Move Commercial 53 by Move Publishing

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LIVERPOOL CITY REGION CHESHIRE MANCHESTER OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2016

FREE

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

Uber in the region Is the disruptive app really miles ahead of competition?

Issue 53

What’s next for BHS? The future of vacant North West stores

A winning formula Can Team GB’s triumphant Olympic strategy boost business?

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A Towngate Plc Property

Widnes

TO LET Industrial / Warehouse / Logistics Units Towngate Business Centre Everite Road, Widnes, WA8 8PT

15,000 – 75,000 Sq Ft

CGI Image

• Other yards & hardstanding areas available separately

• Close to the A562

• Flexible rents and competitive terms

• Ideally located for Widnes/Runcorn, Liverpool, Warrington and the wider UK Network

• 24 hour security

• Excellent access M62/M57 & M56

Andrew Littler andrew@littlerandassociates.co.uk

www.towngate.plc.uk

Darren Hill darren.hill2@cbre.com

Paul Thorne paul@b8re.com

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Discover a neo way of working. Neo is a reinvention of a Manchester City Centre ODQGPDUN WKDW RÊ&#x2022;HUV VWLPXODWLQJ DQG FROODERUDWLYH workspaces for the way we work today. :KHWKHU \RXÅ¡UH VWDUWLQJ RXW RQ \RXU RZQ DQG QHHG D FR ZRUNLQJ GHVN RU SULYDWH VWXGLR RU \RXÅ¡UH DQ HVWDEOLVKHG EXVLQHVV ORRNLQJ WR H[SDQG 1HR LV D SODFH ZKHUH \RX FDQ Ê&#x2014;RXULVK DQG JURZ ZLWKLQ D FRPPXQLW\ of like-minded people. <RX FDQ FKRRVH IURP D YDULHW\ RI GLÊ&#x2022;HUHQW ZRUNLQJ HQYLURQPHQWV WR EHVW VXLW \RXU QHHGV ZKDWHYHU VWDJH \RX DUH DW LQ \RXU RZQ EXVLQHVV HYROXWLRQ

bruntwood.co.uk/neo

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Issue fifty three Move Commercial

Welcome to Move Commercial

Contents News

With national celebrations lined up for October the country continues to revel in the success of Great Britain’s Rio Olympic and Paralympic performances. The record-breaking 2016 triumph was a continuation of increasing success through recent games, and in this issue we’re investigating the winning formula behind the golden glory and how it could also bring growth for businesses. Plus from one driving force to another, we look at how the likes of app-based business Uber have shaken up the taxi industry here in the region, what lies ahead for the sector and how the more traditional cab firms

have been keeping pace with technological changes. Also, with high streets now dealing with the aftermath of department store BHS’s recent closure, could the newly vacant retail units pave the way for opportunities in the North West? And Move Commercial explores the Duke of Westminster, Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor’s impressive legacy and the part he played in transforming Liverpool.

06 TV star to lead commercial property sector celebration 07 North West delegations get set for MIPIM UK showcase 08 Healthcare firm plans Cheshire Gateway expansion 09 Downing to expand its flexi-office portfolio 10 Strong demand for Manchester restaurant space 11 Tomorrow building completed at MediaCityUK

Natasha Young, editor natasha@movepublishing.co.uk

12 Manchester opening strengthens Falconer Chester Hall’s North West presence

Features 14 Bitesize Thinking Food for thought 16 Appointments Who’s moving where? 19 My Month The Derwent Group’s Leanne Elkin on a busy month in the industry 22 Winning in business Could Team GB’s golden strategy bring growth for businesses?

24 Key Event Denovo Design hosts fundraising evening 26 Interview Geraud UK managing director Philip Lamb on playing a key role in Prescot’s masterplan 28 Opportunity knocks? What’s next for the North West’s newly vacant BHS stores?

32 Interview John Hearns, managing director of tech start-up KMS Solutions on its progress in the medical field 34 His Grace: The game-changer The Duke of Westminster’s important North West legacy

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, Christine Toner, Matthew Smith, Liam Deveney. Tel: 0151 709 3871 post@movepublishing.co.uk Design Mark Iddon. Email: mark@movepublishing.co.uk

Credits Liam Deveney – Denovo Design event / Geraud UK interview / Tried & Tested. Terry McNamara – Shoosmiths event. iStock/Romolo Tavani – Cover image. 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

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.

38 A driving force How is app-based Uber shaking up the region’s taxi industry? 40 Key Event Shoosmiths welcomes property guests for cocktails and canapés 44 Business Lifestyle Tips, reviews and recommendations as the season of end of year celebrations is upon us 47 Ask the Panel With speculation continuing over how Brexit will happen, how is the situation expected to progress?

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News Latest

TV star to host property sector celebration Neil Fitzmaurice will present this year’s awards

Actor, comedian, writer and filmmaker Neil Fitzmaurice will host the prestigious NWPAs when it takes place this month. Fitzmaurice, who has starred in hit TV shows including ‘The Office’, ‘Peep Show’ and ‘Phoenix Nights’, will lead an evening of celebrations for the North West’s commercial and residential property sectors. The glittering 20 October ceremony, taking place at Lutyens Crypt in Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, will see accolades presented across 12 categories in total. Kim O’Brien, director of Move Publishing which organises the event, says: “We’re thrilled to announce Neil Fitzmaurice as the compere for this year’s awards. Coinciding with the awards’ expansion and new look, Neil will be a fantastic host for the NWPAs. “With his charismatic humour and professional style Neil will help us deliver a fresh, re-energised awards ceremony celebrating the very best in North West property. “It’s been a busy year for regeneration and new developments in the North West, which is reflected in the entries. We’re looking forward to celebrating the best commercial schemes, projects and businesses on the night and awarding the people behind the region’s changing skyline.” Move Publishing, the publisher of Move Commercial and Your Move, established the awards 13 years ago and has expanded the event’s reach in 2016, as it looks beyond Merseyside to recognise agents, developers, law firms, apprentices and other businesses across the whole of the North West. Forth Homes is the headline sponsor while MSB Solicitors, Redrow Homes Lancashire and North West, Paul Crowley & Co, UK Business Supplies, The Foundry Agency, Elliot Group, Bridging Finance Solutions, Yu Property Group, Countryside, PCS Law and Redwing Living are category sponsors. Furnish That Room and Precision Colour Printing will sponsor the drinks reception.

Liverpool City Council has been based at the Dale Street site for over 150 years

Cabinet approves sale of Liverpool’s Municipal Buildings Plans to sell off Liverpool’s Grade II-listed Municipal Buildings have been approved by the city council’s cabinet. The decision was made as the local authority attempts to make £90 million of savings over the next three years. Home to Liverpool City Council since the 1860s, Municipal Buildings accommodates around 640 employees who will now move to other council sites across the city including Cunard Building at Pier Head, Premier Court on Hatton Garden, Venture Place on Sir Thomas Street and Wavertree Customer Focus Centre on Wavertree Road. The One Stop Shop based in the Municipal Buildings will also be relocated to a self-contained unit within St John’s Market, which is currently undergoing a transformation. Councillor Malcolm Kennedy, cabinet member for regeneration, says: “The sale of Municipal Buildings will bring in money which we can reinvest in reducing the costs of our capital infrastructure programme, as well as delivering ongoing savings by lowering our overheads. “We want to find out the level of interest that there is from potential purchasers with a view to finding a long-term sustainable use for the site which will also create new jobs.”

Heathrow to Liverpool flights under consideration Flights between Liverpool John Lennon Airport and Heathrow could begin if proposed expansion plans for the London airport are given the green light. Proposals for a third runway at Heathrow are under consideration, a move which could also boost the capacity of existing runways and pave the way for more domestic flight routes. In response to the news, regional airline operator Flybe has confirmed it is considering expanding the number of routes it offers to Heathrow, including one from Liverpool. Outlining the economic benefits of an expanded Heathrow, Flybe CEO Saad Hammad says: “To effectively compete in a post-Brexit environment whilst a third runway is built in the South East, and in light of the new Heathrow plans, Flybe would strongly urge the government to give an expanded Heathrow the green light. “Together we can then start without further undue delay to deliver the fastest, most convenient and frequent selection of regional air services that Britain badly needs.” If the expansion plans are approved, Heathrow’s existing runways could have their capacity increased by 2021, four years before the new runway is in line to open. 6

MOVE COMMERCIAL

An expansion of Heathrow Airport could bring further connections to Liverpool

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Latest News

Delegates get ready to showcase North West at MIPIM UK Delegations from across the North West will head to London this month to showcase investment opportunities at MIPIM UK. Private and public sector representatives from Knowsley, Liverpool and Manchester will use the 19-21 October exhibition and conference as a platform for the region when it returns to the capital’s Olympia venue. Organisers are expecting the attendance of international investors and financial institutions to be higher than ever in 2016, when the event will also explore the impact Brexit could have on development and investment across the country. Returning to MIPIM UK with its own stand for the third year running, the Knowsley delegation is expanding its presence with a larger number of delegates than ever and a programme of events and networking opportunities. At least 22 delegates have

Last year’s MIPIM UK

been lined up to represent the borough. Following planning approval earlier in the year for a new Shakespeare North theatre and education hub in Prescot, the major leisure development and a wider masterplan to regenerate the town will be a key focus of Knowsley’s MIPIM UK plans. The delegation, to be made up of the Knowsley Place Board, the leader and chief executive of Knowsley Council and partners and associates from private sector organisations, will also continue to highlight the borough’s growth in the warehousing and logistics sectors as almost one million sq ft of speculative development is showcased. Meanwhile Manchester City Council chief executive Sir Howard Bernstein and Liverpool City Council chief executive, Ged Fitzgerald are among MIPIM UK’s 2016 speakers and will also continue to fly the flag for the

Northern Powerhouse as they join representatives of other key northern cities for a special ‘Stronger North’ event during the three days. Colin Sinclair, CEO of Knowledge Quarter Liverpool and a member of the Liverpool at MIPIM steering group, adds: "In an era of post-Brexit uncertainty, the focus for Liverpool is to showcase the many great things that are already happening here and demonstrate how bright the future is for the city region as part of a strong Northern Powerhouse movement. "For instance we have a billion pounds of investment already underway in Knowledge Quarter Liverpool and a further billion in the pipeline, and we are looking forward to presenting these and other opportunities across the city region to potential investors at MIPIM UK."

Scarborough Group International (Scarborough) has submitted plans for the next phase of its Middlewood Locks development in Salford. The latest proposals for the 24-acre commercial and residential neighbourhood scheme include an extra 564 new homes in four separate buildings designed by WCEC Architects. The development is a joint venture between Scarborough, Hualing Group and Metro Holdings Limited - collectively known as FairBrair International. Chinese firm Beijing Construction and Engineering Group (BCEGI) is undertaking construction. Once completed, Middlewood Locks will provide around 2,215 new homes and more than 750,000 sq ft of commercial development space, including offices, hotel, shops, restaurants, a convenience store and gym. The site has a gross development value of more than £700 million and is expected to create an estimated 7,000 jobs. Paul Kelly, head of development of Scarborough, says: “This is another step in creating a reality of our vision for Middlewood Locks. “Work on site is progressing rapidly; you will be able to see buildings start to go up by later this year with people and businesses moving in as early as 2018.”

The development is arranged around three large basins of the Manchester, Bolton & Bury Canal

Plans in for phase two of £700m Middlewood Locks

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News Sales & Lettings

High-tech medical manufacturer plans Cheshire Gateway expansion Medical manufacturer Crawford Healthcare has announced plans to expand to a new site at the proposed Cheshire Gateway scheme. The Knutsford-based firm, which develops treatments for the care and repair of skin, has chosen the science, technology and logistics park after it identified a shortage of available sites in Cheshire East. Built on the border of Cheshire and Trafford, the park aims to create 2,500 new jobs in science, logistics and advanced manufacturing. Richard Anderson, CEO of Crawford Healthcare, says: “As a company, we conduct our own research, design and manufacturing locally and have launched our own

subsidiaries in both the USA and Germany. “The Cheshire Gateway would be an ideal place for us to expand our business, given its proximity to transport networks and its role in helping create the goals of the Northern Powerhouse.” Jim McCain, property director of TEM, which is promoting the park, adds: “We are delighted with the strong occupier interest in the site. “The Cheshire Gateway is in close proximity to other Northern Powerhouse projects, including the recently expanded Port of Liverpool, Manchester Airport Enterprise Zone, Atlantic Gateway and directly within the Cheshire Science Corridor.”

App developer Engage Solutions Group moves to Liverpool office App developer Engage Solutions Group has relocated to a new office at Queen Insurance Buildings in Liverpool city centre. The company, which was previously based in Crosby, has secured a fully refurbished 2,414 sq ft space at the Bruntwoodowned building. The move comes amid a period of expansion for Engage Solutions Group following the success of its Employee Engage App, a communication tool aimed at businesses. Founded in 1997 and known as Crosby Associates prior to rebranding, the firm has worked with clients including DHL, Cemex, One Stop Stores, Warburtons, TrustFord and DFS. Lee Carroll, CEO at Engage Solutions Group, says: "As the scale and number of our clients continued to grow, it became clear that we had outgrown our existing premises and needed to find somewhere that matched our need not only for greater space but also a higher profile among our existing and potential clients. "Queen Insurance Buildings is a beautiful building in a prime city centre location and we are confident it will be a perfect home for us as we bid to pursue further growth in the coming years." Bruntwood’s Queen Insurance Buildings

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Richard Anderson, CEO of Crawford Healthcare

Final unit sold at Buckshaw Village’s Matrix Point Elite Tele will move into Unit 19

The final unit at Buckshaw Village’s Matrix Point industrial park has now been sold. Telecoms provider Elite Tele has taken the 5,400 sq ft Unit 19, while Euro Garages has acquired the scheme’s remaining design and build plot after securing planning permission for a petrol station and retail offering. Developed speculatively by Seddon, the 37,850 sq ft Matrix Point comprises 19 units ranging from 755 sq ft to 10,800 sq ft, all of which are said to have been snapped up within six months of practical completion. Robert Kos, industrial and logistics surveyor at JLL which has sold the unit, says: “The speed at which the units at

Matrix Point have been taken is further evidence of the continued high demand for small industrial units in the North West. “The popularity of the region among industrial occupiers, coupled with the limited pipeline of new schemes and the ongoing shortage of stock, means that developers have a wealth of opportunities to capitalise on the demand here without the risk of a supply surplus.” Occupiers at the industrial park include e-commerce software provider Exact Abacus, IT firm The Document Management Group and ACAS Engineering. Taylor Weaver was joint letting agent for the site.

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Sales & Lettings News

Downing to increase Liverpool flexi-office portfolio Downing has seen a rise in demand for flexi-office space

Property developer Downing is set to increase its flexi-office offering at a trio of locations in Liverpool’s business district. Responding to demand for this type of commercial space, the Liverpool-based firm is now finalising designs to offer an additional 10 suites at Graeme House, Derby Square and No.1 Old Hall Street. The suites range from one person rooms of 140 sq ft to 20-person offices of 1,100 sq ft, which can be tailored to suit occupier requirements. Each unit is private but is delivered within clusters with a shared kitchen and access to newly released secure car parking spaces beneath the buildings.

Mixed-use Crosby properties come to market Two neighbouring town centre properties with a combined value of £900,000 have been brought to the market in Crosby. Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH) has been instructed to sell the buildings, comprising two ground floor retail units and nine apartments on the upper floors with potential to be converted into office space. Each of the upper floor residential units are fully let following refurbishment, while the ground floor retail space is available to occupants on three and fiveyear terms. The mixed-used premises span 6,433 sq ft combined and are located six miles north of Liverpool city centre. Robert Diggle, head of agency in LSH’s Liverpool office, says: “This is an excellent opportunity to purchase an established mixed-use investment in a prominent location in Crosby town centre. “The upper floor residential flats have been recently refurbished, are fully let and the ground floor retail units offer established income on three and five-year terms respectively.“ For further information contact Robert Diggle or Adam Taylor on 0151 236 8454.

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

The Crosby units have potential for office space

Discussing this expansion of Downing’s portfolio, John Clegg, head of property management, says: “The way companies do business is changing. They do not necessarily want to be tied down to one office, or even one city, for too long. “Despite general uncertainty in the business community in the months following the Brexit vote, demand for Downing’s flexi-offices has flourished. “We’re dedicated to providing our clients with the office space that works for them, whether they’re a start-up or sole trader in our flexi-offices, or a larger established company with a longer term requirement.”

NextGear Capital secures office space at Chester Business Park Edward House is providing a new home for NextGear Capital UK

Stock funding provider NextGear Capital UK has secured office space at the Edward House building in Chester Business Park. The company has signed a 10-year lease on 11,500 sq ft of Grade A space refurbished by developer Prospect GB, and is relocating from the neighbouring International House having outgrown its former home. Speaking about the decision to move Michael Kelleher, finance director at NextGear, says: “Chester Business Park has been an optimum environment for our business’ growth and we were keen to remain here. Edward House is an impressive building and gives us the platform on which we can further expand our company.” The company previously occupied a 6,000 sq ft ground floor space at International House - which Prospect GB also refurbished to Grade A standard - before surrendering its lease. Head of Prospect GB’s commercial division, Chris Walker, adds: “This deal reflects Chester Business Park’s status as one of the North West’s leading business addresses and a hub for financial services.” Founded in 2014, NextGear provides stock funding for independent and franchise car dealers across the UK and Ireland. MOVE COMMERCIAL

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News Leisure & Retail

Spinningfields has proven popular with major restaurant operators such as Wahaca

Strong demand reported for Manchester restaurant space A new report has put the number of restaurant units in Manchester at more than 150. According to real estate advisor Savills, increased demand for restaurant space has pushed top rents in prime flagship locations to £40-50 per sq ft in Q3 2016, compared to £30-£40 per sq ft five years ago. The firm’s analysis says that since the end of 2012, 30 new upmarket and casual restaurant brands have opened in the city, with 14 arriving since the start of 2016. Deansgate, the Corn Exchange, Spinningfields, Piccadilly and King Street are highlighted as being amongst the most attractive locations for chain operators, while independents continue to favour the Northern Quarter. John Agnew, retail and leisure director at Savills, says: “Manchester continues to be a major dining and leisure destination, and the city’s offer has grown significantly in recent years. “Our analysis shows that aspirational brands feel at home in Manchester, with many new operators arriving to offer both casual dining and more upmarket experiences. There is truly something to suit every wallet and taste.”

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M&S latest signing at Walkden retail park M&S has become the latest tenant to sign up at Walkden Town Centre Retail Park. The Derwent Group has confirmed the deal which will see the retailer take a 15,620 sq ft corner unit at the development on a 15-year lease. Split over two levels, with 10,620 sq ft on the ground floor and 5,000 sq ft at mezzanine level for food retail, M&S joins recent signings Guess How Much, Quality Save and Aldi. Walkden town centre is already home to Tesco, Poundland, Boots, B&M, Pets at Home, Costa Coffee, McDonalds, JD Sports, Subway and KFC. James Maule-Ffinch, senior asset manager at The Derwent Group, says: “Our aim is to balance the retail mix to include quality brands alongside discount retailers and M&S was at the top of our list to cater for our diverse customer base. “M&S has signed across a number of Derwent’s retail parks this year and we hope to do more with them as opportunities arise.” CSP and Petch & Co serve as joint agents for the retail park which covers 160,000 sq ft in total. M&S has taken a significant unit at the Salford retail park

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Development News

MediaCityUK’s new Tomorrow building completed Tomorrow has reached completion at MediaCityUK

Specialised treatment and recovery centre opens in Manchester

Work has been completed on a new hotel and office development for businesses at MediaCityUK. The £20 million Tomorrow building is a creative workspace for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) which will act as a gateway to the Greater Manchester commercial hub. The structure’s exterior features a large installation of coloured LED lights and panels displaying bespoke messages along its prow. Six of Tomorrow’s floors are creative working spaces and are already said to have attracted businesses from the digital and technology sectors. A co-working space for meetings and hot-desking is located on the ground floor, which will also play host to an independent retail operator

due to be announced soon. A 112-bed Premier Inn hotel began trading on the upper floors in September, providing accommodation for business travellers and visitors to the city across four storeys. The addition of the Tomorrow building is part of MediaCityUK’s ongoing expansion plans, which aim to see the site double in size within the next decade. The building is expected to receive its first intake of occupants before Christmas.

A £4 million treatment The centre will provide more than and recovery centre 30 jobs, with many recruited from has opened in Ardwick, within the local community Manchester. Designed by Liverpool-based architect Condy Lofthouse, the facility will provide a recoveryorientated therapeutic service and environment for vulnerable women. Commissioned by health and social care charity Alternative Futures Group (AFG), the building was constructed by Bolton-based Seddon and has been designed to capture as much natural light as possible to support residents’ recovery. It will create more than 30 jobs. The new centre is predominantly single storey and arranged around a series of enclosed and open garden courtyards forming small living groups Greg Phillips of Condy Lofthouse says: “We’ve arranged the size and location of the windows and doors to take advantage of this. “The clerestory glazing to lounges and extra corridor rooflights boost light penetration and create a cheerful but calming place.” Karen Wilson, managing director at AFG, adds: “Strong partnership working has been instrumental in delivering a first class recovery-orientated mental health treatment centre in the heart of the Ardwick community with the feel of a truly therapeutic environment.”

Views sought on plans to transform Rochdale Town Hall The Great Hall could be restored under the new plans

A public consultation has been launched over a £16 million plan to transform Rochdale Town Hall. The news comes as Rochdale Borough Council prepares to submit a new bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to redevelop the Grade I-listed building, after its first was rejected in 2015. The local authority is bidding for funds to make a number of improvements including opening up parts of the building which are currently closed to the public and restoring the Great Hall. Other proposed enhancements could see the old police cells and fire station converted into a bar/restaurant and the creation of a

new ‘lesser hall’ for smaller functions and community events. Designed by William Henry Crossland, the 145-year-old building is regularly used for TV and film locations, weddings, tours and other events. Councillor Janet Emsley, cabinet member for culture, health and wellbeing at Rochdale Borough Council, says: “We’ve already made big changes since our last bid, including opening the hugely popular Clock Tower restaurant. But we’d like to do so much more and we won’t be able to without the support of the HLF.” The council’s revised bid will be submitted in December this year. MOVE COMMERCIAL 11

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News Commercial

FCH strengthens North West presence with Manchester office Directors Adam Hall, David George and Paul Falconer

Business psychology consultancy opens in Liverpool A psychology consultancy firm which specialises in personnel selection and employee wellbeing has launched in Liverpool city centre. C.H.I Talent Assessment, which works primarily with small to medium-sized businesses, has relocated to Oriel Chambers on Water Street. The firm is already working on a number of projects in the city as well as a large industrial client in Manchester, using scientific selection tools including personality assessments, cognitive ability testing and an interview optimisation service. C.H.I is also helping companies deal with

Carl Carter with senior consultant Naqib Ismail

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issues surrounding employee wellbeing such as workplace stress and absenteeism, offering psychometric analysis of the current wellbeing level in any business. Carl Carter, director at C.H.I, says: “According to the latest official figures, UK employee turnover reached 4.3 million in 2015, and it is on the rise. “Turnover rates are predicted to rise from 14.6 to 18% over the next five years. Consequently, the need to make better selection decisions is more important than ever. “All businesses should be able to take advantage of an objective recruitment process, regardless of its turnover.”

Architecture practice Falconer Chester Hall (FCH) has strengthened its North West operations with the opening of a new Manchester office. The studio, which will complement the work being done at the company’s long-established Liverpool base, will be headed up by experienced Manchester property professional David George. Commenting on his appointment, George says: “I’ve already got a long history of working in Manchester and it seemed a good fit with my experience. “FCH has a number of jobs in Manchester so it seemed natural for them to want to establish a base in the city. “We will still be working very closely with the Liverpool office which remains the heart of the practice.” Prior to joining FCH, George had worked latterly at architects AEW and prior to that, at Austin-Smith: Lord and BDP in Manchester. It’s a city which, he says, is still very buoyant despite upheavals such as the Brexit vote, however the practice is also looking to use the new office as a base for projects further afield. George adds: “Obviously the office will service work in Manchester but we’re not geographically bound. We could take on work anywhere.”

Property rating scheme launches in Manchester WiredScore, a digital connectivity rating scheme for commercial property, has launched in Manchester. The system helps developers and landlords whose buildings are Wired Certified demonstrate their technology infrastructure and enable businesses to future-proof decisions on office space. Manchester is the second UK city WiredScore has expanded into following its arrival in London last year, and more than 4 million sq ft of property in the city is said to have been certified so far. WiredScore is working with a number of property developers in Manchester, including CBRE Global Investors, Kennedy Wilson Europe, Legal & General Investment Management, Peel, Property Alliance, NOMA/Hermes Investment Management, Schroders and Helical. William Newton, UK director of WiredScore, says: “We are thrilled to have launched in another part of the UK, working with progressive landlords in Manchester who care about the lived experience of their tenants. “As a growing business and technology hub, we look forward to supporting the city in benchmarking and upgrading the connectivity offerings of its commercial buildings to future proof Mancunian businesses for success and innovation.” There is currently more than 300m sq ft of Wired Certified property globally, 20m of which is in London.

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HIGHLY COMMENDED

RUNNER UP PRACTICE OF THE YEAR

Falconer Chester Hall is an award winning architectural and interiors practice with an international reputation. Since our inception t went y years ago, we have built an outstanding reputation across a wide range of sectors, with experience in residential, hotel and commercial markets. Our commit ted teams are based in Liverpool, London and Manchester, ser vicing schemes across the UK , as well as a recently opened overseas of ďŹ ce in Kuala Lumpur, working with our international clients. We recently won Best Commerical Scheme in the 2016 RIC S Awards as well as being Highly C ommended for our Tower Whar f scheme and Practice of the Year runner-up in the Insider Nor th West Proper t y Awards.

Liverpool T. +44 (0)151 243 5800

London T. +44 (0)203 137 7393

Kuala Lumpur T. +(0)603 2698 1181

Manchester T. +4 4 (0)161 711 0960

w w w.fcharchitects.com

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Bitesize thinking

Steve Barber managing director, Bridging Finance Solutions

In my crystal ball... Brexit will impact on the commercial property landscape directly and indirectly, and whilst it’s far too early to draw conclusions on the longer term economic and political effects of the vote, the shorter term prognosis is for weaker growth in the UK. However, the property market is difficult to predict and evidence of falling housing transactions and weaker loan demand is already disappearing. The UK stock market may have bounced back following the initial shock day sell-off but the FTSE 100 rose thanks to the translating effect of international earnings. To overseas property investors the market has still been off 8% in US dollar terms since the referendum. Sharp share price falls in domestic cyclicals such as ‘challenger’ banks (specialist lenders), retailers and housebuilders point to weaker domestic demand at a time when the economy was already vulnerable to a downturn. Once again, we face the paradox of high quality property looking fully valued while cheap sectors are cheap for good reason. Uncertainty and a pause whilst the UK renegotiates its trading position with its erstwhile European partners is bound to lead to delays in inward property investment. A further and perhaps less tangible implication of Brexit is the likelihood of greater political intervention in markets.

If only I’d known… If there was ever an event that demonstrated the utter uselessness of crystal ball guessing it was the recent referendum, given that the consensus view of bookmakers, pollsters and market pundits was for the continuation of our EU membership. David Cameron, having won two referendums as prime minister, gambled for a third time and lost – the harsh rearrangement of the government manifesting itself within days of the vote. For decades, central banks have used interest rates to tackle recessions. This is a policy option no longer extensively available to them and in hindsight a weak pound may be of benefit in the long term. Only time will tell.

Photo: Cayambe

My favourite building with... Tim Speed director, Elevator Studios and Camp and Furnace

Gare de Perpignan (France) My favourite building is Perpignan Station in France. Dali once declared it to be the centre of the world and created a painting he called ‘La Gare de Perpignan’, based on the station. The piece features a small image of the train station and figures of rural farm workers. Dali was obsessed with the energy in the station as hundreds passed through every day and in a flash. Here for a moment, then gone. For me the station was a place I passed through as a teenager as I spent months living and travelling in the south of France. The day I boarded a train at Perpignan Station for home as an 18-year-old and I can still remember it vividly, waving goodbye to friends on the platform and knowing I would never have that time back again. Today, La Gare de Perpignan has the ceilings painted in swirls of bright yellows, oranges and blues. The boarding platform displays the words ‘Perpignan Centre du Monde’. I can go back there anytime, except for the time I would like to go back to. 14 MOVE COMMERCIAL

“Dali once declared it to be the centre of the world and created a painting based on the station.”

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MOVE COMMERCIAL

Bitesize thinking

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Hazel Rounding director, shedkm

Curriculum VITAE Main duties: Director of shedkm architects, based in Liverpool and London. I’m the main link between the two studios, providing consistency in approach and service at both a client and team building level. Education: After studying at degree level in London, I migrated to Liverpool during the mid ‘90s recession for work experience and completed my education at Liverpool John Moores University. First Job: A paper round in Hull, closely followed by weekend work in a well known department store - all very character building! Shortest Job: A two-week spell as a CAD (computer aided design) assistant in North Wales - holiday work to supplement the student income. What’s the secret to your success? Never feeling as if you’ve reached your

Stonebridge Cross Ongoing work has transformed an expansive plot of Liverpool City Council-owned land in Croxteth into a sustainable mixed-use development which continues to grow, attract tenants and create jobs.

pinnacle, and always believing there’s much more to do. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received? ‘It’s 10% what you start out thinking it’s about and 90% about communication,’ closely coupled with ‘don’t let anyone see they got to you; just kill them with kindness’. What piece of advice would you give someone starting out in the industry? Fundamentally be yourself. Think big, think creative and see the whole picture. Work hard and show passion, whilst remaining unassuming. What makes shedkm different? We are a team of honest and dedicated individuals who collectively can bring clarity, solutions and make a difference via our work. Tell us about shedkm’s plans for the next 12 months? We are 20 years old next year and we have every ambition to continue our track record of conceiving and delivering great buildings.

1999

MAR

Economic recession delays the council’s plans but a fresh masterplan is revealed in 2010 and Drivers Jonas is appointed to lead a development study for the site.

AUG

2013

Plans for a large warehouse are added to the scheme and reports tout its inclusion as an attempt to lure online retail giant Amazon to Liverpool.

SEP

All girls’ school St John Bosco Arts College opens its £18 million new building at the site.

MAR

New landscaped park Alt Meadows brings green space to the area and follows the realignment and deculverting of the nearby River Alt.

APR

St. Modwen begins work on a £12m Liverpool depot for express delivery service DPD, the first of several industrial developments from the firm on the site.

NOV

Cobalt Housing starts work on a new housing scheme on the corner of Stonebridge Lane and Parkstile Road, close to newly-opened Marston’s pub Vikings Landing.

DEC

Plans are revealed for a new traffic junction connecting Stonebridge Cross to the East Lancashire Road, bankrolled by the government’s Growing Places Fund.

MAR

Stoford and Gallan Group reveal plans to deliver industrial and warehouse units on the site, with potential to create hundreds of jobs.

APR

The first phase of Stonebridge Business Park West comes to a head as the DPD depot opens a move said to have created 250 jobs.

2010

2014

2015

Tweet all about it The 5 best commercial tweets

1 2 3 4 5

@investliverpool: Great results! @tradegovuk inward investment report. North West scored well: 151 new projects equating to 7,715 jobs @CllrKennedy: I'm delighted with the progress being made on the new St John's #Market @PWC_UK: We are recruiting more than 1,000 tech specialists in Risk Assurance by 2020 to meet rising demand @MediaCityUK: Our plans for phase two of MediaCityUK are set to be approved by Salford City Council today @Muse_Devs: We're working with @WarringtonBC and @WarringtonCo to deliver mixed-use scheme Time Square

Liverpool City Council identifies the Stonebridge Cross site as an area for a mixeduse development and begins drawing up plans to deliver the scheme.

2015

2016

2017-18

Final phases of distribution warehousing set to begin.

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Appointments

Hightown adds to senior management team

David Morris

A new operations director has been appointed to oversee the growth of Knowsley-based regional contractor,

Hightown Group. David Morris, a former projects director for Mace, will work to build on the group’s client relationships and provide strategic solutions for existing and new clients across sectors including education, healthcare, hotels, commercial and industrial. Carl Pilkington, managing director of Hightown Group, says: “Hightown continues to maintain its position as a key construction company throughout the region and David will play a pivotal role in the business as it goes from strength to strength, acquiring new contracts in our target sectors and ensuring our existing work is undertaken with minimal disruption and to a high standard.”

Associate director joins growing CBRE office A new associate director has joined the asset services team at CBRE’s Liverpool office. Sarah Pearson Sarah Pearson joins the agent from Legat Owen, where she worked as an associate director in the management department and specialised in business and technology parks. Pearson’s new role will see her use her past experience in construction, development and asset management to add value to CBRE’s managed properties, including offices and business and technology parks. Andrew Willoughby, CBRE’s director within the asset services team in Liverpool, says: “Our North West team is undergoing a period of continued growth in response to client demand and we are delighted to welcome Sarah to the business at this busy time.” Pearson adds: “I am looking forward to utilising my sector experience to add value to the CBRE team and to working on the firm’s extensive and valued client base across the North West.” 16 MOVE COMMERCIAL

Expansion underway at logistics firm Two new appointments have strengthened the senior team at Abbey Logistics Group, which Andrew Palmer has operations around the North West. The bulk food transport services provider has welcomed logistics industry expert Andrew Palmer as non-executive director, and Michael Fox as group marketing manager. The announcement comes as the firm also lines up further growth, with a new technical director appointment in the pipeline and plans to boost its North West road tanker activities with an operations director. Palmer was previously managing director at Bibby Distribution and DTS Logistics before joining Suttons Group, where he successfully led the company into new markets. Fox brings 10 years of business to business marketing and communications experience to the company.

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New managing director at Derwent Estates

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Derwent Estates has appointed a new managing director to be based at its Manchester office in Walkden

Town Centre. Ben Roberts joins the company, which is the property and legal services division of The Derwent Group, from Cushman & Wakefield. A northern England commercial development and investment specialist, Roberts brings more than 20 years’ experience of agency and client work to Derwent Estates. David Lyons, group chief executive at The Derwent Group, says: “The appointment of Ben Roberts as managing director will further enhance the strong team we have built over recent years. “His market credentials will be particularly relevant in the coming years as we complete major developments including Liverpool Shopping Park and add to the group’s portfolio through further investment.”

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FOR SALE

RESIDENTIAL / MIXED USE OPPORTUNITY LOYOLA HALL, WARRINGTON ROAD, RAINHILL, MERSEYSIDE L35 6NZ

Grade ll Listed Former Hall 3,617.2 sq m (38,936 sq ft) on grounds of 17.2 acres (6.96 ha) Residential conversion/new development, Hotel, HQ Office, C2

0191 261 0300 Michael Blake michael.blake@ stantonmortimer.co.uk

18 MOVE COMMERCIAL

0151 236 8454 www.lsh.co.uk

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p01-20_Move Commercial 03/10/2016 14:31 Page 19

Leanne Elkin, head of project delivery, The Derwent Group My Month Leanne Elkin is the head of project delivery for The Derwent Group, which is currently transforming Liverpool’s former Edge Lane Retail Park into the new £100 million Liverpool Shopping Park. As the project begins to take shape, bringing 41 retail units and a leisure offer to the site, it’s brought a busy month for Elkin as she also works on a number of the firm’s other sites around the North.

My goal at the start of the month was... This month’s goal was to advance discussions with high profile retailers and leisure operators, not just for Liverpool Shopping Park but for our other schemes across the north of England too. It’s part of my job to further negotiate tenants’ specific requirements and agree the landlord specification which forms part of the agreement for lease. This enables our legal team to exchange contracts, essentially getting the deal ‘over the line’. I was also keen to see the successful handover of a unit to Mothercare at Junction 9 shopping park in Warrington and I’m delighted everything went to plan.

My biggest achievement was... Much of my working life is spent managing contractors and our professional teams to ensure the smooth delivery of key tenants’ retail spaces. Last month’s biggest achievement was getting one of the big high street names round the table for Liverpool Shopping Park after months of discussion. Although it’s too soon to name them, it will be the start of a series of exciting announcements for Liverpool Shopping Park revealing how the finished scheme will look. It’s a huge team effort to secure new tenants and it’s this part of the job that gives me most satisfaction.

Photo: Rich Girard

THE NEWS STORY THAT CAUGHT MY EYE

My biggest challenge was... My biggest challenge is juggling such a wide variety of expectations. Each tenant has a different set of requirements, whether that’s in relation to the terms of the lease or the extent of the fit-out before we handover the keys. It’s very much a team effort and we’re working hard to get the right blend of leisure, retail, fashion and homeware brands for Liverpool Shopping Park. I’m also involved with 20 different projects across the group, ranging from feasibility projects to see where we might invest, to live schemes from £300k to £100m in development value.

The key meeting I had... Some of my most important meetings were with M&S and Dunelm. We’ve exchanged contracts with both retailers and, in the North West, M&S Food Hall will come to Walkden Retail Park before Christmas. This is the third deal we’ve secured with M&S and we now have a very clear understanding of what it needs from a landlord. I’ve also been involved in advanced negotiations with three big brand retailers and have started discussions with two high street fashion retailers, both wanting to extend their footprint in Merseyside by joining us at Liverpool Shopping Park.

My plan for next month... There’s been much less media attention given to Brexit since the vote, perhaps because we still don’t know the full impact of the decision. But it was encouraging to read a recent BBC story which suggested consumer confidence hasn’t been lost, as UK retail sales were stronger in August than expected. I talk to retailers every day and the volume of enquiries we’ve had for Liverpool Shopping Park and our other sites certainly bears this out. There is real confidence and a lot of activity in the market.

I hope we’ll be able to announce three new tenants for Liverpool Shopping Park, plus I’ll ensure the opening of units for Multiyork and Iceland at White City Retail Park in time for Christmas. I’ll also showcase our Liverpool scheme to potential tenants at Completely Retail and MIPIM UK, focusing on the scale of its catchment area with 65,000 cars passing daily and 683,919 people living within a 15-minute drive. We’ll highlight our major difference to other landlords as 50% of the annual profits go to charitable causes each year thanks to our founder’s legacy, the Albert Gubay Charitable Foundation. MOVE COMMERCIAL 19

p01-20_Move Commercial 03/10/2016 16:05 Page 20

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20 MOVE COMMERCIAL

p21-40_Move Commercial 03/10/2016 14:10 Page 21

p21-40_Move Commercial 03/10/2016 14:10 Page 22

Natasha Young natasha@movepublishing.co.uk

Team GB and Paralympics GB recently inspired the nation with their golden Rio success.The North West firmly established itself as a hotbed of sporting talent too, as final Olympic medal counts showed that Manchester would have finished fourth on the table if competitors from the city had entered as a country. But how has Team GB turned its fortunes around since its Olympic low point in Atlanta 1996 when it brought just one gold medal home, and how can the business sector learn from its achievements?

Winning in business Golden goal Team GB may broadly be judged on its overall performance, but under this umbrella brand smaller organisations are nurturing winning competitors in varied individual sports like swimming, athletics and gymnastics. What keeps all elements in sync and successful, according to the British cycling team’s former mechanical services manager, is the same clear goal – to win gold medals. “You need a coordinated team that works in concert together and understands the common strengths of the Great British cycling team and, more broadly, Team GB,” explains Michael Norris, who worked with the team from 2009-13 as it focused on its London 2012 Olympics performance. “They’ve got that absolutely crystal clear focus on the Olympic Games and gold medals.” The expert, who now imparts his winning knowhow to ﬁrms as the current head of business incubation in the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) at Sci-Tech Daresbury, believes it’s also crucial for any company to ﬁnd their own gold medal equivalent if they are to focus and succeed. “If you don’t have that then you tend to be working in an uncoordinated way,” he adds. “You might be busy but you might not be making a huge amount of progress.” Norris is no stranger to seeing businesses looking to push forward a number of ideas they feel are exciting, but suggests such an approach can stand in the way of achieving a higher level of success. “We’ve had businesses coming through who might 22 MOVE COMMERCIAL

have half a dozen different ideas they want to take forward and they’re all great ideas in themselves, but they simply don’t have the resources to take all of them through to the point where they’re going to be creating a revenue. “We give [businesses] that clarity of a goal and start to get that internal competition going so that they create a process to develop which one is going to be a winner, and through that they get a winning business.”

Invest wisely With a clear objective comes clearer priorities for how to spend a limited pot of money in order to achieve that goal and, again, it’s an area where Team GB has excelled. Professor of applied sport and exercise science at Liverpool John Moores University, Greg Whyte is an expert on sporting research and performance for such global competitions and insists Team GB’s increasing success at recent Olympics primarily boils down to one key factor – money. According to Professor Whyte, a former Olympic athlete himself, additional funding from the likes of the Lottery has paved the way for the professionalism of athletes and coaches, allowing them to “see their sport as work” and focus on it fulltime. Staying true to the goal of achieving the healthiest medal haul, Team GB has particularly focused this funding in areas where it can win big. Whilst the team has long succeeded across a diverse range of sports, they are sports where

individuals stand a greater chance of achieving one or more prizes, as opposed to team-orientated events with only a single reward up for grabs. “To some extent the Olympic gold medal for the women’s hockey was absolutely astonishing, a fantastic result, and it papers over the crack of a complete and utter absence of team sports at the Olympic Games for Team GB,” says Professor Whyte. “What drives that? Fundamentally, money drives it – they are incredibly expensive programmes to run, you’ve got the possibility of winning a single medal and if you don’t win that medal you don’t win anything. “If you level that against athletics, swimming, track cycling, sailing; whilst they are expensive programmes you’ve got multiple chances. Individuals can win multiple medals in the likes of gymnastics, as demonstrated beautifully by Max Whitlock with two golds and a bronze, and on track cycling Jason Kenny is a good example so there are various sports where you can multiple medal with individuals and that’s a very good bang for your buck.” Drawing a direct parallel with the business sector, Norris again highlights the need to focus resources on the areas which will drive measurable success and, ultimately, achieve the overall goal. “There’s a very ﬁne balance to strike in terms of getting the most from your investment, and that applies equally within the business – where do you spend it most effectively?” he says. “If you spend it all on developing a product but not developing your presence in the marketplace then it’ll be difﬁcult to sell.”

p21-40_Move Commercial 03/10/2016 14:10 Page 23

Learning from Team GB’s Olympic success Focus

The job is never done Rio’s Olympic and Paralympic Games brought weeks of golden glory for Great Britain, but what is recognised as Team GB’s greatest 2016 achievement is that the ﬁnal medal total exceeded that of 2012 when London was the host. “We’re the ﬁrst country ever to do that,” explains Professor Whyte. “It’s because we sustained and maintained our investment, whereas other countries like Australia withdrew investment and saw an absolute drop. “Canada, post Montreal games, also withdrew investment and there was a huge drop in performance so it always sounds a bit crass to say it but investment is fundamental, and that’s no different to the commercial sector. To be arrogant in a sporting context is to lack investment and planning going forward.” Businesses, like sports teams, can’t rest on their laurels when it comes to talent and research either – factors which are crucial to success but can’t be achieved overnight. “It’s those classic phrases like ‘being ahead of the curve’ – you have to think in the future and good businesses do that but there are so many examples where companies don’t,” adds Professor Whyte. “They sit back and think their job is done – they think they’re dominant and before you know it they’ve sold out, liquidated and are struggling to get back into the market in any way. “Businesses always need to be looking, developing and researching, and they need to be looking for and nurturing talent because, although the turnover in business is slightly longer than it is in sport, there is nonetheless a talent turnover.”

“

We sustained and maintained our investment, whereas other countries like Australia withdrew investment and saw an absolute drop.

“

More than marginal gains When elite athletes go head to head, medals are often won on tight margins. A Team GB athlete could cross a finish line a percentage of a second ahead of their opponent to secure a place on the podium. As Norris points out, innovation through research and technology and a continued focus on the gold medal goal has helped Team GB achieve such marginal gains. “In Rio every member of the cycling team had brand new carbon fibre shoes and they’d obviously done a lot of work on the aerodynamic benefits of those,” he says. “That’s a great example of where somebody has thought ‘everybody’s wearing shoes full of buckles and straps which are aerodynamically going to be very poor’ and they’ve given them an advantage. “It’s an example of the innovation that comes out of a team which is clear in its thought processes.” Whilst Norris suggests a number of such improvements can be added together to have a “pivotal” effect, the basics must also be right to lay the foundations for a winning formula. “It’s almost a frustration sometimes when people talk about marginal gains as the solution,” says Professor Whyte. “Actually it’s the icing and what you need in place is the cake in order to put the icing upon it. “That cake requires a whole host of things – it requires the basics to be done well and those basics include full-time athletes, coaches and support staff. “They include world class facilities that we don’t often talk about but we do have in this country now. “All of those basics have been put in place and what this veneer of marginal gains has added is that athletes get to podium level with the cake, and it’s the veneer that keeps them on the podium.” MOVE COMMERCIAL 23

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Key event Denovo fundraising evening

Drinks reception kicks off Denovo fundraising evening Liverpool architect practice Denovo Design hosted an evening of fundraising in aid of the Orangutan Protection Foundation. Denovo, which is based within Tempest in the city’s commercial district, kicked the two-part event off with a drinks reception on the roof garden of the Tithbarn Street mixed-use site. Business attendees enjoyed drinks and an opportunity to network outdoors, and the reception was followed by an art auction at View Two Gallery on Matthew Street. Adam Partridge from BBC show ‘Flog It’ hosted the sale of donated artworks, which boosted funds to help the critically endangered orangutans of Borneo as the increasing production of palm oil decimates their rainforest habitat. 1

1. Frank Olchowski, Lynda Smith and Dave Duvall (all Denovo Design) 2. Denovo Design’s Simon Case 3. Karl Connolly (CACO), Dave Evans (Denovo Design), Chris Martin and Eddie Renshaw (both Egan Projects) and Steve Mcgauley (Liquid) 4. Linda Lavery (HR Dept) and Alan Gidman (AG Consultants) 5. Guests enjoyed the rooftop venue 6. John Mason, Lesley Martin-Wright (Knowsley Chamber of Commerce) and Bob Gormley (Nuaire) 7. Karl Connolly (CACO) 8. James Murch (Purple Apple) Andrew Jex (Unite) and Alan Murch (Purple Apple) 9. A range of drinks was served 10. Carly Deering (University of Liverpool), Catherine McCarthy and Natalie Holden (both Move Publishing) and Laura Wickstead (donating artist)

p21-40_Move Commercial 03/10/2016 14:10 Page 25

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Natasha Young natasha@movepublishing.co.uk

Foundations are being laid for a bright and prosperous future in Prescot, one of Merseyside’s oldest settlements. With a vision to enhance the town’s heritage, culture and leisure offering making progress, Philip Lamb, managing director of Geraud UK, tells Move Commercial why the firm is key to the masterplan’s success.

Market leader Back in July 2015 Geraud UK Ltd - the British arm of French parent company Groupe Geraude – acquired Prescot Shopping Centre. The retail complex, complete with a string of big name tenants including Superdrug, Home Bargains, Card Factory and M&Co, was seen as a “solid investment” for the prominent market operator and the purchase marked the start of a promising partnership with Knowsley Council. It’s a partnership which, according to Philip Lamb, is typical to Geraud as a way of operating its ventures – and particularly its specialist area of markets – in regions across the country. “Local authority partnerships are what the company has been built on and I think what’s changed now is that local authorities are realising they need to ﬁnd commercial partners to run such services, because they’re not frontline services,” says the managing director, who took the helm at Geraud UK in 2014 having joined the ﬁrm in 2012 with a background in retail property. “From the moment of taking on Prescot Shopping Centre our initial proposal was simply to improve what was there because it had been in 26 MOVE COMMERCIAL

receivership for so long, it hadn’t really been invested in and managed proactively,” he adds. “Our view was that, as a shopping centre, it’s ripe for proper management and reinvestment. “When we started negotiating with our stakeholders and Knowsley Council it became quite apparent that Prescot was in dire need of some further investment. That led to discussions with Knowsley about what they would like to see and what they could partner with us to bring to the town, and a development plan progressed.” Lamb remains tight lipped about the speciﬁcs of Geraud’s Prescot Shopping Centre plans as consultation and planning stages lie ahead, however investment reaching “double ﬁgure millions” is being pledged to bring “new occupiers and new attractions” to the centre of the town. Breathing new life into the shopping centre – a project which, if all goes to plan, could get underway in the second quarter of 2017 and reach completion during early 2018 – is just one piece of the jigsaw when it comes to regenerating Prescot. Geraud is also looking to celebrate the town’s heritage in the way it knows best – by setting up a

“

We’ve got benchmarking which shows that when a market is operated it increases footfall by 35% on the day it’s in place, so it should be embraced by the retailers.

“

new market. A church and a market were often the first two components of new towns and the fact this Knowsley destination was no different, having grown around a market, resonated with the company according to Lamb. With the firm already operating markets nationwide, from London’s Brixton to William Shakespeare’s former stomping ground of Stratfordupon-Avon, Lamb says Prescot projects are currently its North West focus and a new Ecclestone Street market is in the pipeline, be it weekly or fortnightly to begin with. “We’re just going through this with Knowsley Council in terms of how we can do it without adversely affecting businesses in the street because we don’t want to upset the competition,” he tells Move Commercial. “We’ve got benchmarking which shows that when a market is operated it increases footfall by 35% on the day it’s in place, so it should be embraced by the retailers but we’ll obviously consult with our neighbours before we put any final proposals in place.” Meanwhile Knowsley Council has been pushing ahead with its wider vision for the town since joining forces

p21-40_Move Commercial 03/10/2016 14:10 Page 27

Philip Lamb, managing director, Geraud UK Interview

“

Right from day one we’ve tried to engage all interested stakeholders in Prescot to help with the regeneration.

“

with Geraud, and has granted planning permission for a new cultural centrepiece – the £19 million Shakespeare North theatre and education hub – as well as adopting a Prescot Town Centre Masterplan Supplementary Planning Document (SPD). On agreeing the masterplan earlier this summer to highlight development opportunities and guide investment until 2028, the local authority’s cabinet member for regeneration, Councillor Mike Murphy hailed Geraud and the Shakespeare North Trust’s early commitment to the area as a sign of “conﬁdence in Prescot” for the future. Aside from its own ventures, Geraud has been keen to show support for its fellow key players in the overall aim to revitalise Prescot and to shout about the potential of the destination outside of the area. “When Shakespeare North came and talked to us, as we wanted to build partnerships with everybody who had a vested interest in the town, it was quite apparent its planning application was going to falter because it was building on a public car park and the parking which tended to be required for the planning consent was prohibitive,” says Lamb. “We immediately wrote a letter of support for [Shakepeare North Trust’s] planning application to say we would be happy for it to utilise spaces in our car park, which then relieved the trust of the burden of trying to prove parking densities. “Right from day one we’ve tried to engage all interested stakeholders in Prescot to help with the regeneration.” From 19-21 October, Lamb will also join Knowsley’s private and public sector representatives at the MIPIM UK property exhibition in London, when the regeneration of Prescot will provide a focal point for the delegation this year As the Knowsley Place board alongside Knowsley Council teams up with commercial partners including Geraud, the delegation will once again host a stand at the marketplace along with a series of its own events to promote the whole borough as a destination to live, work and invest. “As a partner investor we’d really like to promote how our relationship has grown with Knowsley and how they seem to be very receptive to inviting people to invest and helping that inward investment.” MOVE COMMERCIAL 27

p21-40_Move Commercial 03/10/2016 14:10 Page 28

Lawrence Saunders lawrence@movepublishing.co.uk

The demise of the once proud high street institution BHS will have been particularly hard felt here in the North West with over a dozen branches across the region including sizable units in prime locations. As agents begin to market these now vacant stores, Move Commercial investigates what it could mean for the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s retail offering and whether the closures open up interesting opportunities for new tenants or leave gaping holes on some already struggling high streets.

Opportunity Knocks?

p21-40_Move Commercial 03/10/2016 14:11 Page 29

What’s next for BHS sites? Focus

One possible proposal for improvements to the former BHS in Liverpool which is being used to market the site to potential tenants.

A lack of brand clarity, an outdated business model, increased competition from online shopping, costly long-term leases - the UK’s biggest retail failure since Woolworths in 2009 did not exactly come as a shock to many. Unsurprisingly, commercial agents across the country had been preparing for this depressing eventuality for a number of months - already beginning to sound out potential tenants for the stricken chain’s 163 stores. “BHS has become a brand which is not relevant in the marketplace anymore,” believes Stephen Cowperthwaite, regional senior director at Bilﬁnger GVA’s Liverpool oﬃce. “It hasn't got that multi-channel offer which others have. It’s a bit outdated and outmoded in concept - it’s a failed brand which doesn’t resonate with the younger generation of shoppers.” Considering the future for the extensive BHS portfolio here in the region however, Cowperthwaite is optimistic that the brand’s failure could end up as a positive for some smaller town centres. “It’s an interesting one,” he adds. “When you look at the BHS estate here in the North West, it might throw up a number of opportunities. “For a secondary town like Southport for example, the loss of a big anchor tenant is potentially a problem. However, as BHS was a fading brand, did it actually add much to the offering within

smaller towns? “What it might actually do is present an opportunity to reconfigure that space or bring in potentially better occupiers.” Southport’s Chapel Street branch was amongst the first in the country to call it a day on 24 July, alongside stores in St Helens and Warrington. “Obviously any closure of a major department store in a prominent position in a town centre will have some level of impact,” admits Andrew Sloman, manager of Southport BID, which represents 900 businesses in the town centre. “Any large vacant unit has an impact on the psychology of the town - the story in Southport is of a sadness for the people who worked at the BHS and the customers who enjoyed shopping in the store, but it’s now about future use for that building. “We’ve worked with potential occupiers to put them in touch with various investors and continue to offer them support. “It’s a significant unit on Chapel Street, which has the highest concentration of national brands in the town, but then that is where BHS located itself - in the centre of the highest value areas.” In Liverpool, a city with a significant BHS store spread across multiple levels located in the centre in a ‘high value area’, the story is somewhat different, with talks already underway with potential occupiers amid strong interest in the space. “The preference here is to retain

the unit as A1 retail,” reveals Peter Burke, head of retail and director at Mason Owen’s Liverpool office, which is marketing the 1.26 million sq ft Lord Street property. “That would be on the ground floor and first floor - what we are looking for here is an occupier which is going to maximise the use of the building. “I’ve got a list as long as my arm of people who want to take it on a split basis but that all comes at a cost and I think the party which owns it would prefer to see it as one unit, probably no more than two.” Burke confirms that discussions are ongoing with several parties,

“

It might present an opportunity to reconﬁgure that space or bring in potentially better occupiers.

“

including two which are interested in taking the site as single unit, but admits this could take some time to be completed with a number of outstanding issues still to be resolved, including the possible creation of a new frontage and elevation alterations. “These guys are not taking 10 or 15 stores a year, it’s more like one or two, so it does take time. “It’s one of those things which isn’t going to be resolved quickly unfortunately, there’s quite a few things we’ve got to sort out with the building. For anyone who’s thinking someone is going to be in there by Christmas, it isn’t going to happen.” The situation in Greater Manchester is similar to that of the Liverpool City Region, with a significant unit in Manchester city centre on Market Street and several smaller stores dotted throughout the region’s secondary town centres and retail parks. “With regards to the Market Street store, which is the largest BHS in Greater Manchester, I know that Intu is one firm already in discussions about taking the whole store or dividing it up,” says David Fox, head of retail agency for the North at Colliers International. “Market Street is pretty buoyant at the moment, I think that they will secure very strong lettings for that space but others will present challenges and landlords will have to think a lot more outside the box for solutions that get the space back into beneficial use.” Fox sees the lack of demand for space as a potential stumbling block in smaller town centres. “In the towns where the market was already suffering, it just presents another big challenge because there just isn’t the retail demand to take up this space,” he warns. “For example, there’s a BHS in the Mill Gate Shopping Centre in Bury and on first examination it’s quite difficult to see where any direct retail interest might come for that store because most UK retailers which take large space are already represented in the town. “The BHS in Bolton is potentially going to be quite challenging as well - they all come with their own unique challenges but I suppose that ultimately it’s all about the oversupply of space - landlords will have to get creative.” MOVE COMMERCIAL 29

p21-40_Move Commercial 03/10/2016 14:11 Page 30

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p21-40_Move Commercial 03/10/2016 14:11 Page 32

Mark Langshaw mark.langshaw@movepublishing.co.uk

Connected technology has long driven advancements in social networking and entertainment, but its potential as a force for progress in the medical field is beginning to blossom. Manchester-based start-up KMS Solutions is making great strides in the growing discipline of health tech and Move Commercial has caught up with its managing director John Hearns to find out more about the company’s journey so far.

A Healthy Proposition Fitbits, Apple Watches and other smart wearables are relatively commonplace today, but it was before these devices rose to prominence that social care professional Chris Etchells devised the concept of a connected wristband to help vulnerable adults travel independently. Etchells founded KMS to make this innovation a reality and Hearns, who has a solid business background with experience in sales, marketing, operations management and general management at senior level, joined the company in late 2013 to handle the product’s execution. The fruit of the ﬁrm’s early labour was KIT (Keep in Touch Wristband), a wearable device which works in conjunction with a geolocation platform called b.con to help carers keep tabs on service users who are out in the community. “The original concept was essentially a one-button phone because existing phones didn’t really suit the type of client Chris was looking after,” Hearns tells Move Commercial. “At the time there wasn’t an interest in the market for that, but 32 MOVE COMMERCIAL

when technology moved on and it became possible to do more, he developed the idea of a wearable device for vulnerable adults which would allow two-way communication and provide peace of mind for the carers by allowing them to track the location of the people they’re supporting.” Although technological advancement had made KIT a reality, KMS encountered problems sourcing an antenna small enough for the device, but a solution wasn’t far from their doorstep. The company is based on Oxford Street in a part of the city centre referred to as Corridor Manchester, an area it shares with neighbours including the University of Manchester and Manchester Science Partnerships. Being situated in this innovation district has helped KMS forge partnerships with academic institutes, and it was researchers at the university who solved the antenna-shaped problem. “We contacted the University of Manchester to handle the R&D on the product and set about building a device that was based on 3G technology,” says Hearns. “We hit some technical diﬃculties because

creating an antenna for a device this small is challenging, but people at the university built a unique ﬂexible antenna for us which is housed in the strap.” With the componentry issue solved, KMS showcased a prototype version of KIT and b.con at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in 2014 and the buzz these products generated soon led to commercial opportunities. Newcastle City Council brought the company in to develop a mobile app called MyTrav - software which leverages b.con to help children with additional needs travel independently. “Local authorities have a duty of care and they spend a lot of money taxiing youngsters of various disabilities to and from school, but some of these kids are capable of independent travel and Newcastle felt the use of technology could help them become more self-suﬃcient,” Hearns explains. “Our geolocation platform lets carers see where the children are at any time. We designed the app to sit on top of b.con and then created an extensive range of alerts to go with that.” Like KIT before it, MyTrav has

earned critical acclaim, winning Public Sector Project of the Year at the Dynamite 15 Awards last year, while b.con has been hailed by KMS’ clients for the ﬂexibility it offers as an open platform, as well as its security and privacy-ﬁrst ethos. This has put KMS in good stead for the next phase of its development - commercialisation. With beta testing done and dusted, MyTrav is currently being marketed to other local authorities while KIT and b.con continue to generate strong interest. “We’re just starting to commercialise now with the app, the platform and the wristband,” Hearns says. “Start-ups always take longer to get off the ground than you think. There are always challenges and for us it was the antenna, but with that issue solved we’re looking forward to commercialising at the end of this year to early next year and that will be a new phase for the business. “We’ve been generating some small revenues in the last 12 months, but we’re now looking forward to generating a sustainable and expanding revenue stream.” Although commercial

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John Hearns, managing director, KMS Solutions Interview

“

When you have all of this data and make it available to the relevant healthcare professionals, they will be able to make advancements in treating all kinds of conditions.

“ opportunities appear to be presenting themselves, KMS has been reliant on funding to get where it is today and Hearns believes securing this capital is the “biggest challenge” for any start-up in the health tech business. “We’ve primarily been funded by private equity,” he says. “We’ve done two rounds with the same group of investors. We also won a grant from Creative England under their Digital Healthcare Innovation Fund - we were very grateful to

receive that funding from them.” So what does the future hold for KMS? In addition to its ongoing commercialisation efforts, the company is deeply involved in medical research and is taking part in a nine-month study with Manchester Metropolitan University and an NHS trust into the effectiveness of connected technologies for supporting dementia sufferers. KMS is hoping this study will produce “solid research” which

healthcare professionals can put to effective use when devising care strategies for dementia patients. Looking further ahead, Hearns believes platforms like b.com and new wearable technology will encourage people to take a greater interest in their own wellbeing and share their data with doctors and researchers working across the medical spectrum. “I think they will be increasingly interested in the ability to share that information with healthcare professionals and solutions and ideas like ours will assist that,” he says. “Platforms like b.con will bring in more data as people will have the opportunity to take part in research anonymously. “When you have all of this data and make it available to the relevant healthcare professionals, they will be able to make advancements in treating all kinds of conditions.” MOVE COMMERCIAL 33

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Christine Toner

On 9 August, Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor, the sixth Duke of Westminster and the owner of property behemoth Grosvenor Group passed away. Move Commercial takes a look at the legacy he left behind and discovers how one particular project, spearheaded by his Grace, would go on to change the face of Liverpool.

His Grace: the game changer Few people have had as much of an impact on the prosperity of Liverpool as the late Duke of Westminster. The Northern Ireland-born landowner and businessman who made the North West his honorary home has been credited with revitalising Liverpool city centre, rescuing it from the doldrums and breathing new life into the area. Indeed, the cataclysmic effect of Liverpool ONE, the landmark shopping and leisure development spearheaded by the Duke’s company Grosvenor, is still being felt today. Developed to coincide with the city’s 2008 Capital of Culture celebrations, the £1 billion scheme which includes an open air shopping centre, 14-screen Odeon cinema and leisure and residential elements has been hailed as one of the region’s biggest success stories. Within a year of the scheme opening, footfall in the area almost trebled. The complex regularly sees half a million visitors each week and last year it outstripped national sales growth by over 4%. “The Duke of Westminster’s 34 MOVE COMMERCIAL

achievements in the city are for all to see,” says Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson. “Liverpool ONE not only gave the city the shops and attractions you would expect to see in a city of our size, but it also put Liverpool back in its rightful place as a retail destination for the larger catchment area and worthy of a national and international city, giving a big boost to our image and our economy. Liverpool ONE is a place people want to visit, because of his commitment to building a high quality, unique and scouse shopping experience.” Max Steinberg, chief executive of Liverpool Vision agrees. “It’s hard to overstate the importance of Grosvenor’s investment into Liverpool,” he says. “Liverpool ONE was a game changer. It represented a symbolic change for the city and played a critical role in its transformation.” According to the Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, back in 2007 the city’s visitor economy was nearing £1.7bn. Today that ﬁgure stands at £3.8bn. Of course, tourists don’t ﬂock to the city for Liverpool ONE alone. Echo Arena

Liverpool, the BT Convention Centre and Exhibition Centre Liverpool on the city’s historic waterfront; the multitude of new restaurants and bars and the retail offerings of surrounding areas such as independent retailer favourite Bold Street help to keep the city’s hotels full, but Steinberg says the 2,520,000 sq ft Liverpool ONE scheme - which he calls “a project of international scale and significance” - was the catalyst for many regeneration projects that followed. “Liverpool ONE brought a material improvement in the city region’s retail and leisure offer,” he says. “The scheme represented a major part of the city’s physical transformation and it was also hugely important symbolically. The city benefitted from £1bn of private sector investment. That’s a massive vote of confidence. Liverpool ONE also attracts circa two million visitors per month to the city. For the local economy, that’s very significant.” Such a significant development was always going to need the right people leading it. Steinberg says Grosvenor was chosen thanks to its ‘vision’ - something

“

It’s hard to overstate the importance of Grosvenor’s investment into Liverpool. Liverpool ONE was a game changer. It represented a symbolic change for the city and played a critical role in its transformation.

“

p21-40_Move Commercial 03/10/2016 14:41 Page 35

Photo: Flickr.com/estatesgazette

Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor, Duke of Westminster Legacy

Move Commercial asks leading property figures across the region how they’ll remember the Duke of Westminster. Ian Pollitt, assistant project director of Peel’s Liverpool Waters regeneration scheme “In many ways what we are doing with Liverpool waterfront is a legacy of what the Duke of Westminster and Grosvenor Estates achieved with Liverpool ONE. “He believed in Liverpool and its potential as we do at Peel. He understood that by committing himself to this regeneration project he was building more than shops - he was helping to regenerate confidence in Liverpool. “To do so he had to take a big commercial risk, after all few people were investing in Liverpool, yet I believe he personally had a vision and financially underwrote that vision to create something that has not only helped to transform Liverpool’s one time under-performing city centre, but the city’s fortunes as well.”

which was crucial given the revolutionary nature of the project. “There was certainly a lot of interest from national and international developers when the scheme was first proposed,” he says. “What made Grosvenor stand out was the vision and ambition. This wasn’t a standard project. It redefined retail and leisure schemes across the world.” But it’s not just Liverpool that has benefited from the efforts of the Duke of Westminster. Indeed, Katrina Michael, chief executive officer at Marketing Cheshire says Grosvenor was “Cheshire's finest ambassador” and cites the Grosvenor family as crucial to the county’s economic and tourism successes. “The family has invested in a number of exciting businesses such as Cogent Breeding, which is now world class and provides highly skilled jobs,” says Michael. “The family has also encouraged entrepreneurs to become tenants, such as Lister Carter, and provided homes for many families in rural areas.” Investment from the Grosvenor

family in breeding has meant that Cheshire is now one of the foremost animal genetic clusters in the world. Farming was always a big passion of Gerald Grosvenor. According to reports he originally wanted to be a beef farmer, before inheriting his father’s company and title. And clearly Cheshire was a passion too. Along with the family home Eaton Hall, which regularly hosts open days for the public, Michael says the Duke worked hard to encourage more tourists and, indeed, investors into Cheshire, even funding a promotional video directly. “The Duke very kindly sponsored a ﬁlm about Cheshire which shows many different aspects of life in Cheshire including tourism and leisure,” she says. “The Grosvenor hotel has for 150 years been the go-to destination for afﬂuent international travellers, especially US and Japanese.” The dukedom has now passed to Grosvenor’s 25-year-old son Hugh but it’s clear that Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor’s legacy lives on in the North West.

Danny Hynd of developer Promenade Estates, whose Baltic development abuts the Duke’s Liverpool ONE scheme “What many people forget is that the Duke knew Liverpool well from his time with the Territorial Army and from picking his children up from nightclubs in the early hours. He understood its grain, energy and potential - and he saw the flaws in its pedestrian flows brought about by post-war planning mistakes. “These insights informed Liverpool ONE’s spatial and planning strategy and he brilliantly wove the city back together. It functions so much better as a result and means that sites like our Baltic scheme became central where once they were peripheral. “He was rightly lauded for the jobs and regeneration he brought, but for me it was his planning interventions that had the greatest impact.”

David Sayer, director at Bilfinger GVA and fund manager at the Chrysalis Fund "The late Duke of Westminster and Grosvenor Developments in particular have made a huge impact on the region over many years. "They have brought a level of quality and confidence in a way which is usually only seen within Greater London and the South East. "This long term thinking has been demonstrated not least through the development of Liverpool ONE, probably the most strategically important development in the city region in the last 30 years. "Its impact on Liverpool particularly has been substantial and has put the city on the map both as one of the premier shopping locations in the UK and as a major leisure destination."

p21-40_Move Commercial 03/10/2016 15:14 Page 36

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Mark Langshaw mark.langshaw@movepublishing.co.uk

Protesting cabbies brought central London to a standstill when Uber arrived on these shores, perceived as a threat to their trade as a harbinger of change. With an app at the core of its operations, the California-based firm flags down controversy wherever it goes, but there’s no denying its tech-powered business model has revolutionised an industry with roots stretching back to the 17th Century. As Uber continues to make inroads in the Liverpool and Manchester regions, Move Commercial assesses the impact the service has had in the North West and takes a closer look at how such a business operates in these cities.

A driving force Hailing a cab was once limited to holding out a hopeful hand on a street corner or punching the number of a local operator into a landline, but technology has changed all of that. Although these traditional methods still make up the majority of a global industry said to be worth more than £75 billion, the rise of app-based services like Uber has placed more options at customers’ fingertips and forced its competitors to revaluate their business models. After arriving in London amid a firestorm of controversy, Uber debuted in Manchester in the spring of 2014 and has since begun plying its trade around Liverpool - and all signs suggest its cashless approach and innovations are driving change in the region. “On a number of levels we’ve proven disruptive to traditional business models because giving people the convenience of ride requests at the push of a button has revolutionised things,” Neil McGonigle, Uber’s general manager for Merseyside and Yorkshire, tells Move Commercial. “Transactions are cashless and people are able to watch the vehicle on the app as it approaches, but for me the most important benefit it has brought is around safety - driver information is shared with the user and everything is tracked via GPS.” Uber’s meteoric rise has forced its rivals to adopt all kinds of countermeasures, from lobbying the powers that be to impose sanctions on its 38 MOVE COMMERCIAL

soaring minicab numbers, to adopting technology themselves to fight back in the market. App-based services such as Maaxi and Hailo take a different tactic, pairing local cabbies and operators with customers. The idea is to bring Uber-esque convenience to the process of hailing a traditional ride but, according to one industry expert, these apps are suffering engine failure. “The industry’s attempts to compete with Uber have been unsuccessful so far - a number of apps were launched to rival Uber’s model, such as Hailo or Maaxi, but these have not been received well,” says Cristina Dumitru, industry research analyst at IBISWorld. Karhoo, another app-centric platform which aims to source traditional cabs for passengers and allow them to compare prices across the board, has fared better since expanding its operations into UK cities including Manchester. This new contender claims to have overtaken Uber in London after just three months, but Dumitru is unsure whether the brand has the staying power to maintain growth and success. It’s a similar story in the North West of England where traditional taxi operators are no doubt looking nervously into their rear-view mirrors at the encroaching Uber fleet, but is this fare competition also fair competition? According to McGonigle, Uber’s bid for market dominance has proven beneficial for the North West taxi industry as it has forced every cabbie in the region to “raise their game” with competitive

prices and greater efficiency. Liverpool cab company Alpha Taxis is taking the fight to Uber by bolstering its offering with the latest technology, such as a mobile app of its own and a cloud-based phone system. “We have a new app, a new state-of-the-art call centre and a new cloud-based telephone and dispatch system,” says Alpha Taxis director James Bradley. “As a result of this change we are now more accurate at taking bookings and faster at dispatching vehicles. “Due to our growth we have a greater coverage of areas within the city, which provides a much more efficient use of the vehicles we have available to us.” Furthemore, Alpha, which has actually doubled in size in the last five years, also offers a service app-based companies cannot provide to passengers in Liverpool city centre - a safe, secure premises where customers can wait for their ride called The Alpha Taxi Hub. “The hub gives our customers the safety and warmth of a comfortable waiting room instead of waiting outside exposed to the elements,” Bradley adds. “It has helped raise our profile in the local community and distinguish us from the competition.” McGonigle is also keen to highlight the other benefits of Uber’s operations around Liverpool and Manchester, pointing out that the presence of a global brand makes cities more attractive propositions to investors while the service it

p21-40_Move Commercial 03/10/2016 14:47 Page 39

Uber Focus

“ “

“

The industry’s attempts to compete with Uber have been unsuccessful so far.

provides boosts tourism by helping visitors get around. “We did some research several months ago which showed we’d transported people from 57 different countries within eight or nine months of operating in Merseyside,” he says. “This stat reinforces how important Uber is to places like Liverpool, which bills itself as a world class city.” According to McGonigle, a key part of Uber’s strategy is engraining itself in the DNA of the cities it operates in, not unlike a local cab firm. For instance, in Merseyside the firm has established four offices, with sites in Bootle, Kirkby, St Helens and Liscard. Bootle is its main base of operations for the region and it houses around half a dozen staff, including workers from other Uber offices while they have business in the area. “This is always Uber’s approach and you’ll find it’s the same in Manchester where we maintain a large physical presence,” he says. “Celebrating the cities we operate in is a core part of our business and one of the things that’s made us such a big success around the world.” Its efforts to embed itself in each city is one of the key variables separating Uber from its appbased competitors, whose physical presence is usually minimal. Uber rival GETT - which uses an app to pair passengers with hackney carriages and provides a viable alternative to the market leader in Liverpool, Manchester and other UK cities - has

Uber’s heyday hasn’t arrived yet because not everyone has a smartphone right now and people need time to get used to app-based businesses.

no bricks and mortar bases in the North West, instead sending street teams to engage with drivers here and holding open days to recruit them. In terms of local jobs created, Uber has some 650 drivers on its books in Liverpool alone and is encouraging newcomers to take their first steps into the industry through its ‘Ignition’ programme, which promises flexible and safetyfirst employment. By comparison, there are 2,137 private hire drivers working in Merseyside and another 1,426 operating hackneys, but is Uber’s app-based business model sustainable enough to pose an ongoing threat to those cabbies? According to a local business academic, it just might be. Dr Lihong Zhang, senior lecturer at Liverpool Business School, believes Uber’s heyday will come a generation from now when virtually everyone is smartphone savvy and app-based business models are the norm. “Uber’s heyday hasn’t arrived yet because not everyone has a smartphone right now and people need time to get used to app-based businesses,” he explains. “It also takes time for older, more traditional business models to die off - not that I think traditional taxi services will die off entirely. “Right now, there is still a significant number of people who prefer to book their taxi on a landline, particularly old people. This demographic is so accustomed to booking cabs the traditional way and is not used to apps or smartphones.”

“

MOVE COMMERCIAL 39

p21-40_Move Commercial 03/10/2016 14:47 Page 40

Key event Shoosmiths networking event

Shoosmiths hosts property network Commercial law ﬁrm Shoosmiths hosted a property networking event in Manchester city centre. Representatives of the company, which has an ofﬁce in the city at Old Granada Studios, were joined by property industry insiders and business clients for the cocktails and canapés evening, which took place at Revolucion De Cuba on Peter Street. The event was well attended as guests enjoyed a chance to catch up over refreshments and a bite to eat. 1

1. Tom Cropp (Pizza Hut), Ellis Gardner-Browne (Shoosmiths) and Raefe Watkin-Rees (Pizza Hut)

2. Chris Kelsall and John Kelsall (both Kelsall Williams)

3. Kim Newton (Bruntwood Estates), Zara Saunders (Shoosmiths) and Sana Gillan (Workshop Properties) 4. Kirsty Chalkley and John Dunlop (both Shoosmiths) with Francesca Costello (Central England Co-Operative) 5. Su Kemp (Shoosmiths), Rachel Beard (Shoosmiths), Paul Goodacre (The Boots Company), Kirsty Black (Shoosmiths) and Stephen Martin (The Boots Company) 6. Ruth Child and Thomas Hallett (both Peter Brett Associates) 7. Guests enjoyed drinks and canapés 8. Andrew Outram and Sally Haslewood (both Shoosmiths) with Jack Kelsall (Kelsall SEO) 9. John Leighton and Robert Wooley (both Bluemantle Group) 10. Daniel Bimpson (Prime), David Schumacher (Gladman Developments), David Stoddart (Prime) and Leanne Elkin (Derwent Estates) 11. John Jones (Mason Partners) and Tim Williamson (TJX Europe) 12. David Morley (Shoosmiths), Paul Grafton (Carphone Warehouse Group), Kate McCall and Matthew Kemp (both Shoosmiths)

p41-48_Move Commercial 03/10/2016 14:56 Page 41

p41-48_Move Commercial 03/10/2016 14:56 Page 42

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Some of our commissions have included projects for: MONSAL PROPERTY

For all enquiries please call Mike: 07545 377 538 / Tony:

07904 475 989

Tony Ferry & Sons Ltd Design / Fabrication / Installation Unit L6 Liver Industrial Estate Long Lane Aintree L9 7ES

Tel: 0151 345 8282

www.ferryandsons.co.uk

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· Commercial carpets

· All work fully guaranteed

· Carpet tiles

· Safety flooring

· Built in entrance matting

· Fully insured

· Bespoke designs for hotels

· Stair nosings

Contact Graeme 0151 480 1212

www.carpetdesignandflooring.co.uk

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Diary Dates - Celebration Special Best for Civil engineers

14 October th

CECA North West 20 Anniversary Awards Dinner

Best for Property

Best for Business

20 October

24 November

NWPAs

Knowsley Business and Regeneration Awards

Lutyens Crypt, Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral

The Midland Hotel, Manchester

Professional Pointers

This annual glittering event is back and bigger than ever as it gets set to celebrate a year of achievements across the North West’s commercial property and business sectors. Awards will recognise industry success in 12 categories including ‘Commercial Property Agent of the Year’, ‘Best Commercial Scheme’ and ‘Best Commercial Let’. A drinks reception will kick off the black tie proceedings, and the post-awards presentation party will continue into the night.

The 20th anniversary of the Civil Engineering Contractors’ Association (CECA) North West will commemorate the work of its members and also look forward to the future during a special pre-dinner ‘Question Time’ session. BBC presenter Roger Johnson will chair the panel of speakers which includes Kate Willard, director of Stobart Group, amongst others. Former England ruby star and BBC Sport commentator Brian Moore will provide the after dinner entertainment.

Grand Marquee, Knowsley Safari Park

Dressing for business events with Paula White, volunteer stylist, Smart Works UK charity Smart Works Greater Manchester (www.SmartWorks.org.uk) provides interview clothes, styling advice and interview training to women in need. Since opening in June 2015, the organisation has helped provide more than 250 women with the confidence, self-belief and practical tools they require to succeed at an interview, with numbers increasing each month. Volunteer stylist Paula White provides some top tips on how to get the business dress code right during the season of end of year celebrations: • Find out whether the dress code is formal black tie or cocktail wear. Most invitations will specify but if not, cocktail wear is your best option and can be mini, midi or maxi - don’t go too short. • Look online for ideas on what styles and colours are around. • Don’t fall into the trap of just because it’s fashionable - think of your body shape. • Go to a shop that has members of staff to give advice - independent retailers are a good option and take a friend for an honest opinion. 44 MOVE COMMERCIAL

• Formal black tie means you’re supposed to wear long gowns or a long cocktail dress. If this is the case go for a colour - you don’t have to wear just black anymore. • If your dress is simple, be bold and go for a large necklace or large earrings but not both -they will compete and look too much. • The smaller the bag, the more formal it looks and both your shoes and bag must match your outfit. • Experiment with hair and make-up when you have your dress to find which styles suit it best don’t leave this till the night. • Finally, and most importantly, make sure you are comfortable and feel confident.

More than 650 guests from North West businesses and organisations are expected to attend this popular annual event, which celebrates the creativity, enterprise and hard work of those contributing to Knowsley’s economic prosperity. Small and medium businesses to developers and retailers will be recognised alongside those excelling in corporate social responsibility and green credentials during the dinner and presentation evening.

What’s New The HelloMind app HelloMind is a new therapeutic app built around a technique called Result Driven Hypnosis. Developed by Danish hypnotherapist Jacob Strachotta, the software is predominantly used for combating lifestyle problems but can help workplaces win on a number of fronts. For instance, big presentations and sales pitches are a staple of many business professionals’ weekly schedules and HelloMind will help users excel with its session on public speaking. The app guides users through the hypnotherapy process with audio messages fed into their headphones while they relax, and instructions specially designed to address the subconscious. HelloMind is free to download but treatments must be purchased in-app, starting at £2.29, with subscriptions also available. Each treatment lasts around 30 minutes and consisst of 10 individual sessions. The application is exclusive to Apple mobile devices at present, although an Android edition is in the pipeline.

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Business lifestyle

Where to… go for celebratory drinks With awards season now in full swing, your business will hopefully be looking to head out on the town and toast plenty of wins. Fortunately, the region is well stocked when it comes to swanky bars to celebrate in style. Our pick of the North West’s trendiest spots features some of the latest openings alongside old favourites meaning you’re bound to find something to suit everyone’s tastes. Cheers!

Oddfellows

Tried & Tested City centre stay Hotel Indigo Chapel Street, Liverpool, L3 The business trip: a necessary evil for many with the prospect of spending a night away from home comforts enough to strike terror into the heart of even the most seasoned traveller. Liverpool’s economic stock has been on the rise in recent years - it now plays host to major business and political events like the International Festival for Business and the Labour Party Conference as well as enjoying huge commercial expansion with visitors from across the UK and beyond flooding to the city. Demand for hotel accommodation continues to grow at an exponential rate and will increase further if the proposed Northern Powerhouse ever changes from a political concept into a reality. Hotel Indigo is a four-star boutique hotel with 150 rooms, enjoying a prime location in Liverpool’s commercial district with the BT Convention Centre, Echo Arena and Exhibition Centre Liverpool a leisurely 10-minute stroll away. Guests can enjoy discount parking at a nearby multi-storey car park but the close proximity of James Street, Moorfields and Lime Street rail stations offers the opportunity to leave the car at home - useful if your presentation for tomorrow’s meeting needs fine tuning. The rooms are bright, airy and spacious with a contemporary feel with rainfall showers, oversized beds and a selection of complimentary snack bar items all designed to make your stay a comfortable one. The free Wi-Fi is strong, allowing guests to stay in touch with the office, and there is also additional connectivity including HDMI and audio/video ports

Review by Liam Deveney in each room. For those requiring a workout, there is a fitness suite boasting the usual array of machines designed to get your blood pumping at either end of the working day. Whilst located near to many of Liverpool’s finest restaurants and bars, guests need only to take a lift to the ground floor to dine in the focal point of the hotel, the Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar and Grill. The locally inspired menu “comprises everything you would imagine from a traditional steakhouse with the superior quality you would expect from Marco Pierre White,” who was the first British chef to be awarded three Michelin Stars. A good night’s sleep is essential and there was none of the usual noise associated with a hotel stay either on the corridors or outside the building, with the insulation doing an extremely effective job (disclaimer: that may not be the case at weekends when the party people hit the town). But the hotel’s biggest asset is undoubtedly its staff: attentive, polite and helpful, they strive to make guests’ stays as comfortable as possible, be it after a tough day at the office or at the end of a tiring day’s travelling. There are many hotels in Liverpool and more in the pipeline but few tick so many boxes in such an emphatic way. Hotel Indigo promises to provide you “with the confidence to step out and explore Liverpool’s exclusive neighbourhood” but guests are better advised to stay inside the hotel’s four walls – they won’t regret it.

Lower Bridge Street, Chester, CH1 This Neoclassical boutique hotel a short walk from the River Dee features a Victorian walled ‘Secret Garden’, boasting outdoor fires and private heated booths, perfect for celebrating a big award win late into the night.

The Alchemist Brunswick Street, Liverpool, L2 One of Liverpool’s most anticipated bar openings of the year, The Alchemist has caused quite a stir in the commercial district with its extravagant selection of more than 50 cocktails featuring drinks incorporating everything from dry ice to Bunsen burners.

The Tony McGee Bar at The Vincent Hotel Lord Street, Southport, PR8 Named after acclaimed photographer and friend of The Vincent owner Paul Adams, McGee’s boasts a collection of the latter’s best work coupled with modern decor and cosmopolitan cocktail list.

Épernay Watson Street, Manchester, M3 Nestled in the heart of Manchester city centre, packing an extensive range of rare and vintage champagne, Épernay has you covered if you’re looking to celebrate in the lap of luxury.

Riddles Greenwood Street, Altrincham, WA14 Arguably the most unique venue on our list, this prohibition-style speakeasy bar transports patrons back to the ‘Roaring Twenties’ with staff decked out in period costume serving a mix of classic and contemporary cocktails.

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Brockholes is a carbon neutral venue, which floats on the lake, amongst the reeds. The first venue of its kind in the UK. Spacious conference room for up to 130 delegates Board room

A beautiful nature reserve to explore Private reception

Get In Touch 01772 872000 business@brockholes.org

Free car parking Free Wi-Fi

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Junction 31, M6, Preston

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Expert views Ask the panel It’s now several months since Britain voted in favour of leaving the European Union, but the debate on how and when the government will set the Brexit wheels in motion by triggering Article 50 continues. As the nation awaits clarification on how its future outside the EU will be shaped, we ask a panel of North West experts:

Q: With speculation continuing over when and how Brexit will happen, how is the situation expected to progress?

All signs point to continued resilience in the North West office market following the Brexit vote. While a very small number of occupier requirements have been placed on pause, it is unlikely that they will remain so in the long term. The total city centre take-up in the first half of 2016 dipped slightly below the 10-year average, likely owing to uncertainty ahead of the vote. However, we expect by the end of 2016 this figure will fall back in line with that of previous years. In fact, many occupiers facing lease events this year are actually looking to speed up decisions because of the limited supply in the market. Meanwhile, a number of other significant transactions are set to further eat into Manchester’s dwindling office stock. This is adding to the reduction in supply and, based on demand levels, means investment and development in the city remains very attractive post-referendum. Chris Mulcahy, office agency director - North West, JLL

It is probably a bit early to say. The Brexit vote was quickly followed by the holiday season, which is traditionally a quieter time in our sector and not an accurate predictor of the market generally. We are now entering what is normally a busy period and so far the outlook remains positive. In the longer term, a prolonged period of uncertainty is a concern as this potentially impacts on major drivers such as funder investment and consumer confidence. It is currently unclear as to when (or even if) Brexit will occur and, if so, how long it will take or what the terms will be. Recent government statements have only added to the overall ambiguity. The short answer is we simply don’t know how things are going to progress

The current position of the UK economy provides an opportunity to look at things differently. The message that the UK is open for business has been heard loud and clear and the priority must be to reassure investors that there is a stable and long-term basis on which to do business in the UK. The UK is a very attractive proposition for international investors, with the concept of the Northern

in the medium to longer term. However, the clearer the roadmap, the smoother the ride is likely to be as it is the uncertainty rather than the outcome that may be the greater threat. Paul Barge, partner and head of construction and infrastructure North West, DWF LLP

Powerhouse undoubtedly helping to improve the overall attractiveness of the region. In terms of the impact Brexit will have on inward investment, it’s too early to say but foreign investors have consistently told us that the UK’s diversity and language are some of its most attractive attributes. The challenge now is to not only maintain the UK’s strong competitive position, but take it to the next level by continuing the focus on regional rebalancing and delivering the improvements in skills and infrastructure that investors require. Simon Allport, senior partner, Ernst & Young North West

As businesses recover from the initial shock of the UK’s vote to leave the European Union, their focus is turning to the implications it will have on the UK economy and on their future. We know little at present about the longer term outlook. The extent to which the UK’s economy is impacted will depend on the extent to which the UK can negotiate favourable trade deals. Negotiations are likely to be protracted as evidenced by comments made during the G20 Summit. However, the short term climate has also shifted dramatically so businesses should evaluate immediate plans across the board. While the UK economy performed well in the second quarter of 2016, these may not be a bellwether for the future. There are signs that businesses are treading water while they wait and see what deal is struck. The timing of when the UK government decides to trigger Article 50 will affect the uncertainty, with greater negative impacts the more hostile the negotiations. Will Baker, partner, KPMG

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