Move Commercial 65

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LIVERPOOL CITY REGION CHESHIRE MANCHESTER

DECEMBER 2018 - JANUARY 2019

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Issue 65

The North West’s guide to property and business

Region-wide success How can towns and cities thrive?

Climate change warning Cutting carbon emissions in property

Retailers’ business rates burden Is enough being done?

The NWPAs This year’s commercial property winners

REGIONAL EXPERTS’ OUTLOOK

WHAT DOES 2019 HOLD?

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www.nwpas.com @theNWPAs

2019 Entries Open Soon Entries for all of our 2019 award categories open on Tuesday 1st January 2019

RECOGNISING EXCELLENCE IN THE NORTH WEST PROPERTY INDUSTRY

T H U R S D AY 10 T H O C T O B E R 2019 | L U T Y E N S C R Y P T, L I V E R P O O L M E T R O P O L I TA N C AT H E D R A L

For more information visit www.nwpas.com or follow us on Twitter @theNWPAs A S S O C I AT E SPONSORS

F O R S P O N S O R S H I P O P P O R T U N I T I E S P L E A S E C O N TA C T C AT H E R I N E O N 0 1 5 1 7 0 9 3 8 7 1

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Issue sixty five Move Commercial

Welcome to Move Commercial

A

s we near the end of another year, what better time to reflect on 2018’s successes and explore what the coming 12 months could hold?

In this issue, experts from a host of key sectors share their views on what lies ahead in 2019.

Plus we bring you all the commercial property winners from this year’s glittering NWPAs ceremony, along with a glamorous gallery of pictures from the annual black tie event.

Meanwhile, as big names on our high streets continue to struggle, Move Commercial investigates whether enough is being done to relieve retailers with a physical

Contents

presence of the business rates burden.

And we ask what is needed to ensure that both towns and cities across the North West can thrive.

In light of urgent climate change warnings, our latest panel ponders how the property industry can act quickly and effectively to cut carbon emissions; and the Business Lifestyle section is packed with tips, reviews and advice when it comes to spreading some Christmas cheer in the workplace.

News 07 Headline sponsor announced for 2019 NWPAs 08 Office furniture firm plans to boost presence beyond the region 09 Reception overhaul begins at Liverpool office building

Natasha Young, editor natasha@movepublishing.co.uk

Features 10 Bitesize Thinking Food for thought 12 Appointments Who’s moving where?

14 NWPAs 2018 All the commercial winners and pictures from this year’s glamorous North West Property Awards

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18 2019 Outlook Experts from the region’s key sectors on what the year ahead could hold 22 Moving Forward Together

Photo: Paul Gillett / CC-BY-SA-2.0

How can towns and cities across the North West thrive?

24 The State of Rates What’s being done to ease the business rates burden for struggling retailers?

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27 Key Event Celebrations as the annual Knowsley Business Awards returns 28 Business Lifestyle

Advertising Catherine McCarthy. Tel: 0151 709 3871 Editor Natasha Young. Tel: 0151 709 3871 Editorial Team Lawrence Saunders, Matthew Smith, Liam Deveney Design Mark Iddon.

Photography Liam Deveney - The NWPAs Cover Image iStock / peshkov.

Credits Certain graphic elements by Freepik.com 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

Tips, advice and reviews to help you embrace the festive season at work 30 Ask the Panel How can the construction and property industry act quickly and effectively to cut down on carbon emissions?

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.

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Latest News North West firms must ‘keep their finger on the pulse’ as Welsh legal changes loom

Headline sponsor announced for 2019 NWPAs

Stewart Milne Homes attendees at this year’s awards

Stewart Milne Homes will return as the headline sponsor of the NWPAs (North West Property Awards) as the 2019 event begins to take shape.

Fresh from putting its name to this year’s awards ceremony, which celebrated a year of success across the North West’s commercial and residential property sectors, the firm has given its backing to the next presentation.

In addition, conveyancing data provider X-Press Legal Services has already come on board as a brand new associate sponsor for 2019.

Taking place at Lutyens Crypt in Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral on 10 October 2019, the lavish evening will see industry representatives from across the region gather under one roof to reflect on another 12 months of achievements.

Accolades will be handed out across a diverse range of categories, which will be open for entries from 1 January 2019.

On supporting the event as headline sponsor for the second year running, Stewart Milne Homes North West’s managing director,

Paul Challinor, says: “The North West is a key growth area for Stewart Milne Homes and we are excited to be a part of it, creating developments which focus on quality homes with exceptional design.

“We pride ourselves on being more than just a housebuilder and our mission is to make a lasting, positive impact in the communities where we build our homes.

“It is an honour to have the opportunity to sponsor next year’s NWPAs for the second year running.

“The property industry in the North West is going from strength to strength and as a housebuilder we have developed a strong affinity with the region.”

Challinor says a lot of “exceptionally skilled people” in the region are committed to driving the industry forward, adding: “We are delighted to be involved in the celebration of that at the NWPAs.” To keep updated on the 2019 NWPAs and how to enter, visit www.nwpas.com.

For more information on sponsorship opportunities, call 0151 709 3871.

Calls for a separate legal jurisdiction for Wales could have ramifications for North West law firms, according to a regional expert.

Darren Barwick, a commercial property MSB commercial property solicitor at Liverpoolsolicitor Darren Barwick based MSB, says firms in the area have a “responsibility to keep their finger on the pulse” as they work with business and property clients, given the North West’s proximity to Wales.

With the Commission on Justice in Wales due to report in 2019, Barwick says: “The fact that we are already seeing signs of a divergence, such as a separate Stamp Duty Land Tax regime for Wales introduced in September, means that a separate jurisdiction is a very real possibility.

“Solicitors have had to be mindful to use the correct calculation when acting in the purchase of Welsh properties and some solicitors have been slow to react, causing real problems for their clients and funders.

“It is important to remember that there are already existing separate jurisdictions for Scotland and Northern Ireland, so a separate jurisdiction for Wales is a logical step in the devolution process.

“Given our proximity to Wales, solicitors firms in the North West must monitor the situation carefully.

“Those firms who do not heed the possibility of regulatory changes and ensure they are compliant could be left behind.”

Arrow Trading Estate fully let following raft of deals

Arrow Trading Estate

Manchester’s Arrow Trading Estate is now fully let after owner CEG secured five new leases for the site.

The deals follow continued investment and improvement at the Audenshaw business park by the firm.

Fresh Approach (UK) Ltd has taken 9,127 sq ft of space as it expands its film production and event management business, and sofa company Chesterfield Couture will occupy 5,103 sq ft with its Manchester showroom.

Shrink Wrapping Supplies has agreed to let 5,090 sq ft and Safety Buyer (UK) Ltd is letting 4,880 sq ft.

Meanwhile Pumpcare Ltd has taken a 2,416 sq ft unit, and the final space is said to

currently be in legals bringing the property to 100% let.

Olivia Hughes, investment manager at CEG, says: “Arrow Trading Estate has been managed within the CEG portfolio for almost 30 years and continues to provide an environment that helps our business customers thrive and grow.

“We have continued to deliver investment and improvement at the site, in order to provide a well located and attractive development.”

Arrow Trading Estate is already home to national and regional businesses including Enterprise Foods.

Avison Young and BC Real Estate acted on behalf of CEG in the latest signings.

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News Latest

Office furniture firm plans to boost presence beyond the region Go Green Office Furniture is lining up new warehouses and showrooms beyond the North West as it looks to broaden its reach.

The Liverpool-based firm says the wheels are already in motion to set up additional facilities in London and Dublin.

The expansion will enable the eco-friendly office furniture supplier to distribute its new and recycled stock across the UK and Ireland “more efficiently and effectively”.

Go Green’s expansion follows a successful past 12 months for the business, with director Shane Hanley saying: "2018 has been, by far, one of the best years as a growing business for Go Green Office Furniture. We have gone above and beyond and surpassed our forecast for the year.

“As the year has progressed, so have we. We have expanded not only our company values, but also our team and we will be expanding further in the new year, with staff and resources including sites in Dublin and London to further grow our geographical reach.”

The new and recycled office furniture firm enjoyed a successful 2018

Academy Business Park

Next phase of award-winning Academy Business Park lined up Orbit Developments is looking forward to its second phase of Academy Business Park after the first achieved awards recognition.

The speculatively-built distribution centre was named Commercial Development of the Year at the recent 2018 Knowsley Business Awards.

Incorporating 100,000 sq ft of warehousing space and 10,000 sq ft of ground and first floor office accommodation, the phase one building was launched at an exclusive event for commercial property agents in May. It is adjacent to the Kirkby-based Liverpool Football Club training academy and is in close proximity to other distribution hubs and contact centres for firms including Amazon, QVC and Matalan.

Dennis Dwyer, Orbit Developments’ divisional director for Merseyside, says: “We are delighted to win Commercial Development of the Year at Knowsley Business Awards 2018. It’s a fantastic accolade for the building and we’re so proud to receive recognition for our hard work and investment into the area.

“This first phase of development at Academy Business Park, Knowsley has been carried out to satisfy the growing demand within the North West for this type and size of property. A second phase of development is already planned of an identical size and we look forward to moving on shortly to this next stream of development.”

JB LEITCH EXPANDS TEAM TO ‘EMBRACE’ GROWTH Property law firm JB Leitch is expanding its commercial and real estate departments after experiencing growth.

The Liverpool city centre-based company has welcomed a new team member in a move to “embrace” its recent rise in commercial property work.

Senior solicitor Helen Clutterbuck has joined the property litigation team from Napthens Solicitors, and is just the first new addition lined up.

Jonathan Leitch, owner and principal solicitor at 8

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JB Leitch, says: “I am very pleased to welcome Helen to our team here at JB Leitch.

“Her knowledge, skills and experience ensure we will continue to deliver a first class service to clients and also support our expansion through the diversification of our legal services.”

The firm is also preparing for the January arrival of a new solicitor in its real estate department, another area where JB Leitch has seen a similar increase in projects on the non-contentious side.

New arrival Helen Clutterbuck

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Latest News

Reception overhaul begins in latest phase of Liverpool office refurb

Blaze marks fifth anniversary with continuing success Daniel Bourmad (centre) with members of the Blaze Marketing team

Property design and marketing firm Blaze has enjoyed a successful end to 2018 as it celebrates its fifth year in business.

The Manchester-based company recently picked up the Best Property and Construction Campaign accolade at the Northern Marketing Awards, which was held at the city’s Hilton hotel.

The title acknowledged Blaze’s work with Jigsaw Group on the campaign for the Summers Quay development in Stalybridge.

Blaze’s victory comes after the agency has also led on the design and production of scheme-led marketing collateral for clients including Quorum Developments, M&G Real Estate and Chorley Council in recent months.

Qualified surveyor and co-founder of Blaze

Marketing, Daniel Bourmad, believes the company’s experience in the sector has enabled it to succeed during its five years in business.

He says: “Having worked for many years in the industry we fully understand what property clients need to market their schemes and five years on have built a solid client portfolio with some of the leading property organisations in the North West and beyond.”

Commenting on the award win for the firm, which relocated to a new office at South King Street’s Ironworks earlier this year, he adds: “This award is recognition of all we have achieved and provides us with an excellent platform on which to grow as we go into 2019.”

Work is underway to breathe new life into the reception of Liverpool’s No.1 Old Hall Street office building.

The project is the latest phase of Downing’s planned overhaul of the commercial district property, and includes the extension and remodelling of the existing reception facility.

The firm aims to create a ‘light, bright, welcoming space’ with a waiting area and concierge lobby.

New features will include male, female and accessible WCs, a shower area and an accessible lift.

A temporary reception is currently in use, enabling business to continue at the building, with all current services being maintained during the works.

Kate Carr, property management surveyor at Downing, says: “We’re really looking forward to unveiling our fantastic new reception area at No. 1 Old Hall Street. These works will not only provide additional facilities for our resident businesses and their visitors but will also create a welcoming and contemporary point of arrival, befitting No.1’s address and location in the centre of the city’s business core.”

Elsewhere in the building, a new 5,100 sq ft Grade A office suite will also be fitted out above the Pret a Manger unit, and will be accessed from the new reception via a relocated feature entrance.

Downing, which manages No.1 Old Hall Street, will market the office space alongside CBRE and Worthington Owen.

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Bitesize thinking

Curriculum VITAE Andrew Kingsley director and head of property recruitment, Kingsley Recruitment

Main duties: My personal main duties vary each day and include business operations, business development, finances, marketing and, of course, recruitment.

‘just business’. Only two weeks later I went on to become MRICS qualified, working for GVA (Grimley) as well as commercial developers Neptune Developments and CTP Ltd.

Education: I graduated with BSc (Hons) in estate management surveying from the University of South Wales, and subsequently qualified as a chartered surveyor – MRICS.

What’s the secret to your success?

I believe reputation is everything, and I have 20 years’ experience in the property industry where I’ve built up my network. This reputation and experience has meant that I know what clients and candidates are looking for.

I also believe that in both recruitment and business you need to work hard, have a plan, be tenacious and have that ‘never give up’ attitude.

First job: I remember ‘helping’ my dad who was a milkman when I was only six years old, but I suppose my first professional/career role was as a trainee GP surveyor at J Trevor Webster in Liverpool which has now ceased.

Looking back at all my previous jobs, I don’t think I have ever worked as physically hard as my dad did.

Shortest job: When Mason Owen acquired J Trevor & Webster (Liverpool) circa 1996 I was welcomed to Mason Owen on the morning but made redundant by 5pm the very same day, along with a couple of other surveyors.

I hold no grudges though (honest!) and understand that it was

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

Be diligent, professional and honest and always follow up with your clients and candidates. Nurturing your network is vital.

What’s the best advice you’ve received?

Do your research. Taking time to really understand what the client needs, what is happening in the

My favourite building with...

Daniel Bourmad director, Blaze Marketing Arkwright House, Parsonage Gardens, Manchester Arkwright House, for me, is one of the most stand-out buildings in the North West.

This Grade II-listed office building has a rich heritage but also fronts Parsonage Gardens, one of only two garden areas in the city centre. In the springtime when the trees bloom, Arkwright House looks quite amazing as the backdrop to this busy yet relaxing garden area.

Designed in 1929 by local architect Harry S. Fairhurst, it was completed by 1937 for the English Sewing Cotton Company.

Arkwright House is built in a neo-classical style with some art deco motifs which was widely prominent during the 1930s. It has nine storeys, now with a new roof level and Portland 10

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Stone clad, with ornamental stone. It wouldn't look out of place in Rome!

My first role as a chartered surveyor was at Chesterton Plc where I joined the management team and this building was one I dealt with, overseeing a reception area refurbishment (which has since been refurbished again), as well as asset managing the vacant areas of the building.

I recall being told by my building surveying colleagues that it had cathodic protection, which strengthens the rusting iron frame buried in masonry and stone. I thought this was pretty cool, then I found out Winston Churchill spent a night there during the war.

I walk past the building each day on the way to my car park and I still look up and marvel at its grand prominence.

industry and the business challenges they face will help you add value and be seen as a strategic partner going forward.

What makes Kingsley Recruitment different?

We only concentrate on two market sectors - property and legal - and our recruitment teams are made up of a true mix of both industry and recruitment experts.

Each recruiter has extensive experience in their sector so they really understand the challenges for both candidates and recruiting companies alike.

Tell us about Kingsley Recruitment’s plans for the next six months: We have exciting growth plans for 2019 across our Liverpool and Manchester offices. We have a very strong client base who we work very closely with and we’re instructed on some great career opportunities.

We expect the next six months to be extremely busy as we recruit further professional consultants into our legal and property teams as well as assisting some of the sectors’ top professionals with their future career plans.

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UNDER CONSTRUCTION 14 PARAMOUNT BUSINESS PARK WILSON ROAD, HUYTON LIVERPOOL, L36 6AD

Paddington Village The £1 billion Paddington Village scheme has been hailed by Mayor Joe Anderson as the flagship of Liverpool’s “game changer” Knowledge Quarter.

The 30-acre plot will be developed into Paddington North, Paddington Central and Paddington South.

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The Royal College of Physicians’ (RCP) first centre of excellence outside of London is announced as an anchor tenant.

Liverpool International College (LIC) – a partnership between the University of Liverpool and Kaplan International – reveals its ‘live-learn’ facility plans at a public consultation exhibition.

A Paddington Village public consultation gets underway.

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Morgan Sindall wins £47 million contract to create infrastructure, public realm and ‘market-ready’ development plots in Paddington Central; and to design and build RCP North’s base.

TO LET

PRESTIGIOUS GRADE A SELF CONTAINED OFFICE ACCOMMODATION IN ATTRACTIVE BUSINESS PARK SETTING (WITH 9 ON SITE CAR SPACES)

2,955 sqft (273.9 sqm)

CONTACT HITCHCOCK WRIGHT & PARTNERS CASTLE CHAMBERS, 43 CASTLE STREET, LIVERPOOL L2 9SH

www.hitchcockwright.co.uk

Consultation results prompt changes to the final Paddington Village Spatial Regeneration Framework. Plans to demolish the Mount Vernon pub for a 25-storey tower are shelved, and the need for a multi-storey car park is further justified.

Proton Partners International announces £35m cancer treatment centre, The Rutherford Centre North West.

Kier breaks ground on the LIC facility, which is due to be completed in 2019.

Liverpool City Region Combined Authority approves in principle a £12m Single Investment Fund to unlock Paddington Village development.

Work begins on Rutherford Cancer Centre North West, with completion scheduled for 2019.

RCP North’s based is named The Spine. The name is announced along with the appointment of Ryder Architects to work on a Paddington Village hotel. Accor, Hilton and InterContinental Hotels Group are shortlisted for the project.

Work starts on The Spine, with a September 2020 completion scheduled. An advanced diagnostics centre by Rutherford Diagnostics – a Proton Partners International subsidiary – is announced for a plot next to Rutherford Cancer Centre North West.

Accor Hotels is selected to bring a joint Novotel hotel and aparthotel to Paddington Village. Construction is planned for 2019, and completion is due in 2021.

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Appointments

New marketing director at Peel L&P Kendra McKinney & Chris Mason

Promotions at Brown Turner Ross

Dispute resolution and property litigation specialist Chris Mason has been promoted to director at Brown Turner Ross.

Also an expert in non-contentious corporate matters and employment law, Mason joined the Liverpool City Region law firm in 2016 working in civil litigation and acting for clients in a wide variety of disputes.

He’s one of two team members to be named a director, as family law specialist Kendra McKinney is also promoted.

The duo’s progress comes as the firm, which has offices in Liverpool and Southport, works on an expanding portfolio.

Mason says: “I am looking forward to taking a prominent role in the next phase of the firm’s development and contributing to the ambitious aims for the future.”

Market Place appoints apprentice Bolton retail and leisure complex, Market Place has Ryley Walton appointed an apprentice maintenance electrician from Bolton College.

Ryley Walton will work with on-site engineers to learn his trade and develop skills in the workplace.

He’s also being supported by the senior management team at ICH, which provides electrical services for Market Place, as well as the destination’s centre management team and his college tutor.

The apprenticeship will provide additional training on areas including legionella awareness, fire door inspections, PAT testing, health and safety training and MEWP training.

Nikki Wilson-Cook, centre manager at Market Place, says: “We are sure [Ryley] will gain a wealth of experience here – there is always a new job around every corner with technical and logistical challenges that will open his eyes to the demands of the job in a real life scenario.

“We welcome his fresh ideas and new perspective to keep our existing team on their toes.”

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Peel Land and Property (Peel Ian Wilson L&P) has appointed a new marketing director to lead brand and marketing strategies across its £2.6 billion portfolio.

Ian Wilson brings more than 20 years’ of agency and in-house experience, having worked at companies including Urban Splash and Bruntwood.

He’ll oversee the implementation of multi-channel marketing strategies across Peel L&P’s businesses including its strategic waters sites, the land and planning division, waterways, nature reserves, airports, TraffordCity, leisure, logistics and industrial space, retail and business parks, energy and environmental.

On behalf of Peel L&P, Neil Lees, deputy chairman of the Peel Group, says: “As well as overseeing the marketing for our various businesses, Ian will be looking at how we better articulate the brand value proposition for what Peel L&P represents, both internally and to our broad range of external stakeholders.

“Ian brings a wealth of expertise and experience to Peel L&P and has a solid in-house team supporting him.”

Fleurets adds to professional team

Leisure property Peter Scholes specialist Fleurets has appointed Peter Scholes to join its professional team.

Scholes, who joins the firm from Savills, will be based at the Manchester and Leeds offices and will undertake work across the North of England and Wales.

He brings experience within the licensed and leisure property sector to the team, having qualified as a chartered surveyor in 2016.

Scholes will be working with Fleutets’ director of valuation, David Sutcliffe, who says: “We are absolutely delighted to welcome Peter to the Fleurets team.

“He will be supporting myself, as well as the wider professional services team, predominantly providing valuation and lease consultancy services across our North and North West regions.”

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Advertorial

Property and finance professionals attend bridging finance breakfast organised by MSB

P

rofessionals from the region’s property and finance sectors gathered at a breakfast event organised by Liverpool law firm, MSB, earlier this month, that offered an invaluable insight into bridging finance – an increasingly important source of funding for property developers.

The Bridging Finance Breakfast took place at the city’s Racquet Club in Chapel Street in association with Gemini Finance and Pro Liverpool and heard how Liverpool’s property market was on an upward trajectory.

Associate solicitor at MSB, Darren Barwick, said: “If the current level of growth in speculative development is to continue then developers will need to be open to different ideas when it comes to raising finance.”

Since the financial crash the banks have been unwilling to finance speculative property developments and a new generation of entrepreneurial funders have come in to fill the gap.

Bridging finance companies are among this new breed and they are often privately funded and not restrained in the way the banks often are.

Iain Johnson of independent investment and finance company Gemini Finance, gave an overview of bridging finance, saying: “Traditional banks have little appetite to fund property development. There is, however, money to be made from properly managed property development in this country.

“Bridging financers can offer a secure short term solution to developers, with clear exit routes including refinancing through traditional banks or managed sales.”

Darren added: “Bridging finance is by no means a new concept – I have acted in loans totalling tens of millions over the years. It is however an increasingly popular option.

“Funding can be structured in a number of different ways and it is important to understand how to set deals up so they don’t fall foul of the regulations.

“Iain Johnson of Gemini Finance did a great job at demystifying bridging finance and offered an invaluable insight for both developers and finance professionals.”

If you would like to understand more about bridging finance, please contact Darren Barwick by email darrenbarwick@msbsolicitors.co.uk or call 0151 281 9040 MOVE COMMERCIAL

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Natasha Young natasha@movepublishing.co.uk

The prestigious North West Property Awards (NWPAs), sponsored by Stewart Milne Homes, returned to Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral’s Lutyens Crypt celebrating a year of success for the property sector.

Move Commercial brings you all the winners from this year’s categories that were open to commercial entries, from awards recognising top deals and developments to those acknowledging innovative businesses.

The mark of success Regeneration Award The ‘Regeneration Award’ was open to commercial, residential and mixed-use projects across the North West, with judges looking for a winner which clearly demonstrated a positive impact on the physical or environmental quality, or the economic or social wellbeing of its community including benefits to the area’s businesses.

Placefirst’s transformation of empty Victorian homes in Liverpool’s Welsh Streets fitted the bill, and the title was the first of three won by the same scheme on the night.

Site managers Shaun Masey and Richard Jones and construction manager Oliver Crotch reflected on the ongoing scheme which has been completed in the first phase.

“It’s been amazing, we’ve worked really hard to do what we’re doing with the Welsh Streets,” they said. “[The award is] also an inspiration for the work that’s still ahead of us. We’re only halfway through the Welsh Streets.”

Fellow finalist Urban Sleep was named runner up in the category for its Brunswick Park project in Liverpool.

Innovation Award With the property sector, like many other industries, undergoing fast-paced changes, 2018’s NWPAs saw the introduction of the ‘Innovation Award’.

Redwing Living won the inaugural title, which was open to any property firm adapting and changing to ensure a positive future.

“With the industry changing so much because you’ve got the need for more affordable homes like Shared Ownership, the need for resales as well as the new developments is really important and that’s what we’re trying to recognise,” said James Constable, senior sales advisor for the firm, which was recognised for adapting to changes in demand for affordable homes.

“It’s recognising a gap in the market, taking a chance and running with it which has paid off,” added Matthew Marshall, Redwing Living’s marketing manager.

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The North West Property Awards 2018 Focus

Judges’ Special Award Having also gone on to win this year’s NWPA for the ‘Best Affordable Housing Scheme’, Placefirst rounded off a hugely successful night by achieving a third accolade. The Welsh Streets regeneration in Liverpool’s Toxteth area was recognised with the ‘Judges’ Special Award’.

Site managers Shaun Masey and Richard Jones, construction manager Oliver Crotch and commercial director Peter Adams were among the team collecting the final prize of the night.

“With the first two [awards] we were judged against our peers whereas this one is the recognition of what we’re doing within the community more than anything else,” said the team. “For everyone to recognise that the scheme is as special as we think it is, and the gamble that the company has taken, it’s impetus for the future - a springboard.”

Best Commercial Scheme This category was open to a broad range of commercial projects within the retail, office, leisure, hotel, educational and industrial sectors, but there could only be one winner.

Not content with recently achieving its second Michelin star in the culinary world, Moor Hall Restaurant has also attracted an NWPA for its building design.

Liverpool’s Falconer Chester Hall was behind the design, with architects Quentin Keohane and Alice Platt on hand to pick up the accolade.

“People put loads of passion in and that shows in the end building,” said Keohane. “It’s a good building and a fantastic result for the people who worked on it.

“It’s also great for the area and we’re just proud to be part of it.”

Halton Housing’s Waterfront Point Headquarters was a fellow finalist in the category.

The Community Award Another new addition for 2018, ‘The Community Award’ was open to entries from any property firm making a difference to the communities they work within.

Denovo Design reached the final for its Mossley Hill Church project in Liverpool and was named runner up on the night, with Stewart Milne Homes picking up the award.

“We’re delighted with The Community Award because we do, as a builder that’s not widely known in the North West, try our best to develop relationships within the communities that we’re building in,” said Lynne Vogel, sales manager of the housebuilder which has been expanding into the Liverpool City Region.

Best Commercial Let Judges considered factors including the commercial strength and potential impact of a deal on the wider commercial community for this year’s ‘Best Commercial Let’ award.

Work by JLL, Shelborn Asset Management and Worthington Owen to bring HMRC to Liverpool’s India Buildings with a bumper 270,000 sq ft letting was a clear winner for this year’s title.

“Of all the things I’ve done in my career this is, in a way, the most important and satisfying deal,” said Worthington Owen’s Mark Worthington, who collected the award alongside Andrew Owen from the firm. “Not just for me personally or on a financial basis but in terms of it being 3,500 jobs, right in the centre of Liverpool that will regenerate Castle Street and Water Street. It’s massively important to the area.”

The region’s thriving property sector “Our panel of expert judges was faced with a really high standard of entries in 2018, and any entrants who made the shortlist should be extremely proud,” says Kim O’Brien, director of Move Publishing which organises the NWPAs. “The awards were presented to a truly fantastic range of projects and firms around the North West, demonstrating that the region’s property sector continues to thrive and succeed in the face of changes and challenges.

“I’d like to thank everyone who attended and made 2018 another brilliant year for the NWPAs, with special thanks to our judges and sponsors, and we

look forward to recognising another year of achievements in 2019.”

Judges included Alastair Shepherd, director of Falconer Chester Hall; Lesley Martin-Wright, CEO of Knowsley Chamber and head of business growth at Knowsley Council; and Elaine Cunningham, owner of Elaine Cunningham Design Studio.

Category sponsors included Watts Commercial Finance, Redrow Homes, Bogans Carpets, Capricorn Kitchens, Anwyl Homes, Redwing Living and 360Vu, and Furnish That Room sponsored the drinks reception.

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10 1. Simon ‘Rossi’ Ross was the host for the evening. 2. The Morecrofts Solicitors team were welcomed with prosecco. 3. The D’Ukes of Hazzard entertained at the drinks reception.

4. JB Leitch guests dressed to impress. 5. Michael, Eric and David Mahoney (T J Thomas) with guests. 6. MSB Solicitors attendees. 7. Bogans Carpets guests.

8. Quentin Keohane and Alice Platt (both Falconer Chester Hall) return from stage with their award. 9. Nearly 300 guests attended the glittering ceremony. 10. Northern Lights gave

a spectacular musical performance.

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The North West Property Awards 2018 Event Special

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20 11. The Anwyl Homes table embraced the black tie dress code. 12. Carol Lavender (Riverside Home Ownership) makes a grand entrance. 13. Stewart Milne Homes marked the occasion in style. 14. Capricorn Kitchens guests were in keeping with the stylish theme. 15. Martin Booker (Fibre Architects) and Fran Guinan (Furnish That Room) with guests.

16. John Clegg (Downing), Robin Ellis (YinYan), Andrew Byrne (CBRE) with Sean Artess (Arterior Solutions). 17. Mark Worthington (Worthington Owen) making his way to the stage. 18. The D’Ukes of Hazzard sparkled on stage. 19. Barratt and David Wilson Homes attendees celebrated their victory. 20. Glamorous Placefirst guests.

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Natasha Young natasha@movepublishing.co.uk

Key industry experts share their insight on what the year ahead could hold for the North West.

Office David Porter

partner and Manchester office head Knight Frank Manchester has seen a record year with 1.5m sq ft of lettings expected to be completed by year end underpinned by three large deals and I expect growth next year to be steady.

Year on year a quarter of all take-up is for new Grade A office space but with only two new buildings coming to market in 2019, secondary stock refurbished to Grade A standard will pick up the slack and price differentials will narrow.

While the cities will continue to drive steady 18

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growth, satellite towns, such as Blackburn, that can provide high quality business space in the centre, close to amenities and good transport links, offer an increasingly attractive option for firms looking for multiple bases.

Our latest research ‘(Y)our Space’ confirms that the phenomenon of flexible co-working and staff amenity is here to stay and developers have to respond providing buildings that attract talent which in turn attract occupiers.

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Whatever the impact of Brexit, it’s critical that we drive closer collaboration between public and private sectors.

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Construction Anthony Dillon

managing director for the North Willmott Dixon Whatever the impact of Brexit next year, it’s critical that we continue to encourage and drive closer collaboration between the public and private sectors.

While the public sector construction pipeline remains strong right across the North, customers are clearly under pressure to make capital investment go further, especially against ambitious government targets on housing and regeneration.

To deliver the lasting, efficient and quality developments that communities and expanding businesses need, we

expect to see growing levels of private sector investment and more and more joint public and private sector funded mixed-use developments as a result.

Uncertainties clearly remain over the future and quality of the construction labour market as well as the costs and availability of materials from the EU, post Brexit. However, our need for new housing, infrastructure and commercial space still continues to grow.

To maintain and accelerate that, 2019 requires closer and more effective collaboration than ever before.

Retail George Lowe

Infrastructure Euan West

Liverpool office senior partner KPMG Every business in Liverpool, and indeed the rest of the North West, would benefit from improved infrastructure, which is why it’s been such an important element of the Northern Powerhouse agenda.

Looking ahead to 2019, we need to focus on links between the region’s towns and cities as a priority to bolster the North’s resilience and economic potential.

In Liverpool, ongoing investment in areas such as the waterfront will undoubtedly increase the access businesses have to overseas partners. Peel Ports’ recent investment in a

deep-water container terminal is a great example, allowing the biggest commercial vehicles in the world to dock in the North West.

But these prestige projects cannot revitalise the North West’s international trading credentials in isolation. The development of ports can ease congestion, lower carbon emissions and generally make trade easier for firms across the North of England, but only if the region’s road and rail links – for example a link to HS2 – are given equal attention.

Innovation John Leake

business development manager Sci-Tech Daresbury I expect to see strong growth in technology companies in the North West. Undoubtedly those businesses looking beyond European markets are seeing the greatest opportunities in stronger growth markets like North America and Asia.

We are seeing initial activity in the investment market in ‘patient capital’ providing a more seamless, longer-term investment in technology companies. This, along with a greater focus on ‘scale-ups’ from government, both nationally and regionally, will hopefully increase the UK’s

ability to derive increased long-term value out of our innovation base and grow more £1 billion businesses.

Our biggest challenge to take full advantage of these opportunities will be our ability to provide a sustainable long-term skills base. This requires a joined-up approach across schools, colleges, universities, businesses and government to target more effectively critical skills gaps in areas such as engineering and software development, and plan for the increasing shortages in areas such as data science and AI (Artificial Intelligence).

surveyor in Manchesterbased retail agency team Cushman & Wakefield Initially we would expect 2019 to continue where 2018 left off, with several high profile retailers announcing plans to consolidate their portfolios into a smaller number of better performing stores. These types of announcements could, in part, be alleviated by strong trade in the run-up to Christmas.

As the year progresses we would hope for the rates reductions, announced in the latest Budget, to encourage smaller retailers to continue trading from our high streets.

We would be skeptical that these changes are enough and expect pressure for further government intervention in the near future.

We expect to see the continuing evolution of the type of experience being offered by retailers on our high street, with occupiers looking to provide shoppers with more immersive and memorable experiences.

We anticipate that we will continue to see our high streets become home to a greater range of occupiers, including gyms, medical and educational uses and residential developments.

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2019 Outlook Focus

Natasha Young natasha@movepublishing.co.uk

Industrial

Development

director LM6

managing director ION Development

Tony O’Keefe

Industrial property remains the doyen of the UK property investment sector, posting one of the strongest take-up figures on record for Q3 of 2018 at £2.2bn.

This has been driven by a narrative of continued occupier demand within a context of limited supply and rising rents. We would expect this trend to continue for the year ahead.

One notable influence is e-commerce, creating a structural shift in our shopping habits which, although to the detriment of high street retail, is fuelling demand for large scale logistics units as seen in the North West at hubs in Warrington, Bolton and Haydock.

Brexit continues to cast a long shadow across all sectors and the consequences for UK Plc will be profound. Whether these will be positive or negative will unfold over the months and years ahead.

Major manufacturers have raised concerns and it’s hard to see manufacturing growth until the risk of a no-deal Brexit has been extinguished. Once we have a clear direction from government the sector will provide its own solutions to just-in-time delivery and friction at borders, but in the short term suppliers will be forced to review their storage capabilities which will fuel further demand for warehousing.

The industrial sector seems well placed to ride the Brexit rollercoaster and capitalise on the opportunity. On a more optimistic note, as the UK looks to re-establish old alliances with our cousins in the US, will the Port of Liverpool benefit from increased transatlantic trade? Let’s hope so.

Leisure Alistair Greenhalgh director Christie & Co

The hotels market in the North West has continued to grow throughout 2018 as new opportunities come to the market, both confidentially and on an open market basis.

Undiminished buyer appetite from overseas investors, single asset owner-operators and large corporate buyers for quality well-invested hotels has continued to drive market competition and sales prices.

Key regional cities have also benefitted from the rise in tourism and the popularity of the ‘staycation,’ and the competitive pound has certainly boosted the UK’s hospitality and leisure sectors.

Although trading challenges due to cost pressures including staff wages, business rates, pensions, utilities and the cost of food will continue to challenge the hospitality industry in the new year, innovative hoteliers and operators that seek attractive opportunities will thrive.

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Steve Parry

This year has proved, if nothing else, we are facing an extended period of uncertainty that will continue into 2019.

With Brexit and both national and local political stability proving elusive, the businesses that are the quickest to react and adapt to changing conditions will ultimately be the most successful in 2019.

Other less obvious factors will start to impact on the property market in the new year, including the changes to IFRS 16 (International Financial Reporting Standard) which will bring operational leases onto the balance sheet of many larger companies.

This continual change will accelerate the need to consider new business models, new technologies and adapt to changing tenant and investor expectations. Realigning business priorities to these new demands will be the difference between success and failure, and fortune will favour the most agile.

Opportunities and investment will be ever present but in different forms.

Town centres are changing rapidly as we all know, with declining retail demand and greater expectations from visitors regarding quality and offer.

However it is easy to forget that historically our town centres were not purely about shopping.

Developers, investors and our public sector partners will need to be forward thinking and creative to deliver solutions for repurposing town centres by effectively using existing property assets to restore vibrancy.

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The businesses that are the quickest to react and adapt to changing conditions will ultimately be the most successful in 2019.

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MC65 20-32.qxp_x 26/11/2018 16:21 Page 22

Lawrence Saunders lawrence@movepublishing.co.uk

As the North West’s biggest cities plot sustained growth into the future, is enough being done now to ensure the region’s smaller towns aren’t left behind?

Moving Forward Together

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A Centre for Cities report earlier this year found the number of people living and working in northern city centres has rocketed in recent decades.

According to ‘City Space Race’, it’s not the heart of London but the middles of Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds where job and population numbers have been on the rise.

Manchester, which topped the table, experienced a 149% surge in city centre living from 2002-2015, as well as a startling 85% increase in job creation between 1998 and 2015.

“The success that Manchester city centre has experienced is as a result of certain polices and development plans coming to fruition,” says Richard Wharton, director for office agency at JLL’s Manchester office.

“Manchester has the biggest student population outside of London and companies moved into the city centre so they could tap into that graduate market.

“There was also a raft of speculative Grade A office developments which allowed companies to relocate without having to go through lengthy design and build programmes.

“Alongside the commercial schemes there has been a lot of residential PRS development which means people not only have a place to work, but a place to live.”

Manchester has the talent, the jobs and the office space so what, if anything, does it need to maintain its competitiveness in the years ahead?

“The big concern is whether the transport infrastructure can grow at a sufficient rate to

West workers, on the whole, earn less than their counterparts in the South and the Midlands.

The study, which focused on built-up urban areas with a population of 135,000 or more, found that no town or city in the region is offering weekly wages that meet or exceed the national average of £539.

Some of the lowest rated towns were here in the North West, with Wigan and Birkenhead ranked third and fourth worst respectively.

Both towns are located near to larger, more affluent conurbations but appear not to benefit greatly from their near neighbour’s prosperity.

“Cities have always been agglomerators of key industries, infrastructure and jobs,” according to Cathy Parker, professor of marketing and retail enterprise at Manchester Metropolitan University.

“They accommodate important services and facilities in a spatially efficient manner. It makes sense to strengthen these forms of infrastructure and, because they need to serve a wide geographical catchment, concentrate them in and around major cities.

“Not every town or city can have its own banking sector or its own airport, etc.

“But this does not mean that every job, every shop, every cultural institution, every opportunity, has to be located in our cities.

“If we want the success of our cities to be shared with surrounding places there has to be a plan of how to do this. Too many core city strategies imply that the location is in competition with everywhere else.

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accommodate the growth of the city,” adds Wharton.

“If you talk to anyone who works in Manchester and commutes in, they’ll say the transport network is a nightmare.

“At the moment it’s just hitting a bit of a bottleneck in terms of road and tram works.”

In October the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham announced a raft of measures aimed at easing congestion across the borough.

They included having the Transport for Greater Manchester control room running 24/7 to send traffic information to sat navs, and a review into working hours on non-essential roadworks.

Despite these changes, the former MP for Leigh confessed he doesn’t have the power to “get a grip on the outdated transport system” and called on the government to do more.

Top-notch transport connections or not, ‘Big Four’ professional services firm EY expects the city to continue on its impressive trajectory. Last December it forecasted the destination to be the UK’s best performing city up until 2020.

The annual UK Regional Economic Forecast found that Manchester's GVA will increase by 2.4% by 2020, putting it ahead of London and on a par with Reading.

Encouraging as predictions like these may be, is too much focus placed on the North West’s biggest cities at the expense of smaller areas? Are we moving forward together as a region?

Another recent Centre for Cities report, commissioned by the BBC, revealed that North

If we want the success of our cities to be shared with surrounding places there has to be a plan.

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Region-wide success Focus

“The language and vision needs to change to one of collaboration. Places need to be understood in a regional network, not as some random collection of winners and losers.”

For Wharton it’s a case of smaller towns and areas recognising their unique selling point (USP), and he highlights Birchwood Park as “probably the strongest out-of-town business park in the North West”.

“What’s it got? It’s got great motorway access – not every company wants to be city centre based,” he adds.

“Companies have to be more accessible to a workforce which might have to be a bit more mobile.

“Ultimately it can come down to parking, motorway access and great amenities including gyms and cafés.”

But as Dr Christopher Dent, senior lecturer in economics and international business at Edge Hill University, explains, these smaller cities and towns can’t do everything.

“Their size limits them and they need to be quite clever when choosing niches which they can specalise in,” he says.

In an effort to help regenerate some of the North West’s struggling town centres, both Greater Manchester and the Liverpool City Region’s metro mayors have announced initiatives during the last 12 months.

Mayor Burnham’s Town Centre Challenge invites local authorities to bring forward a town centre of their choice, along with the plans they

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The language and vision needs to change to one of collaboration.

Places need to be understood in a regional network, not a random collection of winners and losers.

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are seeking support to deliver, in order to address specific issues which have limited investment and redevelopment.

Stockport became the first to submit a nomination with proposals including a new multi-million pound transport hub, redevelopment of the town’s retail heart and new town centre living.

Bolton, Wigan, Bury, Tameside, Trafford and Salford councils have also proposed Leigh, Prestwich, Stalybridge, Stretford and Swinton respectively for the initiative.

Meanwhile, Burnham’s opposite number at the other end of the East Lancashire Road has allocated £5 million of funding for the five boroughs outside of Liverpool.

Possible beneficiaries of Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram’s cash boost include Birkenhead, Southport, St Helens, Runcorn, Widnes, Kirkby, Prescot and Bootle.

“Liverpool city centre is the economic engine of our city region and we will continue to support its development with strategic investments,” said Mayor Rotheram, announcing the Town Centre Fund in July.

“But just as we must help our city to succeed, we must also ensure that every part of our region thrives as well.

“Across our region so many of our towns have untapped potential. Our high streets face new challenges, with new technologies and changing customer habits, and must change in order to survive.”

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Lawrence Saunders lawrence@movepublishing.co.uk

As numerous high street retailers continue to struggle in an increasingly difficult marketplace, the burden of business rates remains a hot topic.

The state of rates The UK high street is suffering its worst year on record with seemingly not a week going by without more bad news for a major retailer.

Recent figures released by accountancy and business advisory firm BDO LLP showed that in-store sales have been down in eight of the nine months this year to October.

House of Fraser, Marks and Spencer, New Look and Debenhams are just some of the established retailers to announce shop closures since the start of 2018.

Changing shopping habits, pressure from online rivals, slow rising wages and an over concentration of stores have all been blamed for the downturn, but for many retailers the issue of business rates is top of the list.

The British Retail Consortium, which considers 70% of the UK’s retail industry (by turnover) as a member, made forcing a “fundamental reform” of business rates one of its priority campaigns.

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rates review, retailers will pay an additional £2 billion over the next three years compared to the last three.

In March, the government made additional funding available to Sefton Council to help enterprises across the borough deal with large increases to their business rates. The local authority had handed out more than £500,000 by the start of November.

Meanwhile, in its recent Business Rates Manifesto, the British Independent Retailers Association (bira) proposed a change from a business rates “threshold” to an “allowance” system.

The organisation pointed to a drop in the average business rates bill for Amazon’s nine UK distribution centres, and an increase in rateable value for many retailers, as a sign that the current system does not promote an even playing field for businesses.

The manifesto highlights that although Amazon owns more than 200 million sq ft of warehousing in the UK, the online giant avoids having to

occupy high street premises and therefore does not attract the same level of rates as a typical shop.

In October, Sir Geoffrey CliftonBrown took bira’s proposal for a £12,000 allowance for small businesses to the House of Commons.

The Conservative MP said the policy change, based on the same principles of the personal allowance applied to income tax, would bring “instant relief to many thousands of hard-pressed retailers”.

It’s perhaps no surprise, therefore, that bira broadly welcomed the recent Budget which saw chancellor Philip Hammond cut rates by up to a third for businesses with a rateable value of £51,000 or below.

The chancellor also produced the new UK Digital Services Tax from his famous red briefcase.

Under the new levy, which could be in force from 2020, social media platforms, search engines and online marketplaces which generate £500m in revenue would pay a 2% tax on the

Photo: Paul Gillett / CC-BY-SA-2.0

Amid a backdrop of reports suggesting online behemoths like Amazon are paying far less than their smaller rivals, Move Commercial examines whether enough is being done to level the playing field and looks at broader concerns around the issue.

revenues they earn which are linked to UK users.

The tax will not, however, apply to online sales but instead to advertising income and streaming services.

The chancellor also announced a £675m Future High Street Fund aimed at improving transport links, redeveloping empty shops as homes and offices, and restoring and re-using old and historic properties.

Phil McCabe, spokesman for FSB (Federation of Small Businesses) Merseyside and Cheshire, said that small shops that cannot get Small Business Rate Relief will be “delighted with the significant discount”, but some North West commentators were less enthusiastic about how much of an impact the measures will have on the full gamut of retailers.

Following the announcement Richard Roberts, partner at Brabners called it “only a sticking plaster”; whilst Tim Attridge, head of UK rating at CBRE, argued that it didn't take into account “businesses with multiple sites

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Business rates Focus

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The outdated and unfair business rates system must be updated so that it works for all retailers - big and small - if we are to keep the high street open for business.

and those looking to grow”.

“The benefit of further funding and tax relief will be short-lived,” added Roberts.

“The outdated and unfair business rates system must be updated so that it works for all retailers – big and small – if we are to keep the high street open for business.”

The Local Government Association (LGA), the national voice of local government in England and Wales, welcomed the rate relief but appeared less enamored with the current system in place for business rates appeals.

The LGA’s warning comes as we approach 2020 – the year the government plans to increase the share of business rates English councils retain from the current 50% to 75%.

“It is imperative that the government finds a better way to deal with the impact of business rates appeals as we move towards greater local business rates retention,” the LGA said in its Budget 2018 briefing.

“Councils are currently having to take

billions of pounds away from already stretched local services to cover the financial risk and uncertainty arising from the backlog of appeals.”

In the lead up to the October Budget, the chief executive of Liverpool’s Chamber of Commerce CIC Group was adamant that a change to business rates was very much overdue.

“The business rates system in the UK is ripe for reform,” says Paul Cherpeau.

“It’s an antiquated system which adds to an increasingly bureaucratic and costly environment within which businesses have to operate, endure and adapt.

“Local authorities are clearly under financial pressure but rates cannot be seen as a cash cow from business to alleviate the challenges if it stifles occupancy, employment creation and the sustainability of the business itself.

“A more locally-focused and flexible business rates regime is required which is adaptable to our prevailing economic circumstances.”

One North West retail agent, which

regularly deals with high street and shopping centre lettings, suggests more subtle alterations to the current arrangement.

“In theory the business rates system still works,” says Dan Oliver, founder director of retail and leisure property agency Emanuel Oliver.

“The problems at present emanate from the delayed revaluation from 2015 which resulted in the revaluation occurring in 2017, thus leaving occupiers with rates bills in excess of where they should have been.

“The delay meant the 2017 rateable values were even more different to the 2010 values which created the need for transitional phasing arrangements where there was a large increase or decrease in rates payable.

“We regularly come across shops where the rate payable is in excess of the rateable value due to the transitional phasing arrangements.

“As time goes by this is becoming less frequent but revaluations need to take place every five years to minimise

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the need for transitional arrangements and ensure rateable values are in line with market values.”

Perhaps worryingly, Oliver has also observed a continuing North/South divide when it comes to rateable value assessments for retail property, which leaves the North effectively subsidising the South.

“We often see in North West towns’ rates payable figures for shops in excess of achievable rents (therefore rateable values are double what they should be), whilst at the same time we see available shops in London where the rateable value is half the quoting rent (therefore the rateable value is half what it should be),” adds Oliver.

“The rates system needs to be adequately resourced by experienced staff who understand the system to ensure values are correct and minimise appeals.

“Revaluations need to occur every five years and this needs to be set in stone so that politics can’t interfere with the timings.”

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Awards celebrations Key event Knowsley Business Awards 2018 The Knowsley Business Awards returned for its 16th year, celebrating successful individuals and organisations driving economic growth across the borough.

Held in a grand marquee in the grounds of Knowsley Safari Park, the 2018 celebration was the biggest yet with 850 guests in attendance.

Kier, the preferred construction partner for the area’s forthcoming Shakespeare North Playhouse, was the lead sponsor for this year’s event, which saw awards and highly commended accolades presented across 13 categories.

The panel of Knowsley Place Board judges also handed out a surprise Judges Choice Award to Prescot Ambassadors – a collection of independent retail and food and drink businesses – for their enthusiasm and commitment to the town centre.

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1. Commercial Development of the Year winners, Orbit Developments 2. The event featured spectacular entertainment 3. Danielle Flynn (Jaguar Land Rover Halewood) received the Apprentice of the Year prize 4. This year’s celebration had an Italian Masquerade theme 5. Prescot Amabassadors won the special Judges Choice Award

6. Edward Perry, chair of Knowsley Place Board 7. Beverston Engineering guests 8. The evening’s compere 9. Contractor of the Year winners, Krol Corlett Construction 10. The event’s well-dressed attendees enjoyed a drinks reception

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Diary Dates - Christmas Special 29 November

6 December

12 December

IoD North West Christmas Lunch

St Helens Chamber Christmas Quiz

Mulled Wine & Mince Pies Networking

Albert Square Chop House, Manchester city centre

Sticky Wicket Bar & Grub, St Helens

Park Inn by Radisson, Manchester city centre

The Institute of Directors (IoD) will reflect on 2018 success and look ahead to 2019 at this end of year celebration.

Guests will have an opportunity to connect with other business leaders in the region as well as enjoying a three-course festive lunch.

Tickets are available for members and nonmembers.

Get together with your clever colleagues and compete for prizes and the champion trophy during this evening of festive fun.

Teams with a maximum of four members can enter into the test of general knowledge.

Tickets are available to chamber members and nonmembers, with options for individuals and full teams on offer.

Ralli Solicitors LLP brings businesses together for a festive informal evening of networking from 5-7pm.

There’ll be complementary mulled wine and mince pies along with a selection of canapés, including vegetarian and non-alcoholic options.

Register for a free ticket to the event via Eventbrite.

In the know The Pomodoro Technique www.francescocirillo.com

Gift-giving to pace into 2019 Professional Pointers

with Professor Tony Wall

With the year nearing its end, Professor Tony Wall from the University of Chester’s International Centre for Thriving offers guidance on how to reward employees for their hard work throughout 2018 whilst motivating them for the next 12 months: Have you got your gifts sorted for December’s festivities? Whether you started months ago, are yet to start, or have other celebrations to deliver, you have probably wondered ‘what gift can we give at this time of year?’

A gift is worth more than a 1,000 words and can give us clues about the gift-giver: • The effort and consideration they’ve put in (or not) • What they value (and do not) • What they are thinking about (and are not) The act of gift-giving at important moments is therefore significant: the effects can be long-lasting, and sometimes never forgotten.

So here are three questions for gift-giving at this time of year: 1. How does the gift look under the light of what’s to come in 2019?

If Brexit is going to add financial pressures for your teams then might a more humble approach be more sensitive than a glittery extravaganza?

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2. How might the time/cost/energy of a one-off event be better used to support a change in the organisation which sparks and sustains wider wellbeing and job satisfaction?

One-off parties can have a positive ‘release’ effect, but employees may find much more value in changing the way things are done to make ‘daily life’ better. This speaks volumes and can energise for the longer term.

3. What do you want to leave people with moving into 2019?

What word in the mind, taste in the mouth, or feeling in the heart do you want to leave people with as they open the door to 2019? It seems to me that when these are in the heart and mind of the gift-giver, we feel valued and moved – and such a state can help pace us positively into 2019.

Once the festive season is in full swing it can be a distracting time at work, but there are deadlines to meet and projects to complete before the office closes for Christmas and celebrations can truly begin.

‘The Pomodoro Technique’ – a time management tool created by Francesco Cirillo and adopted by people around the world - can help you stay focused and on track.

A book and training courses are available but you can start using the method without making purchases.

It’s just a case of choosing a task you’d like to complete, setting a timer for 25 minutes and working on the task without interruption until the time runs out.

Then take a short break, around five minutes, to relax your brain before making a start on the next 25-minute ‘Pomodoro’ session.

Once four Pomodoros have been completed, reward yourself with a 20 or 30-minute break before the next round.

It aims to help eliminate burnout, manage distractions and improve work-life balance.

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Business lifestyle

How to…

bring festivities to the workplace

The countdown to Christmas can be a perfect opportunity to bring the workforce together for some festive fun, building team spirit and helping your business to end the year on a high.

Here are some suggestions for enjoying the season in the workplace:

Office ‘Secret Santa’

Tried & Tested Celebratory drinks Aether by The Alchemist Kenyon Steps, L1 Review by Liam Deveney If you’re looking to have your senses awakened over the festive period you need to pay a visit to Aether - the latest sibling of The Alchemist.

Offering not just drinks and snacks, the venue also provides an all-over sensory occurrence in opulent surroundings.

Enjoying a prime location within Liverpool ONE’s dining area, Aether’s stated aim is to provide the fifth element to your night out via attentive table service and a relaxed atmosphere, but, in truth, it delivers far more.

With a creative drinks menu encompassing the four elements - earth, water, fire and air Aether delivers an experience which surpasses any usual night out.

My companion and I visited Aether on a Tuesday evening, traditionally a lively night in Liverpool and one which Aether has embraced since its opening just weeks earlier. The vibe was warm and welcoming with some customers relaxing at the bar area and other parties sat in booths, where seemingly psychic and unobtrusive staff ensure that magical sounding beverages flow without interruption.

Manager Michael guided us through the drinks menu with an enthusiasm which was contagious – effortlessly whetting the appetite for the delights which lay ahead.

As a non-drinker, your reviewer opted for an Essence of Fire (£4.50). It was an alcohol-free Bloody Mary which was a spicy and wholesome

concoction, warming the stomach and the soul.

My companion tried an American Yellowbird (£11); a delicious bourbon-based cocktail served with a generous portion of melt in the mouth banana bread.

For our second round we each went nonalcoholic; my companion experimenting with Essence of Earth (£4.50), a truly sensational ‘gin’ and tonic created with 94 herbs, which made his taste buds sing. I plumped for Essence of Water (£4.50); a sublime marriage of apple, lime, elderflower and bitters presented with a shot of seawater and a pirate’s hat to transport the imbiber to the ocean waves.

My companion rounded the evening off with a Tornado (£10); a union of rum and lychees, presented with home grown leaves to add to the whirlwind sensation. I am reliably informed that it was both lively and refreshing, providing a fitting conclusion to events.

Our drinks were accompanied by a selection of extremely reasonably priced vegetarian bar snacks including chilli crackers (£1.50), Kalamata olives (£2) and cheese on toast popcorn (£1). All were delicious and the perfect accompaniment to the refreshments.

Aether somehow, incredibly, ticks each and every box as the perfect place for a Christmas night out and is certain to be a popular destination for partygoers during the Yuletide period, and beyond.

This increasingly popular Christmas gift-buying activity can be a great way to inject some seasonal fun into the final working weeks of the year.

Set a strict low budget, such as £5, to ensure everyone can take part and there’s a level playing field when it comes to choosing presents.

Selecting a theme for everyone’s gifts can also help when it comes to ensuring all presents are light-hearted, appropriate and inoffensive.

As well as bringing a bit of Christmas tradition into the office, Secret Santa can also be a great catalyst for employees from different departments to get to know each other. Drawing the name of the person you only ever pass on the stairs can provide an excuse to find out a little more about them.

Dressing up day

Whether you choose to wear Christmas jumpers or festive sparkles, changing the office dress code to something a little more seasonal for a day is an ideal way to have fun without disrupting work.

Perhaps it could also be an opportunity to raise money for a charitable cause during the time for giving, with each participating team member throwing one or two pounds into the fund.

Bring and share lunch

What better way to enjoy the Christmas season than dining together?

Christmas Allocate one lunch hour for a special festive team feast, with each member of the group bringing something to contribute to the spread – be it shop-bought snacks or their own seasonal baked creations.

It can be a great opportunity to bring all departments together to enjoy relaxed, informal chat without interfering with anyone’s hectic working schedules.

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Expert views Ask the panel The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recently warned of the threats of global warming exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius. In response, the UK Green Building Council’s chief executive, Julie Hirigoyen said the UK’s buildings account for around 30% of carbon emissions, adding: “It is also the industry with the most cost-effective means of reducing carbon emissions so it will be a vital catalyst for change in the wider economy.”

With this in mind, Move Commercial asks North West experts:

Q: How can the construction and property industry act quickly and effectively to cut down on carbon emissions?

I think it’s fair to say that since austerity was introduced there hasn’t been much enthusiasm in either the public or private sector market for reducing carbon emissions.

Many of the established certifications positioned themselves in the market as being all things to everyone. The outcome of this is costly, bloated and disconnected processes that many clients struggle to relate to or see value in during tough times.

Granted the European funding mechanisms expect commitment to the sustainability agenda, but current national government policy is, at best, ambiguous on the subject and it is hard to see where this will lead us as we leave the EU next year.

As we start to think about what the UK looks like over the next few years and how it will differentiate itself as a market leader for trade, perhaps the time is ripe for a fresh look at our approach to the sustainability agenda.

Kevin Horton, director, K2 Architects

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Our challenge is not that we don’t know what to do, but how to do it. Fantastic examples - such as the Enterprise Centre at the University of East Anglia - have an incredibly small carbon footprint in both construction and operation, all achieved using current, scalable technologies. As an industry we need to galvanise the political, financial and collective will to accelerate the roll-out of more carbonconscious construction projects.

Various national standards such as Building Regulations Part L and the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) seek to ensure that both new and existing buildings achieve ongoing improvements in their energy and carbon emission performance. An increasing number of developers, property businesses and other organisations are seeking to go beyond current national standards, however.

They are taking the initiative to implement change, such as procuring renewable and zero carbon electricity supplies for their assets or signing up to the UK Green Business Council’s major new programme ‘Advancing Net Zero’.

This programme seeks to drive the transition to a net zero carbon built environment in the UK. Following the IPCC’s recent report and the request from UK government for the Committee on Climate Change to provide advice on whether further action is

Devolution provides one platform for city regions to bring businesses, institutions and communities together on this. The partnership approach championed by the Manchester Climate Agency is a powerful example, with the construction and property industry bringing agencies together to tackle existing building stock.

The sector needs to embrace Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things to drastically reduce emissions by investing in education and training. By leveraging research and development such as Manchester Science Partnerships at the Bright Building, we can fully understand how working together can reduce the carbon footprint of buildings, transport and industry.

Steve Merridew, environmental design director, BDP

Our industry can only make a difference, and act quickly, by working together.

I believe the best way to achieve this is by getting everyone to sign up to a common process for change, with a deadline on results. This will then effectively implement a real difference and give guidance to the construction and property industry in not only cutting down on carbon emissions but to eradicate the use of plastics too.

It’s ambitious, yes, but achievable.

We at Aztec are fully committed to tackling the ecofootprint of the construction and property industry. As such, we are currently putting together a process which will contain a series of steps to take to effect real change in our collective eco-footprint, a process that we will be asking businesses to sign up to.

The time to take action is now, and by working together even this most ambitious goal is achievable.

Neal Maxwell, managing director, Aztec Interiors

needed to achieve the Paris Agreement’s ambitious goal of limiting climate change to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, such mandatory and voluntary measures can only increase.

Furthermore, there is a growing risk to assets from ‘no action’ and an increasing premium / market demand for more sustainable, energy efficient buildings.

James Blake, director of sustainability, Turley

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YOUR INVESTMENT AND DEVELOPMENT PARTNER Our 10 million sq ft investment portfolio is home to around 700 businesses around the UK. We specialise in finding buildings, estates and land with potential.

We provide workspace for start-ups and growing businesses through to international corporates, working closely with our customers to ensure the space is designed to help their business thrive.

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Close to shops, restaurants, Metrolink and other facilities and providing a variety of traditional offices as well as secure, self-contained buildings, ensures this welllocated business park appeals to a wide mix of customers. Only limited space is now available.

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We’re still investing. Still developing. And still growing

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Coward Edmunds Gallagher Fielding

NoĂŤl. jbleitch.co.uk