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LIVERPOOL CITY REGION CHESHIRE MANCHESTER
JUNE - JULY 2016
FREE
MOVE COMMERCIAL The north-west’s guide to property and business
Issue 51
Port Potential
Can Liverpool’s maritime resurgence bring growth across the North West?
IFB2016
Event highlights and delegate tips
Redx Pharma CEO Dr Neil Murray
How should the North be branded?
Europe In or out?
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A Towngate Plc Property
Widnes
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CGI Image
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• Flexible rents and competitive terms
• Ideally located for Widnes/Runcorn, Liverpool, Warrington and the wider UK Network
• 24 hour security
• Excellent access M62/M57 & M56
Andrew Littler andrew@littlerandassociates.co.uk
www.towngate.plc.uk
Darren Hill darren.hill2@cbre.com
Paul Thorne paul@b8re.com
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Discover a neo way of working. Neo is a reinvention of a Manchester City Centre ODQGPDUN WKDW RÊ&#x2022;HUV VWLPXODWLQJ DQG FROODERUDWLYH workspaces for the way we work today. :KHWKHU \RXÅ¡UH VWDUWLQJ RXW RQ \RXU RZQ DQG QHHG D FR ZRUNLQJ GHVN RU SULYDWH VWXGLR RU \RXÅ¡UH DQ HVWDEOLVKHG EXVLQHVV ORRNLQJ WR H[SDQG 1HR LV D SODFH ZKHUH \RX FDQ Ê&#x2014;RXULVK DQG JURZ ZLWKLQ D FRPPXQLW\ of like-minded people. <RX FDQ FKRRVH IURP D YDULHW\ RI GLÊ&#x2022;HUHQW ZRUNLQJ HQYLURQPHQWV WR EHVW VXLW \RXU QHHGV ZKDWHYHU VWDJH \RX DUH DW LQ \RXU RZQ EXVLQHVV HYROXWLRQ
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Issue fifty one Move Commercial
Welcome to Move Commercial
Contents News
Liverpool’s waterfront location is historically one of the city’s major strengths, and with Liverpool2 due to open in phases this year and Exhibition Centre Liverpool preparing to host this month’s International Festival for Business (IFB2016), it holds the key to a prosperous future too. In this issue, we bring experts together to discuss how North West businesses can truly reap the benefits of the city’s maritime resurgence, and how prepared the region’s wider infrastructure is to handle it in our Lunch Debate (pg.26). Plus we explore the potential the waterfront
growth is bringing to the opposite side of the water in Wirral too (pg.44). With delegates from around the world getting set to head to IFB2016, we’re highlighting the festival’s top events and nearby food and drink destinations in our new Business Lifestyle section (pg.52). And with all eyes on the forthcoming EU referendum, we ask the industry whether we should be in or out (pg.55).
07 Deadline approaching for NWPAs
Christine Toner, editor christine@movepublishing.co.uk
12 Liverpool architect shortlisted for work on £10bn scheme
08 Tech North findings ‘bring us closer’ to truth on industry’s size 09 Irish Ferries relocates its Liverpool base 10 88 Church Street refurb nears completion 11 Artwork unveiled at Capital & Centric site
13 Northern Powerhouse delegation heading to US science event
Features 18 Bitesize Thinking Food for thought 20 Appointments Who’s moving where 23 My Month St. Modwen’s Steven Knowles looks back at a month of progress in the region
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26 Lunch Debate How can North West businesses reap the benefits of Liverpool2, and is the region prepared for the facility’s arrival? 32 Interview Dr Neil Murray, CEO of life science firm Redx Pharma on growing in the region
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40 Advertising Director Fiona Barnet. Tel: 0151 709 3871 Advertising Manager Catherine McCarthy. Tel: 0151 709 3871 Editor Christine Toner. Tel: 0151 709 3871 Editorial Team Natasha Young, Lawrence Saunders, Mark Langshaw, Liam Deveney Tel: 0151 709 3871 post@movepublishing.co.uk Design Mark Iddon. Email: mark@movepublishing.co.uk
Published by Move Publishing Ltd Directors David O’Brien, Kim O’Brien, Fiona Barnet. Printed by Precision Colour Printers Ltd Distribution Liaison Manager Barbara Troughton. Tel: 0151 733 5492 Mobile: 077148 14662 Credits: Liam Deveney – Nigel Weatherill interview / Lunch Debate / Key Event
Copyright Move Publishing Limited. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced copied or transmitted in any form or by any means or stored in any information storage or retrieval system without the publishers written permission. Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published, Move Publishing can accept no responsibility for the veracity of the claims made by advertisers.
36 Branding the North Regional destinations pulling together and the importance of identity 40 Interview Liverpool John Moores University’s vice-chancellor, Professor Nigel Weatherill on the future of Copperas Hill and the Knowledge Quarter 44 Wirral’s Turning Tides The potential growth Liverpool’s port can bring to the opposite side of the water 48 Key Event Latest office technology on show at The Workplace Re-imagined 52 Business Lifestyle Networking tips, forthcoming events and Liverpool food and drink hotspots near to IFB2016 55 Ask the Panel Should we be in or out of the EU and why?
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www.nwpas.com @theNWPAs
Deadline for submissions 1 July 2016 Thursday 20th October 2016 LUTYENS CRYPT, LIVERPOOL METROPOLITAN CATHEDRAL
Recognising excellence in the North West property industry
For more information visit
www.nwpas.com
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Latest News
Awards will be presented for 12 categories
Wirral lender confirms renewed Tranmere sponsorship deal
Deadline approaching for NWPAs entries North West property experts are being urged to enter this year’s NWPAs as the closing date approaches. The 1 July deadline for firms and their projects to be put forward for one of 12 prestigious awards is now just a month away. Entries for a range of categories, which will celebrate a year of residential and commercial property success across the whole of the region, will be considered by judges with a range of geographical expertise and specialisms. This year’s panel includes Elaine Cunningham, owner of Elaine Cunningham Design Studio; Eric Wright, partner at commercial property agent Hitchcock Wright & Partners; Alastair Shepherd, director of architects Falconer Chester Hall; Lesley MartinWright, CEO of Knowsley Chamber of Commerce; James Glendenning, chief executive of the Greater Merseyside Learning Providers’ Federation and Fiona Woodward-Kelly, owner of Woodward Kelly & Co Ltd. Winners will be announced at a glittering
Top rated businesses were honoured during an awards ceremony at City Of Liverpool College
awards ceremony at Lutyens Crypt in Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral on 20 October, which is already shaping up to be the biggest yet having attracted sell-out success for tickets and backing from property firms throughout the region. Kim O’Brien, director of Move Publishing which is behind the NWPAs, says: “The NWPAs recognise both the businesses and the people whose vision and commitment continue to drive the region’s property sector. “With the awards now encompassing the whole of the North West, now is a great time to submit an entry and be recognised as one of the leading players in the region’s property sector.” Forth Homes is this year’s headline sponsor, with firms including MSB Solicitors, Redrow Homes Lancashire and North West, UK Business Supplies, Bridging Finance Solutions, Countryside, Paul Crowley & Co, The Foundry Agency, PCS Law and Yu Property Group putting their names to categories. For more information visit www.nwpas.com.
Wirral-based Bridging Finance Solutions (BFS) has confirmed plans to sponsor Tranmere Rovers Football Club for a second year running. The deal will see the short term lender develop an increased advertising presence at Tranmere’s ground, Prenton Park. A new concept centre circle advert will be on the pitch prior to all Tranmere games for the next two seasons with a second banner on the inside of the Kop stand. As part of the revised package, BFS will continue to advertise in matchday programmes alongside its match ball sponsorship and hospitality agreements. Steve Barber, managing director of BFS says: “As a Wirral business we’re delighted to support our local team. “We’re really pleased that for the second year running we are official sponsors of Tranmere and look forward to working with the team there during the season ahead, rooting for the boys in the National League!” Peter Shaw, chief operating officer at Tranmere Rovers FC, adds: “We’re delighted to have BFS on board as our official sponsors for the second year running “We feel there is fantastic synergy between ourselves and BFS as a long established, continually expanding Wirral-based business, operating throughout the UK. It’s fantastic to see them put their weight and support behind their local team!” Mark Palios, Tranmere Rovers chairman, with Steve Barber (BFS) and Peter Shaw (Tranmere Rovers FC)
Liverpool customer service ‘one of the best in UK’ Customer service levels in Liverpool’s shops, hotels and restaurants appear to be at an all-time high according to a recent mystery shopper survey. A record 200 city centre businesses were assessed earlier this year as part of the independent report and collectively scored an 84% approval rating. Of those secretly shopped for the seventh annual survey, commissioned by Liverpool BID Company, 17 businesses scored the maximum 100%. A total of 61 businesses scored between 90% and 99% whilst just 28 attained a mark below 70%. Those which scored a 90% or better rating and eight category winners were honoured during an awards ceremony at City Of Liverpool College, hosted by comedian and actor Neil Fitzmaurice.
Smiffy’s fancy dress shop on Bold Street was voted Best Independent shop after it scored a 100% approval rating the second year running as did Fazenda in Exchange Flags which picked up the Best Eatery accolade. Jeff Caplan, managing director of Storecheckers, which carried out the survey, says: “Customer service in Liverpool is one of the best in the UK and it’s a credit to the city that so many businesses have achieved such a phenomenally high consistency over several years.” Bill Addy, chief executive of Liverpool BID Company, adds: “To have assessed 200 businesses and find the customer service at such a high level speaks volumes for Liverpool’s retail, leisure and dining sector.” MOVE COMMERCIAL
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News Latest
Tech North report findings ‘bring us closer’ to truth on industry’s size
Katie Gallagher, managing director of Manchester Digital
A new report into how the North’s technology sector could reach its full potential “brings us closer to the truth” on the size of the industry, according to the head of a leading independent body. Katie Gallagher, managing director of Manchester Digital, has called the conclusions of Tech North’s study “interesting” after it set out a string of recommendations on how the sector can grow across the region. Commissioned by Tech North and published by the RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce), ‘The Digital Powerhouse’ examines the state of the region’s digital economy and its future. Initiatives proposed in the report include establishing a Digital Powerhouse Contract Portal; championing the tech cooperative model; kickstarting new corporate-backed accelerators; promoting experimental technology; encouraging
open source software and pooling the resources of university outreach teams. Gallagher says: “The findings are interesting, it’s an incredibly difficult sector to define and hopefully this report brings us closer to the truth in terms of the size and scale of the industry and also the opportunity. “I was pleased to see that some of the things that Tech North consider to be important to the development of the industry are things that we are already working to address and are cited in our new strategy as key areas for our focus. “I still have concerns that Tech North takes a very top down approach and does not have a full understanding of what is already happening on the ground. The consultation was somewhat limited.” “That said, the report seems to indicate an increased willingness for working with digital groups which I hope includes Manchester Digital.”
IBF2016 ‘vital’ for Peel’s Liverpool Waters ambitions Peel has hailed the International Festival for Business 2016 (IBF2016) in Liverpool as “vital” to its ambitious Liverpool Waters and Liverpool2 projects. Ian Pollitt, assistant project director at Liverpool Waters, believes the issues up for debate at the festival’s International Property Forum and International Waterfront Forum events, such as the Northern Powerhouse and the EU Referendum, will impact on the real estate giant’s latest ventures. He says: “Prioritising future major infrastructure projects in the UK, public-private partnerships, investment in the Northern Powerhouse and the EU Referendum are among the many hot topics - all of which will impact on the sector. “For this level of debate to be taking place here in Liverpool with its continuing excellence in regeneration suggests to me not only how far we have come as a city, but also how vital it is for Peel, with our massive Liverpool Waters and Liverpool2 projects, to be part of the conversation.” Lindsey Ashworth of Peel Holdings is among the headline speakers at the UK Property Forums event taking place as part of IFB2016 on 21-22 June, along with Lord John Prescott and Manchester City Council chief executive Sir Howard Bernstein. IFB2016 will run from 13 June to 1 July at Exhibition Centre Liverpool, with the International Waterfront Forum Ian Pollitt, assistant project taking place on director at Liverpool Waters 16-17 June
North West Fund announces largest cash exit The North West Fund for Energy and Environmental has announced the successful disposal of PlaceFirst Ltd in a move which represents its largest cash exit to date. The agreement resulted in a £3 million return for The North West Fund, which is now fully invested at £20.6m. Manchester-based PlaceFirst, which develops energy efficient socially affordable housing, has struck up a funding commitment with ESO Capital to bankroll the company’s plans to deliver 1,000 family homes for rent. The capital will also allow PlaceFirst to accelerate the development of its project pipeline, including the regeneration of Welsh Streets in the Toxteth area of Liverpool. 8
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Managed by 350 Investment Partners, the North West Fund’s mandate is to create a successful cluster of energy and environmental SMEs in the sector. The organisation has already helped 18 companies and delivered business advice support to 16 more. Jonathan Bryers, partner at 350 Investment Partners, says: “PlaceFirst has developed and demonstrated an innovative model for bringing to the market energy efficient social housing in the North of England. “Given the acute demand for affordable energy efficient rental property, this is a timely and novel approach using investment finance to deliver clear social, environmental and economic benefits.”
Jonathan Bryers, partner at 350 Investment Partners
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Sales & Lettings News
Irish Ferries relocates Liverpool office team Irish Ferries has relocated its Liverpool office team from the Corn Exchange on Brunswick Street to commercial district site The Plaza. The transport firm, which runs daily passenger services from Wales to Ireland and from Dublin and Rosslare to France, has secured a 1,734 sq ft space on the fourth floor of the Bruntwood-owned site. The fully refurbished office will accommodate 18 of Irish Ferries’ customer support staff, all of whom were previously based at the Corn Exchange. Irish Ferries’ arrival at The Plaza leaves
Irish Ferries has relocated to The Plaza
Suites brought to market at Eden Square A number of commercial/leisure suites said to be “virtually non-existent” in Liverpool city centre have been brought to the market. The shell units at Downing’s Eden Square range from 2,164 sq ft to 4,328 sq ft, and come with planning permission for retail, restaurant and office use. Downing is presenting the space, with units starting from £200,000 and long 150-year leaseholds, as an “astute” investment opportunity ideally suited to a tax efficient personal pension fund such as an SIPP (self-invested personal pension). Space is on offer across ground and mezzanine levels at both the Hatton Tower and Cheapside Tower of the Eden Square scheme. John Clegg, head of property management at Downing, says: “Individual commercial/ leisure suites for sale are virtually non-existent in Liverpool city centre except, that is, at Eden Square. “Eden Square offers the opportunity to buy high quality, purpose built accommodation which will be of interest to both owner occupiers and those wishing to direct their pension plans into commercial property.” Just three units remain at the development which is currently experiencing increased interest with three commercial units sold or under offer.
Units at Eden Square come with planning permission for a range of uses
Downing’s Eden Square
only the remaining half of the refurbished fourth floor unoccupied, with Bruntwood reporting strong interest from potential tenants. Matt Lee, head of sales at Bruntwood, says: “The Plaza has long been a destination of choice for international blue-chip firms looking to locate in Liverpool. “It’s exciting to welcome Irish Ferries to that community and we are continuing to invest in the building to ensure it stays ahead of the market and retains its status as the place to be for larger, ambitious businesses.”
Meridian Business Village welcomes Foster Care Associates Office staff and carers from Foster Care Associates with Everton footballers Ian Snodin and Graeme Sharp
Meridian Business Village in Hunts Cross has welcomed the UK’s largest independent fostering agency as its latest tenant. Foster Care Associates set up a new base at the site after entering a 10-year letting agreement with property developer Prospect GB. Former Everton footballers Graeme Sharpe and Ian Snodin were the special guests at a ceremony held to mark the opening of the office, which joins Foster Care Associates’ existing North West bases in Widnes, St Helens, Warrington and Wirral. Chris Walker, head of Prospect GB’s commercial division, says: “We are delighted to welcome the UK’s largest independent fostering agency to Meridian Business Village. The business park has been very popular amongst start-ups and expanding SMEs, but it has also attracted established national names like Foster Care Associates. “The company is the latest of many tenants who have recognised the advantages of our excellent strategic location within minutes of the M57, M58, M62 and M6. “We still have a limited number of units available, offering business space in sizes ranging from 1,313 sq ft up to 5,390 sq ft.” The letting agreement takes Foster Care Associates’ network of UK offices to more than 50 sites. MOVE COMMERCIAL
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News Sales & Lettings
Liverpool £1 million office refurbishment nears completion
54 Princess Street has recently undergone a significant refurbishment
Multiple deals announced at Manchester’s Princess Street Just one floor remains available across two significant office developments in Manchester city centre after five new deals were announced at 52 and 54 Princess Street. Digital recruitment firm The Recruitment Business Ltd, trading as Become and Jefferson Sheard Ltd, has taken 849 sq ft and 527 sq ft respectively at 52 Princess Street meaning the building is now fully occupied. At 54 Princess Street only the top floor is still available after Havas Media Planning t/a Hava Media, R.O. EYE Ltd and Creative Lynx Ltd took 2,498 sq ft, 1,917 sq ft and 1,553 sq ft respectively. The trio of firms will join existing tenants JM Architects, Havas Lynx and Urban Cookhouse. Joint agents Canning O’Neill and Edwards & Co. have secured the deals, acting on behalf of owner Canada Life Investments. After purchasing 54 Princess Street last year,
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Canada Life has worked closely with Bridge Properties Ltd to refurbish the building including sandblasting brick and beams to unveil the true character of the 19th Century former warehouse. Showers and collaborative working areas are also among new features. Ben Wood, fund manager at Canada Life Investments, says: “At 52 Princess Street and the soon to be re-positioned 54 Princess Street we have worked closely with occupiers to create a vibrant mix of companies that collaborate, mentor, inspire and talk to one another.“ John Nash, associate director at Canning O’Neill, adds: “The level of demand is testament to the quality of the refurbishment work and the reaction at the launch of the top floor of 54 Princess Street earlier this month was incredibly positive.” All tenants were unrepresented in the deals.
Refurbishment work on a prominent office building in Liverpool city centre is nearing completion. The 1912 Gerald de Courcy Fraser-designed 88 Church Street has been undergoing a £1 million restoration both to its interior and exterior, whilst maintaining the original character of the building. Located on the corner of Church Street and Hanover Street, the redeveloped Grade A office accommodation now includes air conditioning and raised floors. Work on the Schroder Real Estate Investment Trust-owned building is due to be completed in July with the first tenant, Thompsons Solicitors, taking a new lease of the second and third floors. The office comprises 15,000 sq ft in total with adaptable office floor plates on offer ranging from circa 2,300 sq ft to 2,700 sq ft across four floors still to be leased by one or multiple tenants. Worthington Owen has been retained to act on behalf of the landlord in relation to future lettings of the floors. Tom Newman, investment manager at Schroder Real Estate, says: “Given the quality of the offices we are creating together with the vibrancy of the area we are confident that this building will attract occupiers. “The recent letting to Thompson Solicitors demonstrates this and we look forward to speaking with other tenants The exterior of 88 Church Street has undergone a significant restoration about the space.”
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Development News
Giant street art unveiled at Capital & Centric’s Littlewoods site Some of Liverpool’s brightest creative talent is featured in the artwork
A huge mural celebrating Liverpool’s creative and digital sectors has been unveiled on the city’s former Littlewoods building. The graffiti artwork, which covers over 8,000 sq ft of the art deco building, is the fourth and final piece of the UK’s largest multi-city street art project in support of the @GetItRight campaign. The project was commissioned by the consumer education initiative ‘Get it Right from a Genuine Site’ which aims to raise awareness and respect for the value of the UK’s creative industries. Similar artworks have also been installed in Birmingham, Cardiff and Bournemouth. In Liverpool, the mural pays homage to the city’s budding film and television industry. The work has been painted by renowned street artist ‘Replete’ and the Liverpool-born ‘Beta’ and features some of the city’s emerging creative talent including musician Lapsley and digital entrepreneur
Leon Rossiter. Developer Capital & Centric is working in partnership with Liverpool City Council and the Homes and Communities Agency to deliver a £30 million transformation of the former Littlewoods site into a new television and film studio. Tim Heatley, co-founder of Capital & Centric, says: “So much of what we do as a business revolves around UK creativity. This artwork encourages young people to consider the importance of supporting the films, music, games, books and sports that we all love. “The subject of illegal downloading creates a polarised view amongst young people, but this artwork asks them to make a choice; do they support the UK’s creative industries or not? Purchasing from legitimate sources helps new artists and ideas that we all benefit from, that’s the point we want to make.”
Work on £10m A565 bridge scheme begins next month Construction will commence on a £10 million scheme to replace a damaged bridge leading in and out of Liverpool next month, it has been announced. Work on the A565 bridge, part of an essential route for freight coming to and from the new Liverpool2 deep water port, will begin on 4 July. Part of the A565 will be closed to traffic in both directions between Chadwick Street and the MINI garage for around seven months while the work is carried out, with diversion routes in force. The bridge replacement is the first phase of a £32m project on the A565 Great Howard Street linking the city centre with Sefton. Further stages are set to take place between 2017 and 2019. Councillor Malcolm Kennedy, Liverpool City Council’s cabinet member for regeneration, says: “We need to invest in our infrastructure so we are able to handle the increasing amount of businesses, freight and people travelling to and through Liverpool. “This is especially important on this route due to the completion of the new Liverpool2 deep water port which is absolutely critical to the future economic success of the city region and will help create and support many jobs.”
New Alder Hey bags top national design award Liverpool’s new Alder Hey Hospital, known as Alder Hey in the Park, has been honoured with a top national design award. The £237 million state-of-the-art facility topped the New Build category and was also named overall winner at the Civic Voice Design Awards, beating off competition from Soho Multi-level Playground in London and St Valentine’s Close in Winchester. The awards, organised by Civic Voice, celebrated design and restoration projects which have made a significant contribution to the quality of life of people across England. More than 130 individuals attended the event in Parliament which saw 11 awards handed out to a variety of
schemes and projects which were nominated by their local communities. The new Alder Hey Hospital, which treats children from across the North West, was inspired by a flower drawing created by cardiac patient Ellie Brogan when she was 15 years old. Max Farrell, chair of the Civic Voice Design Awards judging panel, says: “The design of the building or scheme is just one part of the story. What matters just as much is how it was developed. “The Civic Voice Design Awards are showing that communities do not just want to stand at the side and complain, they want to get involved and shape the places they live in.”
The new Alder Hey Hospital was inspired by a drawing created by a 15-year-old patient
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News Commercial
Liverpool architect shortlisted for £10 billion project
K2 \ Architects’ shortlisted design
Liverpool-based K2 \ Architects is the only North West practice shortlisted in an international competition to design part of a £10 billion project in Cumbria. The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and NuGen have included K2 on a list of six potential finalists to develop plans for a visitor centre and administration office building to support Europe’s largest new nuclear power station. The winner will be selected by an independent panel of technical experts including Sir Terry Farrell, the British architect and urban designer famous for works including the MI6 Building in London; and Paul Tiplady, former chief executive of the Lake
Government growth fund boosts Liverpool masonry firm A Liverpool masonry company has undergone a period of expansion after it received a boost through the government’s Regional Growth Fund (RGF). The grant has allowed Tony Ferry & Sons, which specalises in granite, marble and stone masonry work, to take on two new skilled fitters and attract bigger contracts. The company, which was formed in 1969, has also been able to move from its original base in Bootle to a facility at Liver Industrial Estate on Long Lane where it’s currently in the process of creating a new showroom. Mike Ferry, director at Tony Ferry & Sons, says: “The help we have received through the RGF has allowed us to take on bigger contracts and also two new skilled members of staff. “We were planning to move from our Bootle base anyway but the growth fund really helped us with this and we’re now in a much better unit here on Long Lane. “The new showroom is coming along nicely and is around 60% completed – we hope to have it finished within the next two months.” The RGF is a £3.2 billion fund which awards grants to small and medium sized businesses with the aim of supporting private sector investment, creating economic growth and sustainable employment across the country. Tony Ferry & Sons covers all aspects of natural stonework with each of its fitters fully qualified stonemasons. This allows the firm to take on a broad range of stonework jobs from kitchen worksurfaces right up to commercial and retail projects. The firm is currently working with national five-a-side football operator Lucozade Powerleague to refurbish the bar facilities at more than 20 of its sites across the UK and last year fitted out the bathrooms at the DoubleTree by Hilton Liverpool Hotel & Spa.
Tony Ferry & Sons’ new Long Lane showroom is expected to open in July
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District National Park Authority. K2 \ Architects director, Mark Davies, says: “We are proud to be the only North West practice to make the shortlist. The chance to work alongside NuGen and deliver world class buildings is an exciting opportunity for us. “Over the past years we have continued to evolve our reputation as a practice that thinks differently. The firm is growing way beyond our expectations and we attribute this to our hardworking and creatively talented team.” Covering an area of 200 hectares, the nuclear plant is expected to create 21,000 jobs during its lifetime, with construction work slated to begin in 2020.
Falconer Chester Hall appoints head of new Manchester office Directors of the growing North West established Falconer Chester Hall practice
Falconer Chester Hall has appointed David George to head up its new Manchester office as the firm continues its expansion. George joins the Liverpool-founded architecture practise after serving as associate director at AEW Architects for four and a half years. Adam Hall, managing director of Falconer Chester Hall, says: “Since we established our London office five years ago and following the creation of the Northern Powerhouse, a Manchester office has been high on our agenda for some time but we were keen to ensure that we had the right person for the job. “David is not only a talented architect with ideas and an ethos that resonates with our own but he is also a well-known figure on the Manchester property scene.” Founded 20 years ago and headed up by Hall and Paul Falconer, Falconer Chester Hall is an award-winning architecture firm which now has offices in Liverpool, Manchester, London and Kuala Lumpur. The company, which was honoured at the 2016 RICS awards for its Tower Wharf development in Birkenhead, specialises in the Private Rented Sector (PRS), student, commercial, hotel and leisure developments.
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Science News
Northern Powerhouse delegation heading to BIO convention A Northern Powerhouse delegation will champion the region’s life science potential at a major biotech convention in California this month. Prominent figures from the sector will fly out to the 2016 BIO International Convention in San Francisco, a leading event for pharmaceutical research and development. The delegation includes Chris Doherty, site director at Alderley Park; Dr Neil Murray, CEO of Redx Pharma; Hakim Yadi of The Northern Health Science Alliance Ltd; Linda Magee of Manchester Academic Health Science Centre and Jonathan Lewis of Aptus Clinical, as well as representatives from KPMG and Bionow. During the 6-9 June event the group will promote the North of England as a viable centre for US and global companies to set up operations, highlighting its potential for research, clinical trials and more. Working alongside US publisher Scrip Intelligence, the delegation will take part in a round table discussion at KPMG’s San Francisco office on 8 June to flag up the opportunities on offer in the North. The Northern Powerhouse representatives will also meet with delegates from around the world during a drinks reception at a pavilion hosted by UK Trade and Investment (UKTI). The 2016 BIO International Convention will be held at San Francisco’s Moscone Center.
Dr Neil Murray, CEO of Redx Pharma, will join the delegation
Life Science Enterprise Zone launches at Alderley Park The launch of the new Alderley Park Life Science Enterprize Zone
A Life Science Enterprise Zone has been launched at Cheshire’s Alderley Park. The new zone, which forms part of the Cheshire Science Corridor, offers 21.5 hectares comprising 1.1 million sq ft of built floorspace with the potential to create a reported 7,000 highly skilled jobs. The Life Science Enterprise Zone was unveiled during a launch event hosted by Councillor Don Stockton, Cheshire East Council’s portfolio holder for regeneration; and Dr Chris Doherty, site director for Alderley Park. It was attended by representatives from the property sector, local businesses and investors.
Doherty says: "This is a great day for all involved in supporting life sciences across the Cheshire region. “The enterprise zone will give businesses based at Alderley Park access to additional important financial incentives, alongside the services and support we already provide." Alderley Park, which plays host to more than 150 businesses from the life science sector, offers companies moving into the site a maximum of 100% business rate relief of up to £55,000 per year for up to five years, as well as enhanced capital allowances and an onsite dedicated business support programme thanks to its new status. MOVE COMMERCIAL 13
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p17-32_Move Commercial 27/05/2016 15:17 Page 18
Bitesize thinking
Dave Waddington tax director, Haines Watts
In my crystal ball... Businesses in the UK are set to be at the heart of an industrial revolution to embrace digital technologies that will more than likely improve productivity. In April 2016 the EU Commission published details on how businesses in the EU, including the UK, can get better access to technologies that will help them to modernise. The Research and Development (R&D) Tax Relief & Credit Scheme plays a key role in incentivising UK businesses to develop and grow high-tech activities. The potential scope for successful R&D claims is greater than most businesses think and it remains the UK’s most generous corporation tax relief. There are still misconceptions regarding what actually constitutes R&D for tax purposes and I look forward to working with businesses who will benefit from this initiative.
If only I’d known… On 6 April 2016 the UK dividend tax system was overhauled, resulting in a significant tax hike for most limited company owners. This was first announced in the July Budget and introduced very quickly afterwards into the UK tax scheme. Does this mean that the government is anti-small companies? According to the government stats, the new dividend tax is expected to raise £2.5 billion during 2016/2017. It responded by suggesting a cut in corporation tax will happen as a result of these proposed changes. The announcement certainly caused waves in the small business community. There was little time to plan for this increase in personal tax rates and many were shocked. Under normal circumstances I try to have a long-term tax plan with my clients, many family and owner managed businesses, so their personal cash flow can be organised and managed efficiently so this has been a challenge to say the least.
Photo: Ansgar Koreng / CC BY 3.0 (DE)
My favourite building with... Craig Davies senior architect, K2 \ Architects
Chapel of Reconciliation, Berlin In the east of Berlin, away from the slick, glossy facades of much of Berlin’s redevelopment following unification, lies the subtle, oval structure of the Chapel of Reconciliation. Forming part of the Berlin Wall Memorial within the city, the chapel is situated on the same site of the former Reconciliation Church that became inaccessible following the construction of the wall. The land surrounding it formed part of the border control measures and the church became a symbol for the division of Germany until the government ordered it to be demolished. The chapel is formed by an outer skin of vertical timber louvres that filter daylight onto an inner oval of rammed earth. The light highlights the stratification of the layers of compact earth, which contain the remains of the destroyed church. The sustainable materials are a great example of green modern architecture, while also forming a warm, tactile aesthetic. A sympathetic backdrop, creating a contemplative space in which to reflect on the city’s turbulent past. 18 MOVE COMMERCIAL
“A sympathetic backdrop, creating a contemplative space in which to reflect on the city’s turbulent past”
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MOVE COMMERCIAL
Bitesize thinking
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Derek Dawson head of commercial litigation, Paul Crowley & Co Solicitors
Curriculum VITAE Main duties: I’m head of the commercial litigation department and also manage the commercial office at No 1 Old Hall Street. I have conduct of my own files and in my role as a solicitor I attend court and see to clients’ instructions. Education: Through secondary school and sixth form I attended St Margaret’s High School in Liverpool. I then read law at the University of Liverpool before continuing my studies at Chester Law College. First Job: From the age of 15 I worked part-time in a green grocers for five years. There was little that I didn’t know about veg by the time I left! It taught me some excellent life skills, especially how to deal with customers and colleagues. Shortest Job: I generally stay loyal and don’t move on from roles very often, so there are no short-term positions in my CV. What’s the secret to your success? You cannot replace hard work and endeavour. If you put the energy in, you get out what you deserve.
What piece of advice would you give someone starting out in the industry? Experience is invaluable. There are so many different specialisms in law and it can be hard to know which direction is best. The only way to find out which area suits your talents is to try out as many of them as you can.
Redrock Stockport Redrock Stockport is Stockport Council’s ambitious £45 million development. It will bring 75,000 sq ft of retail and restaurant space to the Bridgefield area of the town centre, along with a 10-screen cinema and a multi-storey car park.
JUL
Stockport Council appoints Lend Lease to redevelop the town centre’s Bridgefield area with features including a cinema, restaurants and car park.
AUG
Lend Lease pulls out of the project citing the recession and decline in the high street retail sector as the factors.
NOV
The council decides to take up the redevelopment cause itself.
JAN
Outline planning permission for a revised development on the Bridgefield site is granted to Stockport Council.
DEC
Stockport Council approves funding of £45m for the initiative.
SEP
The Light Cinemas is unveiled as the anchor tenant and will be the operator of a 10-screen multiplex.
OCT
Stockport Council names its regeneration scheme Redrock, referencing the geographic features of the surrounding area.
JAN
Planning permission is granted for the development and it’s announced that work is scheduled to begin later in the year.
JUN
Wates is named as the main contractor for the development of the project, having been appointed on a two-stage design and build contract.
MAR
Stockport Council announces Pizza Express and Zizzi will open restaurants in the development, with the former securing a 3,300 sq ft unit and the latter snapping up 3,000 sq ft.
APR
Building work on the project gets underway, starting with the removal of the Bridgefield Street car park ramp to clear the way for the development.
2007
What makes Paul Crowley & Co different? Our approach to our clients. We always remain approachable and friendly, offering our full support. We seek to explain technical and often troubling issues, whilst also taking a robust position with opponents with a firm eye on the outcome that the client can achieve at a realistic cost.
2008
Tell us about Paul Crowley & Co’s plans for the next 12 months? The year ahead will focus on strengthening all departments and continuing to offer top quality customer service, which we are very proud of. This is an exciting year for the firm as we’re celebrating 25 years in the industry, and are also completing our first year in our commercial office at No 1 Old Hall Street. I’m confident we’ll build on the last few years’ success and develop Paul Crowley & Co even further.
2013
Tweet all about it
2011
2013
2014
2014
The 5 best commercial tweets
1 2 3 4 5
@LondonRoadMCR New plans for ground floor show potential spaces for destination bars, restaurants, digital gallery and more. #CreateLondonRoad @CapitalCentric In 2016 we've already picked up RIBA & BCO awards! That’s now 17 awards in the past 5 years #BlowingOurOwnTrumpet @RobinTudor1 Amazing progress on new @merseygateway bridge. Brilliant site visit this morning. Big benefits for @LPL_Airport @investliverpool: Last year filming here in #Liverpool bought £11.5m into our economy. @FilmLiverpool @CityPlaceChes: #Didyouknow By 2028, #CityPlace will offer more than 500,000 sq ft of office space in seven office buildings creating around 3,500 jobs
2015
2015
2016
2016
2017
Completion is due on the town centre retail and leisure scheme.
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Appointments
CBRE appoints surveyor A new surveyor has been appointed to CBRE’s North West lease consultancy team. Clare Clare O’Loughlin O’Loughlin is joining the firm from The Co-Operative Group Estates, where she held the position of acquisitions surveyor. In her new role, O’Loughlin will be acting for both landlords and tenants with clients including funds, private landlords, retailers and occupiers. Fiona Halliwell, director of the North West lease consultancy team, says: "We are delighted to welcome Clare to our growing CBRE team. Clare's wealth of experience will further strengthen our service to our valued client base as the regional property market continues to flourish.” O’Loughlin will work alongside Halliwell and associate directors Gillian Bamford and Rory O’Leary in the team.
Skills expert to steer apprenticeship service Greater Merseyside Learning Providers’ Federation (GMLPF) has recruited apprenticeGareth Jones ships strategy manager Gareth Jones as it continues its growth in the region. Jones moves from The Skills Funding Agency where he was responsible for employer engagement and promoting apprenticeships across the Liverpool City Region. He continues to sit on the Liverpool City Region Apprenticeships Hub board. Jones will spearhead the development of an information service to steer GMLPF’s 80-strong membership through key changes such as the introduction of an apprenticeship levy on businesses. He says: “The challenge of continuing to provide the right apprenticeships for young people and local businesses is amplified by the latest government directives. “We want our members to have access to all the latest information about the reforms, but interpreted in a way that relates directly to them.” 20 MOVE COMMERCIAL
Marketing duo head up new firm
Libby Witherden and Colette Brown
Libby Witherden and Colette Brown have launched a new property industry focused marketing and events agency called Solid Ground. Managing director Witherden and operations director Brown previously worked in Capital Properties’ marketing team, known as Capital Life, and are aiming to create and deliver bespoke place making strategies for clients across the country. The Solid Ground team, to be based at Manchester’s Churchgate House, will work with clients including Muse Developments, Helical Bar, Worthington Developments and Columbia Threadneedle. Witherden says: “We’re looking forward to some really exciting projects and events with our clients over the next six months, and have ambitions for a slow but steady growth of our portfolio as we start to establish ourselves in the marketplace.”
Kingsley is an award winning recruitment consultancy that prides itself on a high quality, professional and committed service to both clients and candidates in the following areas:
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Former planning inspector joins IBI Group Global architectural, planning, engineering and technology firm IBI Group has boosted its North West Mark Caine team with the appointment of Mark Caine. Caine joins the company as a studio associate and will be based in its Handforth studio in Cheshire. Joining from the Planning Inspectorate, where he has been a planning inspector, Caine will lead and provide support on planning matters for IBI programmes, projects and commercial commissions in the North West and throughout the UK. He also brings more than a decade of experience in working at Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council to the firm. Paul Sheppard, head of IBI Group’s UK planning team, says: “Caine’s arrival reinforces IBI’s planning capabilities and will enable the company to extend the scope of its planning service for both new and existing clients.”
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p17-32_Move Commercial 27/05/2016 14:08 Page 22
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My Month Steven Knowles, regional director, St. Modwen - North West With town centre transformations and mixed-use regeneration schemes across the Liverpool City Region, it’s no wonder the past month has been busy for St. Modwen in the North West. Regional director Steven Knowles looks back at his past few weeks of project progress and achievements.
My goal at the start of the month was...
Great Homer Street
, Liverpool
My goal at the start of May was to finalise any outstanding deals, new lettings and transactions for the first half of the year and working with the team to get them over the line to ensure the North West region is hitting all of our targets for Q1 and Q2. May is always a busy month because in addition to my monthly reporting I also need to prepare and finalise a report on the region’s half yearly financial results. My priority is to ensure we are delivering on our projects and striving to hit and exceed our half yearly and annual targets.
My biggest achievement was... Achieving all of the above and ensuring that in the North West we are on track to meet all of our targets. We are working on a number of significant projects in the region that are really beginning to gain momentum, including Great Homer Street in North Liverpool (pictured) and the redevelopment of Kirkby Town Centre. Both of these projects have the regeneration of communities at their heart and the investment we are making in these areas will have a significant impact for people who live and work there – something I am particularly proud of. On a personal note, I also remembered my mum’s birthday!
THE NEWS STORY THAT CAUGHT MY EYE It has got to be the EU referendum. The Brexit and Bremain campaigns have considerably ramped up a gear this month and not a day has passed without a different news story on the impact staying or leaving the European Union will have. What does it mean for the Northern Powerhouse? What does it mean for UK business? What impact will it have on construction? These are just a few of the topics up for discussion. Suddenly everyone has woken up to the fact that we have a fairly significant decision looming about the future of our country.
My biggest challenge was... On a day-to-day basis the sphere of regeneration that we work in as a group, whether it’s retail, industrial, development, investment or the disposal of assets, is constantly full of challenges. Invariably we are working with a number of different partners to invest and redevelop areas that have historically suffered from years of under investment and are in need of redevelopment. However, it’s often the case that the greater the challenge, the greater the reward and it is incredibly satisfying to see the impact our work is having on the ground.
The key meeting I had... Every six months we have a meeting to re-evaluate our portfolio with our external property and real estate valuers. At this meeting we run through St. Modwen’s portfolio of investments in the region, the added value initiatives we have in place, which developments we have underway and the sales and acquisitions we have achieved. All of this data and evidence leads to the investment values we achieve. Having a dedicated and capable team, the outcomes are normally positive.
My plan for next month... More of the same – month by month my goal is to keep the region on target and maximise on our growth and profitability, while working towards targets for the next six months and progressing on the development of our major schemes. Next month we will be starting on site with the speculative development of four multi-box industrial units at Stonebridge Business Park in Liverpool. Now the nights are slightly longer and the weather is improving (allegedly) – I hope to get out on my road bike a bit more. MOVE COMMERCIAL 23
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Natasha Young natasha@movepublishing.co.uk
Stephen Carr (left) and Richard Threlfall
Port Potential 26 MOVE COMMERCIAL
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Port Potential Lunch debate
Peel’s Liverpool2 deep water container terminal is due to open in phases this year, aiming to position the city as a central gateway for the UK and Ireland and take full advantage of its historic maritime strengths once again. Move Commercial brings a panel of experts together to discuss how businesses across the North West can truly benefit from the new infrastructure, and how prepared the wider region and transport networks are to accommodate the facility.
Stephen Carr
Richard Threlfall
Mike Dargan
head of commercial strategy & planning, Peel Ports - Liverpool
partner and UK head of infrastructure, building and construction, KPMG
CEO, Upholland-based special FX makeup manufacturer Dashbo Ltd
What potential do you feel Liverpool2 holds for Liverpool as a business destination? SC: One reason we chose the name Liverpool2 is because we believe the local employment impact will be similar to Liverpool ONE. Liverpool ONE is credited with creating 5,000 private sector jobs and Liverpool2 will create a similar number, either directly on the port or indirectly in associated industries. What about the potential for businesses to expand by broadening their trading reach? MD: In an ideal world the new Liverpool terminal will enable smaller businesses to cost effectively send and receive goods in a reasonable time period without shipments travelling the length of the country before being exported or imported. Extra travel and fuel costs impact on shipping prices. SC: The fundamental of the Liverpool2 business case isn’t because the UK’s short of container terminals or because it’s the cheapest route from quay to quay for a ship to travel. It’s the most economic route for people to move cargo from somewhere else in the world to somewhere in the North, or equally for northern exporters to have a cheaper route to market across the world. By making supply chain costs cheaper and more effective, that drives a promotion of investment in new manufacturing and supply chain facilities and that can be a catalyst for creating accessible jobs.
Why is it the right time for this to be the area Liverpool develops in? SC: As the economy grows, roads and rail networks are becoming increasingly congested and it’s harder to move products longer distances. Therefore there’s a consequential cost. I did a university lecture and showed that to move a container from Shanghai to Manchester’s Trafford Park, 98% of the journey is on water and 2% is on land yet the cost split is 50/50, so that last 2% absorbs 50% of the cost. RT: The UK is arguably fortunate because of its history and the concentration of all the capability it has, but the competition is ferocious and if we’re going to remain a competitive player in the next 30 to 60 years, we have to invest and be at the front of the curve of what’s going on.
“ “
If we don’t have the vision or businesses that appear prepared to put vision and capital in, it’s easy to step back off that stage and let it all go to the South or Europe. MD: A port at this time which is correctly organised will give Liverpool a boost and put it back on the map, bringing shipments into the city as opposed to Southampton or similar. As more new businesses form and smaller business grow, more business is done outside of the country. Certainly for us, we export a lot of product to Europe, the Far East and America. This type of business is vital to our economy and cements our place in commerce. What other needs should be addressed for medium-sized North West businesses considering Liverpool2 as an opportunity to expand their level of exporting?
To move a container from Shanghai to Manchester’s Trafford Park, 98% of the journey is on water and 2% is on land yet the cost split is 50/50.
RT: One key thing we repeatedly find amongst manufacturers is the increasing use of technology across the whole logistic supply chain, so there’s a big piece about practicing infrastructure investment and how we can we get a true origin to destination understanding of exactly just in time delivery. We’ve been working with a consumer goods business in the North which managed to take 15% out of its logistics via switching its port of entry but also by investing heavily in technology allowing it to track exactly what it needs, when it needs it, and working closely with the whole supply chain, the port, shipping operators and their suppliers. SC: There’s suddenly a transformational change in UK infrastructure. For large companies it’s easier to assess the potential benefits. As the company becomes smaller they don’t have that resource and there’s a role for the likes of KPMG to produce those models. One big challenge importers into the UK and retailers and merchandisers have is they don’t know how we want to buy our products in the next couple of years. We started developing a multi-user warehouse concept in 2011 and it’s now, in its own right, a £5m-plus turnover business providing smaller manufacturers with an ability to take full advantage of port-centric logistics without needing their own warehouse and committing to long term leases. By holding that stock at the port you can defer decisions on which MOVE COMMERCIAL 27
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channel you sell that product to, how you brand the product and how you package it, and that’s taking cost out of that supply chain. The challenge is explaining to the wider business community that these are ways to drive value. Have businesses spent enough time considering how they can make the most of Liverpool2 when it opens? RT: We’re seeing significant interest in the Northern Powerhouse concept, already with a degree of frustration that it can’t be delivered quicker. Peel can put in tremendous investment but unless the political grouping of the North comes together to support it with the correlating investment to actually get the product across to the port effectively, we squander a lot of what we’ve done. It’s not really fair on businesses to have to take that punt on their own, so businesses are excited about the opportunity but need to see it become real. SC: Last year we launched Cargo 200 to bring together 200 companies which
28 MOVE COMMERCIAL
import or export from the North to shout about Liverpool2. That’s partly for us to convince shipping lines there’s a market for it but also to get a collective force from industry where people can champion case study evidence of how a local port can add value. For instance, B&M’s artificial Christmas trees arrived in September and you don’t want them clogging up warehouses for two months so we found a solution for that. Bringing companies together to explain those case studies makes it easier to talk to the wider business community, and for people who advise in supply chains to apply those case studies and multiply them. How far across the UK will Liverpool2 reach? SC: When you get to the junction of the M6, M1 and the A14, everyone thinks you’re nearly at Felixstowe, but you’re still four miles closer to Liverpool. It does depend on services, pricing and transit times so it’s not as simple as saying that’s the cut off but that gives an idea of the potential reach. Liverpool is also closer to Scotland’s
Duke’s Restaurant Pullman Liverpool, Kings Dock, L3 A new addition to Liverpool’s iconic waterfront, Duke’s Restaurant is perfectly placed and presented for business lunches, meetings and functions. Set within the recently launched four-star Pullman Hotel, the brasserie is a stone’s throw from ACC Liverpool and its Exhibition Centre Liverpool venue and is also amongst some of the city’s most prominent landmarks and business locations. Duke’s Restaurant’s relaxed yet suitably formal décor and surrounding windows overlooking the waterfront area are coupled with quality lunch and dinner menus and drinks. For more information call 0151 945 1000.
whiskey exporters and Ireland’s dairy exporters, and that in itself delivers a huge benefit to shipping lines because they can balance their exports more easily through Liverpool than through the South. By taking northern traffic through northern ports though it also relieves capacity in southern transport infrastructure so the southern ports can service the southern economy more. RT: Do you see a relationship between ports on the other side of the country and Liverpool and the way in which they work? I sense connection between them is poor, and with input supplies coming in from the continent naturally onto that coast, being processed largely in the middle of the country and a great deal being shipped from Liverpool, I’m wondering whether we should do something to strengthen that relationship. SC: The fundamental need is that there’s currently traffic coming from Ireland to go to continental Europe through Liverpool, Holyhead or Heysham, and it drives down the M6, round the M25 and to Dover to get there. It could sit on a train from Liverpool to Hull and you’ve removed a lot of freight off the road network. RT: The States has been investing in next generation Hyperloop technology and the proposal is to move trains at least 400-500 miles per hour. It’s a powerful proposition for freight and if you were to be able to
contemplate effectively a port to port connection, East to West in a tunnel at that sort of speed, it’s within technological grasp but the country needs the vision to grab that sort of opportunity. How fit is the North West’s wider infrastructure now to deal with increased traffic to the port? MD: I'm unsure Liverpool can handle the increased traffic created by a port. Liverpool can be very difficult to get around by vehicle during work hours. Routes in and out need to be planned for shipments into the port rather than adding to an increasing over population of vehicles in a space that’s already congested. RT: Mersey Gateway is an example that we can invest at capacity when we set our minds to it. Broadly, if the question is whether the infrastructure is fit for purpose then no it’s not. A report from the National Infrastructure Commission rightly says the M62 is seriously congested and is a break on the economic growth across the Northern Powerhouse. We know trans-Pennine links are slow and congested, and the North to South links also don’t have enough capacity. We engage in a huge controversial debate about whether we can justify spending lots on something like HS2 – I don’t think we can afford not to invest that sort of money on HS2, and we
p17-32_Move Commercial 27/05/2016 17:27 Page 29
Port Potential Lunch debate
need to invest that sum again and again over the next 50 years to be the country we want to be. SC: Coming out from the port there’s a three or four-mile motorway linking Liverpool to Switch Island. Government has ring-fenced £130m to improve that connection, but when you talk to road haulage and people who plan supply chains, they intentionally plan to avoid rush hours. Supply chain is constantly having to avoid the congestion hotspots, be it ours or in motorway locations. They can only do that for a certain amount of time and then we need the right capacity and infrastructure to move products from A to B. We lack a national freight policy. Until we address that we’ll never fully solve issues of door to door connectivity. RT: That’s a sad consequence of decades of visceral political objection to any long-term planning. It’s been hugely encouraging that all political parties have come round to the idea that that’s a mistake and we should be planning long term, embracing proper spatial planning of where we’re trying to get the country. The sooner we build the capability of organisations like Transport for the North which have the authority and responsibility to work out how this all fits together, the better. With the port opening in phases this year, what impact will it realistically have on the region and businesses in its first year? MD: In its first year of operation I’d expect the changes to be small as the city adjusts to the new port and businesses become aware of its potential uses. SC: Whenever you open a big piece of infrastructure it takes years for people to pick it up and fully use it. What’s been interesting is the number of new shipping services that have already started to come through Liverpool this year. Maersk has come back for the first time in 10 years. MSC, a longestablished player through Liverpool, has supported the introduction of a service by WEC. We’re already seeing people who, for the last five years, have been saying when Liverpool2 is open they’ll start shipping products through the port, and that’s as much to do with how shipping lines are responding to the demands of northern businesses.
“
The sooner we build the capability of organisations like Transport for the North which have the authority and responsibility to work out how this all fits together, the better.
“
How have companies been positioning themselves for the port so far? SC: Poundland’s warehouse in Wigan is a great location to shuttle product to and from the port of Liverpool, but you’re on that North South M6 arterial motorway so for a driver it’s a four-hour drive to Scotland and a four-hour drive to London. In Liverpool you’re probably another 30/40 minutes away so you need to look at the market and Poundland has probably chosen a great location to have a national distribution centre. There are plenty of examples of where large companies like Poundland or small companies like F.S. Mackenzie are changing their location to reflect that change in infrastructure, and we only see that growing and accelerating. Could the uncertainty of the EU referendum and its final result impact on trade and the development of the port? RT: I’ve been clear throughout this debate that for infrastructure and construction the short term can only be bad news because the construction industry is hugely exposed to sentiment volatility. You invest when you’re confident about the future, and any political uncertainty tends to be a break on investment. For the longer term impact, individual
effects will depend on individual industries but for construction and infrastructure, studies over the last 10 years show countries which are part of successful trade groups like the EU tend to have higher growth rates overall. Therefore for that particular sector it seems its interest lies in voting to stay in the world that gives the best economic growth prospects, which is to stay. SC: Liverpool has more trade linked to North America and South America so direct immediate impact on the port would be minimal. It just comes down to what would happen to the economy and broader confidence in global trade. Looking 10 to 20 years ahead, 30% of cargo coming through UK ports is petroleum based, be it crude oil coming into refineries or product coming out, and there’s a longer term structural issue in the UK port sector around energy policy and including raw fuels in that energy bracket. The port sector’s long term outlook is probably more correlated to energy policy than the referendum, albeit the UK’s South East coast ports probably have a more vested interest in it. MD: Regardless of our decision to stay in Europe or remove ourselves from it, business must go on and continue to be fluid throughout the world. We must not allow political agenda to prohibit business growth or change. MOVE COMMERCIAL 29
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The North West’s economy suffered a blow in 2013 when pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca moved its research base out of Cheshire, but the region’s biotech interests have a new vanguard in Dr Neil Murray and Redx Pharma. With the drug discovery specialist continuing its charge from start-up to sustainable public company, Move Commercial caught up with Murray to find out how he built one of the UK’s fastest growing life science operations.
A winning formula Since hanging up his lab coat and safety goggles in 1993, Dr Neil Murray’s greatest discovery is a formula for commercial success in the biotech sector. The pharmaceutical industry veteran founded drug development operation Redx Pharma in Liverpool in 2010 and has already watched it grow from a humble start-up to an AIM-listed business. Redx exploded onto the scene at a time of renewed interest in the UK biotech field, succeeding where many have failed by securing a boatload of early-stage funding from high profile investors including venture capitalist Jon Moulton. Murray describes Redx’s initial investment drive as the “toughest” funding campaign he has ever spearheaded and attributes its success to striking up business deals with the right people. “I would argue that it was mainly down to the corporate finance group we used then and continue to use now; Acceleris in Manchester,” he says, recalling that early-stage investment coup. “They are phenomenally capable at raising money for SMEs, particularly high net worth money. “We were fortunate to get a shareholder in like Jon Moulton. Once you have a name like that, others kind 32 MOVE COMMERCIAL
of coalesce around him. That first funding was the toughest I’ve done without a shadow of a doubt.” Smart business decisions may have helped launch Redx, but it’s the company’s unconventional school of thought on drug development and discovery that continues to attract investors to the table. Rather than build a business around science, Murray took what he describes as a “disruptive” approach, putting commercial sustainability first when shaping pipeline programmes to pharmaceutical partners in an attempt to meet the demands of a transitioning industry. “We weren’t going out selling science, we were going out selling a commercial proposition,” he explains. “The science for us has always been an enabler for what we do, which doesn’t mean we don’t do great science. “I think we do world class science but it’s always been about the business first and the science second. Normally in biotechs it’s about science first and business second. That’s really the difference we’ve always been a business that makes sure there’s a commercial approach to what we do.” This business-first approach has done Redx no
harm as the company secured a market capitalisation of £55 million on floatation and now employs more than 180 people across its three subsidiaries Redx Oncology, Redx Anti-Infectives, and Redx Immunology. It’s an exciting time for all three of Redx’s arms, with the company working on anticipated programmes around drug treatments for MRSA, skin, brain, blood and breast cancers, and beginning the process of relocating to a state-of-the-art new headquarters at Cheshire’s Alderley Park bioscience hub, the former location of AstraZeneca’s research base. Although AstraZeneca’s move to Cambridge was a blow to the North West, Murray is quick to point out that the region has retained a strong biotech offering. “The North West has a phenomenally strong life sciences capability and yes, it’s sad that AstraZeneca decided to move to Cambridge from a regional perspective, but from a UK perspective it’s great because the important thing is that it stayed in the country,” he says. “The diaspora that has resulted from
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Dr Neil Murray, CEO, Redx Pharma Interview
AstraZeneca’s presence in the North West and the legacy of its world-class facilities at Alderley Park mean that the North West still has a significant advantage in UK terms when it comes to the quality scientific staff that are available, the quality of facilities on offer and the number of life science companies that remain here.” Redx’s decision to up sticks from its Liverpool HQ at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital’s Duncan Building by the end of the year was born out of necessity, given that the structure is earmarked for demolition and the construction of its on-site replacement ran into delays. With the relocation conundrum now behind it, Redx is looking to the future and doing its part to help the UK biotech industry overcome one of its greatest challenges, namely the perceived skills shortage that is holding Britain back from its European counterparts. The solution, Murray believes, lies in education and Redx is a part of it through its role in providing placements to students at Liverpool Life Sciences UTC, the first school in Britain specialising in science and healthcare for 14 to 19-year-olds.
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We do world class science but it’s always been about the business first and the science second. Normally in biotechs it’s about science first and business second.
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“We’re a sponsor of the UTC and we take kids on placements and make sure we bring them in for four weeks at a time,” Murray says. “There’s no point in having them there for a few days or a week because they don’t get much out of that and we don’t either. “Longer placements give them the opportunity to contribute rather than just come in and have a tour and look around. They come away with a better understanding of what it’s like to work in a science environment because they’re actually immersed in it for a month.” Looking ahead, Murray is squarely focused on what he calls the second phase of Redx’s development: sustainability. It’s something he believes is attainable if the government provides appropriate funding to the UK biotech industry. “After moving up from the start-up phase we’re now subtly reshaping the organisation to support more development activity and less research activity,” he adds. “It’s also about making sure we have the resources available to allow us to do that and making sure we commercialise and realise value out of the pipeline we have.” MOVE COMMERCIAL 33
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In our increasingly competitive and globalised world, how a city is branded and seen by investors can be crucial to its economic prosperity. Cities are like companies and just like companies, the ones with a strong, well defined brand image find it easier to attract people, businesses and, ultimately, investment. As the concept of the Northern Powerhouse continues to provoke debate, Move Commercial looks at how the respective brand identities of key towns and cities across the North West help drive investment and how the region’s lesser known areas fit into the wider northern offering.
Branding the North For most people, unless it’s their hometown, what they think about a particular town or city essentially boils down to a handful of key attributes and elements which have been shaped by how that place is presented to the world. When we think of Paris for example, we think of the ‘city of love’, art, culture; New York means energy, aspiration, cool; Tokyo is technology, innovation and power. Cultivating a city’s brand is key not only to attracting people but crucially inward investment. Here in the North West, attracting business and investment to our major towns and cities is intrinsically linked with how these places are viewed both on a national and international scale. Often, specialising in a specific sector can help give potential investors a clear picture of what a particular town or city is about. For instance, Liverpool is increasingly active in the pharmaceutical and life sciences sectors, whilst Manchester is recognised as the dominant force in the Northern Powerhouse and a hub for advanced materials, creative, digital and tech firms. Even some of the region’s lesser known areas have established themselves as major players in their respective fields; Knowsley has positioned itself as a centre for logistics and retail distribution with Cheshire home to an increasing number of multinational 36 MOVE COMMERCIAL
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We know the synergy that exists between a really powerful, highly performing city centre core but then having a range of districts and towns as part of the wider city region.
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corporations and biomedical leaders. Making sure investors have a clear image of each area’s specific offering is a key factor in driving economic prosperity. Events like the International Festival for Business (IFB), which is set to be held in Liverpool again this month, give the city a chance to present itself to the world and put it firmly in the shop window for foreign investment. “We’ve attracted people to come to the city region for what is a national and international event - we’re bringing business visitors into Liverpool,” says Ian McCarthy, festival director for IFB2016. “People who haven’t visited Liverpool for a long time or at all, especially those from the UK, to some extent still have the wrong preconceptions about the place. “When they get here and they find out it's such a fabulous provincial city with such a warm welcome with excellent business facilities including the hotel stock and Exhibition Centre Liverpool they are astounded.” It’s not just here in the UK where Liverpool’s stock is rising according to Ellen Cutler, director of investment at Liverpool Vision. “Outside of the UK, Liverpool is one the biggest brands that the country has. It’s London, Manchester
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Branding the North Focus
and Liverpool – that's it, that’s what people know.” Making sure businesses are aware of not only what Liverpool has to offer but also the wider city region is a key facet of Cutler’s work. “If you want to attract investment it’s about showcasing your capabilities in very niche sectors,” she adds. “People are interested in doing business in the whole city region. The city of Liverpool itself is a functional economy but it might not be right for all companies to be based in the city centre. “Companies don't necessarily need to be in the city centre and we need to have all sorts of locations and offers and skill sets – I genuinely believe we’re better as a region.” Presenting a combined city region offering is also central to the branding of the Northern Powerhouse’s de facto capital, Greater Manchester. The county has firmly established itself at the heart of the Northern Powerhouse as its largest urban area and is home to a wealth of successful developments such as MediaCityUK, which have helped drive investor interest. “Manchester is internationally well connected; a diverse and progressive city with a world class investment offer which includes unique strengths in a
wide array of sectors,” says Sara Tomkins, destination director for Marketing Manchester. “Investors choose cities like Manchester based on whether or not they offer attractive solutions that fit their requirements. “We see Manchester’s global brand as a great asset, providing an opportunity to leverage existing awareness of the city into knowledge of its investment offer.” Some of Greater Manchester’s smaller towns like Stockport are happy to get on board with the combined offering of the county and are not worried about potentially sacrificing part of their identity in doing so. “Stockport is very much working as part of the Greater Manchester offer,” says Caroline Simpson, Stockport Council’s corporate director for place management and regeneration. “All our plans for redevelopment and growth in our economy are absolutely aligned with growth in the city. “What we need across Greater Manchester is a whole range of different offers that suit business needs. “We know the synergy that exists between a really powerful, highly performing city centre core but then
having a range of districts and towns as part of the wider city region which also have that economic success. It’s not a competitive environment in that sense - we have a complementary offer.” Looking at the Liverpool City Region, one area which is keen to present itself as part of the region’s overall offering whilst still retaining a degree of independence is Knowsley. “We are a relatively small place and we recognised that to really get people talking about Knowsley, for all the right reasons, we needed to take a different approach and I think that approach is starting to bear fruit,” explains Edward Perry, chair of the Knowsley Place Board. “People are talking about Knowsley, investment is coming and organisations who previously may have overlooked our area are thinking again. In the last couple of years big names like Matalan, Amazon and Morrisons/Ocado have come here. “The whole purpose of the Knowsley Place Board is to ensure that both the private and public sector work together to ensure that opportunities for Knowsley are maximised. But we don’t do that in isolation. “For example, at MIPIM UK last year we had our own presence and events but also supported colleagues on the Liverpool and Manchester stand. We are an important part of the city region and the North as a whole.” One possible extension of the Northern Powerhouse concept is to see the North as a ‘megacity’, something recently brought up by chair of the Institute of Civil Engineers’ (ICE) Northern Powerhouse Steering Group, Richard Threlfall at a National Needs Assessment (NNA) conference in Manchester. With a population of over 15 million, a northern multi-centric megacity, according to Threlfall, could be bigger than New York and London. Pooling the resources of the North’s major conurbations and linking the region more efficiently through improved infrastructure would follow the example set by Germany’s Rhine-Ruhr industrial megacity which contributes around 15% of the country’s GDP (gross domestic product). The idea of the North West joining together with the North in this manner is of course attractive to many, but could some of the region’s identity be lost in this great leap forward? McCarthy is not worried. “Places can retain their identity,” he says. “Liverpool, for example, is a very distinctive place. It looks different from many other cities, it has a very strong architectural imprint and a very strong cultural identity which the people of the city relate to.” Cutler is similarly enthused by the idea, commenting on the number of complementary factors at play across the North. “For example in South Yorkshire they’re very good at orthopaedic devices and here in Liverpool it’s very much about pharmaceuticals – totally different spectrums of the healthcare sector but together we’re actually one of the biggest bio-manufacturing areas in Europe,” she adds. MOVE COMMERCIAL 37
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Having recently secured planning permission for its £100 million redevelopment of the former Royal Mail sorting office at Copperas Hill, Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) is firmly positioning itself at the heart of the city’s increasingly vital Knowledge Quarter. Professor Nigel Weatherill, LJMU’s vice-chancellor and chief executive, tells Move Commercial how the ambitious project will benefit both the university’s students and Liverpool.
Making a statement Regular visitors to Liverpool who arrive by train will no doubt be familiar with the imposing sight of the former Royal Mail sorting office which has stood at the top of Copperas Hill since 1977. Set over three and half acres, the facility has lain derelict since 2010 when Royal Mail decided to transfer operations and 600 employees to new depots in Brunswick Dock and Warrington. LJMU purchased the site in 2011 for around £2.6 million before revealing transformational plans for the five-storey building which will see it stripped back to its frame and form the centrepiece of a ‘connected university campus village’. The university hopes the development will act as a ‘gateway to the Knowledge Quarter’. The new student-focused hub will also bring together the university’s Mount Pleasant and Byrom Street campuses which form part of LJMU’s already sizeable presence in 40 MOVE COMMERCIAL
the Knowledge Quarter. The Knowledge Quarter - an unofficial title used to describe the area of Liverpool city centre which focuses heavily on the knowledge, research and education sectors - is recognised by the city’s major educational institutions for its importance in driving investment. In fact, the area is becoming increasingly vital to the city’s economy, now generating around 15% of Liverpool’s annual GVA despite accounting for a mere 1% of its land area. “The development of Copperas Hill puts a significant building right at the heart of the university campus which is a connected university village,” explains Weatherill. “When visitors come to the city by train and enter the Knowledge Quarter, the first building they will see is an iconic building which is about education, it’s about knowledge, it's about working in partnership with students, with the
city and with local businesses. “From that point of view it will be a gateway to the Knowledge Quarter and we hope it will be welcoming to both to the local community and to visitors.” A sign of how important LJMU regards the Knowledge Quarter is reflected by the fact it currently has the highest number of buildings and campuses located within the area’s boundaries than any other university. “At this present time we’ve got 37 buildings located within the city of Liverpool, with many in the Knowledge Quarter zone,” says Weatherill. “We are very proud to find ourselves in a very fortunate position of being located in the Knowledge Quarter.” It’s not just being central to an emerging area in the city which enthuses Weatherill, he is also keen to stress the wider regional aspects of the new project.
“I think it’s a statement of what we are as a modern civic university. We are part of the city of Liverpool, but we’re also part of the Liverpool City Region, and of the North West of England.” LJMU is working together in the Knowledge Quarter in partnership with the University of Liverpool to create the city’s first University Enterprise Zone (UEZ) which will house the new £15m ‘Sensor City’ development. Backed by the Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), the project aims to create 1,000 jobs and house 300 new businesses over a 10-year period and will support companies as they develop and implement novel sensor systems, integrating sensors, firmware and advanced algorithms. Collaboration with other education providers and partners across the region is a key tactic for the university according to Weatherill. “The strategy of the university has
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Nigel Weatherill, vice-chancellor, LJMU Interview
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This building is about investing in the city of Liverpool and the people of Liverpool.
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four key pillars and one of those pillars is collaboration and partnership working,” he explains. “We want to work in partnership with the University of Liverpool and other educational institutions within the city as well as the council. “The UEZ was an opportunity that came along and as we work closely with the University of Liverpool in other areas we thought we would be able to put in a strong bid together around a key technological area in sensors and we were successful. “It’s a great example of how when you work in partnership you can do something and really be transformational. “When you look at the way sensors are going to be used, either in personalised health or for the likes of environment or transport , it’s a real growth area and by working in partnership we have got the opportunity to literally be Sensor City for the UK and be recognised internationally.”
Alongside his work at LJMU, Weatherill chaired the Mayor of Liverpool’s Commission on Environmental Sustainability which last year published its report into what is required to support Liverpool as a sustainable city in the future. The subject of sustainability and the environment is never too far from Weatherill’s thoughts in his role as vice-chancellor, particularly with a major development such as Copperas Hill on the horizon. “We’re a large institution and we have to discharge our responsibility in many different ways,” he says. “As a university we’ve got to demonstrate that we take our environment very seriously. “With a development like Copperas Hill, high on our list of priorities is that it has got to be environmentally friendly and it has to be environmentally sustainable. “We have our own targets in that area – we do it not because we are forced to do it but because it is part
of the values of being a large institution in the city of Liverpool.” With all the talk of the Knowledge Quarter, the UEZ and Sensor City, Weatherill is determined that the main purpose of the Copperas Hill development is not forgotten. “We can look at this and say why are we doing this development but at its core it is essential that we give opportunities to future generations. “We provide an environment where individuals can develop their own skills and once they leave university they will go on their different paths but many will stay in Liverpool and within the city region with the skills continuing to ensure that the city thrives, attracting other companies, other businesses and improving the quality of life. “This building is about investing in the city of Liverpool and the people of Liverpool. It’s a statement about the importance of education here in the 21st Century in the city region.” MOVE COMMERCIAL 41
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As the emergence of the Liverpool2 deep-water shipping dock breathes new life into the region’s industry and bolsters its maritime revival, what impact is this dockside renaissance having across the water on the Wirral Peninsula? Move Commercial explores how recent growth in the sector that once defined Merseyside is creating opportunities for businesses on both sides of the river.
Wirral Tides Turning Before its decline in the late 20th Century, Liverpool’s Albert Dock was a hive of industrious activity, alive with the sound of workers loading cargo onto great vessels bound for America and emigrants departing the city in search of a better life in the New World. The golden age of the famous docks may be consigned to the history books but the opening of Liverpool2, with its towering Megamax Cranes, allows the port to cater for a new variety of gargantuan container ship and marks a fresh start for the city’s maritime ambitions. As many as 5,000 jobs are expected to be created as a result of the Peel Ports project, but it isn’t just Liverpool which stands to gain from the deepwater dock. Across the River Mersey, the waves of opportunity are crashing on the banks of Wirral. Like its Liverpool counterpart, the Wirral docks once thrived. Some of the biggest ships in the world were built there, entrepreneurial spirit burned bright and global companies were born on its quaysides, fuelled by booming 44 MOVE COMMERCIAL
international trade. Although there has been inevitable decline since, numerous industries including automotive and aerospace have endured, and recent growth across the water in Liverpool has served as a catalyst for renewed interest in Wirral as a supply chain hub. Mersey Maritime, the representative body for the maritime sector in the Liverpool City Region, works with businesses of all sizes and in all locations to develop strong, marketresponsive supply chains, and the organisation has noted increased buzz around the peninsula since Liverpool’s port and maritime growth gathered pace. “It’s a big sell for businesses to relocate, but Wirral is attracting firms because it has everything - good schools, good hospitals, restaurants,” Mersey Maritime CEO Chris ShirlingRooke tells Move Commercial. “You’re never more than 15 or 20 minutes away from Liverpool or Chester and if you need to commute to London, it’s little more than two and a half hours
away. We sell the region itself and the standard of living it provides as much as its maritime heritage and how important it is to be part of its supply chain.” One of the Wirral-based projects Mersey Maritime is involved in is the Maritime Knowledge Hub, a joint venture with Liverpool John Moores University that aims to meet the training, enterprise and manufacturing needs of the sector and generate knowledge-led growth and innovation in the UK. “One of the challenges universities have is engagement within industry,” Shirling-Rooke adds. “You have all these brainboxes who have great ideas but need help commercialising them or figuring out how businesses are going to use them. Then you have businesses who have real demand for certain skills, products and tooling but they don’t quite know how to get hold of these resources. “This is why we need a knowledge hub to act as a conduit. Mersey Maritime’s part is bringing industry and
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Wirral is attracting firms because it has everything. We sell the region itself and the standard of living it provides as much as its maritime heritage.
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Wirral Peninsula Focus
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We have a long standing tradition of working with shipping in Liverpool and that is becoming more important now with the development of Liverpool2.
business from the public and private sectors to support the economy and the community.” The knowledge hub is just one of the projects making Wirral a more attractive proposition than ever for businesses. Similarly, more than 500 acres of disused Birkenhead dockland could be transformed into an alluring and sustainable waterfront hotspot where
Wirral Waters regernartion zone
business, industrial and residential developments thrive as part of Peel Group’s proposed Wirral Waters scheme. According to Shirling-Rooke, projects like Wirral Waters and the knowledge hub would not be possible without the backing of Wirral Council, with the potential support the authority offers serving as further enticement for businesses looking to set up shop on
the peninsular. “For me, there’s nothing quite like Wirral Waters in the Liverpool City Region,” he says, highlighting some of the potential draws of the regeneration site. “It’s 500-plus acres backed by a very supportive council and a very supportive developer.” One of the companies watching the Wirral developments with keen interest is the Well Travelled Clinic, a division of the renowned Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. The organisation works closely with the maritime sector, providing essential health services to those in the industry. The Well Travelled Clinic’s managing director, Philippa Tubb has revealed the group aims to strengthen its longstanding ties with the North West’s maritime businesses in light of the latest developments in Wirral, highlighting how this growth has repercussions for a range of different industries. “With this resurgence in shipping and offshore industry and big plans for
redevelopment over in Wirral, we are hoping that our relationship with maritime health will continue to strengthen,” she says. “We have a long-standing tradition of working with shipping in Liverpool and that is becoming more important now with the development of Liverpool2 and proposed regeneration for Wirral. We’re working closely with Mersey Maritime to ensure that those links stay strong because there will be a growth where health needs are concerned as well.” Shirling-Rooke claims the recent boom in Liverpool’s port and maritime, coupled with the growth it has helped stimulate across the River Mersey, is about to see the region benefit from “big investment from large international businesses”. With Liverpool’s docklands shipshape and fresh opportunities presenting themselves in Wirral, the future is bright for the North West’s maritime sector and businesses with ambitions to expand into the region now have a difficult choice to make between each side of the Mersey. MOVE COMMERCIAL 45
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Key event The Workplace Re-Imagined
Cutting-edge office tech on show at exhibition Attendees were treated to a glimpse of cutting-edge office technology at the Workplace Re-Imagined event in Liverpool. Organised by independently managed print provider Copyrite Systems, in partnership with Ricoh, the two-day showcase promoted the latest tech to businesses to convince them that hardware like 3D printers and 360-degree cameras is more than just the stuff of science fiction. Taking place at the city’s famous Royal Liver Building, the free-to-attend exhibition also highlighted the latest advancements in online security, cloud technology and mobile communications whilst championing the potential benefits of these new interactive technologies to schools, charities and other organisations. 1
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1. Visitors were given demonstrations of the equipment 2. The technology has fun uses too 3. A 360 degree camera was just one of the items on display 4. Matthew Taylor (Copyrite Systems) with Craig Gilfoyle and John McDonald (both Morecrofts Solicitors) 5. The likeness is incredible! 6. Natalie Holden (Move Commercial) browses the Ricoh catalogue 7. The 3D printer creates a Liver Bird 8. The event was held in The Venue inside the Royal Liver Building 9. Ricoh’s David Hodges shows off the 3D printer 10. Illustrator Sonya Parra displayed the potential of the interactive screen
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We welcome all guests to the city and the International Festival of Business 2016. Enjoy 20% of all our delicious breakfast dishes to begin your day the best way. Boasting 30ft glass windows overlooking the beautiful Albert Dock, there is no better place in the city to relish over a 'Thyme Mushroom & Fried Halloumi Benny' or 'Coulis & Blueberry Pancake'. Let's do breakfast together.
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Meet, greet & treat Book your business meeting at one of the UK’s most spectacular venues Set in the historic St. Peters’ Church, our elegant restaurant and bar is the ideal location to host your client meeting in spectacular surrounds.
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MOVE COMMERCIAL 51
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Diary Dates - IFB2016 Special Best for UK manufacturers
Best for SME’s
Best for Tech businesses
14 June
20 June
27-30 June
Made by Britain. Loved by the world
Federation of Small Businesses: From Northern Powerhouse to Global Markets
Wireless Global Congress
Exhibition Centre Liverpool 9.45am – 2pm
Launching Manufacturing Week at the International Festival for Business 2016 (IFB2016), this event will offer attendees vital insight into the critical role UK manufacturing plays in the global economy. Boasting keynote addresses by industry experts and panel debates led by representatives from some of the world’s foremost manufacturers, the event will be of particular significance for businesses with an interest in the future of the manufacturing.
Exhibition Centre Liverpool
Exhibition Centre Liverpool 8am – 5pm Host Arif Anasri, political editor for the BBC in the North West, will explore what the global trade agenda means for small firms with a particular focus on the Northern Powerhouse, as this event begins IFB2016’s Energy and Environment Week. Organised by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), the conference will feature UK business secretary Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP, alongside high profile political speakers, policy makers, FSB members and small businesses.
Professional Pointers
A highlight of Creative and Digital Week at IFB2016, Wireless Global Congress will feature high profile figures on the international tech scene including Google’s Trond Wuellner, Rob van den Dam of IBM and Chris Bruce of BT. Hosted by the Worldwide Broadband Alliance (WBA), the global gathering includes the Connected Cities Summit, Next Gen Wi-Fi Summit, Wireless Innovation Summit and a Vision 202 Showcase demonstrating cutting edge innovations in smart cites, Internet of Things and unlicensed wireless.
What’s New £39.99, Bags by Black
Getting the best from networking with Leslie Martin-Wright, chief executive, Knowsley Chamber Networking isn't selling. Many people have the perception that you go to networking events to sell as hard as you can, find clients/customers and give out as many business cards as possible. However, that’s not how it works. Remember, if everyone in the room is selling, no-one is buying. As a Chamber we host regular Flash networking events – an opportunity for people to meet and network in a B2B friendly environment. You may ask why they are called ‘Flash’ - it’s because everyone has one minute to pitch their business. By the time you leave everyone in the room has learned a little bit more about you and your business. The operative words here being ‘learned a little more’; if done well your networking activities will provide you with business in the long term. So what is networking? • Creating a group of like-minded people • Finding people with whom you have a rapport and
adding them to your network Successful networking means you will: • Raise your business profile • Become better equipped as an individual in terms of up-skilling through learning from people who have already been through the journey you're on • Be able to obtain feedback and market research about your business, so always ask for feedback and seek ideas on what you do • Become better connected. You will then be able to generate better referrals through your own connections. The 21st Century has brought with it significantly increased levels of competition in business, and whilst we are all social media and IT savvy there is still a huge role for networking. After all, it’s people who do business with people.
Looking to ditch your clunky brief cases and laptop bags for a versatile alternative which can transport your business essentials in style? We think we’ve found the answer. Recently launched at Gadget Show Live, this LEXI Lifestyle Bag is cool, practical and from a firm right here in the region. Cheshire-based Bags by Black has seemingly thought of everything with this lightweight, spacious solution, which is smart enough to carry personal technology to meetings yet trendy enough for postwork socialising. Available in Flame (pictured), Pitch and French Blue, it features internal pockets for laptops, files and accessories. Plus, external compartments provide a home for smartphones, stationery and business cards.
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Business lifestyle
Where to… go for postIFB2016 drinks
Tried & Tested Business Lunch Maritime Dining Room Merseyside Maritime Museum, Albert Dock, L3 Location and price, quality of service and Wi-Fi speed, privacy and noise levels: there are plentiful factors to consider when choosing a venue for a productive business lunch. Fortuitously, Liverpool is blessed with an ever-expanding range of restaurants and cafes to suit every palate and budget. As preparations continue apace for the upcoming International Festival of Business 2016, my companion and I visited the Maritime Dining Room to see what they have to offer the thousands of discerning business people who will shortly descend upon the city. The location is second to none: a mere fiveminute stroll from nearby Exhibition Centre Liverpool, where legions of conference delegates experience Merseyside hospitality throughout the year. It is also close enough to attract lunchtime diners from the commercial district around Old Hall Street in the centre of the city. Situated on the fourth floor of the Liverpool Maritime Museum, the Maritime Dining Room is a spacious eatery offering visitors a gastro experience, enveloped within the stunning views of Liverpool’s iconic waterfront. For good reason, the Maritime Dining Room has also featured in the Michelin Guide for four consecutive years; one of only 10 Liverpool restaurants to do so. From a menu promising locally sourced ingredients, diners can choose from a wide range of options, whether they fancy a healthy, wholesome salad or a more substantial, traditional bowl of the local delicacy, Scouse. Lighter options are available, as are afternoon teas. We were shown to a delightful window table, overlooking Albert Dock. I opted for a steak sandwich (£7.95) with a side
Review by Liam Deveney
order of onion rings (£2.50) whilst my companion elected to sample the salmon and herb fishcakes (£8.50). Both dishes were attractively presented and portion sizes were generous - perhaps overly so for lunchtime, although there is no contractual obligation to clear your plate. My chargrilled bavette steak with caramelised onion was juicy and succulent and the salad was fresh and light. My partner’s salmon fishcake was “cooked to perfection” and came with a generous serving of chunky chips and cucumber salad. In all honesty, the main course was more than adequate and I doubt that I would have opted for a dessert had I been dining in a private capacity. However, in the name of duty, I opted for the strawberry cheesecake (£3.50) whilst my pal plumped for a fruit scone (£2.95). We were not disappointed: both were fresh, tasty and the perfect end to a pleasant hour. Whilst savouring lunch - and spectating the antics of a sailor executing a three-point turn in the Albert Dock - I also found time to dispatch a couple of emails to test the Wi-Fi connection, which is free to use after a quick registration. Happily this was fast and reliable, a must for those amongst us who can never wholly leave the office behind. The Maritime Dining Room does, however, offer the ideal venue to switch off temporarily and, if you have time, learn about Liverpool’s rich seafaring history, the role the city played during the World Wars and its shipbuilding past. The Maritime Dining Room offers a unique lunchtime location and a perfect setting for those who seek to appreciate a first-rate meal whilst conducting business or those who simply wish to enjoy good company along with quality food. A real treat for visitors to our famous city and locals alike.
Organising your IFB2016 schedule is hard enough, so tracking down a postconference drink needn’t be complicated too. Liverpool has a wealth of bars within walking distance of Exhibition Centre Liverpool (ECL), so whether you prefer crafty cocktails or a proper pint, check out our pick of where to unwind.
Botanical Garden New Bird Street, Baltic Triangle, L7 Liverpool’s only dedicated gin garden is fast becoming one of the Baltic’s most popular outdoor venues – perfect for the summer months. If you’re feeling hungry, don't forget to try one of the delicious ‘Cubano’ sandwiches made on-site by popup Cuban street food eatery, FINCA.
PIMA Bar at Hilton Liverpool Thomas Steers Way, L1 Situated in the Hilton hotel lobby, PIMA Bar is without doubt one of Liverpool’s most stylish bars and the perfect spot for an informal post-conference catch up or simply to loosen up after a busy day of networking.
Baltic Fleet Wapping, L1 Looking for a proper pint within a short walk from ECL? Baltic Fleet is the obvious choice. Opened in the mid 1800s, the cellar has been used to brew a host of ales since 2011 making it the city’s only brew pub.
Vinea Britannia Pavilion, Albert Dock, L3 Enjoy a stroll along the waterfront and into the historic Albert Dock where you’ll find this rustically furnished wine bar. It offers an electic range of quality wines accompanied by shareable platters of delicious cheese, cured meats, olives and bread.
Filter + Fox Duke Street, L1 Just as comfortable doubling as your office for the day as it is a cool night-time retreat, Filter + Fox has quickly established itself as one of Ropewalks’ trendiest venues with a wide selection of beers, cocktails, wines and spirits on offer.
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54 MOVE COMMERCIAL
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Expert views Ask the panel With less than a month to go until the 23 June referendum, the debate over whether Britain should leave or remain in the European Union is really gathering pace. But what will the decision mean for the North West in terms of business, development and growth? In this issue, we’re asking experts from across the region:
Q: Should we be in or out of the EU and why? We act for many small businesses in and around Wirral and have found that many are apathetic to the Brexit debate, mainly because their trading is locally based. No doubt some of Wirral’s bigger importers and exporters will be affected in the short term but opportunities could develop from emerging markets such as China and India. Many businesses simply do not know who to trust regarding the implications of an exit. The general feeling, particularly from more established businesses, is to stay in the EU, predominantly due to a fear of the unknown. A few risk-takers will view the uncertainty following an exit as an exciting time of opportunity. If we do exit we can be certain of changes, some bigger than others, and no doubt some unexpected, but as a nation we have always risen to challenges. I would hope that in this era of start-ups, rapid acceleration of technological advances and entrepreneurial spirit we take a positive, proactive approach. Whilst not wholeheartedly decided my tendency is that there are plenty of potential opportunities offered by an exit, which seem to outweigh the negatives. Nik Ellis, director, Whitfield Business Support
It’s been said that leaving the EU would bring additional funding for the North West and help establish a Northern Powerhouse. However, this is far from a certainty
Joni Mitchell sang ‘You don't know what you've got till it's gone,’ but would we really miss the EU? In a word, yes. Unfettered access to the single market has given the region’s companies significant trade advantages, resulting in major investment and job creation and lured a lot of overseas investment into the region. £2 billion Structural Funds have played a key part in the Liverpool City Region’s resurgence owing to its priority status (Objective 1) and such funds have also greatly improved the infrastructure of Manchester and other key urban centres. European funding has also supported North West universities’ research and innovation activities such as the ground-breaking National Graphene Institute. Eurosceptics argue that the UK is a net contributor to the EU but there is no guarantee that savings resulting
and I believe the major downside to a ‘leave’ vote would be the uncertainty it introduces to businesses of all sectors throughout the region. For aport in particular, we don’t foresee either outcome having a major impact on our business throughout Europe. The highly specialist nature of our business means we always need to work to the very highest standards and be aware of international laws. So in this respect the decision to stay or leave the EU would have little effect, as our regulations would not be decided by the UK. But certainly for aport there would be little benefit in choosing to leave. Tim Aspey, managing director, aport global laboratory relocation
from Brexit would be channelled to the region. Brexit would immediately check growth and resembles a risky ‘leap in the dark’ in the longer term. Professor Richard Evans, acting director and professor of urban and regional policy, European Institute for Urban Affairs at Liverpool John Moores University
I think we have to stay, the risks to the UK economy are too great. Going it alone is a complete unknown and the prospect of that uncertainty doesn’t make the UK an attractive place to invest. The EU is a huge trading block and, as such, provides a buffer to wider global fluctuations, such as the slowdown in China or the problems with world oil supplies. There’s also the prospect of Europe turning the screws with high import tariffs, making manufacturing in the UK increasingly unviable for foreign firms, or poaching large companies with tax incentives and the like. Any of those issues could be enough to hit British businesses and, potentially, to send the UK back into recession. The effect on the commercial property sector would be stark. Buildings are only worth the value they create, so businesses moving away or downsizing creates voids, rents drop and value is wiped off the balance sheet of UK plc which could see a slow deterioration in the economy and the same negative effect we saw on property that we’re just recovering from. Andy Williams, founding partner, Powell Williams
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