spaces are in hard to reach places, shutters can be installed which are remote controlled so that panels and louvred slats can be open or closed without a struggle.
In addition shutters are generally easier to maintain and keep clean which is ideal for people with busy lives and particularly those who suffer from dust or pet allergies.
Essentially whatever the requirements of a window space or the persons taste in interior design there should always be a shutter solution to satisfy it whether it be a bespoke round louvred wooden shutters or a tier-on-tier metal shutter.
Wednesday 21 December 2011
The Benefits of Wooden Shutters
When it comes to dressing your window spaces the first thought for many will be to simply plump for a new set of curtains of possibly blinds, however there is a third option available to you which has many or its own benefits and can enhance the interior and exterior of you home in a way that blind and curtains cannot. This third option is wooden plantation shutters.
Wooden shutters are available in a myriad of materials, styles and shapes to fit any window space and to complement any decor. First of all they can be constructed using a diverse range of materials including Basswood, Premium Hardwood, Larchwood, Craftwood (MDF) and Cedarwood. Each coming with its own benefits and a distinct appearance.
Premium hardwood for example will provide a higher quality finish and come in a greater range of colours but will cost more than Basswood which has a more limited range but will still provide a quality finish. Craftwood is again more affordable but may not have the longevity or quality finish of a material such as Cedarwood. The choice of material will largely be dependent on budget and taste.
Secondly you can choose from shutters with either louvred or solid panels. The louvres are essentially slatted panels which can be opened or closed independently of the main shutter frame to add further flexibility when controlling light, noise and privacy levels.
Thirdly, the overall design of the shutter can vary considerably. Full height shutters are perhaps the stereotypical shutter. They cover the whole window space and are therefore the most popular design with the flexibility of individually controlled panels of louvres. They can be installed in any space whether it be raised windows or floor-to-ceiling patio doors.
Tier on Tier shutters provide even more flexibility in that they cover the whole window space but use separate panels for the top and bottom of the window. These panels can have different controls and operate independently. Cafe Style shutters however are designed to cover only the base of a window, leaving the top half free, and are as a result, a more subtle addition to a room.
Moreover, louvred interior shutters, in particular, can be produced to fit any window space that you require. Whether it be a small porthole window or a large arched window in the gable end of a church or hall, a shutter can often offer a more practical and aesthetically fitting solution than a curtain or blind.
Perhaps the most tangible benefit of choosing a wooden shutter is the control that it gives you over the levels of light that you want to let into the room. If you are looking to maximise the light coming in then cafe style shutters are the ideal solution. However, if you want to have greater control over the amount of light coming in, then tiered shutters, are perfect with the ability to independently control the separate panels (and specify whether each panel should be louvred or solid). Specifically, using louvred panels will allow you to have control over the light coming through each panel.
Shutters are also ideal for those looking to increase their privacy levels as they can provide a better screen than curtains or blinds, especially if you live in a town location where you are overlooked by neighbours or passers by. As well as prying eyes, the same can be said about wanting to block noise coming in (or out) of your home when living in built up area. Going for a full height solution with solid panels would create the most effective screen for both privacy and noise but again ultimate flexibility comes from the tier on tier shutter. Choosing a louvred shutter on the other hand would allow you create privacy whilst still allowing a certain level of light through.
Wooden shutters are perhaps more common on the continent due to another one of their principle benefits, their ability to regulate heat as well as light levels. Shutters can be used to keep the light out during the day and in during the night. The most effective, as with noise and privacy would be a full height solid shutter, however to provide the most control in our changeable British climate a full height louvred or tiered solution may be best.
Whatever your needs and whatever style you may choose, wooden shutters really can provide ultimate flexibility and style, fit any window space and can become a feature of any room.
Wooden shutters are available in a myriad of materials, styles and shapes to fit any window space and to complement any decor. First of all they can be constructed using a diverse range of materials including Basswood, Premium Hardwood, Larchwood, Craftwood (MDF) and Cedarwood. Each coming with its own benefits and a distinct appearance.
Premium hardwood for example will provide a higher quality finish and come in a greater range of colours but will cost more than Basswood which has a more limited range but will still provide a quality finish. Craftwood is again more affordable but may not have the longevity or quality finish of a material such as Cedarwood. The choice of material will largely be dependent on budget and taste.
Secondly you can choose from shutters with either louvred or solid panels. The louvres are essentially slatted panels which can be opened or closed independently of the main shutter frame to add further flexibility when controlling light, noise and privacy levels.
Thirdly, the overall design of the shutter can vary considerably. Full height shutters are perhaps the stereotypical shutter. They cover the whole window space and are therefore the most popular design with the flexibility of individually controlled panels of louvres. They can be installed in any space whether it be raised windows or floor-to-ceiling patio doors.
Tier on Tier shutters provide even more flexibility in that they cover the whole window space but use separate panels for the top and bottom of the window. These panels can have different controls and operate independently. Cafe Style shutters however are designed to cover only the base of a window, leaving the top half free, and are as a result, a more subtle addition to a room.
Moreover, louvred interior shutters, in particular, can be produced to fit any window space that you require. Whether it be a small porthole window or a large arched window in the gable end of a church or hall, a shutter can often offer a more practical and aesthetically fitting solution than a curtain or blind.
Perhaps the most tangible benefit of choosing a wooden shutter is the control that it gives you over the levels of light that you want to let into the room. If you are looking to maximise the light coming in then cafe style shutters are the ideal solution. However, if you want to have greater control over the amount of light coming in, then tiered shutters, are perfect with the ability to independently control the separate panels (and specify whether each panel should be louvred or solid). Specifically, using louvred panels will allow you to have control over the light coming through each panel.
Shutters are also ideal for those looking to increase their privacy levels as they can provide a better screen than curtains or blinds, especially if you live in a town location where you are overlooked by neighbours or passers by. As well as prying eyes, the same can be said about wanting to block noise coming in (or out) of your home when living in built up area. Going for a full height solution with solid panels would create the most effective screen for both privacy and noise but again ultimate flexibility comes from the tier on tier shutter. Choosing a louvred shutter on the other hand would allow you create privacy whilst still allowing a certain level of light through.
Wooden shutters are perhaps more common on the continent due to another one of their principle benefits, their ability to regulate heat as well as light levels. Shutters can be used to keep the light out during the day and in during the night. The most effective, as with noise and privacy would be a full height solid shutter, however to provide the most control in our changeable British climate a full height louvred or tiered solution may be best.
Whatever your needs and whatever style you may choose, wooden shutters really can provide ultimate flexibility and style, fit any window space and can become a feature of any room.
Monday 20 June 2011
History of the Japanese Stock Market
As Japan begins it’s slow recovery from the 2011 Earthquake and Tsunami that lay waste to so much of the country’s homes and industry, there is a fierce debate raging as to the long term impact that the disaster (and its aftermath) will have on the Japanese economy. It is therefore, perhaps and interesting point in time to take a look at the history of the Japanese Stock Market.
Japan is one of the world’s largest economies and most important financial hubs. The principal exchange on the Japanese stock market is the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE), which is the third largest in the world by market capitalisation (i.e., the value of all outstanding shares of all companies on the exchange) behind only the Americo-European stock exchanges, NYSE Euronext and NASDAQ OMX. It is the largest in Asia and the Pacific region, ahead of both China and Hong Kong. Trading through the TSE is reported by two primary indexes, the Nikkei 225 and the TOPIX. In addition to the TSE there are currently four further stock exchanges operating from other Japanese cities: Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka and Sapporo.
The Tokyo Stock Exchange was founded as the Tokyo Kabushiki Torihikijo on May 15th 1878 by Japan’s Finance (later Prime) Minister Okuma Shigenobu together with the prominent businessman Shibusawa Eiichi, however it didn’t begin trading until 1st June the same year. At the time, many of Japan’s largest cities held their own stock exchanges and it wasn’t until after the Second World War that it became the central market place for the Japanese economy that it is today.
The stock exchange actually merged with those of other Japanese cities in 1943, as part of the war effort, to form the consolidated Japanese Stock Exchange (JSE). However, following the Allied bombing of Nagasaki on August 9th, 1945 the infant stock exchange was shut down for four years. The passing of the Securities Exchange Act reorganised the exchange however, and on May 16th 1949 it was re-opened as the Tokyo Stock Exchange alongside two others in Osaka and Nagoya. That year also saw the founding of five other exchanges across Japan: Kyoto, Kobe, Hiroshima, Fukuoka and Niigata whilst the following year the Sapporo Securities Exchange was created.
Shortly after the TSE’s inception, on September 7th, 1950, the Nikkei 225 index was introduced by the country’s leading Nihon Keizai Shimbun newspaper to index the TSE’s top 225 performing companies, retrospectively providing data from the entire post war history of the exchange.
The end of the 20th Century initially saw the value of the TSE’s companies flourish leading to a rapid rise in the exchange’s market capitalisation. The period between 1983 and 1990, in particular, was one of extensive growth, by the end of which the TSE was by far the largest exchange in the world with 60% of the entire world's stock exchange market capitalisation. The zenith came on December 29, 1989, when the Nikkei hit all time high at an intra-day price of 38,957.44. This growth couldn't be sustained through the economic troubles that were to follow though and during the ‘90s the value of the market fell away. By March 10, 2009 the Nikkei 225 even fell as far as 7,054.98, 81.9% below that high 20 years earlier.
Japan’s Stock Market underwent a considerable re-organisation in the opening year of the 21st Century; on 1st March 2000 the Hiroshima and Niigata exchanges were both merged into the TSE whilst the Kyoto exchange was concurrently merged into the Osaka Securities Exchange to leave the three exchanges that exist today (Kobe had closed in 1967).
In the final year of the 20th Century, on April 30th, the TSE itself witnessed one of it’s most significant developments as the trading floor closed for the last time. At that moment the switch was made to electronic trading. The TSE Arrows complex was opened shortly afterwards on May 9, 2000 to replace the old trading floor and provide a symbol of the new era whilst being a facility for the exchange of information and face-to-face contact.
The incorporation of technological solutions through the exchange has not gone entirely smoothly, however. On November 1, 2005 bugs hit Fujitsu’s transactional system which was only able to operate for trading for 90 minutes during the entire day. TSE’s systems were also alleged to be partly accountable for allowing mistakes by employees at both UBS Warburg and Mizuho (each selling c600,000 shares at 1yen a piece rather than 1 share at c600,000 yen) resulting in loses running into the hundreds of millions of yen for both companies. In the latter case, the affair even brought about the resignation of the TSE’s CEO and two other executives.
The TSE and therefore the Japanese stock market in general continues to develop and look for new opportunities, especially building alliances with other exchanges throughout the world. The TSE has formed a partnership with the London Stock Exchange (LSE) in the UK to jointly investigate products, services and technologies which may benefit both parties. In particular the LSE has been helping the TSE in the last few years with the establishment of a Japanese equivalent to the LSE’s Alternative Investment Market (AIM). There have also been tentative explorations into emerging exchanges in the East including a 5% share purchase in the Singapore Stock Exchange (SGX).
The long term impact of the recent Earthquake and Tsunami which hit Japan are still to be seen. In the immediate aftermath (on Mar 15th) the Japanese markets closed 10% down (the lowest since April 1st 2009) whilst the Bank of Japan injected a massive 15 trillion yen into money markets in the hope of stabilising them.
Both the physical and economic impact was felt worst in the north of the country whose chiefly manufacturing industries account for 8% of Japan’s GDP. Corporate giants such as Toyota, Nippon and Sony were forced to temporarily suspend production in the wake of the disaster and the subsequent logistical difficulties the country has faced (e.g., power cuts). With the overhanging nuclear threat, some multinationals are even moving their staff abroad.
The total cost of the earthquake is estimated to run into tens of trillion of yen. However, there is still much debate as to whether the disaster will significantly damage the market or even as some have suggested, boost Japan’s economy as businesses across the country get stuck into the rebuilding process. Depending on which point of view you take you may even find that this is the opportune time to consider making an investment in Asian Investment Funds.
Japan is one of the world’s largest economies and most important financial hubs. The principal exchange on the Japanese stock market is the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE), which is the third largest in the world by market capitalisation (i.e., the value of all outstanding shares of all companies on the exchange) behind only the Americo-European stock exchanges, NYSE Euronext and NASDAQ OMX. It is the largest in Asia and the Pacific region, ahead of both China and Hong Kong. Trading through the TSE is reported by two primary indexes, the Nikkei 225 and the TOPIX. In addition to the TSE there are currently four further stock exchanges operating from other Japanese cities: Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka and Sapporo.
The Tokyo Stock Exchange was founded as the Tokyo Kabushiki Torihikijo on May 15th 1878 by Japan’s Finance (later Prime) Minister Okuma Shigenobu together with the prominent businessman Shibusawa Eiichi, however it didn’t begin trading until 1st June the same year. At the time, many of Japan’s largest cities held their own stock exchanges and it wasn’t until after the Second World War that it became the central market place for the Japanese economy that it is today.
The stock exchange actually merged with those of other Japanese cities in 1943, as part of the war effort, to form the consolidated Japanese Stock Exchange (JSE). However, following the Allied bombing of Nagasaki on August 9th, 1945 the infant stock exchange was shut down for four years. The passing of the Securities Exchange Act reorganised the exchange however, and on May 16th 1949 it was re-opened as the Tokyo Stock Exchange alongside two others in Osaka and Nagoya. That year also saw the founding of five other exchanges across Japan: Kyoto, Kobe, Hiroshima, Fukuoka and Niigata whilst the following year the Sapporo Securities Exchange was created.
Shortly after the TSE’s inception, on September 7th, 1950, the Nikkei 225 index was introduced by the country’s leading Nihon Keizai Shimbun newspaper to index the TSE’s top 225 performing companies, retrospectively providing data from the entire post war history of the exchange.
The end of the 20th Century initially saw the value of the TSE’s companies flourish leading to a rapid rise in the exchange’s market capitalisation. The period between 1983 and 1990, in particular, was one of extensive growth, by the end of which the TSE was by far the largest exchange in the world with 60% of the entire world's stock exchange market capitalisation. The zenith came on December 29, 1989, when the Nikkei hit all time high at an intra-day price of 38,957.44. This growth couldn't be sustained through the economic troubles that were to follow though and during the ‘90s the value of the market fell away. By March 10, 2009 the Nikkei 225 even fell as far as 7,054.98, 81.9% below that high 20 years earlier.
Japan’s Stock Market underwent a considerable re-organisation in the opening year of the 21st Century; on 1st March 2000 the Hiroshima and Niigata exchanges were both merged into the TSE whilst the Kyoto exchange was concurrently merged into the Osaka Securities Exchange to leave the three exchanges that exist today (Kobe had closed in 1967).
In the final year of the 20th Century, on April 30th, the TSE itself witnessed one of it’s most significant developments as the trading floor closed for the last time. At that moment the switch was made to electronic trading. The TSE Arrows complex was opened shortly afterwards on May 9, 2000 to replace the old trading floor and provide a symbol of the new era whilst being a facility for the exchange of information and face-to-face contact.
The incorporation of technological solutions through the exchange has not gone entirely smoothly, however. On November 1, 2005 bugs hit Fujitsu’s transactional system which was only able to operate for trading for 90 minutes during the entire day. TSE’s systems were also alleged to be partly accountable for allowing mistakes by employees at both UBS Warburg and Mizuho (each selling c600,000 shares at 1yen a piece rather than 1 share at c600,000 yen) resulting in loses running into the hundreds of millions of yen for both companies. In the latter case, the affair even brought about the resignation of the TSE’s CEO and two other executives.
The TSE and therefore the Japanese stock market in general continues to develop and look for new opportunities, especially building alliances with other exchanges throughout the world. The TSE has formed a partnership with the London Stock Exchange (LSE) in the UK to jointly investigate products, services and technologies which may benefit both parties. In particular the LSE has been helping the TSE in the last few years with the establishment of a Japanese equivalent to the LSE’s Alternative Investment Market (AIM). There have also been tentative explorations into emerging exchanges in the East including a 5% share purchase in the Singapore Stock Exchange (SGX).
The long term impact of the recent Earthquake and Tsunami which hit Japan are still to be seen. In the immediate aftermath (on Mar 15th) the Japanese markets closed 10% down (the lowest since April 1st 2009) whilst the Bank of Japan injected a massive 15 trillion yen into money markets in the hope of stabilising them.
Both the physical and economic impact was felt worst in the north of the country whose chiefly manufacturing industries account for 8% of Japan’s GDP. Corporate giants such as Toyota, Nippon and Sony were forced to temporarily suspend production in the wake of the disaster and the subsequent logistical difficulties the country has faced (e.g., power cuts). With the overhanging nuclear threat, some multinationals are even moving their staff abroad.
The total cost of the earthquake is estimated to run into tens of trillion of yen. However, there is still much debate as to whether the disaster will significantly damage the market or even as some have suggested, boost Japan’s economy as businesses across the country get stuck into the rebuilding process. Depending on which point of view you take you may even find that this is the opportune time to consider making an investment in Asian Investment Funds.
What is an Investment Trust?
If you are new to the world of financial services and investments, you’ll encounter a myriad of technical terms and abbreviations that constitute what might be perceived as an esoteric financial lexicon. One of the first terms you will come across is that of an Investment Trust, but what exactly is an Investment Trust and how does it work? the following article will give you a quick overview and touch on a couple of related concepts.
In short, an investment trust is typically a closed-ended collective investment vehicle which is traded on the stock markets as a public limited company, but that doesn’t really explain much, so more on that later. They are primarily operated in the UK and so the examples outlined here will be assumed to be UK based.
Investment Trusts are essentially companies (not technically trusts) which have been set up to invest in the shares of other companies. Their value therefore represents the assets in which they are invested rather than the company's own property, personnel or ideas. They are designed to give individual investors the opportunity to invest in wider range of companies, and at a lower cost, than they would be able to achieve on their own.
They are termed collective investments because they achieve this aim by providing a vehicle by which they can allow many investors to pool their money and together to invest in a large range of underlying assets. As institutional investors they have access to investments which may not be within the reach of the individual investor and they are logistically able to invest in a greater variety of assets. The scale on which they trade also means that they benefit from economies of scale as well as bulk discounts on costs and charges. Therefore, the relative cost that is passed down to each investor in the trust is lower than if they were to trade on their own.
The fact that Investment Trusts are closed-ended means that there are a finite number of shares that have been issued for the trust (as with a listed company). This number will be set out in the Initial Public Offering (IPO). As with a company, further shares can be subsequently issued by the company but these will normally result in the value of each share being reduced. This is a key distinguishing feature between Investment Trusts and the other common investment vehicles, Unit Trusts and Open-Ended Investment Companies (OEICs, otherwise known as an Investment Company with Variable Capital, ICVCs) which are both open-ended and therefore have a total number of units which will fluctuate as people buy and sell. With open-ended investments this fluctuation occurs because the investor is trading directly with the fund manager (not other investors) and therefore either putting their money into the ‘pot’ to make it bigger, or taking it out to make it smaller. Furthermore, Investment Trusts differ from Unit Trusts in that they can borrow money and incur debts to fund the purchase of assets.
As they are essentially companies, Investment Trusts have a board of directors (although in a non-executive capacity because they are not actually employed by the Investment Trust). The board will guard the interests of the trust, but decisions on which actual investments should be made are take by the Fund Manager. Investors will not have a direct say on individual investment decisions but each Investment Trust will have a theme or objective which will provide criteria to guide the Fund Manager in how to manage the fund. The investor will have therefore chosen whether to invest in an Investment Trust based on this theme. The theme’s criteria will ensure that the Fund Manager selects the companies, in which the trust will invest, based upon factors such as their geographical focus, industrial sectors, how developed they are (start ups etc) - all affecting the risk and potential yield of the fund.
As a public limited company, Investment Trusts are traded on the stock exchange the shares fluctuating on price based upon supply and demand. It is therefore the case that the price of a share in an Investment Trust does not necessarily represent a proportion of the value of that Investment Trusts underlying assets or investments. That value is calculated as the Net Asset Value (NAV) - the value of all assets less costs incurred - and is often quoted as a value per share. If this value is higher than the share price the Investment Trust is defined as trading at a discount; if it’s lower then it is trading at a premium.
It is also worth noting that Investment Trusts that meet Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) criteria will qualify for tax exemptions that ensure that investors do not get taxed Capital Gains Tax on any shares they trade and therefore avoid being taxed twice as the trust’s income will have already been taxed.
Without going into too much detail here there are a couple of specific types of Investment Trust that you may come across. Split Capital Investment Trusts have a limited life span and a structure which allows them to issue different types of share, with differing risk, based on criteria such as whether dividends are paid, application of capital protection, prioritisation at the point of pay out and the presence of a ceiling on any income. The higher risk shares will usually have less limitations on the capital they receive but also less capital protection if the investments go down and they will not be prioritised at the pay out. Real estate investment trusts (REITs) are companies that invest in real estate. Companies can qualify for the status and therefore avoid double taxing if they distribute 90% of their income to investors.
As an interesting aside, the first collective investment fund to be established was in fact an Investment Trust. The Foreign & Colonial Investment Trust, was created in 1868 by the founder of the Royal Brompton Hospital Philip Rose. It initially invested in Government Bonds but started investing in equities (company shares) in 1925, and is still going today, listed on the London Stock Exchange.
Now that you are hopefully more familiar with the concept of Investment Trusts you may want to find further information on actually making an investment but it is always recommended that you speak to a qualified individual such as a Financial Adviser before taking any investment decisions.
In short, an investment trust is typically a closed-ended collective investment vehicle which is traded on the stock markets as a public limited company, but that doesn’t really explain much, so more on that later. They are primarily operated in the UK and so the examples outlined here will be assumed to be UK based.
Investment Trusts are essentially companies (not technically trusts) which have been set up to invest in the shares of other companies. Their value therefore represents the assets in which they are invested rather than the company's own property, personnel or ideas. They are designed to give individual investors the opportunity to invest in wider range of companies, and at a lower cost, than they would be able to achieve on their own.
They are termed collective investments because they achieve this aim by providing a vehicle by which they can allow many investors to pool their money and together to invest in a large range of underlying assets. As institutional investors they have access to investments which may not be within the reach of the individual investor and they are logistically able to invest in a greater variety of assets. The scale on which they trade also means that they benefit from economies of scale as well as bulk discounts on costs and charges. Therefore, the relative cost that is passed down to each investor in the trust is lower than if they were to trade on their own.
The fact that Investment Trusts are closed-ended means that there are a finite number of shares that have been issued for the trust (as with a listed company). This number will be set out in the Initial Public Offering (IPO). As with a company, further shares can be subsequently issued by the company but these will normally result in the value of each share being reduced. This is a key distinguishing feature between Investment Trusts and the other common investment vehicles, Unit Trusts and Open-Ended Investment Companies (OEICs, otherwise known as an Investment Company with Variable Capital, ICVCs) which are both open-ended and therefore have a total number of units which will fluctuate as people buy and sell. With open-ended investments this fluctuation occurs because the investor is trading directly with the fund manager (not other investors) and therefore either putting their money into the ‘pot’ to make it bigger, or taking it out to make it smaller. Furthermore, Investment Trusts differ from Unit Trusts in that they can borrow money and incur debts to fund the purchase of assets.
As they are essentially companies, Investment Trusts have a board of directors (although in a non-executive capacity because they are not actually employed by the Investment Trust). The board will guard the interests of the trust, but decisions on which actual investments should be made are take by the Fund Manager. Investors will not have a direct say on individual investment decisions but each Investment Trust will have a theme or objective which will provide criteria to guide the Fund Manager in how to manage the fund. The investor will have therefore chosen whether to invest in an Investment Trust based on this theme. The theme’s criteria will ensure that the Fund Manager selects the companies, in which the trust will invest, based upon factors such as their geographical focus, industrial sectors, how developed they are (start ups etc) - all affecting the risk and potential yield of the fund.
As a public limited company, Investment Trusts are traded on the stock exchange the shares fluctuating on price based upon supply and demand. It is therefore the case that the price of a share in an Investment Trust does not necessarily represent a proportion of the value of that Investment Trusts underlying assets or investments. That value is calculated as the Net Asset Value (NAV) - the value of all assets less costs incurred - and is often quoted as a value per share. If this value is higher than the share price the Investment Trust is defined as trading at a discount; if it’s lower then it is trading at a premium.
It is also worth noting that Investment Trusts that meet Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) criteria will qualify for tax exemptions that ensure that investors do not get taxed Capital Gains Tax on any shares they trade and therefore avoid being taxed twice as the trust’s income will have already been taxed.
Without going into too much detail here there are a couple of specific types of Investment Trust that you may come across. Split Capital Investment Trusts have a limited life span and a structure which allows them to issue different types of share, with differing risk, based on criteria such as whether dividends are paid, application of capital protection, prioritisation at the point of pay out and the presence of a ceiling on any income. The higher risk shares will usually have less limitations on the capital they receive but also less capital protection if the investments go down and they will not be prioritised at the pay out. Real estate investment trusts (REITs) are companies that invest in real estate. Companies can qualify for the status and therefore avoid double taxing if they distribute 90% of their income to investors.
As an interesting aside, the first collective investment fund to be established was in fact an Investment Trust. The Foreign & Colonial Investment Trust, was created in 1868 by the founder of the Royal Brompton Hospital Philip Rose. It initially invested in Government Bonds but started investing in equities (company shares) in 1925, and is still going today, listed on the London Stock Exchange.
Now that you are hopefully more familiar with the concept of Investment Trusts you may want to find further information on actually making an investment but it is always recommended that you speak to a qualified individual such as a Financial Adviser before taking any investment decisions.
A History of Harley Street
Harley street is world renowned as the home to London’s private medical services. In this article I want to touch on how the street and the surrounding area of London became so intrinsically linked with the medical profession.
The term Harley Street is itself synonymous with high class private medical care and many medical establishments rely on the prestige of the address to denote a certain quality in their service. As a result the street is now home to over 3,000 people employed in around 1,500 organisations covering the full spectrum of health care establishments ranging from general practices, clinics and cosmetic surgeons to dental practices; even private hospitals. Patients come from around the country and the world due to the reputation the small area of London has built up and it is estimated that the services provided in the area contribute a sizable £300 million to the county’s economy every year.
The land around Harley Street originally belonged to the Dukes of Newcastle, forming part of their Marylebone Estate, before the passing down of the female side of the family through the late 17th and early 18th centuries, ending up in the hands of Henrietta Cavendish Harley, wife of Edward Harley. The connection to the Harley family lent the most famous street in the area its name, but Edward Harley was also responsible for the initial development of the area having built Cavendish Square in 1715.
In 1741 when Edward died the estate passed to his daughter Margaret Cavendish Harley who was already married to William Bentinck, 2nd Duke of Portland and so the area became know as Portland, passing through the Portland family until 1879 when the childless 5th Duke of Portland died. The estate was divided between the duke’s sisters and cousin and when the last sister, the widow of Lord Howard de Walden, died it passed to her husband’s family in which it is still held, constituting part of the de Walden estate.
Due to the extensive growth and prosperity of the area during the 18th and 19th centuries, under the Harley and Portland families, the area around Harley Street became home to some of London’s best examples of Georgian architecture. It is believed that the primary reason that the area attracted so many medical organisations from the 19th century onwards was that these buildings were so suitable in size, layout and location for the development of medical establishments with high levels of comfort and patient care. The area is close to some of London’s major transport hubs too, including the stations at Paddington and Kings Cross, making it the ideal location for the gentry of the Victorian era to commute by using the nation’s burgeoning rail network.
Harley Street can not only boast a rich medical history and reputation but can also lay claim to being the residential address of some repute in the Victorian era with residents such as the four time Prime Minister William Gladstone and perhaps the biggest name in art from that period, J. M. W. Turner. Whilst in more recent times the street has become more famous as the home to leading lights in the medical arena and was notably the residence of Lionel Logue - the Australian who treated George VI for his stutter in the episode that was recently the subject of the Oscar winning film The King’s Speech. The street is further renowned as the home of the girl’s school dating from 1848 , Queen’s College - one of the oldest in the country.
The architecture of Harley Street is testament to the wealth that was flowing through some sections of Georgian Society and laid the perfect foundation for the area’s industry that was to follow. However it was the prosperity of the Victorian era, the desire for medical care and the leaps in science and medicine witnessed by that age that helped establish the area as the hub of medical care that it is today - a primary location for Medical Chambers London.
The term Harley Street is itself synonymous with high class private medical care and many medical establishments rely on the prestige of the address to denote a certain quality in their service. As a result the street is now home to over 3,000 people employed in around 1,500 organisations covering the full spectrum of health care establishments ranging from general practices, clinics and cosmetic surgeons to dental practices; even private hospitals. Patients come from around the country and the world due to the reputation the small area of London has built up and it is estimated that the services provided in the area contribute a sizable £300 million to the county’s economy every year.
The land around Harley Street originally belonged to the Dukes of Newcastle, forming part of their Marylebone Estate, before the passing down of the female side of the family through the late 17th and early 18th centuries, ending up in the hands of Henrietta Cavendish Harley, wife of Edward Harley. The connection to the Harley family lent the most famous street in the area its name, but Edward Harley was also responsible for the initial development of the area having built Cavendish Square in 1715.
In 1741 when Edward died the estate passed to his daughter Margaret Cavendish Harley who was already married to William Bentinck, 2nd Duke of Portland and so the area became know as Portland, passing through the Portland family until 1879 when the childless 5th Duke of Portland died. The estate was divided between the duke’s sisters and cousin and when the last sister, the widow of Lord Howard de Walden, died it passed to her husband’s family in which it is still held, constituting part of the de Walden estate.
Due to the extensive growth and prosperity of the area during the 18th and 19th centuries, under the Harley and Portland families, the area around Harley Street became home to some of London’s best examples of Georgian architecture. It is believed that the primary reason that the area attracted so many medical organisations from the 19th century onwards was that these buildings were so suitable in size, layout and location for the development of medical establishments with high levels of comfort and patient care. The area is close to some of London’s major transport hubs too, including the stations at Paddington and Kings Cross, making it the ideal location for the gentry of the Victorian era to commute by using the nation’s burgeoning rail network.
Harley Street can not only boast a rich medical history and reputation but can also lay claim to being the residential address of some repute in the Victorian era with residents such as the four time Prime Minister William Gladstone and perhaps the biggest name in art from that period, J. M. W. Turner. Whilst in more recent times the street has become more famous as the home to leading lights in the medical arena and was notably the residence of Lionel Logue - the Australian who treated George VI for his stutter in the episode that was recently the subject of the Oscar winning film The King’s Speech. The street is further renowned as the home of the girl’s school dating from 1848 , Queen’s College - one of the oldest in the country.
The architecture of Harley Street is testament to the wealth that was flowing through some sections of Georgian Society and laid the perfect foundation for the area’s industry that was to follow. However it was the prosperity of the Victorian era, the desire for medical care and the leaps in science and medicine witnessed by that age that helped establish the area as the hub of medical care that it is today - a primary location for Medical Chambers London.
Five Things to Think of When Renting Abroad
Each year hundreds of thousands of Brits set up home on foreign soil. Whether re-located by business or starting a new life in the foreign climes that they’ve fallen in love with on their holidays, it can be a daunting adventure. For many the idea of renting may be the perfect way to take their first steps without the financial commitments and risk of selling up and buying afresh overseas. There are however some key areas you must consider before starting your adventure if you feel this option is for you.
Choosing your Location:
Virtually every guide you will read concerning either buying or renting abroad will start with the question of location, location, location. This is where your research can really come into play. You must be familiar with the area to which you are moving and the most effective way that this knowledge can be garnered is by visiting and experiencing your destination first hand. There is no substitute for this. The chances are that if you are considering taking such a major step you will either already be familiar with the country and/or area through either holidaying there or through your business activities but even so, it is important that you have experienced the location at different times of year, through the different seasons etc (if you are used to a location through the tourist season you may find it to be quite a different place off-season - and vice versa).
In addition the experience of a foreign country as a visiting tourist or businessman is likely to bare little relation to the experience of living and working there. As a full time inhabitant you may be more exposed to cultures, customers and social dynamics that may have been diluted in your experience as a visitor.
Once you have decided upon an area your next consideration will need to be the local facilities. Will you need to be near a supermarket, doctor’s surgery or even laundrette, and how feasible are the transport links to such places? It can be easy to be swept up in the perceived idyll of a remote country retreat but will you have the facilities within reach that will allow you to live there comfortably and securely?
You will also need to be clear as to why you are moving to the country in the first place - what is it that attracted you to the area and will your desired location allow you to fulfill the reasons for your move? This may be something that ultimately will need to be compromised for a degree of amenities and will determine whether the dream is a realistic one or not.
How Long?:
The other fundamental consideration before you launch into you property adventure is to decide how long you plan to be living in your new home. Is this a permanent move, a trial move or just a move for a fixed amount of time (e.g., for business or study)? If you are planning to move to a new country permanently it may be prudent to agree a trial period in which you sample the experience of living in that country over a period of time. In this scenario, the rental solution can be ideal as it leaves you with a cleaner exit strategy and allows you to maintain a safety net in your country of origin.
Choosing an Agent:
Having chosen the area that you want to explore further you will need to make contact with a real estate/letting agent that operates in the area.
An essential step that you should take is to agree what their charges will be at the outset so that there are no nasty surprises for you later down the line. In addition you should try to have a written agreement of what the agent’s responsibilities will be and these subsequent charges before anything else. When renting property abroad these steps are even more important as the mechanics of the property market and how agents levy their fees may vary from country to country. For example if you are looking for apartments for rent in Kuwait agents will, on the whole, charge you an amount equivalent to 50% of you first month’s rent, but crucially only once you have signed the tenancy contract.
The other issues to consider when choosing your agent are which areas, and therefore properties, they will be able to show you and do they speak fluent English if you yourself are not fluent in the country’s language.
Choosing the Property:
In addition to assessing what services and amenities the locale can provide you with you must also ensure that you have a clear idea as to what amenities you require from the property itself. If you are planning to keep in touch with the loved ones that you have left behind then an internet connection may be a necessity. If you have trouble climbing flights of stairs then apartments in buildings without elevators may not be practical places for you to live. You should consider the size and layout of the property - will it give you the space and rooms that allow you to live as you had planned? The specifications for all properties you are shown should contain this information for you and allow you to refine your search. There is no point wasting valuable time and energy viewing properties that do not meet these fundamental requirements.
Once you have a list of desirable properties, you must visit the property itself. Hopefully you have chosen an estate agent who will show you the property personally and will have a knowledge of the property and surrounding area to answer any questions you may have. This is your chance to make sure that the property not only feels right but covers the basic living, security and safety standards that you expect. You need to consider everything that you may take for granted in your current home, such as smoke alarms. The regulations governing what safety features, building standards etc you can expect may again vary in the country to which you are moving.
The Contract:
When it is time to sign on the dotted line it is paramount that you have a comprehensive and clear contract drawn up to ensure that you have a trouble free occupation of your chosen home. The contract should first of all contain all the relevant contact details and names for yourself as tenant, the landlord(s) and the agency through which you have found the property. This information should also contain details of the nature of the entities that are entering into the agreement on both sides (e.g., individuals, organisations) and their respective responsibilities.
The contract should accurately detail the property itself; its location, situation and condition. Furthermore all financial aspects of the rental agreement should be defined including the currency, frequency, date, and the amount of the payments that you will be required to make. The contract must also be clear on what will happen if payments are missed and the notice periods for changes to the agreement. Finally, the contract should record details of the initial deposit including the amount and the conditions of its return.
If you follow the steps in this brief guide then renting abroad can be the perfect way to start your new live overseas, to assimilate yourself into the country's culture and sample the delights of another pat of the world; or perhaps find the ideal base for your business activities. Whether you are looking for apartments for rent in Kuwait or a country house in New Zealand, these steps should ensure the whole process runs smoothly and you’re in your new home in no time.
Choosing your Location:
Virtually every guide you will read concerning either buying or renting abroad will start with the question of location, location, location. This is where your research can really come into play. You must be familiar with the area to which you are moving and the most effective way that this knowledge can be garnered is by visiting and experiencing your destination first hand. There is no substitute for this. The chances are that if you are considering taking such a major step you will either already be familiar with the country and/or area through either holidaying there or through your business activities but even so, it is important that you have experienced the location at different times of year, through the different seasons etc (if you are used to a location through the tourist season you may find it to be quite a different place off-season - and vice versa).
In addition the experience of a foreign country as a visiting tourist or businessman is likely to bare little relation to the experience of living and working there. As a full time inhabitant you may be more exposed to cultures, customers and social dynamics that may have been diluted in your experience as a visitor.
Once you have decided upon an area your next consideration will need to be the local facilities. Will you need to be near a supermarket, doctor’s surgery or even laundrette, and how feasible are the transport links to such places? It can be easy to be swept up in the perceived idyll of a remote country retreat but will you have the facilities within reach that will allow you to live there comfortably and securely?
You will also need to be clear as to why you are moving to the country in the first place - what is it that attracted you to the area and will your desired location allow you to fulfill the reasons for your move? This may be something that ultimately will need to be compromised for a degree of amenities and will determine whether the dream is a realistic one or not.
How Long?:
The other fundamental consideration before you launch into you property adventure is to decide how long you plan to be living in your new home. Is this a permanent move, a trial move or just a move for a fixed amount of time (e.g., for business or study)? If you are planning to move to a new country permanently it may be prudent to agree a trial period in which you sample the experience of living in that country over a period of time. In this scenario, the rental solution can be ideal as it leaves you with a cleaner exit strategy and allows you to maintain a safety net in your country of origin.
Choosing an Agent:
Having chosen the area that you want to explore further you will need to make contact with a real estate/letting agent that operates in the area.
An essential step that you should take is to agree what their charges will be at the outset so that there are no nasty surprises for you later down the line. In addition you should try to have a written agreement of what the agent’s responsibilities will be and these subsequent charges before anything else. When renting property abroad these steps are even more important as the mechanics of the property market and how agents levy their fees may vary from country to country. For example if you are looking for apartments for rent in Kuwait agents will, on the whole, charge you an amount equivalent to 50% of you first month’s rent, but crucially only once you have signed the tenancy contract.
The other issues to consider when choosing your agent are which areas, and therefore properties, they will be able to show you and do they speak fluent English if you yourself are not fluent in the country’s language.
Choosing the Property:
In addition to assessing what services and amenities the locale can provide you with you must also ensure that you have a clear idea as to what amenities you require from the property itself. If you are planning to keep in touch with the loved ones that you have left behind then an internet connection may be a necessity. If you have trouble climbing flights of stairs then apartments in buildings without elevators may not be practical places for you to live. You should consider the size and layout of the property - will it give you the space and rooms that allow you to live as you had planned? The specifications for all properties you are shown should contain this information for you and allow you to refine your search. There is no point wasting valuable time and energy viewing properties that do not meet these fundamental requirements.
Once you have a list of desirable properties, you must visit the property itself. Hopefully you have chosen an estate agent who will show you the property personally and will have a knowledge of the property and surrounding area to answer any questions you may have. This is your chance to make sure that the property not only feels right but covers the basic living, security and safety standards that you expect. You need to consider everything that you may take for granted in your current home, such as smoke alarms. The regulations governing what safety features, building standards etc you can expect may again vary in the country to which you are moving.
The Contract:
When it is time to sign on the dotted line it is paramount that you have a comprehensive and clear contract drawn up to ensure that you have a trouble free occupation of your chosen home. The contract should first of all contain all the relevant contact details and names for yourself as tenant, the landlord(s) and the agency through which you have found the property. This information should also contain details of the nature of the entities that are entering into the agreement on both sides (e.g., individuals, organisations) and their respective responsibilities.
The contract should accurately detail the property itself; its location, situation and condition. Furthermore all financial aspects of the rental agreement should be defined including the currency, frequency, date, and the amount of the payments that you will be required to make. The contract must also be clear on what will happen if payments are missed and the notice periods for changes to the agreement. Finally, the contract should record details of the initial deposit including the amount and the conditions of its return.
If you follow the steps in this brief guide then renting abroad can be the perfect way to start your new live overseas, to assimilate yourself into the country's culture and sample the delights of another pat of the world; or perhaps find the ideal base for your business activities. Whether you are looking for apartments for rent in Kuwait or a country house in New Zealand, these steps should ensure the whole process runs smoothly and you’re in your new home in no time.
How to Use a Search Engine
If you are planning to make the most of the internet and world wide web then one of the first things you should become familiar with is how to get the most out of a search engine.
When looking for information or a service online there may be hundreds, thousands or even millions of websites out there on the web that are relevant (to a greater or lesser extent) to your query. However without using a search engine you would either have to be told about them specifically or hunt them down yourself by linking from one website to another, until you hopefully find a few that are relevant enough. Even then it can be difficult to gauge how trusted or reliable they are.
This is the job that search engines such as Google, Bing and Yahoo perform for you. There are billions if not trillions of web pages on the web and the number is always growing. Search engines are designed to quickly find you those few that are the most relevant to your query and give more credence to those that are established and therefore more trustworthy.
To understand how to get the best out of a search engine it a good idea to have a basic understanding of how they work. Search engines gather their information using software that sends out what are called ‘robots’ or ‘spiders’ which read the text on every page of every web page they can find, following links from one website to another. The data is then stored by the search engine company.
The exact methods (the algorithms) that search engines use to process all this data are complicated and kept very secret, due to the fierce competition between them, and they are constantly evolving to provide a more refined service. In essence though they will rank web pages for any given terms based upon whether the text content on those pages includes those (and related) words as well as the number and relevance of the other websites which link to the original web page. Factors such as the age of a website and how many people use it (i.e., traffic) are also taken into account to determine how established and reliable the site is.
Each search engine will present you with one obvious search box for you to type your search query, accompanied by a search button. To perform a basic search you simply need to enter the key words that are relevant to your query and click the search button. For example, if you are looking for a dog sitting service in the Salisbury area then type dog sitters salisbury. The results, the pages which the search engine thinks are relevant to your query will appear as a list of links on the page, each with a brief description. Clicking on the link will take you through to that page.
There is no need to present the words as a literal question like Where can I find dog sitters in Salisbury? because the search engine may return results that have the extra words in - you don’t necessarily want a page that asks the same question as you but one that might answer it after all. Some of this extra words are so common that they will not help your search to be more specific anyway. Punctuation is also ignored unless it is a special character which changes the nature of your search - see below.
In addition the words you are searching for do not necessarily have to appear next to each other or in the same sequence on a web page for that page to appear in the search results. However if you do only want to see the pages that contain an exact phrase then you can contain your words in quotation marks. For example, if you are trying to find the website for a business called Salisbury Dog Sitters then you can refine your search results more effectively by searching for “Salisbury Dog Sitters“. Moreover, if you want to web pages that don’t include particular words you can use a hyphen immediately in front of the word. Following the earlier example through, if you want to rule out search results that are appearing for pages that mention dog sitters in Salisbury, Maryland so that you can focus on results from Salisbury, Wiltshire you could search for dog sitters salisbury -maryland.
You can add more words to be more specific in your query such as dog sitters overnight salisbury but be careful not to over-complicate your search and use too many words. Whilst increasing the specificity of your search it can also rule out some results which may be relevant to your query but don’t necessarily contain every single word you’ve used, especially if some of your words weren’t essential for your query. The trick is to be only as specific as you need be and at the same time, target your words carefully. The words you do use need to be as descriptive, unambiguous and as relevant as possible.
Most search engines will offer the ability to perform advanced searches where you can usually specify other criteria for your search results which will help you to be more targeted in your searches. Useful options here can include a time period (to find web pages published within a certain time frame) the language of websites, a filter for more adult content and a geographical focus for your results (usually by country).
Moreover, most search engines also provide you with the ability to search for particular types of online content such as images, news, videos and shopping results using variations of their main search page. Look out for a link to these alternative search pages on the search engine’s main menu and you can ensure that you are only accessing the type of online content you want. The display of the results on these pages will often be more suited to your needs as well. An image search for example will display the results as images so that you don’t need to click on each link to see the image you’re looking for.
Search engines really are the principle gateway to world wide web and it is no coincidence that an estimated 80% of people accessing the web do so through a search engine. Learning how to get the most out of search engines is a key step in learning how to use the internet. Once you’re familiar with how they can be used you may find that the web is far more accessible than you had thought.
When looking for information or a service online there may be hundreds, thousands or even millions of websites out there on the web that are relevant (to a greater or lesser extent) to your query. However without using a search engine you would either have to be told about them specifically or hunt them down yourself by linking from one website to another, until you hopefully find a few that are relevant enough. Even then it can be difficult to gauge how trusted or reliable they are.
This is the job that search engines such as Google, Bing and Yahoo perform for you. There are billions if not trillions of web pages on the web and the number is always growing. Search engines are designed to quickly find you those few that are the most relevant to your query and give more credence to those that are established and therefore more trustworthy.
To understand how to get the best out of a search engine it a good idea to have a basic understanding of how they work. Search engines gather their information using software that sends out what are called ‘robots’ or ‘spiders’ which read the text on every page of every web page they can find, following links from one website to another. The data is then stored by the search engine company.
The exact methods (the algorithms) that search engines use to process all this data are complicated and kept very secret, due to the fierce competition between them, and they are constantly evolving to provide a more refined service. In essence though they will rank web pages for any given terms based upon whether the text content on those pages includes those (and related) words as well as the number and relevance of the other websites which link to the original web page. Factors such as the age of a website and how many people use it (i.e., traffic) are also taken into account to determine how established and reliable the site is.
Each search engine will present you with one obvious search box for you to type your search query, accompanied by a search button. To perform a basic search you simply need to enter the key words that are relevant to your query and click the search button. For example, if you are looking for a dog sitting service in the Salisbury area then type dog sitters salisbury. The results, the pages which the search engine thinks are relevant to your query will appear as a list of links on the page, each with a brief description. Clicking on the link will take you through to that page.
There is no need to present the words as a literal question like Where can I find dog sitters in Salisbury? because the search engine may return results that have the extra words in - you don’t necessarily want a page that asks the same question as you but one that might answer it after all. Some of this extra words are so common that they will not help your search to be more specific anyway. Punctuation is also ignored unless it is a special character which changes the nature of your search - see below.
In addition the words you are searching for do not necessarily have to appear next to each other or in the same sequence on a web page for that page to appear in the search results. However if you do only want to see the pages that contain an exact phrase then you can contain your words in quotation marks. For example, if you are trying to find the website for a business called Salisbury Dog Sitters then you can refine your search results more effectively by searching for “Salisbury Dog Sitters“. Moreover, if you want to web pages that don’t include particular words you can use a hyphen immediately in front of the word. Following the earlier example through, if you want to rule out search results that are appearing for pages that mention dog sitters in Salisbury, Maryland so that you can focus on results from Salisbury, Wiltshire you could search for dog sitters salisbury -maryland.
You can add more words to be more specific in your query such as dog sitters overnight salisbury but be careful not to over-complicate your search and use too many words. Whilst increasing the specificity of your search it can also rule out some results which may be relevant to your query but don’t necessarily contain every single word you’ve used, especially if some of your words weren’t essential for your query. The trick is to be only as specific as you need be and at the same time, target your words carefully. The words you do use need to be as descriptive, unambiguous and as relevant as possible.
Most search engines will offer the ability to perform advanced searches where you can usually specify other criteria for your search results which will help you to be more targeted in your searches. Useful options here can include a time period (to find web pages published within a certain time frame) the language of websites, a filter for more adult content and a geographical focus for your results (usually by country).
Moreover, most search engines also provide you with the ability to search for particular types of online content such as images, news, videos and shopping results using variations of their main search page. Look out for a link to these alternative search pages on the search engine’s main menu and you can ensure that you are only accessing the type of online content you want. The display of the results on these pages will often be more suited to your needs as well. An image search for example will display the results as images so that you don’t need to click on each link to see the image you’re looking for.
Search engines really are the principle gateway to world wide web and it is no coincidence that an estimated 80% of people accessing the web do so through a search engine. Learning how to get the most out of search engines is a key step in learning how to use the internet. Once you’re familiar with how they can be used you may find that the web is far more accessible than you had thought.
Managed Hosting Services
As businesses put more and more emphasis on the online side of their operations for marketing and as a point of sales the performance of their websites becomes more integral to their success as a whole. Therefore, many businesses are now opting to place the management of their website infrastructure into more trusted hands and are opting for managed hosting.
In summary a managed hosting service is one that provides businesses with a complete package of a dedicated server to host their website, software, the set up and the ongoing maintenance of their server. Therefore, allowing the business to completely outsource their hosting requirements.
At the heart of the managed service package is the dedicated server. With a dedicated server, the client uses (most often rents) an entire distinct server within a data centre on which to host their website. This server is not physically shared by any other website or client and therefore will not suffer from performance issues that result from sharing, such as, load handling, malware or physical damage during the maintenance of the sharing website’s hosting.
A managed hosting service will also benefit from server colocation whereby the server is physically housed away from the businesses own premises and within a purpose built data centre. These data centres are usually located on the internet backbone (offering high degrees of connectivity) and have advanced systems in place to preserve the performance and up-time of the server, such as fire protection systems, security and back up servers/cables/power.
In practice managed hosting can incorporate a variety of different services offered by the hosting provider that distinguish it as being proactively managed, such as, advanced levels of server configuration (which the business itself may not be capable of achieving), software/operating system updates, malware protection/scans, performance monitoring and assistance in the deployment stages. What’s more providers will often include a certain level of client support access as part of their service - sometimes even 24 hour telephone support.
Managed hosting in particular gives businesses the flexibility to respond to changing business needs. For example, in a scenario where a website is likely to receive abnormally high levels of traffic at short notice the managed hosting provider will be able to offer bespoke solutions that may have proved too costly or technically out of the reach of a business managing their own hosting.
The key advantage of managed hosting that underpins all of the aforementioned benefits of a data centre location, the use of a dedicated rather than shared server, and the server management, is that the client business will gain from the expertise of the hosting provider in providing a bespoke and high performance hosting solution. Some businesses will be able to run a self-managed server but it can be difficult and costly to match this level of expertise in-house, without the economies of scale that a managed hosting provider utilises.
As managed hosting can offer the complete gamut of hosting services, providing the client with a fully outsourced, flexible and robust hosting platform, they do tend to come at a higher cost than simple colocation for example. However, for businesses looking to focus their expertise and resources on their own propositions whilst benefiting from a high degree of online reliability and performance, managed hosting really is the ideal solution.
In summary a managed hosting service is one that provides businesses with a complete package of a dedicated server to host their website, software, the set up and the ongoing maintenance of their server. Therefore, allowing the business to completely outsource their hosting requirements.
At the heart of the managed service package is the dedicated server. With a dedicated server, the client uses (most often rents) an entire distinct server within a data centre on which to host their website. This server is not physically shared by any other website or client and therefore will not suffer from performance issues that result from sharing, such as, load handling, malware or physical damage during the maintenance of the sharing website’s hosting.
A managed hosting service will also benefit from server colocation whereby the server is physically housed away from the businesses own premises and within a purpose built data centre. These data centres are usually located on the internet backbone (offering high degrees of connectivity) and have advanced systems in place to preserve the performance and up-time of the server, such as fire protection systems, security and back up servers/cables/power.
In practice managed hosting can incorporate a variety of different services offered by the hosting provider that distinguish it as being proactively managed, such as, advanced levels of server configuration (which the business itself may not be capable of achieving), software/operating system updates, malware protection/scans, performance monitoring and assistance in the deployment stages. What’s more providers will often include a certain level of client support access as part of their service - sometimes even 24 hour telephone support.
Managed hosting in particular gives businesses the flexibility to respond to changing business needs. For example, in a scenario where a website is likely to receive abnormally high levels of traffic at short notice the managed hosting provider will be able to offer bespoke solutions that may have proved too costly or technically out of the reach of a business managing their own hosting.
The key advantage of managed hosting that underpins all of the aforementioned benefits of a data centre location, the use of a dedicated rather than shared server, and the server management, is that the client business will gain from the expertise of the hosting provider in providing a bespoke and high performance hosting solution. Some businesses will be able to run a self-managed server but it can be difficult and costly to match this level of expertise in-house, without the economies of scale that a managed hosting provider utilises.
As managed hosting can offer the complete gamut of hosting services, providing the client with a fully outsourced, flexible and robust hosting platform, they do tend to come at a higher cost than simple colocation for example. However, for businesses looking to focus their expertise and resources on their own propositions whilst benefiting from a high degree of online reliability and performance, managed hosting really is the ideal solution.
The Different Styles Of Shutters
Shutters can provide the ideal solution to compliment your window space, whether you are looking for ultimate privacy, noise insulation or the ability to have real control over the levels of light entering your room. There is probably a greater range of shutters than you think, from popular solutions, such as shutters that cover the full height of the window, to Café Style shutters to give the balance between light and privacy. They can also come in variety of woods and colours to suit the aesthetic that you are after.
The most versatile style of interior shutters, and therefore the most popular, is the Full Height Shutter. As the name suggests these shutters are designed to cover the full height of the window space and usually come with a mid rail. Their flexibility, however, derives from the ability to control the louvres and individual sections of the panels to tailor the flow of light, and privacy levels, to suit your needs. As a result they are also ideal for use on Velux windows, particularly when used in conjunction with a remote control to open and close the louvres.
If you are looking for more of a balance between the amount of light entering the room and privacy, the Café Style Shutter may be more appropriate than a Full Height shutter. This style employs a shutter on only the lower half of the window to keep prying eyes out whilst keeping the top half free to allow sunlight in. This style is therefore perfect for windows in town houses, particularly those at ground level.
For the greatest degree of control over the balance between light and privacy, Tier on Tier shutters are designed with separate panels on the top and bottom half of your window space which can be operated independently. However to achieve the highest levels of noise, light and privacy insulation the best solution is Solid shutters. These traditionally styled shutters also provide the highest levels of security and can be purchased to cover either the full height of your window space or individual panels.
Moreover, you can find a diverse range of louvred shutters in special shapes that you may not have previously considered, but which may be ideal for your unique requirements. Whatever your window space, whether an attic window, an arched window, a porthole window or even a cupboard under the stairs, there can be a bespoke shutter solution made to fit.
The aesthetic and durability of your shutter can be further tailored to suit your needs by selecting the appropriate material. Shutters come in a number of different woods including Basswood, Premium Hardwood, Larchwood, Craftwood (MDF) and Cedarwood. You may prefer the clean finish of Basswood, distinctive grain pattern of Larchwood or even the unique fragrance of the Cedarwood.
A shutter really does give you that combination of style and control. Interior shutters offer a stylish way to dress your window space, whether you’re viewing them from the inside or out. They offer unparalleled control over light, noise and privacy whilst their versatility and ability to fulfil a bespoke solution means that they are a real alternative to curtains and blinds.
The most versatile style of interior shutters, and therefore the most popular, is the Full Height Shutter. As the name suggests these shutters are designed to cover the full height of the window space and usually come with a mid rail. Their flexibility, however, derives from the ability to control the louvres and individual sections of the panels to tailor the flow of light, and privacy levels, to suit your needs. As a result they are also ideal for use on Velux windows, particularly when used in conjunction with a remote control to open and close the louvres.
If you are looking for more of a balance between the amount of light entering the room and privacy, the Café Style Shutter may be more appropriate than a Full Height shutter. This style employs a shutter on only the lower half of the window to keep prying eyes out whilst keeping the top half free to allow sunlight in. This style is therefore perfect for windows in town houses, particularly those at ground level.
For the greatest degree of control over the balance between light and privacy, Tier on Tier shutters are designed with separate panels on the top and bottom half of your window space which can be operated independently. However to achieve the highest levels of noise, light and privacy insulation the best solution is Solid shutters. These traditionally styled shutters also provide the highest levels of security and can be purchased to cover either the full height of your window space or individual panels.
Moreover, you can find a diverse range of louvred shutters in special shapes that you may not have previously considered, but which may be ideal for your unique requirements. Whatever your window space, whether an attic window, an arched window, a porthole window or even a cupboard under the stairs, there can be a bespoke shutter solution made to fit.
The aesthetic and durability of your shutter can be further tailored to suit your needs by selecting the appropriate material. Shutters come in a number of different woods including Basswood, Premium Hardwood, Larchwood, Craftwood (MDF) and Cedarwood. You may prefer the clean finish of Basswood, distinctive grain pattern of Larchwood or even the unique fragrance of the Cedarwood.
A shutter really does give you that combination of style and control. Interior shutters offer a stylish way to dress your window space, whether you’re viewing them from the inside or out. They offer unparalleled control over light, noise and privacy whilst their versatility and ability to fulfil a bespoke solution means that they are a real alternative to curtains and blinds.
Friday 17 June 2011
Tourist Attractions in Kuwait
Kuwait is a modern nation with a rich history. Situated on the Arabian Peninsula between Saudi Arabia and Iraq with its coast on the Persian gulf, it has a culture influenced by the peoples of the Arabian uplands, Mesopotamia, ancient Greece and traders along the spice trail. The modern day Kuwait is an oil rich urbanised emirate. Based around the capital of Kuwait City, it has boomed since the discovery of the natural resource in the 1930s. With a cosmopolitan mixture of old and new, Kuwait might be the destination that you’ve been seeking, for that unique holiday experience or even to settle down. There is certainly plenty to see and do.
Owing to its extensive gulf coastline, Kuwait offers many activities on or around the water. Pearl Diving was formerly a crucial industry in the state before the discovery of oil. Most diving now occurs during pearl diving festivals in which the Kuwaitis re-enact their traditional diving methods before rounding off the festival with song and dance. If you want to get below the water yourself, Kuwait’s reefs and islands offers plenty of opportunities to scuba dive and experience the underwater marine life first hand.
However, if you’d rather stay above the water, the gulf seas off the coast of Kuwait also offer the ideal conditions for yachting, with calm waters and gentle breezes. For those visiting, the Yacht Club in Salmiya offers plentiful mooring. Alternatively, you can take boat trips to experience the tranquillity of the emirate’s handful of islands and find a quiet spot for a quick swim. These trips may also offer the chance to squeeze in some fishing which can’t be missed. The waters around Kuwait contain an incredibly diverse fish stock ranging from shark and stingray to tuna. If you’re planning an activity in a small group you may even prefer to hire your own boat and get complete control over your excursion.
For those seeking a more high action activity then there are plenty of other opportunities for fun on the water including water skiing, jet skiing and windsurfing (although you may have to purchase your own equipment). Otherwise, why not relax on one of Kuwait’s many stunning beaches, perhaps Messilah Beach, Oqialah Beach or the Seafront at Al-Shaab.
Kuwait City is a great location to while away your hours shopping whether you are after leading international clothing brands or fresh fish. The Avenues shopping mall in Kuwait City is the state’s largest and if you crave some serious shopping you can easily spend a day or two in its international stores with plenty of restaurants and cinemas to keep you fed and entertained in between. For a different shopping experience, take a cool stroll through the promenades of Souk Sharq and its neighbouring fish market on the waterfront in Safat. The traditional architecture creates a unique backdrop as you shop at many of your favourite outlets. Once you’re ready for a pit stop, it is the perfect place enjoy lunch overlooking the water at one of its many cafes and restaurants, perhaps sampling Kuwait’s traditional seafood and spice infused dishes. The main attraction of Souk Sharq, however, must be its rare example of a functioning water clock – not to be missed.
To gain a better understanding of Kuwait’s heritage and culture, your primary destination should be Kuwait’s National Museum. Entrance is free and it is by far the best place to learn about the history of Kuwait and its peoples, giving insights into topics such as pearl diving and the spice trade. Particular highlights include the rich archaeological discoveries on the island of Failaka (once settled by ancient Greeks), the extensive collections of Islamic art and its planetarium.
The Scientific Center, on the other hand, combines the largest aquarium in the Middle East, a facility for children to experiment with science themselves and an IMAX theatre showing educational films. The aquarium houses a diverse range of marine fauna from sharks to otters, to penguins. Watch the shark feeding in the evening or get closer to some of the indigenous Gulf sea life. In addition, you can visit the Kuwait Zoo in Omarrya to see a variety of animals, great and small.
Due to its changing economic fortunes, Kuwait is home to mixture of old and new Islamic architecture. One site which must be on any visitor’s is Kuwait’s largest mosque, the Grand Mosque. The building is covered with beautiful decorations and can be visited by all faiths (as long as you adhere to the dress code). However, if you are looking for views then why not head to the iconic Kuwait Towers in the Sharq district of Kuwait City. There are three towers which have become a symbol of the nation and its resistance throughout recent conflict. One tower has a rotating observation deck at a height of 123 metres giving you 360 degree views of Kuwait City and beyond. And if that’s not enough, keep an eye out for the 372 metre high Liberation Tower, one of the tallest communications towers in the world.
However, for more action based fun to entertain the children Kuwait has a number amusement parks including the largest, Entertainment City in Al-Doha, with its plethora of rides and arcades set alongside gardens and more serene boating lakes. In addition, children may enjoy the water rides of Messilah Water Village and the Aqua Park (next to the Kuwait Towers), or the ice and roller-skating rinks at Al-Shaab Leisure Park.
With so much to keep you entertained and with Kuwaiti people being so naturally welcoming and hospitable as hosts, Kuwait really is a unique destination whatever the reason for your visit. …And if you are tempted to stay why not have a look at the Kuwait Property Listings.
However, if you’d rather stay above the water, the gulf seas off the coast of Kuwait also offer the ideal conditions for yachting, with calm waters and gentle breezes. For those visiting, the Yacht Club in Salmiya offers plentiful mooring. Alternatively, you can take boat trips to experience the tranquillity of the emirate’s handful of islands and find a quiet spot for a quick swim. These trips may also offer the chance to squeeze in some fishing which can’t be missed. The waters around Kuwait contain an incredibly diverse fish stock ranging from shark and stingray to tuna. If you’re planning an activity in a small group you may even prefer to hire your own boat and get complete control over your excursion.
For those seeking a more high action activity then there are plenty of other opportunities for fun on the water including water skiing, jet skiing and windsurfing (although you may have to purchase your own equipment). Otherwise, why not relax on one of Kuwait’s many stunning beaches, perhaps Messilah Beach, Oqialah Beach or the Seafront at Al-Shaab.
Kuwait City is a great location to while away your hours shopping whether you are after leading international clothing brands or fresh fish. The Avenues shopping mall in Kuwait City is the state’s largest and if you crave some serious shopping you can easily spend a day or two in its international stores with plenty of restaurants and cinemas to keep you fed and entertained in between. For a different shopping experience, take a cool stroll through the promenades of Souk Sharq and its neighbouring fish market on the waterfront in Safat. The traditional architecture creates a unique backdrop as you shop at many of your favourite outlets. Once you’re ready for a pit stop, it is the perfect place enjoy lunch overlooking the water at one of its many cafes and restaurants, perhaps sampling Kuwait’s traditional seafood and spice infused dishes. The main attraction of Souk Sharq, however, must be its rare example of a functioning water clock – not to be missed.
To gain a better understanding of Kuwait’s heritage and culture, your primary destination should be Kuwait’s National Museum. Entrance is free and it is by far the best place to learn about the history of Kuwait and its peoples, giving insights into topics such as pearl diving and the spice trade. Particular highlights include the rich archaeological discoveries on the island of Failaka (once settled by ancient Greeks), the extensive collections of Islamic art and its planetarium.
The Scientific Center, on the other hand, combines the largest aquarium in the Middle East, a facility for children to experiment with science themselves and an IMAX theatre showing educational films. The aquarium houses a diverse range of marine fauna from sharks to otters, to penguins. Watch the shark feeding in the evening or get closer to some of the indigenous Gulf sea life. In addition, you can visit the Kuwait Zoo in Omarrya to see a variety of animals, great and small.
Due to its changing economic fortunes, Kuwait is home to mixture of old and new Islamic architecture. One site which must be on any visitor’s is Kuwait’s largest mosque, the Grand Mosque. The building is covered with beautiful decorations and can be visited by all faiths (as long as you adhere to the dress code). However, if you are looking for views then why not head to the iconic Kuwait Towers in the Sharq district of Kuwait City. There are three towers which have become a symbol of the nation and its resistance throughout recent conflict. One tower has a rotating observation deck at a height of 123 metres giving you 360 degree views of Kuwait City and beyond. And if that’s not enough, keep an eye out for the 372 metre high Liberation Tower, one of the tallest communications towers in the world.
However, for more action based fun to entertain the children Kuwait has a number amusement parks including the largest, Entertainment City in Al-Doha, with its plethora of rides and arcades set alongside gardens and more serene boating lakes. In addition, children may enjoy the water rides of Messilah Water Village and the Aqua Park (next to the Kuwait Towers), or the ice and roller-skating rinks at Al-Shaab Leisure Park.
With so much to keep you entertained and with Kuwaiti people being so naturally welcoming and hospitable as hosts, Kuwait really is a unique destination whatever the reason for your visit. …And if you are tempted to stay why not have a look at the Kuwait Property Listings.
Wednesday 6 April 2011
Why Save for Your Child’s Future?
The demise of the child trust fund set up by Labour in 2005 and the prospect of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition’s new Junior ISA in the autumn of 2011 means that for many they will be re-assessing whether and how they will be saving for their child's future. As the cost of living seems set to continue its upward path, it is therefore worth taking a look at the benefits that still exist for putting money aside for children.
There are significant tax breaks to be gained when saving on behalf of your children, although as with all such schemes there are some limits and restrictions to be aware of.
Savings accounts for children are exempt from any tax on the interest that accumulates on deposits as long as the child in question does not have a total income exceeding £6,475 for the current tax year (as with adults). However, if the money which is donated by an individual parent or step parent earns more than £100 interest in a tax year then the interest will be taxed as normal. This limit applies per parent though, so in a family with both parents present, the combined possible limit is £200 and there is even the potential for the limit to be as high as £400 if two step parents are involved. What’s more, the limit does not apply to grandparents and other adults that wish to contribute to a child’s savings plan. Therefore, these restrictions should not prevent parents and guardians from accumulating a healthy nest egg for their children which also benefits from the tax exemptions.
In addition, it is worth bearing in mind that any money placed into a child’s savings account will avoid being taxed inheritance tax providing the donor does not die within seven years of making the donation.
Whilst the Child Trust Fund (CTF) is being phased out by the coalition government, it is still a valid savings solution for many parents and their children. All children born between September 1st 2002 and January 2nd 2011 were eligible to start a child trust fund if they were paid any child benefit before January 3rd 2011. For those who have already opened an account, payments can still be made into it until the child turns 18. The trust benefits from a starting contribution from the government of at least £250 (except children who first received child benefits after August 2nd 2010 who will receive £50 only) with the possibility of further contributions for children in low income families. All income and gains from the CTF will be tax free although the contributions made by parents (or any other donors) must not exceed £1,200 in the tax year. The funds are held in trust for the child and although they can take over the management of the fund when they turn 16, they cannot withdraw funds until they turn 18 years of age. At which point they will also be able to transfer the funds to an ISA to protect the tax exempt status.
The coalitions government’s replacement to the CTF is the Junior ISA which is due to launch in the Autumn. The Junior ISA will not receive the government contributions that the CTFs benefited from however it will allow parents to save on behalf of their children and take advantage of the tax exemptions and investment choices that adults can currently benefit from with conventional Cash ISAs and Stocks and Shares ISAs.
There are a few other savings solutions for children which should be mentioned including the National Savings and Investments’ (NS&I) Child Bonus Bonds and Index-Linked Savings Certificates. These plans also benefit from tax exemptions but differ in the terms for which they run and how the income is generated.
Having outlined the available options for Child Savings and their advantages, time should also be spent considering why it is beneficial to save for your child’s future.
The recent fracas that has surrounded the coalition government's revamp of the tuition fee structure has brought the issue sharply into focus for many parents who must now be wondering how they will give their children the best possible foundation to make the most out of their higher education and deal with the financial consequences when they come out of the other side. One thing that seems certain is that tuition fees are here to stay in some shape or form as all three major political parties in England at least have backed a incarnation of the fees.
For many of course, University may not be may not be the primary consideration. It could also be argued that, even if it is, should the policies surrounding tuition fees remain as they are today, the nest egg you save for your child would in fact be best used to lay the foundation for their post university lives. Therefore attention turns to equipping your children for their professional adult lives.
The current climate means that it is harder than ever for first time buyers to get onto the property market. The days of easily obtained 100% mortgages have gone and financial institutions (and the public) may be wary of them being re-introduced due to the troubles of the credit crunch and subsequent recession. The focus has really come back onto having a substantial deposit. Whilst prices have come back down to some extent they have not fallen drastically and will no doubt creep back up the stronger the economy gets. Arguably the difficulty for first time buyers to get onto the market only seems likely to increase. Meanwhile, with oil prices rising, and consequently the cost travel, food etc, there are plenty of reasons to give your children the best head start possible whn the time comes.
Having painted a slightly gloomy picture of the prospects for our future generations you may wonder whether you can accumulate an amount which will really make a difference, especially at a time when budgets are already being squeezed by the cost of living. It is worth emphasising therefore that a little amount can go a long way. The earlier you start Saving for Children the greater the potential for growth that those savings have. What’s more, any amount will start your child’s adult life on a positive footing rather than encouraging them to begin in debt.
Savings accounts for children are exempt from any tax on the interest that accumulates on deposits as long as the child in question does not have a total income exceeding £6,475 for the current tax year (as with adults). However, if the money which is donated by an individual parent or step parent earns more than £100 interest in a tax year then the interest will be taxed as normal. This limit applies per parent though, so in a family with both parents present, the combined possible limit is £200 and there is even the potential for the limit to be as high as £400 if two step parents are involved. What’s more, the limit does not apply to grandparents and other adults that wish to contribute to a child’s savings plan. Therefore, these restrictions should not prevent parents and guardians from accumulating a healthy nest egg for their children which also benefits from the tax exemptions.
In addition, it is worth bearing in mind that any money placed into a child’s savings account will avoid being taxed inheritance tax providing the donor does not die within seven years of making the donation.
Whilst the Child Trust Fund (CTF) is being phased out by the coalition government, it is still a valid savings solution for many parents and their children. All children born between September 1st 2002 and January 2nd 2011 were eligible to start a child trust fund if they were paid any child benefit before January 3rd 2011. For those who have already opened an account, payments can still be made into it until the child turns 18. The trust benefits from a starting contribution from the government of at least £250 (except children who first received child benefits after August 2nd 2010 who will receive £50 only) with the possibility of further contributions for children in low income families. All income and gains from the CTF will be tax free although the contributions made by parents (or any other donors) must not exceed £1,200 in the tax year. The funds are held in trust for the child and although they can take over the management of the fund when they turn 16, they cannot withdraw funds until they turn 18 years of age. At which point they will also be able to transfer the funds to an ISA to protect the tax exempt status.
The coalitions government’s replacement to the CTF is the Junior ISA which is due to launch in the Autumn. The Junior ISA will not receive the government contributions that the CTFs benefited from however it will allow parents to save on behalf of their children and take advantage of the tax exemptions and investment choices that adults can currently benefit from with conventional Cash ISAs and Stocks and Shares ISAs.
There are a few other savings solutions for children which should be mentioned including the National Savings and Investments’ (NS&I) Child Bonus Bonds and Index-Linked Savings Certificates. These plans also benefit from tax exemptions but differ in the terms for which they run and how the income is generated.
Having outlined the available options for Child Savings and their advantages, time should also be spent considering why it is beneficial to save for your child’s future.
The recent fracas that has surrounded the coalition government's revamp of the tuition fee structure has brought the issue sharply into focus for many parents who must now be wondering how they will give their children the best possible foundation to make the most out of their higher education and deal with the financial consequences when they come out of the other side. One thing that seems certain is that tuition fees are here to stay in some shape or form as all three major political parties in England at least have backed a incarnation of the fees.
For many of course, University may not be may not be the primary consideration. It could also be argued that, even if it is, should the policies surrounding tuition fees remain as they are today, the nest egg you save for your child would in fact be best used to lay the foundation for their post university lives. Therefore attention turns to equipping your children for their professional adult lives.
The current climate means that it is harder than ever for first time buyers to get onto the property market. The days of easily obtained 100% mortgages have gone and financial institutions (and the public) may be wary of them being re-introduced due to the troubles of the credit crunch and subsequent recession. The focus has really come back onto having a substantial deposit. Whilst prices have come back down to some extent they have not fallen drastically and will no doubt creep back up the stronger the economy gets. Arguably the difficulty for first time buyers to get onto the market only seems likely to increase. Meanwhile, with oil prices rising, and consequently the cost travel, food etc, there are plenty of reasons to give your children the best head start possible whn the time comes.
Having painted a slightly gloomy picture of the prospects for our future generations you may wonder whether you can accumulate an amount which will really make a difference, especially at a time when budgets are already being squeezed by the cost of living. It is worth emphasising therefore that a little amount can go a long way. The earlier you start Saving for Children the greater the potential for growth that those savings have. What’s more, any amount will start your child’s adult life on a positive footing rather than encouraging them to begin in debt.
A History of Wimbledon Tennis
Wimbledon is known the world over as the home of the Wimbledon tennis championships, the oldest tennis championships in the world and arguably the most prestigious of the four grand slam tournaments. The only grand slam tournament to be played on grass, it has become synonymous with ideals of British sporting gentility, long summer days, strawberries and cream, and the occasional downpour. But how did it all begin…
Wimbledon is now the spiritual home of British tennis, hosting the country’s flagship tournament. The tennis club itself, which hosts the Wimbledon Championships. is situated in Aorangi Park on Church Road Wimbledon in the borough of Merton, South West London and is often referred to as The All England Club however, its full title is The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club alluding to its origins in the 19th century.
The Club was founded in 1868 on Worple Road, Wimbledon as a private member’s croquet club. The All England Croquet Club, however was quick to add the burgeoning game of sphairistikè, or lawn tennis as it became known, to its activities in 1875, only one year after being invented by Major Walter Clopton Wingfield, and in 1877 officially became known as The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. In fact, in 1882 the club briefly changed its name again to The All England Lawn Tennis Club in response to the dominance of the sport in its activities but the mention of croquet was reinstated just six years later to reflect the club’s origins.
As a pioneer of the new sport the club took on the codifying of the game’s laws from the Marylebone Cricket Club (to this day the guardians of the laws of cricket) for it’s first ever tournament in the same year, 1877. The gentleman’s tournament of 22 players was won by Spencer Gore in what was also to be the first of many rain delayed finals.
During the early years of the tournament in the late 19th and early 20th century, the championships grew steadily with ladies singles and gentleman doubles being added in 1884, whilst the ladies and mixed doubles were added in 1913. This period saw home grown players dominating the winners’ rostrums. Greats such as William Renshaw and the Doherty brothers (Reggie & Laurie) swept all before them and set records which still stand to this day. Indeed, no foreign competitor won the tournament until the American, May Sutton Bundy won the ladies singles in 1905. However, with the advent of professionalism in the game, particularly the beginning of the Open era in 1968, foreign stars began to dominate and, as any British tennis fan can tell you, no home grown player has won the gentleman’s tournament since Fred Perry won the last of his three successive titles in 1936.
Tournaments at the club took a hiatus during each of the world wars but in 1922 the club moved to its current premises in Wimbledon and both the club and the Wimbledon Championships, continued to grow. The championships were televised for the first time in 1937 bringing the Wimbledon spectacle to a wider audience than ever. The site itself expanded significantly with new courts in 1980 and in 1997 The All England Club unveiled a new No. 1 court greatly boosting the tournament’s capacity to keep up with its popularity. 2009 even saw the introduction of a retractable roof on the Centre Court to keep out the perennial Wimbledon rain.
The Open era has seen only two British successes at Wimbledon in the singles with Ann Haydon Jones overcoming Billie Jean King in 1969 and Virginia Wade overcoming the odds to win in front of the Queen in her silver jubilee year in 1977 – the last British success. Despite the recent dearth of home grown winners the tournament has thrown up some of the most memorable moments in world tennis; greats such as Roger Federer, Pete Sampras and Martina Navrátilová gracing the hollowed turf and setting many records for the modern era. 2000 saw Pete Sampras winning the last of his 7 titles to break the total grand slam record of 13, whilst Roger Federer has since equalled Björn Borg’s record of 5 Wimbledons in row between 2003 and 2007 to contribute to his new record of 16 grand slam titles.
The next two years will be some of the most celebrated in recent history for the All England Club and the Wimbledon Championships. 2011 will usher in the 125th anniversary of the first tennis tournament, in 1877, and 2012 will see the club have the honour of providing a unique setting for the tennis tournaments in the London Olympics.
Having an institution with such a rich and vibrant heritage on your doorstep, particularly bearing in mind the exciting developments on the horizon, the Wimbledon area of London has never been so desirable so now may be the time to start hunting down your perfect Wimbledon Flats.
Wimbledon is now the spiritual home of British tennis, hosting the country’s flagship tournament. The tennis club itself, which hosts the Wimbledon Championships. is situated in Aorangi Park on Church Road Wimbledon in the borough of Merton, South West London and is often referred to as The All England Club however, its full title is The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club alluding to its origins in the 19th century.
The Club was founded in 1868 on Worple Road, Wimbledon as a private member’s croquet club. The All England Croquet Club, however was quick to add the burgeoning game of sphairistikè, or lawn tennis as it became known, to its activities in 1875, only one year after being invented by Major Walter Clopton Wingfield, and in 1877 officially became known as The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. In fact, in 1882 the club briefly changed its name again to The All England Lawn Tennis Club in response to the dominance of the sport in its activities but the mention of croquet was reinstated just six years later to reflect the club’s origins.
As a pioneer of the new sport the club took on the codifying of the game’s laws from the Marylebone Cricket Club (to this day the guardians of the laws of cricket) for it’s first ever tournament in the same year, 1877. The gentleman’s tournament of 22 players was won by Spencer Gore in what was also to be the first of many rain delayed finals.
During the early years of the tournament in the late 19th and early 20th century, the championships grew steadily with ladies singles and gentleman doubles being added in 1884, whilst the ladies and mixed doubles were added in 1913. This period saw home grown players dominating the winners’ rostrums. Greats such as William Renshaw and the Doherty brothers (Reggie & Laurie) swept all before them and set records which still stand to this day. Indeed, no foreign competitor won the tournament until the American, May Sutton Bundy won the ladies singles in 1905. However, with the advent of professionalism in the game, particularly the beginning of the Open era in 1968, foreign stars began to dominate and, as any British tennis fan can tell you, no home grown player has won the gentleman’s tournament since Fred Perry won the last of his three successive titles in 1936.
Tournaments at the club took a hiatus during each of the world wars but in 1922 the club moved to its current premises in Wimbledon and both the club and the Wimbledon Championships, continued to grow. The championships were televised for the first time in 1937 bringing the Wimbledon spectacle to a wider audience than ever. The site itself expanded significantly with new courts in 1980 and in 1997 The All England Club unveiled a new No. 1 court greatly boosting the tournament’s capacity to keep up with its popularity. 2009 even saw the introduction of a retractable roof on the Centre Court to keep out the perennial Wimbledon rain.
The Open era has seen only two British successes at Wimbledon in the singles with Ann Haydon Jones overcoming Billie Jean King in 1969 and Virginia Wade overcoming the odds to win in front of the Queen in her silver jubilee year in 1977 – the last British success. Despite the recent dearth of home grown winners the tournament has thrown up some of the most memorable moments in world tennis; greats such as Roger Federer, Pete Sampras and Martina Navrátilová gracing the hollowed turf and setting many records for the modern era. 2000 saw Pete Sampras winning the last of his 7 titles to break the total grand slam record of 13, whilst Roger Federer has since equalled Björn Borg’s record of 5 Wimbledons in row between 2003 and 2007 to contribute to his new record of 16 grand slam titles.
The next two years will be some of the most celebrated in recent history for the All England Club and the Wimbledon Championships. 2011 will usher in the 125th anniversary of the first tennis tournament, in 1877, and 2012 will see the club have the honour of providing a unique setting for the tennis tournaments in the London Olympics.
Having an institution with such a rich and vibrant heritage on your doorstep, particularly bearing in mind the exciting developments on the horizon, the Wimbledon area of London has never been so desirable so now may be the time to start hunting down your perfect Wimbledon Flats.
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