Results from a recent survey undertaken by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) shows that business confidence among professionals rose significantly from March to June of this year.  The confidence monitor increased from minus 28.2 to 4.8 over a quarterly period. This indicates that the UK economy is improving and that the recession may be coming to an end or may in fact already be over although still in a fragile state.

Due to this optimism within the business community, the ICAEW also predicts that the UK economy will grow by 0.5% this quarter. Many businesses surveyed are predicting increases in turnover and profit in the near future.

The Panama Canal, one of the world’s greatest engineering achievements and a key channel for international shipping, is due to be widened to increase its capacity and to advance trade in the region. 

The Canal Expansion Project is said to be one of the biggest infrastructure developments in the world and one of the greatest advances in international trade for many years. The venture will allow construction of a new set of locks in order to create a new lane of traffic alongside the current Panama Canal. This will increase tonnage capacity and allow longer, wider ships to travel through.  The project will also include new water-saving basins which will recycle the water used to fill the locks.

The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) have declared that construction is due to start on the 25^th August 2009.  The project is due for completion in  2014, which is also the centenary year of the opening of the Panama Canal.

In response to concerns over the Student Visa application process, the Australian Department for Immigration and Citizenship released an official statement on the 20^th August 2009 stating that student visa application checks will be strengthened to prevent fraud and to ensure that students are able to support themselves financially throughout their course.  Online visa applications will also be restricted.

Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans said: ‘the message is clear: genuine international students remain welcome in Australia but we will not tolerate fraud in the student visa program’.

Britain is famous for its rain and changeable weather, which is of course what makes our land so green and pleasant.  However, some places are wetter than others so if you are moving overseas to the UK, you may want to consider the local climate before you decide where to live. The BBC website and the Met Office website are both useful resources for researching weather data. 

According to the Met Office, the top ten wettest places in Britain are:

Dalness, Scotland

Seathwaite, Cumbria 

Glenfinnan, Scotland 

Inverarnan, Scotland 

Inveruglas, Scotland 

Capel Curig, Wales

Wythburn,  Cumbria

 Chapel Stile, Cumbria

Tyndrum and Crianlarich, Scotland

Lochgoilhead, Argyll and Bute, Scotland

Due to a dispute over airport fees, Ryan Air has announced that it will reduce the number of flights it currently operates out of Manchester to European destinations.  Manchester Airport is set to lose 44 flights a week from the 1^st October 2009.  Apart from the loss of the cheap air fares, flights to Bremen, Cagliari, Marseilles and Shannon are no longer available from Manchester Airport.  This news will affect people with second homes abroad or people who have close relatives living overseas.  This may also influence people living in the North of England who are thinking about buying a property overseas. 

The move, however, will benefit other regions such as Merseyside as Ryan Air plans to re-instate the lost routes at airports which have lower charges such as Liverpool John Lennon Airport or Leeds-Bradford Airport.

Manchester Airport are also considering finding other airlines to take over Ryan Air’s routes.  Easyjet, BMI Baby and Jet2 are other low cost airlines which are likely to expand their capacity at Manchester Airport in the near future.

According to the latest Legal and General ‘Home Sweet Home Survey’ of Britain, North America is the top location for a dream home outside the UK. In 2006 and 2004, Australia and New Zealand were top of the list but have now fallen to second and third place. 

In a previous ‘Home Sweet Home’ survey, the top choice for a fantasy home in the EU was Italy, followed by France and then Spain.

President Obama has stated that although US immigration policy will not be reviewed until 2010, a draft bill will probably be available at the end of this year.  At a press conference in Mexico, Obama emphasised that Immigration reform is still a priority for his administration, but it will be 2010 before any bills are passed. Obama was clear about the reason for the delay: ‘Am I going to be able to snap my fingers and get this done? No. This is going to be difficult. It’s going to require bipartisan cooperation’. The issue is often the subject of heated debate and the reform plans have many opponents.  A further reason is that the current US political focus is on the economy and healthcare reform.

Obama’s plans for immigration reform would mean that millions of illegal immigrants would be given the chance to legally reside in the US. One of the aims of the reform is to balance the issues of strong border control with an orderly process for people to enter the US.

During his election campaign, Obama promised changes to the US Immigration system. During his campaign, he highlighted the importance of keeping immigrant families together, the need to ‘bring people out of the shadows’, to work with Mexico and to take action against employers who hire undocumented workers.

This latest news illustrates that despite the delay, the Obama administration still appear to be committed to immigration restructure.

If you are struggling to find storage space in your home but can not afford to move, you may be considering various storage solutions.  A recent report by CABE (the Commission for the Architecture and Built Environment) has found that ‘69% of fully occupied households don’t have sufficient storage’ in their homes. Living with space constraints can be stressful for you and your family and can make a property appear untidy and cluttered.

There are various options for expanding living space:

De-cluttering:

Although this won’t actually physically expand your living area, it will give the appearance of more space and is a good start before spending money on storage solutions.

For further advice on de-cluttering, see the news article ‘How to de-clutter your home to prepare for an International Move’, posted in the International Moving Guides section.

Outdoor storage shed:

Building a shed or outdoor building can be a useful solution although it could take up valuable lawn or flower bed land.  It can also be useful if you need to clear your garage, for example, if you have bought a new car and now need to use your garage. Wooden sheds look more attractive and traditional but it may be worth considering a vinyl or metal shed if you require something more low maintenance.  Wooden sheds may need to be regularly treated with wood preservatives or varnished. 

Garage conversion:

You may already use you garage for storage, but are you making the most of the space? A well organised room with built-in cupboards could make your garage become more of a functional space as well as adding value to your home. You will need to check planning and building regulations before undertaking a garage conversion. As well as providing extra storage space, you could also use your garage for a home office, spare bedroom, extra living room, dining room or children’s playroom.

Storage furniture:

A reasonably low cost way to solve storage problems is to invest in furniture specifically designed for saving space in the home such as under bed storage boxes and compact shoe cabinets.  There are many businesses and shops dedicated solely to storage solutions and home storage systems.

Self-storage:

Self-storage can be a good option if you are running out of storage space as you know that your valuable and sentimental belongings are safe and secure but you can still access them whenever needed. Self-storage can also be a good temporary solution whilst building work is being carried out on your property.

John Mason offer secure storage facilities at both Liverpool and London sites. Short and long term storage options are available. Each warehouse is alarmed and has state of the art fire and smoke detection capabilities.  All storage sites have 24/7 monitored security and on-site CCTV operations are supervised and recorded.  Further information can be found on the Storage section of our website (Select ‘Our Services’ from the top menu bar on the homepage and then ‘Storage’).

John Mason is featured in the local history book, ‘Liverpool Memories’, published by True North Publications.  The  six page chapter ‘On the Move’ is dedicated to John Mason and features photographs and a detailed account of the history of the company, from 1884 to the present day.

The BBC Bus, which is used by BBC Radio Merseyside and BBC Radio Manchester, has been using John Mason’s long term parking facilities while it is has been on the road this summer. The John Mason site in Liverpool has been the home for the BBC Bus when it is not travelling or broadcasting. 

Using the bus as a transmission base, BBC Radio Merseyside presenters will be broadcasting live from various locations and festivals taking place around Liverpool.  The bus has a packed schedule for August and will be visiting many areas and events including St Helens, the Albert Dock, Huyton, Hoylake and the Southport Flower Show.  The bus will also give young people a chance to try their hand at broadcasting on the radio.  Further information can be found on the BBC Liverpool section of the BBC website.

The extensive long term parking facilities at John Mason’s Liverpool site are mainly used for caravan storage but are also often used for long term storage of minivans, coaches and other vehicles. The site offers secure storage on hard standing with easy access to the motorway network and 24 hour access. Along with the on site security officer, the site benefits from lighting and CCTV monitoring. For more information on our facilities, visit www.caravanstoragenorthwest.co.uk.