8 minute read
Property: Convention centre to be added at Wasps’ stadium
Eviction ban goes on for unpaid rent
A ban on landlords evicting firms for unpaid commercial rent has been extended for another nine months.
The ruling, which stops landlords taking tenants to court for nonpayment, was due to end on 30 June.
An extension was announced by Treasury Secretary Stephen Barclay, who said the delay in easing lockdown restrictions presented additional challenges to business.
Chamber head of policy Raj Kandola said: “The extension of the current scheme will come as a huge relief to commercial tenants up and down the country that have been knocked sideways by the pandemic and have faced crippling overheads.
“We are also pleased to see the Government is committed to striking a balance between protecting landlords and supporting those businesses that need the most help.
“As early analysis from our latest Quarterly Business Report shows, firms are still facing major issues related to cash flow and many are under pressure to raise the price of their goods and services.
“Landlords are of course businesses too and have also faced many challenges during this period.
“This is an issue that can’t be pushed down the road forever, innovative approaches to helping businesses clear Covid debts and reach mutually agreeable positions with their landlords and creditors will need to be found.
“We are calling on the Government to look at what else can be done to help impacted businesses reduce their overheads and give them the breathing space they need to get through what we hope will be the final few months of this awful crisis.”
Work under way at technology hub
Hub culture: How the new facility will look
Building work on a new stateof-the-art Institute of Technology (IoT) has begun at Aston University’s campus.
Construction started on The Hub in May and is expected to be complete by December 2021.
The project is designed to create a ‘powerhouse’ for advanced manufacturing and engineering and is a collaboration between further education providers, universities and employers for the region.
The consortium is led by Solihull College & University Centre, Aston University, Birmingham City University and South and City College Birmingham and supported by BMET College, University College Birmingham and the University of Birmingham.
The IoT will boost education and training opportunities aligned to the latest skills needs of employers and the economy. The new building will have a cyber manufacturing rig and new equipment for labs and workshops, including 3D printers, lathes and a coordinate measuring machine. Aston University Professor Sarah Hainsworth said: “When built, this will be a fabulous resource for students and learners from across the Greater Birmingham and Solihull region to connect with each other as they develop their skills to equip the region with a pool of talented engineers.
“The Hub will be home to a new cyber physical manufacturing rig which will create a simulated working environment linked to advancing Industry 4.0 technology and state of the art digital facilities and I really look forward to when it becomes the new home for our IoT students.”
Convention centre to be added at Wasps’ stadium
First steps (from left): Mark Lee (chairman of the Arena Quarter Advisory Board), Sarah Windrum and Paul Michael (commercial director, Ricoh Arena)
The first steps have been taken in creating a new multi-millionpound convention centre at Ricoh Arena in Coventry and home to Wasps rugby club.
Work has begun to transform the existing 1,750 square metre conference and exhibition space in the lower halls at the Coventry venue –which will be named Coventry Building Society Arena from this summer – and marks the first stage of construction in the creation of the state-of-the-art Commonwealth Convention Centre.
The three-month project will see the space significantly overhauled, and a state-of-the-art digital and audio-visual technology system installed.
The modernisation of the current halls will also connect the space to the rest of the venue to give exhibitors and organisers access to up to 7,750 square metres of exhibition and conference space.
The newly-refurbished halls are the first stage of the project, with further construction later in the year, with work expected to commence in September.
This will include the pavilion entrance on the south side of the venue, the new Commonwealth Convention Centre lobby and a dedicated art and gallery space to showcase local projects.
Transformation of the existing halls at the Arena is being funded through a £3.8 million granted to the venue by the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP), via the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) as part of the government’s ‘Getting Building’ fund. An additional £1.4 million has also been made available to Ricoh Arena via CWLEP from the Local Growth Fund and Growing Places Fund.
The Commonwealth Convention Centre is expected to open its doors in 2022.
Stephen Vaughan, chief executive of Ricoh owner Wasps Ground, said: “This is a major step in the redevelopment of the Arena and signals the beginning of works to create the state-of-the-art Commonwealth Convention Centre.
“This project will repurpose the existing site and bring innovative digital technology to the lower halls that is also being installed across other areas of the venue.
“There will be a dramatic visual improvement to the space which will enhance the overall experience of companies looking to host events with us.”
BECG settles into city centre home
Communications firm BECG has moved into a new office at Colmore Row.
The firm will share the offices with its software developer subsidiary Crowd Technologies.
Verity Barr, head of BECG’s Birmingham Office, said: “We are extremely excited to be moving into our new offices, firmly cementing us in the centre of Birmingham.
“Over the past year, we have seen excellent growth in our client base across the Midlands, and now work with some of the UK’s largest brands. This move will give us a solid base to continue to expand our team and clients in Birmingham and the surrounding areas.”
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“Whether it is entering a new market, digital transformation or wanting to create innovations to grow, the course will help leaders create a plan and implement it, while also building a supportive network.
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Tim Wray, Director of Executive Education at WBS
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