Move Commercial 52

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LIVERPOOL CITY REGION CHESHIRE MANCHESTER

AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 2016

FREE

MOVE COMMERCIAL The north-west’s guide to property and business

Issue 52

A hub for skills

Growing sectors target region with training academies

Mann-made success

Brexit:

Iconic waterfront scheme brings further recognition for Broadway Malyan

INTERVIEW

vTime Limited’s Clemens Wangerin on the VR rise

Keeping the Northern Powerhouse on track

Discounters and digital giants

Metro Mayors:

The changing face of supermarkets

Who’s in the running?

p01-18_Move Commercial 25/07/2016 10:34 Page 2

A Towngate Plc Property

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Paul Thorne paul@b8re.com

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Discover a neo way of working.

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Issue fifty two Move Commercial

Welcome to Move Commercial

Contents News

The need to strengthen the pool of talent continues to be a burning issue across the North West’s growing sectors, but multi-million pound facilities are being developed to help remedy the situation.

From port-focused growth to manufacturing and infrastructure, we take a closer look at the training academies being developed in the region and how they are expected to have an effect.

And from nurturing talented trainees to being an industry pioneer, we catch up with Clemens Wangerin from vTime Limited – a firm at the

forefront of virtual reality technology in the region’s thriving digital industry.

Plus, we bring you galleries from some of the North West’s top networking events, a round-up of candidates in the running for next year’s Metro Mayor elections and our panel of experts give their views on how the Northern Powerhouse can keep developing post-Brexit.

06 £60m Citylabs development unveiled 07 Northern Powerhouse Minister urged to accelerate investment 08 Growth funding brings boost for Liverpool City Region firm 09 ISG secures Corn Exchange hotel contract 10 Final speculative refurb underway at Manchester Green

Natasha Young, editor natasha@movepublishing.co.uk

11 Nursery secures space at Salford’s Exchange Quay 12 First tenant for Wirral’s Lightbox

Features 16 Bitesize Thinking Food for thought 21 My Month Cube7 Interiors’ Dave Loughlin on a busy month of business 24 A beacon for skills Growing sectors set up specialist training academies in the region 26 Key event The Social summer BBQ attracts networkers in Manchester

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28 Interview vTime Limited’s managing director, Clemens Wangerin 30 Metro Mayors Who’s in the running in Greater Manchester and the Liverpool City Region 34 Interview Broadway Malyan’s, Gary Whittle on the importance of Mann Island

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36 Key Event IFB2016’s fringe festival, The Edge comes to a celebratory close 38 Changes in store From rising discounters to the giants’ growing digital presence, we look at the evolving supermarket sector

Advertising Director Fiona Barnet. Tel: 0151 709 3871 Advertising Manager Catherine McCarthy. Tel: 0151 709 3871 Editor Natasha Young. Tel: 0151 709 3871 Editorial Team Lawrence Saunders, Mark Langshaw, Matthew Smith, Liam Deveney, Harry Davies 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 – vTime Limited interview.

Sam Wike – The Edge closing ceremony.

Arthur Gold – Professional Liverpool networking lunch. Michael Black – The Social summer BBQ. Cover - www.istockphoto.com/andresr. Professional Pointers- www.istockphoto.com/ decisiveimages

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.

40 Business Lifestyle Top tips and reviews with a focus on wellbeing in the workplace 45 Key event Professional Liverpool’s networking lunch 47 Ask the Panel How can the Northern Powerhouse stay on track following the EU referendum’s Brexit outcome

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News Latest

New £60m Citylabs development announced A new £60 million development to create new office, laboratory and collaboration space in the Corridor Manchester innovation district has been unveiled.

Designed by Sheppard Robson, the Citylabs 2.0 and 3.0 project is the first scheme to be delivered as part of a Strategic Property Partnership between Bruntwood and Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CMFT).

The joint venture between Manchester Science Partnerships (MSP) – of which Bruntwood is a shareholder - and CMFT will take the total amount of space at the site to 300,000 sq ft following the opening of the 95,000 sq ft Citylabs 1.0 in September 2014.

Wirral transport gets regional funding boost The proposed Citylabs 3.0 (image by MSP)

Chris Oglesby, chief executive of Bruntwood and chairman of MSP, says: “It is great to see our pioneering Strategic Property Partnership with the NHS in Manchester hitting the ground running.

“Our investment in Citylabs 1.0 has been a huge success and we are confident that Citylabs 2.0 and 3.0 will be similarly well received by businesses centred in bio-medical research and innovation.”

Citylabs 2.0 and 3.0, which will be developed in two phases beginning in spring 2017, are expected to bring economic growth in excess of £100m and more than 750 new jobs to Manchester, with both buildings anticipated to achieve full occupancy.

Top property awards attract “overwhelming” entries

The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s Integrated Transport Block is handing over £1,375,000 in funding to boost transport in Wirral.

Constituency areas Birkenhead, Wallasey, Wirral West and Wirral South will each benefit to the tune of £32,500, allocated to improve capacity and safety on road networks as well as enhancing cycling and walking routes.

The investment aims to contribute to the economic development of the borough and help the local authority deliver its transport strategy, Connecting Wirral.

Proposed projects the funding will enable include the A41 New Ferry bypass to encourage drivers to adhere to the speed limit, improvements to roundabouts at Clatterbridge Road/Thornton Common Road and Column Road/Caldy Road, Caldy and the conversion of obsolete ‘pelican’ crossings to toucan, or puffin crossings at various locations across the borough.

Councillor Stuart Whittingham, cabinet member for transport and infrastructure, says: “As a council, we are doing all we can to develop Wirral’s economy and encourage investment and jobs to the area, with all the benefits that will bring to the community.

“Having a safe, efficient road network is a key component to that and we are delighted to receive this financial boost to help us make a raft of improvements on many of our key routes over the next year.”

Awards will be presented for 12 categories

Organisers of the prestigious NWPAs have been “overwhelmed” by the number of entries received this year.

Commercial property firms across the whole of the North West had until 7 July to enter their achievements and projects for consideration ahead of the 20 October ceremony.

A total of 12 accolades, which will also celebrate the region’s residential property sector, will be presented during the glittering event at Lutyens Crypt in Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral.

Categories for 2016 will include Best Commercial Scheme, Best Commercial Let and Commercial Property Agent of the Year.

Following the close of the entry process Kim O’Brien, director of Move Publishing which is behind the NWPAs, says: “The North West property

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industry has a great deal to be proud of and the NWPAs is an opportunity to applaud the people, projects and companies who are leading the way.

“We’ve been overwhelmed with the quality and quantity of entries and we can’t wait to hand them over to our expert panel of judges.”

A shortlist will be decided prior to the awards ceremony, with winners announced on the night.

Forth Homes is this year’s headline sponsor alongside fellow associate sponsors MSB Solicitors, Redrow Homes Lancashire and North West, UK Business Supplies, Bridging Finance Solutions, Countryside, Paul Crowley & Co, The Foundry Agency, PCS Law, Yu Property Group, Elliot and Furnish That Room.

For the latest news and updates visit www.nwpas.com.

Councillor Stuart Whittingham has welcomed the investment

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Latest News

Three Queens visit helps boost Wirral visitor economy Wirral’s visitor economy was given a big boost by the visit of the Three Queens cruise ships, according to a new study.

It is now worth over £385 million a year, up by 8.5% on 2014, and supports more than 5,000 full-time jobs in the area.

The report, by the Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), also highlights that Wirral’s tourism sector attracts more than 8.2m day and short break visitors each year.

Councillor Phil Davies, leader of Wirral Council, says: “Last year’s welcome to Cunard’s Three Queens really helped put Wirral on the international visitor map.

“The latest statistics also tell us we’ve seen a 36% increase in visitors staying in

Wirral’s hotels, guesthouses, inns and B&Bs since 2010.

“It’s very encouraging that, despite the challenging economic climate, we are seeing our peninsula’s visitor economy continue to flourish, and our strategy is seeing real benefits for businesses and residents.”

Peter Sandman, head of the visitor economy at the Liverpool City Region LEP, adds: “The visitor economy of the city region is growing from strength to strength and the recently produced investment strategy for the city region will help build on this success, in order to attract even more visitors and spend in the future.”

More than a million people came out to welcome the Three Queens in May 2015

Northern Powerhouse Minister urged to strengthen business ties New Northern Powerhouse Minister Andrew Percy must focus on gaining support and investment from companies in the region, according to a North West expert.

Martin Venning has called on the Northern UK Northern Powerhouse Minister to accelerate investment Powerhouse Conference and Exhibition director Martin Venning believes securing capital from stakeholders to support growth and jobs in the North should be a priority for Percy.

Venning says: “The Northern Powerhouse Economic Review made it clear that if we get it right, the northern economy can expand by an extra £97 billion and 850,000 jobs by 2050.

But if we get it wrong, then the North will be cut further adrift from the hothouse economy of the South East.

“To get it right, we would like to see the government accelerating its investment in transport infrastructure and broadband and consider expanding UKTI’s activity in the North, so that the right kind of proactive strategy is driving international trade with countries like China and India.”

The UK Northern Powerhouse Conference and Exhibition attracted more than 2,300 delegates when it took place in the North West this year.

It will next be held on 21-22 February 2017 at Manchester Central and is expected to draw around 3,000 delegates over the two days.

Merseyside skills providers enjoy some knockout networking More than 150 members of the Greater Merseyside Learning Providers’ Federation (GMLPF) joined together for a unique networking event in Liverpool.

The ‘Summer Games’ saw 20 of the region’s learning providers take on an inflatable obstacle course inspired by the classic TV game show ‘It’s a Knockout’.

Contestants went head-to-head with other GMLPF members on the ‘We’re A Knockout’ course, tackling different team activities leading up to the grand finale.

Bootle and Wirral-based The Vocational College took home first prize with Mode Training finishing a close second and Employability Solutions back in third.

James Glendenning, CEO of GMLPF, says: “The day was a great success and brought

Contestants enjoyed a funfilled day of team building

together over 150 people who are passionate about the training and apprenticeship landscape in the Liverpool City Region.

“To make sure we deliver the best possible service as an industry, it is essential that learning providers have a strong support network available to them.

“I hope that the Summer Games was the ultimate representation of this and we can continue to offer more events throughout the year which bring our members together.”

GMLPF represents over 95 training providers across the region and shares best practice, helps members adapt to the shifts in the local and national skills landscape and provides a single voice to represent members’ views and priorities.

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News Commercial

Tuff X is delighted with its new furnace

Appointment to aid commercial growth at Merseyside social housing firm

Merseyside growth fund boosts Knowsley glass firm A Knowsley-based glass manufacturer has successfully expanded into new markets following a grant boost from the Merseyside Jobs and Growth Fund.

Tuff X, which produces specialist safety glass for domestic and commercial uses, was awarded £75,000 allowing the firm to purchase a state-of-the-art furnace.

The new hardware has allowed the company to produce new high quality products whilst also reducing energy costs and creating 20 new jobs.

John Tierney, operations director, says: “The new furnace has opened up lots of new avenues for us.

“Our turnover is up by 15% thanks to new business and increased throughput and we’ve doubled the expected job creation.”

The Merseyside Jobs and Growth Fund is managed by St Helens Chamber and provides grants for businesses planning to expand or invest in Merseyside and Halton.

Funded by the Regional Growth Fund (RGF), grants of up to £75,000 are available to provide investment for growth when conventional finance is not available elsewhere.

Geoff Bates, RGF programme manager at St Helens Chamber, adds: “Tuff X is a highly innovative company striving to stay ahead of market developments.

“Thanks to the fund they’ve been able to manufacture additional specialised products, bringing in more business and creating a high number of jobs.”

A Merseyside-based social housing firm has welcomed a new member of staff as it looks to adopt a more commercial approach to its business.

The SLH Group, a collection of four companies including Rupert Lowe South Liverpool Homes and SLH Projects, plans to grow its business through subsidiary firm, SLH Regeneration by pushing its commercial offer.

The new head of business development and commercial services, Rupert Lowe, is looking forward to developing the commercial stream.

Lowe, who comes from a commercial agency background with more than 20 years’ experience in the property sector, says: “One of our key selling points is the provision of a high-level professional service to clients coupled with the added bonus of supporting clients with their corporate social responsibility targets.

“This combined makes our commercial approach extremely attractive. The knock-on effect for expanding our business is we will continue to use our model of providing employment opportunity and reinvesting profits into the community.”

Lowe’s appointment comes on the back of SLH Regeneration providing landscaping services to Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LJLA).

Lowe adds: “With access to an established and experienced workforce, we are ready to progress further into the commercial sector immediately.”

Growing firm relocates headquarters

T Director Dave Loughlin (centre) with Cube7 Interiors’ Steve Lamb and Wayne Laugeard

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Growing office interior specialist, Cube7 Interiors has relocated its head office as it gets ready to mark its second anniversary.

The Wirral-based firm, which has worked on projects throughout the North West and North Wales, has set up a new headquarters at Claremont Farm to make way for its expanding team.

Cube7, which also has bases in Liverpool and Manchester, was formed in 2014 and specialises in services

including the installation of solid and glazed partitions in offices. The company is currently preparing to add new staff to its accounts and admin department as it continues “steadily and slowly expanding,” according to director Dave Loughlin.

Cube 7, which has achieved awardwinning projects, also works on contracting services for other aspects of office refurbishment and interior fit-out including electrics, air conditioning, furniture and ceilings.

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Development News

ISG secures Corn Exchange hotel contract ISG has secured a £13 million contract with Queensberry Real Estate to create a four-star boutique hotel at Manchester’s Corn Exchange.

The construction firm will refurbish levels two to five of the historic Grade IIlisted building to transform it into a 114-bedroom aparthotel for operator Roomzzz.

The project is the second phase of a £30m investment to position the Corn Exchange as a major leisure destination in Manchester.

Its ground and first floor levels were previously revamped as bar and restaurant space as part of the wider scheme.

ISG’s work on the building will include remedial improvements to the roof structure, the installation of a cantilevered scaffold system on the first floor and “significant structural alterations” to the floor slab.

The complete aparthotel will include guest facilities such as a gym, lounge and a ‘Grab and Go’ breakfast area, as well as newly created management suites.

Andy McLinden, ISG’s northern managing director, says: “This is a high-profile showcase of our capabilities delivering luxury hotel accommodation in a logistically challenging and busy city centre location, with the added complexity of working in an architecturally protected building.”

ISG will begin work on the scheme during mid-August.

Units at Eden Square come with planning permission for a range of uses

The hotel is part of an ongoing scheme at Manchester’s Corn Exchange

Bruntwood looking to expand use of virtual reality

VR viewings could be rolled out beyond Bruntwood’s Neo and Platform schemes

Bruntwood is exploring plans to roll out virtual reality (VR) viewings across its wider North West portfolio following the announcement of a pilot launch.

The property firm, which recently revealed plans to start allowing potential tenants to look around its Neo development in Manchester using the technology, is now also looking to introduce the initiative at developments across Merseyside, Cheshire and Greater Manchester.

Colin Forshaw, Liverpool head of property at Bruntwood, which has also trialled the VR viewings at its Platform scheme in Leeds, says: “Traditional viewings give potential customers the opportunity to touch and feel a property and get a sense of its scale, but we are also exploring the opportunities for virtual reality technology, which can allow us to showcase what they might do with the space before it’s even completed.

“Virtual reality can help to bring our offices to life and demonstrates how the workspace can be flexed to match businesses’ own individuality and fit with the ever-changing world of modern workspaces.”

At Platform, agents and potential customers will be able to explore the completed landmark building using the virtual reality tour which can also be accessed via the Bruntwood’s website and viewed on screen or with VR headsets and Google Cardboard.

Meanwhile Samsung Gear VR headsets will soon be offered to agents and potential customers at Neo and, in the long term, will feature on more new builds and redevelopments.

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News Development Final demolition for Rochdale Riverside begins

Cains Brewery is starting to see transformation

Crowd funding helps dance company transform Cains Brewery site A Liverpool dance company has transformed part of the city’s former Cains Brewery into a new studio following a successful Kickstarter campaign.

The top floor area of the prominent Baltic Triangle site is now home to dedicated spaces for Movema World Dance Studio’s dance classes, as well as an office space for “creative hot desking” and kitchen facilities.

Ahead of an official opening of the completed facility on 8 August, Pei Tong, director of the award-winning Movema which recently celebrated its seventh birthday in the city, says: “We ran a successful Kickstarter campaign to transform the space at Cains into a fit for purpose dance studio, so a big thanks to all those who donated.

“Now we’re looking forward to giving something back to the dance community in Liverpool.”

Movema World Dance Studios’ meeting room, studio space and office space will be available for private hire.

The completion and opening also follows Baltic Creative CIC’s announcement that work is due to start on a new scheme to transform 45,000 sq ft of disused warehouse space at Cains Brewery into the artist-led Northern Lights space.

The development will provide studios, a gallery and social workspace for artists, designer-makers and the creative industries.

The first phase of works on Northern Lights is due for completion in October.

The final stage of demolition to make way for a £250 million leisure and shopping development in Rochdale has begun.

Contractors have started stripping out and dismantling Telegraph House in Baillie Street to clear space for Rochdale Riverside, with the process expected to take around four months to complete.

Once used to accommodate council staff, the 1960s building most recently played host to the Tribunal Service, which has moved to a new base at the old Post Office on the Esplanade.

Greater Manchester-based Connell Brothers Ltd has been tasked with demolition duties and Genr8 Developments, which is working on the scheme with the local council, has appointed site investigators to compile a report for the development’s planning application.

Rochdale Riverside is expected to be completed by 2019.

Leader of Rochdale Borough Council, Councillor Richard Farnell, says: “This marks the end of an era and the beginning of an exciting new one. It’s great to know that by 2019, where Telegraph House once stood, we will have new shops and restaurants.

“It’s a great time to be in Rochdale. We’re undertaking a £250m transformation of our town centre and this is the final piece of the jigsaw.”

The proposed Rochdale Riverside

Final speculative refurb underway at Manchester Green

Manchester Green is close to the city’s airport 10 MOVE COMMERCIAL

The speculative refurbishment of the final building at Manchester Green, near to the city’s airport, is now underway.

Developer db symmetry’s transformation of Building Four follows the recent letting of Building One to project delivery consultancy Worley Parsons.

Building Four, which totals 30,371 sq ft, will be refurbished to a Grade A standard complete with full access raised floors, a new VRV air conditioning system and a remodelled entrance reception area. db symmetry embarked on a phased refurbishment programme across the estate following Barwood’s purchase of the business park in 2013.

As a result, Building Five was let to pharmaceutical company Chiesi in September 2014 with food manufacturer Ingredion recently committing to the scheme by regearing its existing lease on Building Two. Andrew Dickman, development director, db symmetry, says: “We are delighted to welcome Worley Parsons as the latest tenant to Manchester Green.

“The market continues to be very active and this has given us the confidence to speculatively refurbish the final building on the estate.”

The refurbishment of Building Four is due for completion in August.

JLL and Canning O’Neill are joint letting agents at Manchester Green.

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Sales & Lettings News

Lettings round-up Food store to join retail parks

Exchange Quay has recently undergone a £10m refurbishment

North West childcare firm to open at Exchange Quay A North West-based childcare company has agreed a 25-year lease at Hunter Real Estate Investment Managers’ Exchange Quay office development.

Kids Planet Day Nurseries will open a 136-place facility in the 6,135 sq ft Number 6 unit at the Salford Quays site.

The nursery will become the firm’s 18th opening in the region with a complete fit-out currently underway at the new site, which will provide spacious rooms and a secure outdoor area for children.

The nursery will also benefit from a state-of-the-art sensory room and a separate allotment area within the garden.

Clare Roberts, CEO of Kids Planet, says: “We’re so pleased to have acquired such a fantastic site within

Exchange Quay and we will continue to provide the same outstanding childcare across each and every one of our nurseries.”

Jeremy Birkett-Jones, investment director at Hunter, adds: “An important focus of our £10 million investment into Exchange Quay was to introduce a comprehensive amenity and lifestyle offering to enhance the occupier experience.

“We are therefore delighted to welcome Kids Planet to the development and to have this service available to tenants on-site.”

The new nursery will be open from 7 November 2016.

Agents on Exchange Quay are Canning O’Neill and Savills. Kids Planet was unrepresented in the deal.

Urban regeneration firm launches co-working concept Manchester-based urban regeneration firm Watch This Space is to move to new offices in the city centre where it will launch the property co-working space.

The concept, known as That Space, will offer flexible office space for companies operating in the property sector.

As many as 20 businesses at a time could be accommodated in the new 1,800 sq ft space on Princess Street, which the firm has agreed a fiveyear lease on.

Companies of up to four employees can sign up to the scheme, which will offer tenants facilities including meeting rooms, breakout areas, bike storage and evening yoga classes.

Michelle Rothwell, founder of Watch This Space, says: “That Space aims to challenge the traditional office concept and meet the expectations of Generations X and Y.

“By creating a flexible workspace with quirks such as free beers and living walls, the idea is that like-minded organisations can come together, collaborate and grow.

“That Space is the first in a long line of concepts that Watch This Space will be launching in our mission to provide inspiring places to work for forward thinking, dynamic organisations.”

The new scheme is set to open in August.

The Food Warehouse has signed up for The Derwent Group’s White City Retail Park in Manchester and Junction NINE Retail Park in Warrington.

The supermarket chain – a larger concept by Iceland – has agreed 10-year leases at both sites as it continues its expansion across England and Wales.

The 12,228 sq ft space at White City and 13,000 sq ft unit at JunctionNINE were among a trio of new deals announced, as The Food Warehouse also secured space at The Derwent Group’s Analby Retail Park in Hull.

Retail giant heading to Great Homer Street Speke-based B&M Retail Ltd has committed to St Modwen’s £150 million ‘Project Jennifer’ scheme in North Liverpool.

The chain, which now has more than 500 stores nationwide, will open one of its larger branches in spring 2017 creating more than 60 jobs.

Construction is due to start in September on the store, which will incorporate a garden centre as it forms part of the scheme’s new district centre.

Agents appointed for One Didsbury Point CBRE & Wakefield have been instructed to market Manchester’s One Didsbury Point following its acquisition by Titanium Real Estate.

The joint agents will market the fourstorey Grade A office building, which is set to benefit from investment from its new owner, to potential tenants.

Jonathan Cook, surveyor at CBRE Manchester, says: “Demand is strong and we are already in talks with a number of parties.”

Michelle Rothwell, founder of Watch This Space

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News Sales & Lettings

Wirral development The Lightbox secures first tenant

The Lightbox

The Lightbox in Wirral has secured its first tenant following the completion of the development.

Smith and Sons has been instructed to market the light industrial accommodation to potential tenants, and has already attracted occupant Aluminium Solutions NW. The Lightbox plays host to six 3,400 sq ft units, which can be combined to create two 10,200 sq ft workspaces for laboratory, research and development tenants.

Among the building’s design features are a transparent roof and cladding panels which allow natural light to shine through to ensure no internal illumination is needed

Refurbished Chester office space released to market More than 13,000 sq ft of refurbished office space is now available at Chester Business Park following the release of two new-look suites.

Liverpool-based developer Prospect GB is in the process of completing the makeover of the two Grade A units located at International House on the 175-acre site.

The first suite, a detached headquarters office building which features a ground floor unit totalling circa 6,000 sq ft, is now ready for occupation.

It has been fully refurbished and fitted out to include a boardroom, meeting rooms, kitchen, break-out area, reception and large open-plan space.

Prospect GB is also refurbishing a first floor unit totalling 7,500 sq ft which will be ready for occupation in Q4.

Chris Walker, head of the firm’s commercial division, says: “The suites at International House benefit from a comprehensive refurbishment which includes air conditioning, double glazing, suspended ceilings, new lighting, swipe card entry system, lighting motion sensors and raised floors.

“The building also enjoys 24-hour security, an on-site stand-by generator and barriercontrolled car park with a generous allocation of 62 spaces.”

International House

12 MOVE COMMERCIAL

during the daytime, potentially reducing energy bills for the occupant.

Sean Seery, partner at Smith and Sons, says: “It has been designed in such a way to offer flexible floor space that can be adapted to meet the demands of each business.

“Interest in the development has been strong from the outset and we’re pleased to have secured a lease with our first tenant, Aluminium Solutions NW, who will occupy unit four.”

Developer Capital & Centric has led the scheme which was supported by Regional Grant Funding with £900,000 of gap funding.

Downing appoints Liverpool agent for The Arch

The Arch

Property developer Downing has added Liverpool-based Sutton Kersh to the roster of agents marketing its Ropewalks scheme The Arch.

The company joins national firms Cushman Wakefield and Lambert Smith Hampton to work on the Duke Street development having been appointed for its local knowledge.

The Arch comprises 12,755 sq ft of commercial space which can be divided into two units, starting from 4,000 sq ft, and planning permission for a restaurant and café, drinking establishment with permitted change to shops and financial and professional services has been granted.

John Clegg, head of property management at Downing, says: “The Arch represents the largest ground-floor commercial unit currently available in the Ropewalks district.

“Commercial property in the area is in high demand due to bars and restaurants in the vicinity traditionally doing very well; catering to the district’s unique blend of students and professionals.

“With interest in the property coming from restaurant and bar operators, both nationally and from within Liverpool, it makes sense to add Sutton Kersh’s local knowledge and connections to the considerable expertise of the existing agents.”

For more information contact Downing on 0151 707 2666.

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p01-18_Move Commercial 25/07/2016 10:36 Page 16

Bitesize thinking

Anna Duffy head of commercial property, DTM Legal

In my crystal ball...

The commercial property market has been one of the fastest sectors to take a hit following Brexit. Two huge property funds have already stopped investors from withdrawing cash in the wake of the UK’s decision.

Standard Life and Aviva became the first to freeze funds after a flood of people tried to pull money out, both attributing their decisions to "extraordinary market circumstances". This is the first time this has happened since 2008 and we shouldn’t be surprised if more funds follow suit in the coming months.

Britain's decision to exit the EU means funds face a sellers’ market and a possible liquidity crunch, as there is

If only I’d known…

In 2007 commercial property funds were attracting more money from private investors than any other type of fund. However, five years of stellar growth were wiped out when the market crashed. Many private investors had made their investments in 2005 and 2006, just before the crash, and some of them are no doubt still recouping their losses.

Too often private investors make the error of purchasing something at the very top or close to the very top of its value.

no certainty of how to value commercial property post-Brexit.

We may see some investors putting deals on hold in the wake of the leave result, while for some funds and investors it may present an opportunity to acquire at a more attractive price.

Since its creation, no member state has ever left the EU so we still have no clear precedent in regards to what happens next.

This is as much the case for the property sector as it is for the wider commercial arena, but my crystal ball indicates that if people hold their nerve now and consider their investments in the long term, then most should be able to ride out any stormy waters ahead.

If I’d known in spring 2007 what was round the corner I’d have been able to advise an awful lot of clients to sell when the going was good. But hindsight, as they say, is a wonderful thing.

Following the UK’s recent decision to exit the EU, there are fears in the commercial property sector that there could be similar trouble ahead for the industry.

Investment bank Jefferies has stated that while this year is unlikely to become a re-run of the 2008 financial crisis for banks, ‘2016 is shaping up to be a re-run of 2007’ due to the uncertainty of real estate valuation since the Brexit vote.

Photo: Michael D Beckwith

My favourite building with...

Louise Pollard director, Workplace Manchester

Manchester Central Library Manchester Central Library is a stunning piece of architecture and a real landmark for the city that’s been lovingly restored in recent years.

It was designed by E. Vincent Harris and constructed before World War II, between 1930–1934.

Following the extensive renovation, it has become a serene and tranquil haven in the heart of the city and the main reading room is a must visit for anyone coming to Manchester.

The development of St Peter’s Square and the modern architecture that surrounds it only strengthens its historical beauty, making it worthy of its prestigious Grade II* listing.

I’ve always loved historical buildings - their character and architecture appeals to me and I’m fascinated to learn more about their history.

That’s what we looked for when creating Workplace too, as we wanted to breathe new life into an existing listed building.

16 MOVE COMMERCIAL

“It has become a serene and tranquil haven... The main reading room is a must visit for anyone coming to Manchester.”

p01-18_Move Commercial 25/07/2016 10:36 Page 17

MOVE COMMERCIAL

Bitesize thinking

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Geoff Bates regional growth fund programme manager, St Helens Chamber

Curriculum VITAE

Omega Warrington Omega is a mixed-use development across two neighbouring sites, providing commercial premises and new homes as well as retail and leisure opportunities - all set within a vast network of green space and a 35-acre ‘Green Heart’ in Warrington.

2003 What’s the secret to your success?

Reliability and a desire to provide the best customer experience I can.

Main duties: I’m responsible for promoting and managing the Merseyside Jobs and Growth Fund. Backed by the Regional Growth Fund, we can provide grants of up to £75,000 to businesses for capital expenditure projects.

Education: I completed my secondary education and A Levels at Prescot Grammar School before going straight into the workplace.

First Job: My first job was an office junior at NatWest.

I later worked my way up to senior management, leaving the bank after 33 years.

Shortest Job: Office manager for a renewable heating company.

Omega Warrington Ltd obtains planning permission to build logistics space on the Omega North site and a phase of office development on part of Omega South.

APR

Warrington Council approves plans for the construction of a 600,000 sq ft distribution facility for supermarket giant Asda at Omega North.

MAY

Travis Perkins Group reveals plans to open a 700,000 sq ft regional distribution centre at Omega North, one month after Hermes secures forward funding for a 153,500 sq ft parcel distribution depot on the site.

AUG

Foodservice supplier Brakes Group becomes the first company to take up residence at Omega North with a vast logistics centre.

FEB

Omega Warrington reveals plans to expand the development with an additional 2.1m sq ft of manufacturing and logistics space on Zone 7.

DEC

The Hut Group confirms plans to set up a logistics centre at a 690,000 sq ft Omega South site in a deal worth £47.5m.

MAY

Warrington Council approves plans for a new primary school on Omega South which will serve as a larger home for Barrow Hall Primary School from September 2016.

2007

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?

Be honest with everyone and treat your staff how you’d like to be treated yourself.

2013

Tweet all about it The 5 best commercial tweets

1 2 3 4 5

JUN

What piece of advice would you give someone starting out in the industry?

Think long and hard as the banking industry has changed massively in recent years.

Tell us about St Helens Chamber’s plans for the next 12 months?

The Merseyside Jobs and Growth Fund is open to applications until March next year so with almost £3 million still to award we have a busy few months ahead encouraging businesses to get their applications in and awarding funding.

Colleagues around the chamber will continue to support businesses in the region to start, grow and develop their staff.

@IFB2916: #IFB2016 attracted over 26,000 delegates from more than 100 countries. @K2_Architects: We're excited to be involved in such an amazing project… 85-acre Festival Gardens.

Omega Warrington, a joint venture between Miller Developments and KUC Properties, reveals a ‘masterplan’ to transform the former Burtonwood Airbase into a £1 billion, mixed-use development.

2013

2013

2014

2014

2015

@joe4metromayor: Speaking at Northen Powerhouse event in Liverpool good to hear funding and commitment secure for North West.

MAR

2016

Fast food giant Domino’s Pizza reveals ambitions to set up a new £30m supply chain facility at Omega South.

@RIBA: UK architecture talent is incredibly resilient - we will ensure our profession has a strong voice and bright future.

MAY

Plans to create 1,100 new homes at Omega South with shops, restaurants, cafés, a pub/bar, a care home and a hotel gain council backing.

@MartinSFP: Listening to @VirginAtlantic's CEO discuss why they're launching a SFO > Manchester route. Growing recognition of the area as a business hub.

2016

2021-26

Development work on Omega North and Omega South is scheduled to be completed.

p01-18_Move Commercial 25/07/2016 11:01 Page 18

Appointments

Bridging Finance Solutions expands team Merseysidebased Bridging Finance Solutions has appointed a new manager to its business development Sue Barron team as it looks to grow its client base beyond the North West.

Sue Barron will bring 30 years of experience at NatWest to the firm, having most recently fulfilled the role of business and commercial manager at the bank.

Barron will use her understanding of the financial sector to strengthen the company’s customer base in the Midlands, creating new contacts while raising awareness of bridging to her existing network.

She says: “I’ve worked in a huge corporate organisation for over three decades and so to be able to look at finance from a fresh angle, with a different perspective, is really exciting.”

Steve Barber, managing director of Bridging Finance Solutions, adds: “The appointment of Sue is a real coup for us. She is a well-respected figure in banking and has vast knowledge of the sector.”

CBRE recruits new Arndale property manager

Daniel Edwards

CBRE has appointed a new associate director and lead property manager for the Manchester Arndale

shopping centre.

Daniel Edwards will join the global real estate advisor’s UK asset services business, having previously held positions at JLL and Workman in both London and Manchester.

The experienced property manager will provide operational experience across the centre including giving advice on centre management processes, retail initiatives and service charge management.

John Prestwich, head of retail asset management at CBRE, says: “We are delighted that Daniel has joined our team. His solid industry experience will be a real asset to the team as we continue to grow our mandates.”

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Pavis promotes experienced advisor

Stephen Robertshaw

Liverpool-based advisory, Pavis Financial Management has promoted an experienced advisor to

associate director.

Stephen Robertshaw has been at the firm for more than 12 years, advising clients in areas including tax, investment planning and wealth management.

During this time the firm has grown in the region, with in excess of £140 million in client funds now under management.

Bob Newton, managing director at Pavis Financial Management, says: “Steve has long been an integral part of what we successfully deliver to our clients at Pavis and this new role is fitting recognition of his commitment and acumen.

“We look forward to working with Steve as he helps us to shape the future of Pavis over the next 20 years.”

Colliers adds to industrial department Colliers International has further strengthened its industrial and logistics team in the North West Laura Wilbourn with the appointment of Laura Wilbourn.

Wilbourn joins the firm as a senior surveyor, and will work alongside director Julien Kenny-Levick and consultant Chris Evans to provide specialist services to clients in the North West and nationwide.

The new recruit has a master’s degree in urban regeneration and has also undertaken a range of work experience with commercial property agencies including Colliers International, as well as developers throughout the region.

Wilbourn says: “Several years’ experience working client side and within environmental surveying leaves me able to appreciate clients’ interests; reducing voids, ensuring good covenant strength and maximising the value potential.”

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p19-32_Move Commercial 25/07/2016 10:38 Page 19

p19-32_Move Commercial 25/07/2016 10:38 Page 20

Grant Funding for Business Expansion AC Plastics The Merseyside Jobs and Growth Fund provides grant funding for businesses planning to expand or invest in Merseyside and Halton, creating new jobs for local people.

Funded through the Regional Growth Fund, grants of up to £75,000 are available to provide investment for growth when conventional finance is not available elsewhere.

Tuff X Glass

Are you planning an investment project commencing 2016 – 2017? Grants are available for a range of projects that will create new employment opportunities, such as purchasing new premises, expanding current premises, or capital expenditure on plant and machinery.

Over £2 Million of grant funding is still available, but must be awarded by March 2017!

For more information contact Geoff Bates at St Helens Chamber on 01744 742087 or visit www.sthelenschamber.com/MRGF Acer Engineering Ltd

p19-32_Move Commercial 25/07/2016 14:04 Page 21

Dave Loughlin, director, Cube7 Interiors My Month With milestone projects, team expansions and turnover success, it’s a busy time for Dave Loughlin, director of North West office fit-out and partitioning specialists Cube7 Interiors, and he’s been juggling such tasks alongside gruelling out-of-office challenges. He’s taken time out of his hectic schedule to tell Move Commercial all about his past month in the industry.

My goal at the start of the month was...

My goal this month was to just get caught up on the abundance of unread emails!

Last month I went on a four-week holiday to South Africa to compete in a 56-mile, 12-hour ultra-marathon running race called The Comrades, followed by summiting Mt Kilimanjaro.

I did have time to ‘holiday’ prior to the race, which included climbing Table Mountain and diving with great white sharks.

Being without Wi-Fi for 10 days and only periodically working meant the amount of unread emails stacked up and this month’s challenge was to get back to normality and up to date with everything I’d missed.

My biggest achievement was...

This month we secured our largest project to date - a £400,000 office refurbishment for Jacobs in Birkenhead.

We were met with an abundance of challenging situations, with the most difficult being to procure our own labour at this busy time of year as we go into the school holidays.

The project is still ongoing and the fit-out completes at the end of August, ready for furniture installation.

All is now moving along very quickly and we’re hoping we’ll have a very pleased client at the end of the project.

THE NEWS STORY THAT CAUGHT MY EYE

My biggest challenge was...

Juggling cash flow for a company less than two years old and turning over £1 million in the second year of trading has its difficulties.

Meanwhile, summiting Kilimanjaro was my first attempt at altitude apart from a few trips up Snowdon. Climbing to 6,000m over five long days is my idea of fun. I've previously trekked the Amazon rainforest and rafted the Zambezi river so I’m used to camping, drinking unclean water, not washing and using natural toilets! Later in the year I’m attempting to cycle across America on my bike, covering 150 miles per day for 30 consecutive days - any other riders welcome!

The key meeting I had...

As boring as it sounds the key meeting this month was with the landlord of our office at Claremont Farm in Wirral.

We are steadily and slowly expanding and currently looking for another member of staff to join us in our accounts and admin department.

We’re currently collecting CVs from people looking to be considered for the position.

My plan for next month...

If I’m honest I’m not a big news fan. It always seems so negative so I’ll stick to a sport news story.

Euro 2016 in France - the rags to riches story of small nations, team morale, home success with Wales, Ireland, England and Northern Ireland all getting through to the knockout stages and, of course, the Icelandic Clap!

We ventured to Bordeaux for the Italy vs Germany quarter-final. It’s just a shame England performed as we all feared.

It’s getting busy. All of the schools are finishing this month and every man, dog and headteacher wants their work to be complete during the summer holidays.

Our partitioning and glazed screens side is really busy and labour for this specialist area is hard to come by. I’m always on the lookout for contact details for joiners who specialise in aluminium glazed partitioning.

MOVE COMMERCIAL 21

p19-32_Move Commercial 25/07/2016 10:39 Page 22

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MOVE COMMERCIAL 23

p19-32_Move Commercial 25/07/2016 17:30 Page 24

Natasha Young natasha@movepublishing.co.uk

From manufacturing and logistics to infrastructure, the Liverpool City Region is currently welcoming a host of new industry-led, specialist training academies to the area to help boost its talent pool.

But how will these multi-million pound skills hubs and their ‘world-class’ facilities successfully build on the provisions which are already in place?

24 MOVE COMMERCIAL

make sure we’ve got something that’s really fit for purpose for both business and for our residents moving forward.”

In its recently unveiled Liverpool City Region Growth Strategy, the LEP highlights the need to “improve and increase skills, developing existing talent and attracting new talent for sustainable growth” as one of three pillars for securing the whole of the city region’s economic future.

“There are a number of significant sectors in the city region which offer substantial opportunities for growth, but clearly one of the preconditions of achieving growth is ensuring you’ve got the right talent base and skills in both the existing workforce and your future workforce to enable you to support that growth,” Basnett tells Move Commercial.

“It’s absolutely vital that businesses are not only consulted but actively involved in the definition and the determination of how our skills are delivered for them, and that’s very much been part of our devolution agenda for the city region.”

One business which is taking the lead on how its industry will be provided with the right skills is Alstom - a global firm specialising in the development and marketing

of systems, equipment and services for the railway sector.

Here in the UK the company is expanding its operations in the North West with the development of a new Widnes technology centre on a 30-acre plot.

Announced in May this year, the centre will incorporate a “worldclass training facility” known as the North West Transport Training Academy, which is being primed to open in autumn 2017.

In a similar fashion to other academies opening up across the Liverpool City Region, Alstom is currently looking to join forces with educational partners on the project and some dialogue is said to have already taken place with Widnes and Runcorn’s Riverside College, with the firm also looking

“

It’s absolutely vital that businesses are not only consulted but actively involved in the definition and the determination of how our skills are delivered

“

When Knowsley Community College and St Helens College’s £3 million Northern Logistics Academy opens this September, it’ll be the latest in a line of brand new Liverpool City Region training centres tailored to enhance the skills of a particular growing sector.

Already this year, the area has seen the June arrival of Port Academy Liverpool – a £2.5m maritime training centre launched

by Bootle’s Hugh Baird College with partners including Colossal Training to service the needs of the nearby expanding Port of Liverpool. Plus Real Good Food unveiled its purpose-built Liverpool Development Centre and Academy, hailed as an “international hub for food manufacturing innovation and cake decoration skills training”, in Wavertree back in May with plans to partner with the City of Liverpool College.

These new partnerships between businesses and the likes of local colleges are an “evolution rather than revolution” in providing skills, according to Mark Basnett, executive director of the Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

“It’s basically taking the best of colleges and the best of business and trying to put the two together to

Alstom’s North West Transport Training Academy

p19-32_Move Commercial 25/07/2016 17:30 Page 25

Specialist training academies Focus

to liaise with Liverpool and Manchester’s universities.

Through the academy, which will also accommodate trainees from the wider rail sector, Alstom aims to attract more of a mix of employees into the industry including more women and people from diverse communities, and will also be looking to strengthen a broader range of skills.

“The rail industry has been focused on compliance-based training and also trailblazer engineering apprenticeships,” explains Mike Hulme, managing director of trains and modernisation at Alstom.

“It hasn’t really touched base on issues such as project management, project execution, manufacturing, logistics, etc.

“What I want to do is actually broaden out the curriculum to focus on the softer management skill sets because that’s a real hole within the rail industry.

“The other element is, of course, digital. In reality we’re almost creating a two-tiered society so we need to up our level in terms of how we actually train people to use IT and digital technology, and that to me is a huge breakthrough to drive a productivity agenda in the

North West.”

Like Alstom, Knowsley Community College and St Helens College’s Northern Logistics Academy, which will provide training across two facilities, will aim to “address current skills gaps and contribute to the creation of the skills required to future proof the sector”.

So once the state-of-the-art facilities are on hand to boost training, what measures are in line to ensure that pipeline of new students and potential employees is coming through their doors?

“There’s a very close fit between the sectors driving growth here in our city region and the sectors driving growth across the whole of the North over the next 20 years,” says Basnett.

“It’s important our youngsters understand the type of opportunities that will be developing there and that they’re making informed choices about the sorts of subjects they study and where they might go to college so they’re equipped with the skills that these growing industries will be looking for.

“Schools are an absolutely critical element of this but also it’s vital that our employers step up to the plate and very much get actively involved with making sure the right kind of

opportunities are made available for people – the right level, the right sort of contracts, the right level of pay to be attractive.”

Despite its academy not yet being in operation, Alstom has already been working to strengthen awareness amongst young people through STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) links in the region.

“We’ve been quite active and there was a STEM event recently at Exhibition Centre Liverpool called Big Bang North West, where we had a good show and we had a huge amount of interest from schoolchildren who were there,” say Hulme.

“I think we’ve got to engage better with schools and communities to try and excite people.”

Hulme also believes that providing a “wow factor” with brand new modern training facilities will go some way in enhancing the talent pool in the area.

“The training academy has got to be a world-class experience that people want to be able to recommend and want to go back to, and therefore I think it’s important the actual buildings are modern and have the right image,” he says. “They need to be attractive for the likes of

our schools and STEM ambassadors so that we can actually pull in the next generation.”

There are still some growth sectors in the Liverpool City Region which could potentially benefit from a boost to the pipeline of skills although, as Basnett points out, a dedicated training academy may not be the most appropriate avenue for all.

The LEP’s growth strategy highlights advanced manufacturing, digital and creative, financial and professional services, health and life sciences, low carbon energy, maritime and logistics and the visitor economy as key areas for the region’s future success.

Be it through academies or strengthening the training through more traditional higher and further education paths though, input from industry remains important.

“Nothing attracts a business more than talent so if we can, through the investment that our colleges and others are making in tandem with business, make this a beacon for the right type of curriculum courses to suit industry in those key areas then hopefully that should be a great platform for the growth of our city region over the coming years,” says Basnett.

MOVE COMMERCIAL 25

p19-32_Move Commercial 25/07/2016 17:32 Page 26

Key event The Social Summer BBQ

The Social Summer BBQ The Social Summer BBQ brought property and construction insiders together for an afternoon of informal networking and fundraising.

The annual event, which took place on the terrace at King Street Townhouse in Manchester, was organised by event sponsors Innov8 Development Solutions, Bell Munro Consulting, Clarke Nicklin Chartered Accountants, Davis Blank Furniss Solicitors and Building Services Design.

This year chosen charity partner The Seashell Trust, which is based in Cheadle Hulme and provides education and residential care for two to 25-year-olds with profound learning difficulties and sensory impairments, benefitted from the network.

Ticket sales and a raffle helped raise £2,800 for The Social networking group’s £9,000 target for the whole year, which will help to fund a new Messy Play Room for the charity.

1

3

2

7

6

9

4

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1. Dominic Tinner (The Seashell Trust) 2. Chris Hutchinson and Yogesh Patel (both Natwest) with Julia Millar (Great Grounds) 3. Catherine McCarthy (Move Commercial), Amanda Crewe (Tender Management) and Lindsey Fallon (Innov8 Development Solutions) 4. Alex Voght (Curtins) and Jamie Hanson (Coda Studios) 5. Matthew Crimes (Turner and Townsend) and Lyndsey Warrington (Hilson Moran) 6. Barbara Wroblewski (CPUK) with Laura Johnson and Sonio Singh ( both Davis Blank Furniss) 7. Alan Crowshaw (Moore Stephens), Brian Bradley (Clarke Nicklin), Chris Hutchinson and Yogesh Patel (both Natwest) 8. Dave Gowan (Dave Gowan Design), Chris Hulme and Jonathan Daly (both Influential) 9. Tony Millar and Julie Millar (both Great Grounds) with Chris Hutchinson (Natwest) 10. The fundraising event provided a chance for The Social’s members to catch up over drinks 11. Zoe Brooke (Whitfield & Brown), Caroline Cowburn (Day Architecture) and Agnieszka Jadowska (Richmond Square Group) 12. Guests networked during the event

p19-32_Move Commercial 25/07/2016 10:58 Page 27

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p19-32_Move Commercial 25/07/2016 10:58 Page 28

Mark Langshaw mark.langshaw@movepublishing.co.uk

There are two types of people where modern virtual reality (VR) is concerned: those who’ve tried it and think it’s going to change the world, and those who are yet to experience it. That’s according to vTime Limited managing director Clemens Wangerin, whose Liverpool-based firm has emerged as a pioneer in a brave new field. Move Commercial caught up with the executive to discuss the potential of VR and the changes it could bring to the business landscape.

vTime Is Now It wasn’t long ago that the concept of stepping headfirst into fullyimmersive digital worlds was the stuff of science fiction, but recent advancements in VR technology have finally made it a reality.

Some of the biggest names in tech including Samsung, HTC, Sony and Facebook are investing heavily on the hardware side with state-of-theart headsets which promise to change the world as we know it, but it’s a Liverpool start-up that’s leading the charge on the software front. vTime Limited rose from the ashes of a once-thriving Merseyside gaming scene, founded by local entrepreneur Martin Kenwright in 2013.

Keen to expand beyond games in new technologies, Kenwright assembled a “dream team” of tech masterminds, which included his fellow gaming industry veteran Clemens Wangerin.

Having worked on launch titles for PlayStation consoles during his time in games development, Wangerin and his team were aware of the benefits of jumping on trailblazing technology when it arises, and tapping into the VR boom became their primary focus shortly after launch.

28 MOVE COMMERCIAL

“We always knew that if you’re there at the very beginning of these technology cycles, you do very well out of it because not many companies are able to hit this moving target and have something high quality available early on,” he tells Move Commercial. “Most developers are still trying to work out how to get the most out of a new form of technology when it arrives on the scene.” vTime’s early days were about expansion, growing from just four employees to 35 in the space of three months, and its first foray into VR - cookery simulation CyberCook Taster - helped it strike up an exclusivity deal with tech giant Samsung to release the app for its Gear VR headset.

CyberCook allowed budding chefs to interact with virtual ingredients and whip up digital dishes but, as Wangerin explains, the potential of VR stretches far beyond leisure activities and gaming.

“Within five years, gaming will only be a small part of virtual reality’s use case and I think virtually every business sector stands to benefit from it,” he says.

“VR has the potential to fundamentally move on how the

customer experiences your content, how they might buy something, or how they socialise, chat and share media and talk about it.

“If you look at real estate, there are companies in Australia and America using VR to offer virtual tours of properties which haven’t even been built yet. Because of the medium of VR, it makes potential customers feel like they’re really there and have the chance to look around.”

Wangerin and his team are currently focusing on a more ambitious project than CyberCook the vTime sociable network, a virtual world where users can interact with people across the globe and share content with them against beautifully realised digital backdrops.

Already available for Samsung’s Gear VR headset, Google’s Cardboard viewer and the Facebook-owned Oculus Rift, the platform sees vTime take social networking to immersive new depths and has already attracted hundreds of thousands of users in 190 countries.

With iPhone, PlayStation VR and HTC Vive compatibility in the pipeline, vTime is turning heads in

the right circles, with the likes of Facebook and Oculus keen to back the social venture.

“We have a great relationship with Oculus and Facebook because we’re doing a social title,” says Wangerin.

“They’ve noticed the work we’re doing and that’s something we’re very encouraged by.

“It proves we’re doing a great job in this space. Facebook essentially created the big bang of modern VR when it bought Oculus for $2 billion.

That was the starting gun which made people all of a sudden take notice. You don’t spend that much on something you think is going to be a flash in the pan.”

Being based in Kenwright’s home city of Liverpool has proven advantageous for vTime, allowing the company to snap up the games development talent left over from Merseyside’s time as a software development stronghold and harvest the fruits of the local universities.

“What we have benefited from is the legacy that software development and entertainment software has in Liverpool and the surrounding area,” Wangerin explains. “It means you’re dealing with not just a latent pool of talent, but a lot of new talent coming through from the likes of the

p19-32_Move Commercial 25/07/2016 10:59 Page 29

Clemens Wangerin, managing director, vTime Limited Interview

“

What we have benefited from is the legacy that software development and entertainment software has in Liverpool and the surrounding area.

“

“

If you look at real estate, there are companies in Australia and America using VR to offer virtual tours of properties which haven’t even been built yet.

“

University of Liverpool and Liverpool John Moores University.”

So what does the future hold for virtual reality and businesses like vTime? With the leading tech companies blazing a trail on the hardware front, Wangerin believes VR will reach the mass market within the next three years, paving the way for vTime to grow exponentially.

“As the market gets bigger there will be more and more companies entering the space,” he says.

“We have a clear vision of where we want to be in two to three years which is how long we think it will be before VR attracts a truly mass market audience.

“We take a lot of encouragement from knowing the big companies are doing their bit to push ahead and create a VR ecosystem, but we think it will be at least 2018 before it becomes a meaningful market and reaches a stage where the software is consistently high quality enough for the average person on the street to experience something more than a five-minute diversion or a gimmick.”

MOVE COMMERCIAL 29

p19-32_Move Commercial 25/07/2016 16:47 Page 30

Lawrence Saunders lawrence@movepublishing.co.uk

A key component of former Chancellor George Osborne’s devolution drive, metro mayors will be elected to the combined authorities of Greater Manchester and the Liverpool City Region on 4 May 2017.

And They’re Off… In charge of two of the largest combined authorities outside of the capital, the new leaders will have wide ranging powers over areas including transport, planning and fire and police services.

With less than a year to go until the election and the race for the top jobs hotting up, Move Commercial examines the contenders so far.

30 MOVE COMMERCIAL

To pursue a fully connected high speed rail link, with HS2 and HS3 coming to the city region, improving passenger journeys and increasing freight capacity.

The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority covers six boroughs in total; Merseyside’s Liverpool, St Helens, Knowsley, Sefton and Wirral as well as Halton in Cheshire, a population totaling 1.5 million people.

The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) consists of 10 councils: Manchester, Salford, Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, and Wigan – a total population of 2.7m people.

With an economy larger than that of Northern Ireland or Wales, the role of Mayor of the GMCA has been seen as the most powerful political position outside of London.

The Labour party is so far the only party to confirm its candidates in either region as the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats have stated they will be putting names forward later in the year for both regions.

Liverpool City Council confirmed to Move Commercial that a decision on whether the current role of Mayor of Liverpool will be maintained following the election will not be made until towards the end of the year at the earliest.

p19-32_Move Commercial 25/07/2016 16:47 Page 31

Metro Mayor Focus

WHO’S IN THE RUNNING?

Liverpool City Region Joe Anderson Former merchant seaman Joe Anderson became Liverpool’s first elected mayor in 2012 after spending 14 years as a councillor in his local Riverside ward.

On the board of directors at Liverpool Vision, Anderson was appointed as leader of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority in December last year following a joint decision by council leaders across the boroughs.

Anderson has received the backing of UNISON North West as well as eight CLP (Constituency Labour Party) nominations which make up more than half of the city region membership including Walton CLP, the constituency of rival Labour candidate Steve Rotheram.

To be the most ‘business friendly’ mayor possible.

Steve Rotheram Born into a staunch Labour supporting Knowsley family, Walton MP Rotheram is a bricklayer by trade and started his own company at the age of 22 before studying full-time at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU).

KEY PLEDGES:

Elected as an MP for Walton in 2010 with a 58% majority, Rotheram was re-elected last year with an increased majority of 72%, making Walton the safest parliamentary seat in the country.

Rotheram spent four years as a member of Labour’s National Executive Committee and in 2015 was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to Jeremy Corbyn.

• To develop a digital strategy to attract the “right investment” for future jobs and also wants to set up “degree-level” apprenticeships.

• To create a ‘Liverpool City Region Renewable Energy’ company to lower energy bills which could include harnessing tidal energy from the River Mersey.

• To be the most ‘business friendly’ mayor possible.

KEY PLEDGES: • To explore a bid for the Commonwealth Games.

• To pursue a fully connected high speed rail link with HS2 and HS3 coming to the city region, improving passenger journeys and increasing freight capacity.

• To expand the Liverpool ‘Leccy’ company to provide help for those with pre-payment meters and tackle fuel poverty.

Luciana Berger Labour and Cooperative MP for Liverpool Wavertree since 2010 when she was elected with 53% of the vote, Berger served as Shadow Minister for Mental Health until her resignation from the role in June 2016.

London-born Berger has previously held two roles in the shadow cabinet including Shadow Minister for Energy and Climate Change and Shadow Minister for Public Health.

In the 2015 general election Berger increased her vote share by 16% in Wavertree, winning 69% of the ballot.

To prioritise the delivery of more modern Grade A office space.

KEY PLEDGES: • To prioritise the delivery of more modern Grade A office space.

• To support the region’s three existing Enterprise Zones and establish new Mayoral Development Zones to promote innovation, support start-ups, and attract the world’s best entrepreneurs, SMEs and large companies.

• To create a ‘Regional Development Bank’ to support new forms of financing to back start-up and small and medium sized enterprises.

MOVE COMMERCIAL 31

p19-32_Move Commercial 25/07/2016 16:47 Page 32

Focus Metro Mayor

WHO’S IN THE RUNNING?

Greater Manchester Andy Burnham Arguably the most high-profile name in the race in either region, MP for Leigh Andy Burnham was appointed Shadow Home Secretary in 2015.

Burnham has said of the new metro mayor role that it’s a “cabinet-level job, which needs cabinet-level experience”. He has also confirmed he will resign from his parliamentary seat should he be successful in the upcoming mayoral election.

During the early stages of his campaign Burnham has stressed the importance of increased devolution and has warned that Labour risks being eclipsed in the North if it fails to take devolution seriously.

Ivan Lewis Ivan Lewis became a councillor in his home ward of Bury aged 23, before he was elected as an MP for Bury South in 1997 - a role he has held for the last 19 years.

During his time in government, Lewis served under both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown’s governments before spending five years as a member of Ed Miliband’s shadow cabinet, where he was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport in 2010.

KEY PLEDGES: • A 10-year business plan to ‘ensure Greater Manchester becomes the most competitive business environment for growth in Europe’.

• A seat for Greater Manchester at the Brexit negotiation table.

• Wants all money raised from lottery tickets in Greater Manchester to be kept in the region so it can be spent on local causes including mental health and homelessness.

A 10-year business plan to ‘ensure Greater Manchester becomes the most competitive business environment for growth in Europe’.

KEY PLEDGES: • To develop an affordable house building programme across the region.

• To create quality apprenticeships for all school-leavers.

• To make Greater Manchester the “unrivalled music capital of Europe”.

To create quality apprenticeships for all schoolleavers

Tony Lloyd Greater Manchester Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd has been serving as the interim Mayor of Greater Manchester since June 2015 after he was chosen for the role by a panel of the area's 10 boroughs.

First elected as an MP in 1963, Lloyd has recently received the backing of the country’s biggest trade union, Unite, traditionally seen as an important factor in getting Labour candidates selected and providing the funds necessary to run a major campaign.

To create a ‘Greater Manchester Living Wage’ for every worker in the region.

KEY PLEDGES: • To create a ‘Greater Manchester Living Wage’ for every worker in the region.

• To create the ‘Greater Manchester Development Bank’ to boost growth by bringing in private investment into communities.

• To create a joined up transport system so that one ticket will buy travel across all types of public transport throughout Greater Manchester.

p33-48_Move Commercial 25/07/2016 11:03 Page 33

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MOVE COMMERCIAL 33

p33-48_Move Commercial 25/07/2016 11:03 Page 34

Natasha Young natasha@movepublishing.co.uk

Although set between the striking Three Graces and historic Albert Dock, the much newer and more contemporary Mann Island has been holding its own on Liverpool’s world-famous waterfront in recent years.

Architect Broadway Malyan was behind the design of the now established mixed-use landmark and as it prepares for a new project at the site to be unveiled, the firm’s managing director tells Move Commercial how important Mann Island has been to the practice as it expands around the globe.

Mann-made success

“

I know that if I was looking at the presentation of our company in Singapore or Shanghai it would feature Mann Island

“

34 MOVE COMMERCIAL

This summer the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) will open a new national architecture centre on Liverpool’s waterfront.

Providing a home for archives and architecture-themed exhibitions - the first of which will highlight the city’s long-running design ambitions as it displays previous realised and unrealised plans - RIBA North, as it will be named, will aim to draw in families, design enthusiasts and industry professionals alike.

So with architecture being the heart and soul of the attraction, which will also feature a shop and a ground floor café, surely designing the venue itself must be a prestigious task for the practice assigned to it.

“It’s always nice to get endorsement from your peer group, so there’s nothing better than having the endorsement in the sense that it’s the professional body, RIBA,” says Gary Whittle, managing director of Broadway Malyan, the appointed practice in question.

Formed in the south of England but now with 16 international studios and a presence in 43

countries around the world, Broadway Malyan was previously the architect behind Mann Island itself. Whittle says the practice’s ongoing links with the prominent project are part of a “long-term commitment to the region”.

Here in the North West the practice has studios on Liverpool’s Chapel Street and Manchester’s Castle Street, and Whittle’s own connections to the area have played a part in driving the company to expand here.

“I’m from the North West originally, I went to Bolton School and a school of architecture in Manchester but it was following that I moved south,” explains Whittle, who first joined the practice more than 30 years ago when it was a 40-strong team in Surrey.

“In terms of the way we have developed our business having been in London and the South East, it was after we’d opened offices in Europe that we came north.

“I suppose, because of my northern origins, I was quite keen to establish an office in Manchester and that was way back in 1998.”

p33-48_Move Commercial 25/07/2016 11:03 Page 35

Gary Whittle, managing director of Broadway Malyan, Interview

“

We were delighted to get the RIBA recognition and we’re equally delighted that RIBA has now chosen the building to be RIBA North

“ During its years in the North West, Broadway Malyan has worked on projects ranging from commercial developments and offices to residential schemes during the early stages of a city living boom.

More recently, the practice also designed a new Waitrose food store to fit in with its heritage setting in Chester - part of the first stage of the city’s new Central Business Quarter.

Mann Island though - a threebuilding scheme which has provided apartments, office space, restaurants and a venue for the photography focused Open Eye Gallery on Liverpool’s waterfront - is a project which Whittle regards as “tremendously important” to Broadway Malyan in the region, and also to the company as a whole.

“I know that if I was looking at the presentation of our company in Singapore or Shanghai it would feature Mann Island,” he says.

For Broadway Malyan, Mann Island has brought recognition including accolades from none other than its current client, RIBA.

In 2015 the practice was rewarded at the RIBA North West Awards, having also been shortlisted in 2013.

“It’s been very successful for Broadway Malyan in the context of a mixed-use, multi-unit, waterfront development on a world heritage site, so we were delighted to get the RIBA recognition and we’re equally delighted that RIBA has now chosen the building to be RIBA North,” says Whittle.

The scheme is proving to be one which encapsulates the firm’s mission to create ‘world-class projects which unlock lasting value’ – lasting value for its Liverpool setting but also for Broadway Malyan as it continues to grow its international portfolio.

“One of the things that has differentiated Broadway Malyan on an international market is the experience we’ve got from working in the UK; tight urban sites, mixeduse, the way the scheme works together; and so that’s been a good calling card into other international markets,” says Whittle, before explaining that similarly, the practice’s international

work is enhancing its know-how when it comes to working in the UK. “The exciting thing for Broadway Malyan is that the best reason for having international presence and the way we’ve grown organically is that it makes everywhere better, so you have colleagues and young designers who we might be recruiting in Singapore but they raise the bar constantly with their approach to design.

“So from my point of view I think the future is about making sure we get that connectivity, not just within our teams but with our clients. Most of our clients will operate in different jurisdictions so making the most of that will give us a great opportunity.

“Whereas we might have exported, for instance, mixed-use schemes, we are gathering an awful lot of experience about high rise developments and we can use those skills coming back into the UK.” Focusing on Broadway Malyan’s international growth, Whittle made an appearance at the recent

International Festival for Business 2016 in Liverpool to talk about the practice’s experiences of operating in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region.

He also expressed interest in taking in other sessions focused on China, which he says is “quite important for [the practice] at the moment” as it has a studio in Shanghai, and also North America during his visit to the city.

Having been working on public realm for some major schemes, as well as masterplanning for HS2 around the Birmingham section of the high speed rail link, which is proposed to link London to the North via Crewe and Manchester in the North West, Whittle believes there is still a lot of potential for Broadway Malyan here in the region too.

“There’s certainly further growth in the area,” he says.

“I’m delighted from a personal perspective that there is a government agenda for the great Northern Powerhouse. We’ve been [in the region] a long time and we intend to stay.”

MOVE COMMERCIAL 35

p33-48_Move Commercial 25/07/2016 11:03 Page 36

Key event The Edge closing ceremony

IFB2016 fringe festival ends with awards The official fringe festival for this year’s International Festival for Business (IFB2016) was brought to a close in celebratory style.

The creative programme of events and activities, named The Edge, ended with an awards presentation at Liverpool Philharmonic’s Music Room venue which recognised some of the festival’s top supporters and achievers.

Kate Willard, director of The Edge, reflected on the programme’s success during the ceremony, which was sponsored by Grant Thornton, and accolades including Edge’s Best Friend and Liverpool Apprentice with an Edge were presented.

Attendees also had a chance to network and enjoy drinks and canapés during the afternoon event.

1

3

2

5

8

4

6

9

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1. Festival director Kate Willard and The Edge team 2. Catherine McCarthy (Move Commercial) 3. Steve Granite of Abbey Logistics collected the Outstanding Young Enterprise Achievement award 4. Attendees watched the celebratory awards presentation 5. Kate Willard brought the festival to a close 6. Attendees enjoyed refreshments 7. Richard Nutter of Cultural Destinations picked up the Edge’s Best Friend title 8. The event provided a chance to network 9. IFB2016 director Ian McCarthy with North West Business Supporter winner, Peter Radcliffe (Institute of Directors) 10. Liverpool Apprentice with an Edge winner, Lee Easeman (Liverpool City Council)

p33-48_Move Commercial 25/07/2016 11:03 Page 37

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p33-48_Move Commercial 25/07/2016 11:04 Page 38

Mark Langshaw mark.langshaw@movepublishing.co.uk

The winds of change are blowing through the UK supermarket industry and the old guard of Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons are feeling the brunt of it. The so-called ‘big four’ find themselves under attack from discounters shoplifting their market share at the budget end of the spectrum, and the arrival of AmazonFresh on these shores posing a new threat to their online ambitions. With the likes of Aldi and Lidl expanding in the North West and AmazonFresh expected to head to the region in the future, Move Commercial explores how recent changes in the supermarket sector are reshaping an age-old industry.

Changes in Store Before the rise of the internet, hypermarkets and large-scale supermarkets were a dominant force in the UK food and grocery market, their aisles abuzz with the sound of families doing their weekly shop and lengthy queues running up to checkout tills that never stopped ringing.

Although this traditional picture is still representative of the way many households shop, the industry is now multi-channel and in transition.

Recent figures from industry body the Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD) suggest sales from convenience stores, discounters and online outlets will overtake superstores and hypermarkets within the next three years.

The market tracker’s data indicates that £1 in every £8 will be spent at a discounter by 2021, up from £1 in £10 this year, and here in the North West the shift is visible with chains like Aldi and Lidl opening up new stores across the region, often as anchor tenants at retail developments.

At a time when the likes of Tesco and Sainsbury’s are scaling back their flagship stores and looking to other channels, bricks and mortar shops continue to be the way forward for discounters.

According to property developer Derwent Group, which has secured Aldi as a key tenant in several of its North West retail parks, this is partly because the supermarket’s physical store model strikes an effective balance between value and quality, and their presence has the ability to complement other tenants in commercial districts.

38 MOVE COMMERCIAL

“Aldi is a fantastic partner for Derwent Group and we are doing multiple deals with them across our retail parks,” Derwent managing director David Lyons tells Move Commercial.

“At Junction 1 Retail Park in Wirral they’ve opened up alongside M&S Foodhall where the two retailers really complement each other, and we’ve seen a huge increase in visitor numbers off the back of these deals.

“Aldi’s market share is growing, driven by strong consumer demand for its unique offering of quality products at exceptional prices.”

Amid heightened competition from discounters, larger chains such as Tesco have been forced to rethink their approach and offer shoppers a broader range of services such as click and collect, in-store WiFi, dry cleaning and more extensive loyalty schemes.

“Aldi and Lidl are increasing their market share and it’s difficult to compete against them because they’re very focused businesses,” says Daniel Lucht, global research director at retail analysts ResearchFarm.

“But they will also reach a ceiling as most shoppers, even those who go there a lot, occasionally need a bit more than what they can offer.

“Larger chains must make other aspects of their offering stand out. In the past that would have included online a lot more, now it’s more difficult. If you know your customer and what they want you can work with that and find out through your

“

It will be interesting to see what the uptake will be for AmazonFresh but what is really compelling is how ‘clicks only’ businesses can develop their capabilities to address changing consumer demands and do it well.

“

p33-48_Move Commercial 25/07/2016 11:04 Page 39

Supermarkets Focus

“

Aldi and Lidl are increasing their market share and it’s difficult to compete against them, but they will also reach a ceiling as most shoppers occasionally need a bit more than what they can offer.

“ loyalty schemes.”

IGD’s figures suggest sales at larger chains could stabilise within the next five years as the major players rework their store layouts, but online has been touted as the biggest growth sector in the UK supermarket industry, forecast to expand by 68% during the same period.

In this corner of the market, the larger chains face fresh competition from Amazon, which began delivering more than 130,000 grocery and household goods to its Amazon Prime members in London earlier this year after striking up a deal with Morrisons.

With the promise of competitive prices and oneday deliveries, AmazonFresh is being touted as a major threat to the UK’s supermarkets when it begins its inevitable expansion across the UK but, according to one expert, its arrival in Britain also spells big challenges for Amazon.

Carolyne Livesey, leader of the Retail and Consumer Hub at PwC - a multinational professional services network which includes Asda on its list of clients - believes brand loyalty is still strong and points out that there will always be customers who are reluctant to abandon traditional methods of shopping.

“It will be interesting to see what the uptake will be for AmazonFresh deliveries but what is really compelling is how ‘clicks only’ businesses can develop their capabilities to address changing consumer demands and do it well,” she explains.

“Customer trust is absolutely fundamental to retailers these days. Many consumers will only shop with brands they trust and although customer loyalty is not quite what it was, many supermarkets are doing things to turn that around with their ranging and pricing. If they can win their customers’ trust, they’re halfway towards winning their loyalty.”

So what does the future hold for the food and grocery market? According to IGD’s research, the sector as a whole is forecast to grow by 10% between now and 2021, with online leading the charge.

Discounters have been tipped as the secondbiggest growth category, although their expansion will be more measured in the coming years as larger chains fight back with mission-based layouts, aggressive pricing initiatives and other schemes to stabilise their businesses.

Moreover, Lucht believes Aldi and Lidl will eventually expand their online offerings in the UK, having dipped their toes into the pool in this country and offered more extensive services elsewhere.

“Aldi is trialling new online initiatives, but both of them can be ultra conservative and are willing to wait until they are certain the model has been cracked,” he says. “They will eventually know what the best solution is to make money online in the UK and will go into that market very heavily.

“Aldi and Lidl will be cautious but eventually they will be more multi-channel in the UK. At the moment their focus is getting the right amount of stores here.”

MOVE COMMERCIAL 39

p33-48_Move Commercial 25/07/2016 18:42 Page 40

Diary Dates Best for Entrepreneurs

Best for Retailers

Best for Exporters

4 August

14 -15 September

30 September

Liverpool Loves Business

BCSC 2016

Exporting is GREAT Hub

Crowne Plaza 9am – 5pm

Manchester Central

Exhibition Centre Liverpool 10am-4pm

A full-day conference focusing on what makes entrepreneurs, small business owners and professionals tick, this event offers quality networking opportunities, free business advice clinics and inspirational speeches from local business figures.

This year’s event includes The Bigger Pitcher competition, sponsored by business accelerator programme Spark Up, inviting entrepreneurs from across the city region to compete for up to £5,000 worth of prize money and crucial business support.

With over 2,500 retail and retail property professionals under one roof, BCSC 2016 is the largest event of its kind and a networking opportunity like no other. Confirmed representatives for the British Council of Shopping Centres event include GAP, Pizza Hut, WHSmith, Five Guys, JLL, intu and CBRE. BCSC 2016’s ‘Clicks, Bricks and Brexit…’ programme will feature a first-class line-up of senior industry leaders, key political figures, respected academics, renowned commentators and inventive innovators.

The UKTI’s Exporting is GREAT Hub rolls into Liverpool, bringing a series of dynamic events for exporters and potential exporters alike.

A breakfast stakeholder meeting, a digital seminar and partner recruited workshops are among the programme’s features.

This free event is aimed at inspiring SMEs through presenting evidence of the significant amount of export opportunities out there and explaining the support which is available to help them exploit these opportunities.

Professional Pointers

Relieving stress in the workplace with Matt Liggins, health and wellbeing manager at Health@Work At Liverpool-based Health@Work we support a wide range of businesses across the UK to create healthier, happier workplaces and reducing stress is a big part of this. Here are our top tips for reducing stress in the workplace: • Throw some punches (just not at one of your co-workers!): Boxercise is a great way to burn off the stress hormones that churn round your system.

Try throwing 100 shadow punches as fast as you can of a morning before you get in the shower.

• Go for a walk: Exercising outdoors has been proven to help people feel calmer, happier and more able to concentrate at work.

• Get some vitamin C: As well as looking after your immune system, vitamin C actually helps build your anti-stress hormones. Try blackcurrants, spring green cabbage, peppers and even potatoes (with the skin on).

40 MOVE COMMERCIAL

• Use the Management Standards at work: We recommend the Health and Safety Executive's approach to dealing with stress in the workplace.

• Talk to someone: Whether you're stressed about one small thing or you've been feeling bad for ages, talking to someone is the first step to feeling better.

• Drink enough water: Feeling dehydrated severely affects both physical and mental performance. A dry mouth, headache, tiredness, poor concentration, low mood, hunger and irritability are all signs you need to drink more water, not another coffee!

• Make time to do the things you like doing: The busier you are, the more downtime you need. Put yourself first sometimes and book in space to do what you want to do, rather than what you need.

In the know Can reading aloud improve wellbeing? Emily Crawford from Liverpool-based charitable social enterprise The Reader recommends a book which is said to have achieved success in the workplace: “We remember it from childhood.

The unique comfort of being read to, as a salve for the bumps and bruises of life.

“D. H. Lawrence recognised that ‘one sheds one’s sicknesses in books’.

“Lawrence knew it, we knew it, we felt it; and now, science is showing it to be true.

“Blake Morrison, in his foreword to this anthology, writes: ‘What moves us in literature isn’t just the words, on the page, but hearing them resonate, in the air.’

“Being read to makes us healthier and happier; it stimulates thought and memory and encourages sharing ideas, feelings, hopes and fears.

“Listed as one of Waterstones’ top 100 books of 2011 and a Guardian bestseller, ‘A Little, Aloud’ offers prose and poetry for reading aloud, whether you’re reading to your partner, a sick parent or child, or on a break with co-workers.

“With short introductions and discussion topics for each piece there’s something to enrich the lives and minds of everyone.”

p33-48_Move Commercial 25/07/2016 16:21 Page 41

Business lifestyle

How to… enhance workplace wellbeing Diverse workspaces A choice of workspaces can boost concentration and encourage movement as workers won’t be stuck at their desks.

Creating varied environments doesn’t necessarily mean expensive upgrades, but can simply be about using space more efficiently.

A quiet zone away from the buzz or a ‘breakout’ area with alternative seating can provide appropriate environments for different projects and a healthy change of scenery.

Yin Yan, yoga and pilates classes

Tried & Tested Healthy lunch

Yoga classes

White Wolf Yoga & Kitchen Cook Street, Liverpool, L2 Healthy eating and living: a must for many in the business community. And as the impact of Brexit continues to be digested, the city centre now has a vegan/vegetarian eatery at which both culinary and mental wellbeing are catered for.

Enjoying a perfect, if discreet, location on Cook Street in Liverpool’s business quarter in a “majestic ballroom once used for property auctions”, White Wolf Yoga & Kitchen is ideally placed to appeal to workers on both sides of the city centre and offers breakfast, lunch and a takeaway service, as well as corporate facilities for larger functions.

Owner Louise’s venture started out as purely a yoga facility before expanding to add the health food cafe and coffee shop which promises to serve “high-quality, nutrition-rich food and drinks”.

The lunchtime menu offers a wide range of sandwiches, wraps and salads all prepared on site using locally sourced ingredients with the takeaway option costing £1 less than eating in.

I (wisely) picked the seitan steak baguette (£5) with vegan mustard mayo and although I’m historically carnivorous - save for a token year of abstinence at university - I found this quite delicious, perfectly cooked and tasty, and complemented with a light and fresh salad.

My dining partner plumped for the Moroccan soup of the day (£4) which came with a sourdough side: it didn’t disappoint. Not only was the portion “generous” but was made with “fresh ingredients”

Review by Liam Deveney and tasted “perfect”.

Warming to the healthy opportunity I’d been presented with, I chose the ‘Green Power’ juice (£3) which was made up of kale, spinach, coconut water, apple and mint with the additional boost of spirulina (50p extra) and it was utterly delicious and refreshing. (Author’s note: I enjoyed my best night’s sleep in months, if not years, that evening.)

Despite the overall theme of wellbeing, relaxation and calm, some business visitors will still need to be contactable and Wi-Fi connectivity is essential; again, there was no issue and emails were sent and received with no delay.

With the main course completed, a slice of carrot and ginger cake (£1.75) was the perfect accompaniment to my refreshing cup of Yogi tea (£2.20) with my plus one choosing a chocolate, cherry and quinoa slice (£1.75). Both were light, moist and utterly delicious, and are part of a menu which changes daily to keep things fresh.

It is perhaps unlikely business customers will have the time to combine both a yoga class and dine on the same day but these two pursuits can be enjoyed separately with a timetable to suit even the busiest schedule.

White Wolf Yoga & Kitchen is truly a hidden gem which endeavours to leave its customers energised, refreshed and sated and is sure to prove popular with both the business sector and the general public alike.

Ensure staff are exercising with on-site classes such as yoga and Pilates.

Research shows back, neck and muscle pain as well as stress, anxiety and depression are common causes of sick leave and can also prevent workers from feeling energised and focused, so perhaps such sessions can help tackle these issues.

North West-based Yin Yan has been flying the flag for this healthy activity with packages for businesses.

The firm also showcases vacant Liverpool and Manchester commercial spaces and targets areas brimming with busy workers through pop-up classes.

Liverpool’s Exchange Station and Tempest are among sites to have hosted morning, lunchtime and post-work sessions.

Biophilic design A ‘Health, Wellbeing & Productivity in Offices’ report by the World Green Building Council says that, because humans are intrinsically “of nature”, contact with the natural environment is necessary to sustain health and wellbeing.

Therefore there’s a lot to be said for picturesque and long distance views from the office to help staff re-focus during breaks.

Inside the office, Urban Planters, which has branches in Cheshire, Liverpool, Manchester and Stockport, says plants can bring benefits including improved air quality, concentration and creativity, while reducing negativity and absorbing noise.

Nature-themed art can be effective where real plants can’t be introduced.

MOVE COMMERCIAL 41

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Key event Professional Liverpool networking lunch

Airport vision discussed at networking lunch The CEO of Liverpool John Lennon Airport (JLA) spoke about the airport’s plans for the next 10 years during a recent networking lunch.

Andrew Cornish also provided an update on current JLA developments when he took to the stage as the key speaker at the Professional Liverpool event.

The lunchtime meeting took place within the DWP office at 5 St Paul’s Square, within Liverpool’s commercial district, and was well attended by Professional Liverpool members from across the city’s business community.

Lunch and refreshments were also served at the afternoon seminar, which also provided an opportunity for guests to network before the talk got underway.

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1. Andrew Cornish, CEO of Liverpool John Lennon Airport, addresses attendees 2. Alex Clark (Professional Liverpool), Troy Midwood (Aabyss) and Jan Peters (USP Creative) 3. John Hall, CEO of Professional Liverpool, with Andrew Cornish (Liverpool John Lennon Airport) 4. The event was well attended 5. Steve Kelly (Handelsbanken), Carol Bolland (FW Capital) and Dave Westby (Handelsbanken) 6. Laura Harrild (MSB Solicitors), Craig Watson (Beautiful Drinks) and Rhian Roberts (EY) 7. Maressa Moran (Medicash), Jody Jacobson and Craig Barton (both Consortia Integrated Services) 8. Professional Liverpool members networked 9. Lunch and refreshments were served to guests 10. Bridget Bundi, Robert Dobson, Zaineb Madraswala and Paul Turner (all Liverpool John Moores University)

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Expert views Ask the panel During the run up to the referendum remain supporter and then Chancellor, George Osbourne warned the Northern Powerhouse would be ‘on the ballot’ when the 23 June vote took place. With Britain now preparing to leave the European Union, we bring a panel of experts from across the North West together to share their views on how the concept can remain on track, and ask:

Q: In light of Brexit, what is now required to support the future of the Northern Powerhouse?

I think many businesses would like to see an acceleration of the proposed investment in East-West transport infrastructure to ensure that any Brexit impacts are mitigated by the fact the North of England is becoming a better connected place for the movement of people and goods.

It’s also the case that all parties need to be more focused on articulating the strengths of our business, educational and science assets to an international audience so that those compelling competitive advantages outweigh the potential nervousness of investing in a UK which is not part of the EU. The city regions of Manchester and Liverpool can also build on recent collaborations to better sell the North West region, in particular, as an international investment destination.

We can also look for new ways of working with our colleagues in places like Lancashire and Leeds so that the North is making the most of its collective resources and assets when driving inward investment interest.

Ellen Cutler, director of investment, Invest Liverpool

While the focus will naturally be on shifting powers from Brussels to Westminster, it is critical that the government shows ongoing commitment to the Northern Powerhouse and the infrastructure projects that are key to its success

The Northern Powerhouse initiative is more important now than ever.

In a post-Brexit world, local government and local businesses will have to fill the void created by political uncertainty at the centre and the potential loss of EU funding for some of the more significant infrastructure projects.

Devolution will be central in order to maintain momentum and to capitalise on the energy and entrepreneurial spirit at the heart of many of our great

during negotiations.

Visible commitment will help to maintain confidence and momentum and it will also send a positive signal to investors that the North remains open for business.

The Institution of Civil Engineers’ recent ‘State of the Nation: Devolution’ report stresses the need for an overarching infrastructure strategy for the North.

Transport for the North has provided focus for transport services and we think its success should be built on.

Establishing a strategy covering all infrastructure networks would help to provide certainty to investors on our long term plans.

Wendy Blundell, director of UK regions, Institution of Civil Engineers

northern cities.

In the medium term, money formerly destined for the EU may end up being diverted to other projects.

With greater independence for the UK and greater autonomy for our cities, there is an opportunity to re-energise the Northern Powerhouse project.

This will be vital if we are to build a northern hub for global trade and help the UK rebalance its economy.

Howard Gill, partner, Nabarro LLP

The Northern Powerhouse is about the ongoing transformation of the great cities of Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield.

Working together they are on a journey to become modern, internationally significant cities fit for the 21st Century - a process that has been underway for the past two or three decades.

In practice this means further investment in infrastructure, buildings, finance and talent.

Former Chancellor George Osborne had the vision of a Northern Powerhouse but many people are required to make that vision a reality over a generation or more.

The referendum result taught us that there’s a need for more pace and purpose in our efforts to rebalance the economy to address widespread economic disenfranchisement, and that we need a stronger Northern Powerhouse tailwind.

In light of Brexit, the variables change but the outcome is never in doubt - our best days lie ahead.

Andrew McFarlane, director and head of North West, Colliers International

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