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BRISTOLWORKS News, views and interviews
BRISTOLWORKS THIS ISSUE >>FUTURE LEAP ALAN BAILEY (78) >> TEMPLE ISLAND (81) >> BRISTOL AIRPORT (83) It’s the city’s business
Awards noms close 5 March L ook lively! You can still win a prestigious Bristol Life Award – but you’ll need to get your nomination in before the cut-off date of 5arch. )nd tickets look set to sell out once more.
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)nyone can enter" it¼s free via the )wards website. Winners gain marketing benefits, a magnificent trophy and the Roy of being endorsed via *ristol¼s biggest business ceremony.
¹Write your nomination, share your story and then you, your team and your business might be a finalist or even winner at the Bristol Life )wards,º says event director, ;teph ,odd. ¹<here are massive benefits in being associated with the )wards · but please don¼t leave it until too late.º Companies can enter as many of the categories as are relevant to them" )rts, *ar, *usiness ;ervices, +afu, +harity, +ivic, +reative, -ducation, -vent, .inancial, .ood ,rink 8roducer, .oodie 8ub, 0air *eauty, 0ealth Wellbeing, 0omes 1nteriors, 4egal, 4eisure <ourism, 6ew *usiness, 8roperty, :estaurant, :etailer and <echnology 1nnovation.
Just over two months remain until the Awards night on 23 April at 4loyd¼s )mphitheatre. 1t has sold out in each of the last few years, with many on the waiting list. <ickets are strictly first come, first served via the site. 7nly a limited number of silver sponsorships with a table of 1 now remain.
.inalists and sponsors will also be invited to a special reception event on 1 )pril at 3eepers 3itchen *ar. 8erfect for business networking before the big night!
For more: www.bristollifeawards.co.uk @BristolLifeAwds
KEY DAYS FOR THE DIARY:
Now: Nominations open and tickets on sale 11 March: Finalists revealed 1 April: Finalists’ & Sponsors’ Reception 23 April: Bristol Life Awards, Lloyd’s Amphitheatre This could be you (but only if you enter)
Stories & ideas to share? Get in touch with our business editor, the experienced business writer and event host Christian Annesley at christian.annesley@ mediaclash.co.uk
THE BRISTOLWORKS INTERVIEW Green dream
If 2019’s extreme weather events taught us one thing, it is that the climate emergency is here, and urgent. CHRISTIAN ANNESLEY met with Alan Bailey to investigate how his years as a champion of all things low carbon has led him to develop a sustainable coworking hub on the Gloucester Road – and with ambitions to take his Future Leap model well beyond Bristol
How green are you? Sure, these days most of us recycle diligently and some are cutting back on eating meat and trying to Æ y and drive less. But where does more profound change come from when it comes to sustainability and to working in harmony with the planet? And just how do companies emerge that really move the dial on the environment and usher in gamechanging transformation?
One Bristol businessman who has been getting to the heart of this question for more than a decade now is Alan Bailey. As the head of the Low Carbon South West network before it was mothballed, and with involvement on many organising committees and boards down the years, Bailey was for more than a decade a fi gurehead for the low carbon movement in the city and the wider region.
*ut now he has taken a diff erent tack. It was, he tells me, time to move on from the cheerleading and network-building and to embrace doing something more tangible.
“All my years talking and learning and being a consultant and a voice for sustainability and low carbon hasn’t been time wasted,” he
This Art Deco building on Glo Road is getting a new lease of life from the Future Economy Group
clarifies. ¹1t is Rust that things move on and lots of low-carbon practices are mainstream now. ,elivery is where things are at, and 1 can see a clear way to drive it.º
A NEW HUB What¼s *ailey doing' 0is .uture -conomy /roup .-/ was until Yuite recently a community interest company, providing a platform and network for more than green-minded corporations and smaller companies. *ut he is now running it as a limited company and is ramping up aspects of the proposition with a 1.6m investment in a , sY ft sustainable community coworking hub based on /loucester :oad, on the site of the old 5aplin store near the )rches railway viaduct. What¼s the idea behind it' ¹1t¼s a multifaceted offer. <he hub we are creating incorporates a co-working space for environmental start-ups, businesses and not-forprofits, an event space for hire, an exhibition and retail space showcasing green technologies and services, a highly sustainable catering service and a walk-in cafe. 8lus we can also offer consultancy and recruitment services to help companies grow more sustainably.º <he space is nearly ready to open its doors, being set for completion and first occupation in 5arch, while the cafe is already up and running. *ailey is planning for a ribboncutting event sometime in )pril. ¹1t is a big, versatile space, and we know there is great interest from companies of all shapes and sibes,º says *ailey as he gives me the hardhat tour of what remains a busy building site for now. 0ot-desking for will be available, as well as some small oٻce suites and meeting rooms. With the company having bought the freehold on the site, .-/ is even building in the capability to add an extra Æoor later on by investing in the necessary support and foundations in this first phase. ¹1t¼s a uniYue business model and proposition, and it¼s developed out of the work going on in the city. :emember, *ristol was the =3¼s -uropean /reen +apital in 1 and there is a marvellous ecosystem and spirit here.º
*ailey emphasises, indeed, that /loucester :oad is a particular hotspot for green-minded entrepreneurship, with the site being at the intersection of ;t )ndrews, *ishopston, :edland and 5ontpelier.
¹1t feels like we are at the heart of two communities · the wider, environmentally focused city and the immediate community around us. <here are vegan restaurants on our doorstep and even an environmental funeral services business immediately opposite.º
WIDER AMBITION 1f *ailey¼s enthusiasm for this *ristol proRect is palpable, he¼s also thinking bigger.
¹We have branded this hub as .uture 4eap, which is one of three brands under the .uture -conomy /roup. <here¼s the .uture -conomy 6etwork community and the .estival of ;ustainable *usiness event offer that both sit alongside .uture 4eap. <he three complement each other, even if there is still some work for us to do to tidy up the relationship between
FUTURE LEAP – THE NUMBERS
• £1.6m investment • 8,500 sq ft of space at the site on Gloucester Road • 200 individuals can use the hot-desking • 300 organisations are in the network already • Dozens of events will run every month • 12 other UK cities have been identified for similar hubs
the brands and their respective websites.º
What *ailey is emphasising is that the physical space and the knowledge networks and mutual support that will plug into it offers a model can be carried far beyond *ristol. <here are more than ten other locations in the =3 where the same proposition would thrive, and it¼s an obvious next step once the doors are open in *; . 4ooking further out, -uropean expansion is also a real prospect, reckons *ailey. ¹<here is a =3-wide network in low carbon and sustainability, and it needs support. :emember, sustainability is not really a sector as such but a cross-cutting theme and that creates some challenges around engagement and community that we are well able to overcome. 7pening hubs like this one, and developing the communities around those hubs, makes a great deal of sense, and the idea is to demonstrate it works commercially.º
The sustainable community co-working hub will open its doors in March
The Future Economy team keeping it green
THE MONEY QUESTION The question of funding for low carbon is an important point, in fact. There was a time, ten years ago, when there was more funding available for sustainability projects and the low carbon economy, but the years of austerity and cuts have taken a toll so that today’s projects often need to be viable without grants or subsidies.
“At the same time,” adds Bailey, “investors are very interested and there is more potential than ever to deliver economically sustainable technologies, as the hub here will demonstrate. Yes, public intervention is sometimes needed to prove a concept before it can Æ y · but longevity and profi tability has to be the aim.” To stand up this belief, the hub itself is Bailey’s exhibit A. The investment he has made in making the space as sustainable and carbonneutral as possible costs more up front in some respects compared with conventional building practices, but the diff erence isn¼t that marked. “Yes, our investment in items like air-source heat pumps is a big capital investment, but it is the right thing to do and will repay over time. Next to this, there are plenty of immediate benefi ts that Æ ow from the reuse and recycling of materials on site, and from buying eco-products like recycled Æ ooring, that don¼t cost more and often actually deliver a saving.” For more: www.thefutureeconomynetwork. co.uk
BRISTOL’S ‘CLIMATE EMERGENCY’
As Future Leap gets ready to open, it’s worth reminding ourselves about the bigger picture in the city
A year ago Bristol City Council declared a “climate emergency”, with the council unanimously backing a commitment to be carbon neutral by 2030 in an effort to avoid catastrophic climate breakdown.
The motion, which was put forward by Green party councillor Carla Denyer and passed in a council session, means the city has the most ambitious emissions targets of the UK’s core cities group – with radical policy implications in the coming years. The move was triggered by a UN report last year which said the world has just 12 years left to avoid catastrophic climate breakdown.
Denyer said at the time: “This is a fantastic day for Bristol and I’m delighted the council will be bringing forward its target for making the city carbon neutral by 2030.
“We can’t wait for the UN or national governments to negotiate when we have just 12 years to act – we have to show how it’s done and commit to ambitious action at the level of cities.”
The target is much more radical than the UK government’s national target of an 80% reduction in emissions by 2050 and comes amid growing concern about interlinked ecological crises, from climate breakdown to extinction. Denyer said that the Bristol declaration would likely see a focus on renewable electricity, carbon neutral buildings, congestion charges and investment in clean transport infrastructure, with the council’s subsequent decision to clamp down on diesel vehicles in the city standing as one example.
It could also have far-reaching implications for big-ticket projects like the proposed expansion of Bristol airport, with the latest submission being turned down just this month.
The move has been inspired by US cities such as Berkeley and Hoboken, and the global C40 cities which have all set ambitious emissions targets.
Jonathan Bartley, the co-leader of the Green party, said Bristol’s decision – which won cross-party support on the council – had set “a gold standard on climate action”. “With the UN warning we have just 12 years to limit climate catastrophe this is the commonsense policymaking we need to face the future.”
A projection of whatTemple Island could look like with a mixed development
Council unveils Temple Island redevelopment plans
Plans for the longdebated Temple Island site in the centre of the city have been published, with the council promoting a regeneration plan that creates 500 homes and an estimated 1,500 new jobs.
The site by Temple Meads had been earmarked for an arena project, but the YTL project at Brabazon near Filton, which includes a 17,000-seater arena, is now progressing instead.
Alongside an investment from Legal and General, £32m of public money will be invested to achieve
the plans, which also include oٻ ce space to bring in annual rental revenue of £1.69m, and over £1m annually in business rates and council tax rates.
Bristol mayor Marvin Rees is strongly supportive and said the scheme is a win-win for Bristol citizens by tackling four problems in one.
“This is a fantastic chance to bring a redundant piece of land back to life and provide jobs, homes and an economic boost in the heart of the city that all Bristol citizens will benefi t from. With these plans we can continue to develop a vibrant Temple Quarter, close to the city centre, where homes, work and leisure combine to be a place that Bristol can be proud of.”
Rees said the council will work with Legal and General to deliver the scheme and off set any risk to the public purse.
“L&G bring with them investment, fi nancial backing and a wealth of experience and have a track record of delivering similar schemes in 6ewcastle, 4eeds and +ardiff which have reaped rewards for those cities.” The Temple Island development proposal includes: • Up to 500 homes to rent and buy, with a target of aff ordable housing
• A conference centre • A 350-bed hotel with potential for a rooftop sky bar with views across the city 0igh-standard oٻ ce space • New public spaces, shops and restaurants
Temple Island sits alongside the Temple Quarter and St Philip’s regeneration areas.
While the current mayor is supportive, the former mayor George Ferguson responded to the new annoucement by arguing the project was too heavily weighted in favour of L&G, and the fact Legal & General has not had to compete with any other bidder was “outrageous”.
He said: “The city council is underwriting this deal. It’s underwritten to the extent that the purchaser is taking no risk – as far as I know – for decades at our expense.”
Proposals for an arena project next to <emple 5eads were fi rst mooted in 2003 but were beset by delays and rising costs and then dropped.
For more: news.bristol.gov.uk
Airport’s expansion plan is turned down
Bristol Airport’s latest expansion plan, which it said would boost its passenger capacity by two million a year, has been rejected by North Somerset councillors. Ten million people a year can travel from the airport and the airport put in a proposal to build a new car park and transport hub to boost that fi gure to 1 million.
Bristol Airport argued the expansion would stop millions of people from Bristol and the South West driving to London airports. But North Somerset councillors said it would be harmful to the environment. Passenger numbers at the airport are currently 8.9m a year, but it has a capacity of 1m.
<he application had about , objections from members of the public and , messages of support. +ouncillors voted 1 - , with one abstention, to reRect it.
Bristol Airport chief executive Dave Lees said the decision risked “putting the brakes” on the future growth of the region.
He said the airport’s leadership would reÆ ect and consider whether to appeal or submit fresh plans.
North Somerset councillors rejected the plans in a meeting at Weston-;uper-5are. )t the four-hour meeting, councillors spoke out against the plan which had been recommended for approval by planning oٻ cers.
+ouncillor 2ohn 4ey-5organ said" ¹0ow can we achieve our ambition for carbon neutrality by if we approve this decision?”
Supporting the application, Unite representative 5ark 0utchison said the expansion would create thousands of jobs and bring a huge boost to the economy.
*ut +iaran +ronnelly said that while he supported economic growth, it should not be at “any cost”.
For more: www.bristolairport.co.uk
NEWS IN BRIEF
The Bristol Hoteliers Association, which represents 40 major hotels in the city, has named Raphael Herzog as its new permanent chair – a role he has been fulfi lling in an acting capacity since July 2019. Herzog has been general manager of the De Vere Tortworth Court, in South Gloucestershire, for nearly two years. He has more than 25 years’ experience in the hotel industry, the last 18 of which have been in the UK. He said the main focus as chair is to “help raise the profi le of the industry and work hard with all the general managers of hotels” within the BHA. In particular, Herzog wants to work with organisations like City of Bristol College and Springboard to showcase the industry to youngsters, to encourage them to consider a career in hospitality.
Bristol and London-based law fi rm Gregg Latchams has confi rmed three new appointments.
Melissa Toney will head up the regulatory and licensing team based at the fi rm’s Queen Square offi ce, while the fi rm has also strengthened its dispute resolution team with solicitor Holly Snook. Added to this, the commercial property department welcomes a new solicitor, Sammy Macdermid.
The commercial law fi rm TLT is growing its corporate team in Bristol again with the appointment of an investment specialist as a legal director. Dan Whitewood joins from Simmons & Simmons in Bristol and has experience of early-stage and fast-growth investments. TLT partner and UK head of corporate Andrew Webber said Whitewood’s appointment added “senior expertise” to the mid-market transactional team, and would give the fi rm strong private equity capability, too.
Bristol-based science and tech hub Future Space has appointed Laura Crocken Stevens as its new centre director. She is moving from a role as Future Space’s innovation director – a position she has held since she joined in May 2019. Originally from the US, Crocken Stevens has 30 years’ experience as an international start-up specialist, commercial director, and SME strategy consultant. The innovation centre, which is managed by Oxford Innovation (OI) on behalf of the University of the West of England (UWE), has just posted record results, contributing over £9m to the regional economy since opening its doors in 2016.
Professional services fi rm Smith & Williamson has unveiled the latest group of new faces in its Bristol offi ce – bringing to 30 the number of new joiners over the past six months. Approaching half of the new recruits, who range from graduates and trainees through to directors, are in the fi rm’s business tax and private client tax services teams. The recruitment drive follows a raft of senior appointments at Smith & Williamson in Bristol, including Zoe Thomas as head of business tax, Louise Thornhill as head of investment management and Nigel Hardy as head of assurance and business services.
At the helm of the the ss Great Britain
APPOINTMENTS
ss Great Britain expands leadership
The senior management team at Brunel’s ss Great Britain has been beefed up substantially to drive the trust’s expansion plans. Patsy Conner has joined as director of creative services, Nerys Watts as director of external affairs and Tim Bryan as director of the Brunel Institute.
Connor joins from the BBC, where she was most recently director of BBC South West and head of development and events for the UK. On her radar from the start is the charitable trust’s campaign to mark the 50th anniversary of the ssGB’s extraordinary homecoming to Bristol from The Falklands in 2020.
Watts, in heading up external affairs, will develop opportunities for funding and partnerships, including for the Albion Dry Dock Project – an expansion of the heritage and visitor experience that will double the footprint and boost the region’s tourism offer signifi cantly over the next fi ve years. She worked previously in senior roles at the National Heritage Lottery Fund.
Bryan, who joins from the British Motor Museum where he was head of collections, is stepping into a new position that will drive expansion of the ss Great Britain Trust’s education and research programmes and oversee the conservation of the nationally Designated Brunel collections.
