The ex-IYLO, helping to make Croydon a true star attraction

Croydon has not always been seen as a destination in its own right, its close proximity to central London having arguably hindered as much as helped it in this regard. Even today, when many people think of this part of south London, they might merely imagine industrious, utilitarian 1960s office blocks and (admittedly extensive) transport links.

However, Croydon is not merely a functional part of the capital. It is certainly not an area only to be seen within the wider context of the sizzling and ever-active metropolis that is London. Sure, it is certainly an advantageous place to live for those requiring a convenient connection to the rest of the capital. That is thanks to the presence of such well-entrenched transport infrastructure as the East Croydon and West Croydon stations, the London Tramlink light rail system and various well-serviced bus routes.

But Croydon has also long been one of the capital's best-kept secrets - a place where art and culture, fine dining and the very best in recreation and leisure sit side-by-side. This is the home, after all, of arts venues like the Fairfield Halls, with its history of famous faces like the Beatles, Bucks Fizz, Johnny Cash and Tom Jones. In much more recent times has come the opening of the Spread Eagle Theatre, a 50-seat studio theatre that supports emerging artists and theatre companies.

Indeed, Croydon can also boast in-demand restaurants like Preto and Khyber Restaurant on the High Street, fitness and leisure amenities such as LA Fitness and Virgin Active, and bars and clubs like Tiger Tiger and Reflex. In short, Croydon is most definitely the place to be, and the gradual realisation of this is also triggering the gradual gentrification that has already made so many other, previously underappreciated parts of the capital true go-to destinations.

More and more, people are coming to live in Croydon with an expectation of living the high life, which is where the one-time IYLO building, now ISLAND set of apartments, comes in. An elegant structure with a protracted and sometimes troubled construction process thanks to the economic slowdown of the late 2000s and the associated difficulties of obtaining credit, ISLAND is now complete and ready to welcome ambitious newcomers to the city.

ISLAND has come a long way since its days as the IYLO building, and Croydon has come a similarly long way from its sometimes unglamorous past. An ISLAND penthouse or apartment, conveniently situated right in the centre of Croydon, presents the perfect opportunity to appreciate both.

Editor’s Note: ISLAND (http://www.islandcroydon.com/) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

Reasons to make Practical Cycles your Christiania cargo bike retailer

We've always been such great proponents of cargo bikes here at Practical Cycles, not just for the ability that they give you to transport people and goods cost-effectively, but also all of the advantages that they bring that you would associate with any kind of bike. There's nothing quite like feeling that bracing outdoor air on your way to and from work, as well as on the school run, in the knowledge that you're also making yourself fitter and healthier.

As you can see here on the Practical Cycles site, we stock a lot of cargo bike brands, but we're especially proud of our selection of Christiania trikes. This Danish company has been offering its cargo bikes under the Christiania brand since 1978, with the last three decades having seen a revolutionary change in family transport in Copenhagen as a result. Now, a quarter of families in the Danish city who have two or more children also own a tricycle.

Unsurprisingly, such success has seen the Christiania trike imported far and wide, and when you're in need of a UK Christiania cargo bike retailer, you really can't do better than Practical Cycles. Right now, we give you three options for a Christiania trike: the Sloping Box, Straight Box and LONG Box. The first of those is, of course, the least expensive and is very much the classic model of Christiania trike, enabling you to easily carry one or two children and a bit of shopping in a nippy, lightweight package.

Even this so-called 'basic' model of Christiania cargo bike incorporates such features as a seven speed Shimano Nexus internal hub gear, a rear Shimano coaster brake, front mechanical disk brakes on each wheel, highly puncture-resistant Schwalbe Big Apple tyres, a lightweight aluminium frame and stainless steel mudguards. This is without even considering such advisable optional extras as a Bugatti Panorama Hood to fit the sloping box, a wooden bench, lights and 'Y' belts for extra security. Every Christiania model can also be specified with electric assist.

Opt for the Straight Box model, and you'll be able to carry up to four children and/or a bit more shopping, while the LONG Box version is very much the ultimate model. At 30cm longer than the Straight or Sloping Box, this trike allows as many as six children to be safely transported. It's also the Christiania trike to go for if you are intending to purchase one for business purposes - such as for delivery, ice cream, food vending or as a mobile coffee stall.

As you can imagine, many people in the UK who would like to travel more conveniently and affordably, but still practically, are buying themselves a Christiania trike. Take a look at our range here at Practical Cycles today, and you'll see why we are building a reputation as possibly the UK's premier Christiania cargo bike retailer.

Chamfer skirting - just one of the many choices at Midland Skirting

Many aspects can be identified as underpinning the exceptional overall service that Midland Skirting provides to those seeking only the most beautiful skirting profiles. These range from the company's in-depth experience in the skirting industry and quality manufacturing process to its level of consideration to the environment as well as, of course, the skirting profiles themselves.

Certainly, the sheer choice of such profiles that Midland Skirting can offer leaves those refurbishing their home with little need to look to any other online or offline store. The company realises the importance of creating profiles that are not merely aesthetically appealing in isolation, but that also fit in well with almost any home decor scheme.

This consideration informs a selection of high quality skirting encompassing such designs as Angle Edge, Lambs Tongue, Pencil Round, Square Edge Groove and Victorian. As has long been the trend at Midland Skirting, these are all examples of truly classy, clean and understated skirting designs, with exactly the same able to be said of the company's Chamfer skirting.

Midland Skirting's Chamfer skirting is an especially timeless choice of skirting board design, but it also caters for the very real practical requirements that the homeowner has of skirting of any style. Not only is it already prepared for its final coat of paint, having been sanded twice and primed for the smoothest possible finish, but it is also available in 3 and 4.2 metre lengths (in certain profiles), as well as in widths ranging from 70mm to 400mm.

One can even select Chamfer skirting in the depths of 15mm, 18mm and 25mm, although only the middle of those three options is possible for those specifying it in 4.2 metre lengths. This profile, in common with the rest that Midland Skirting stocks, is also made from truly robust Kronospan MDF. When prospective buyers also consider the option of cable rebates for hiding those awkward house pipes and cables, it becomes clear that this skirting really does address every practical need.

What so many homeowners who purchase Midland Skirting's Chamfer skirting will most realise, however, is just how well it complements the wider appearance of their home. For the most distinguished skirting in any of the above designs and more, there's only one company to choose.

Manor of Groves: the perfect location to host far-off wedding guests

Manor of Groves offers a combination of modern luxury and historical character and is nestled within 150 acres of idyllic English countryside– it’s unsurprisingly one of the most sought-after locations for weddings in Hertfordshire. It can be hard to imagine when viewing the rolling rural beauty of our grounds, but all of this is just a stone’s throw from London and the best national and international transport links in the country.

This is one of the reasons why wedding planners have found Manor of Groves to be such a fantastic place to tie the knot. We know that weddings often draw friends and family from around the country, if not from around the world. Indeed, one of the best things about a wedding is that it brings people together; there will probably be guests attending your special day who haven’t seen you – or each other – for years.

It's also a reason why people planning a wedding have to think so carefully about location. Nobody wants people to decline their wedding invitation because the venue is too hard to get to. Of course, getting married somewhere too central means you’ll be sacrificing a beautiful venue for a convenient one, but at Manor of Groves, you don’t need to make that choice. Harlow Town rail station is only half an hour’s journey from London Liverpool Street station, and from Harlow Town we’re only a short and scenic taxi ride away. Arriving at Manor of Groves from one of London’s huge international airports is a breeze.

Of course, people who come to your wedding from afar are probably going to be keen to have somewhere nice to sleep once the celebrations have come to an end. Manor of Groves has over 80 bedrooms to choose from, all including a number of features to make people’s stays as comfortable as possible. All rooms include an LCD television, 24 hour room service and beautiful marble bathroom with a power shower. These guests will often choose to bring their children, so they can take advantage of our interconnecting rooms that provide additional space while still keeping the family together.

Manor of Groves offers a captivating venue within arresting natural beauty, but it’s also one of the most practical locations for a wedding in Hertfordshire. Manor of Groves is the perfect venue for every single one of your guests.

How share capital can be claimed back, tax-free

Shareholders making use of London Registrars' support for business who started a company with a certain amount of share capital that is no longer necessary may be interested to learn whether they can take back some of their money without incurring a significant tax bill.

When you start a business that is to be run through a company, you have a choice of how to inject the necessary capital. Going for minimum share capital is one option, with the rest being provided as a loan. The reverse strategy, however, may be more suitable for riskier ventures. That way, in the event of the company failing and you losing some of your money, you can claim tax relief for your loss.

However, should the business become an established success to the point of your money no longer being needed, you might wish to take some of it back. Although your capital could obviously be claimed back if you simply sell your shares to the company or someone else, this has the downside of reducing your stake in the business. This makes both aforementioned methods unsuitable if you would simply like to take back money no longer required by the company.

An alternative means of taking back part of your original investment is to have the company cancel some of its share capital so that it can be repaid to you. Although a majority of other shareholders need to agree to any plan to repay share capital, it shouldn't be difficult to obtain such agreement. That's because each shareholder will be given a repayment in proportion to the number of shares they own, meaning that there will be no effect on the balance of power and voting rights.

In the event of share capital being repaid, HMRC doesn't treat the amount that you receive as a distribution - i.e. income - but instead as capital with capital gains tax (CGT) liability. However, only the increase in value is taxable, rather than the entire payment. This means that some of the original cost of the shares is allocated against the amount that you get back, leaving the balance chargeable to CGT.

However, to use the CGT formula, you will need to know what the share value is at the time of repayment. This makes it necessary to enlist a share valuer's services. Help may also be available from your accountant. You are able to repay share capital as frequently as you and your fellow shareholders wish, as long as it is affordable for your company.

Using the CGT formula on each occasion enables you to determine the amount of the payment that is taxable, meaning that you can cancel just enough shares to ensure that your CGT annual exemption - £11,000 for 2014/15 - covers the gain. The net effect will be the tax-free withdrawal of some of your company's growth in value. Contact London Registrars' support for business experts for more information about the CGT formula.