Five famous people of Bristol

5

John Challisn (Born 1942)

Tom Hollander (Born 1967)

Hollander is a theatre, film and TV actor who was born in Bristol. He is known for his roles in About Time, Pirates of the Caribbean, Pride & Prejudice, Gosford Park, and Hanna among many other productions and films.

Stephen Merchant (Born 1974)

Stephen Merchant is a comedian, writer, director, radio presenter and actor. He was born in Bristol and grew up in Hanham, later attending Hanham High School. He is best known for co-writing the British TV comedy series The Office (2001–2003), Extras (2005–2007), Life’s Too Short (2011–2013). He has two Golden Globe Awards, three BAFTA TV Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and four British Comedy Awards. Challisn, born in Bristol, is an actor best known for portraying Aubrey “Boycie” Boyce in the long-running BBC television comedy series Only Fools and Horses, which was also filmed in Bristol. You can take an Only Fools and Horses filming location tour and find out more.

Jacob Anderson aka Raleigh Ritchie (Born1990)

Jacob Anderson is British actor, singer-songwriter, and record producer who was born and raised in Bristol, He is best know for playing Grey Worm in Game of Thrones and his music career under the alias Raleigh Ritchie.

Lando Norris (Born 1999)

Lando Norris is a racing driver who was born in Bristol. Who competes in Formula One, for McLaren.

Bristol hospital team take on Pen Y Fan mountain climb for liver charity

A 20-strong team of hospital staff from Bristol will take on Pen Y Fan, the highest peak in Wales, on Saturday 21st May 2022 to raise funds for the British Liver Trust.

A 20-strong team of hospital staff from Bristol will take on Pen Y Fan, the highest peak in Wales, on Saturday 21st May 2022 to raise funds for the British Liver Trust.

The team of doctors, nurses and hospital staff, who all work in the liver unit at the Bristol Royal Infirmary, chose to raise money for the charity, which exists to transform liver health through increased awareness, prevention and support. Senior Nurse Tilly Barnes, who organised the challenge with Ward Sister Lisa, explains why the team chose to take on 886-metre hike for the charity: “It will be a challenge for all of us getting to the top but we are all inspired by the patients that we care for at the hospital. They have all been very supportive of our challenge and some have even donated. “We are very pleased that the funds raised will support the charity, which exists to support, and campaign on behalf of, all people with liver disease.” Liver disease is on the rise and from 2019 to 2020, deaths from liver disease in the UK increased by an alarming 15%. Three-quarters of patients are diagnosed with liver cirrhosis when it’s too late for life-saving treatment or intervention.

The British Liver Trust raises awareness of all the causes of liver disease through its Love Your Liver campaign, as well as providing patients with up-to-date information and support, including a free nurse-led helpline and online community. Audrey Cornelius, Fundraising Manager at the British Liver Trust, said: “We are delighted that the team at Bristol Royal Infirmary liver unit are giving their time and energy to support the British Liver Trust. “We rely on the generosity of individuals to help us carry out our vital work to increase awareness, prevention, care and support." “We wish Tilly and those taking part lots of luck.”

To find out more about the team's challenge and offer your support, visit Tilly Barnes is fundraising for British Liver Trust (justgiving. com)

MARKETING

YOUR RENTAL PROPERTY (PART 1)

Your success or failure as a landlord, starts with your ability to market your property and to attract and to keep tenants. You could have the most wonderful property but, if nobody knows about it, or it doesn’t attract tenants who move in and pay rent – then it’s not going to be a good investment. Here, in the first part of our series on marketing your rental property, we will look at the property and the listing itself, in terms of its design.

The property

Let’s start with the property, a place where it can all go so wrong, so quickly. A friend of mine, in the industry, once said to a fellow investor, who had massively overspent on a project, on items which would show little “real value” to either the tenants or his bank balance “..what is this HMO for you..?” This summed up the situation for me perfectly and I think back to that comment often. Unlike your own home, your investment property will not be lived in by you. This can be a tough idea to get your head around, especially for new investors because we often want to inject something of ourselves and our personalities into our homes. However, investment properties, which are going to be rented out to tenants, are the opposite – leave the “you” out of them. Design is an important consideration even in a buoyant market (like Bristol) because presenting a property correctly to the market, will ensure that it rents at the correct and desired level. Let’s take a look at some of the things tenants do appreciate and that will differentiate in a positive way: Good design. Well-designed properties, which accentuate the available space have always been well received. As more and more tenants are working from home, or partially from home, the ability to have a desk and a space to work from, is being requested more and more. Design that can be flexible and provide quiet areas or areas conducive to home working and zoom/team meetings etc. are popular, and areas which could be used for exercise or “home gyms” are popular too.

Wifi. This was a tricky one during lockdown when there was an increase in people working from home. A good connection is the number one most important thing for some tenants and right at the top of their “want list.”

Safety and security. Never forget that your rental property is your tenants’ home and, like everyone else, your tenants want to feel safe and secure in their home. Sturdy locks on windows and doors and a good inspection routine will go a long way to ensuring this. Point this out to prospective tenants at the viewing and make sure that they know they can always report issues to you and that during inspections you will be completing a full house check.

Outdoor space. This became hugely important during lockdown and still is! An “un-fussy” outdoor space is very desirable. For family let’s, it’s often right at the top of the list for tenants. Don’t overlook the outdoor areas, with a little work and planning, they can become lovely spaces, which add so much value.

Storage space. Having sufficient storage space is really important in any home, especially for those looking to rent long-term. Ample storage space means tenants don’t need to worry about storing their belongings elsewhere and won’t have to live in a cluttered space. Lighting. The best kind of lighting, is obviously natural lighting and designs which use this to good effect, work really well. Thinking about what different areas will be used for and planning spaces accordingly is always a great idea. Over the past few years, lighting has moved from pure functionality into the design space and there are some superb options available now.

The advert

In terms of the design of the listing, it is often easier to talk about “what went wrong” because we have all seen so many bad ads! When you boil it down, the design of the ad amounts to three things: Pictures. These are super important because if these are bad, prospective tenants will move on and may never read the ad at all. They don’t have to be professional photos (although this does help and is always money well spent) but a good, well-lit photo, which is taken to show the best angles and features of a property is a must. Also, a dressed property makes a wealth of difference – just be careful with your design, make it unfussy and stylish, remember that you are selling more than a property, you are selling a lifestyle; a coffee tray on the side of a well-made bed with a coordinated throw, can go a long way!

The wording. Remember that you are selling the vacancy. If you don’t sound enthusiastic about it, then how can you expect anyone else to! You would not believe how many dreary ads I have read, and this always makes me roll my eyes. Make the tone upbeat, sound enthusiastic and always remember to point out the best parts of the property – including those mentioned above. Information. Transport links; local amenities; schools; employers; shops; local hospitality; hospitals and landmarks. These are all things that prospective tenants want to know, listing distances to these is really useful and, if a property is in a sought-after location, near a local landmark or known for something in particular, then mention it in the ad. These are all selling points for prospective tenants!

We have honed our marketing over many years and with our own properties and those of the Landlords for whom we manage. Next time we will be looking at other aspects of marketing your rental properties, including which portals to use.