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LIVERPOOL CITY REGION CHESTER MANCHESTER
July-Aug 2012
FREE
MOVE COMMERCIAL The north-west’s guide to property and business
Issue 28
THE £1BILLION INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN
Five projects expected to create more than 16,000 jobs
MANCHESTER OFFICE MARKET
How the city is faring
The Department launches Merepark transforms iconic Lewis’s building into state of the art offices
Iconic offices in Central Liverpool
Over 70,000 sq ft of Grade A office accommodation. Large open floor plates of up to 17,750 sq ft. Part of Central Village retail and leisure development, incorporating Central Station. Available December 2012.
ken.bishop@dtz.com www.dtz.com +44 (0)161 236 9595
The_Department_Press_Ad.indd 2
neil.kirkham@cbre.com www.cbre.co.uk +44 (0)151 224 7666
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FLEXI-OFFICES FOR 1 TO 100 PEOPLE ACROSS LIVERPOOL CITY CENTRE MONTHLY INCLUSIVE RENTS EXCEPTIONAL VALUE FROM 1 MONTH TO 3 YEARS
CALL 0151 707 2666 OFFICES@DOWNING.COM
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Issue twenty-eight Move Commercial
Contents News 06 07 08 09 10
West Tower sold The Department launches 20 years of Armistead Landmark signing in Beijing Olympic success for Birchwood office scheme 11 Langtree makes a move on Old Trafford 14 Philharmonic £10m refurbishment plans 15 Baa Bar targets £5m expansion drive
Welcome to Move Commercial The government’s National Infrastructure Plan, announced in the Autumn Statement 2011, includes over 500 projects and is worth over £250 billion. We take a look at which projects affect the North West and discover how they’re progressing. With the Benmore Group set to be the latest company to get involved in the regeneration of Speke we shine the spotlight on South Liverpool and find out who the key players in the area’s revival are.
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We have interviews with RIBA’s Andrew Ruffler and CBRE’s Alex Russell and, as Liverpool business Littlewoods turns 80, we chat with brand director Gary Kibble to find how it all began. Plus we bring together three experts in the Manchester office market in our lunch debate and as always we’ve got all the biggest news from the North West business and property sectors.
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Features
16 Infrastructure update A look at the projects affecting the North West 19 Bitesize Thinking Food for thought 20 Rising Star CBRE’s Alex Russell talks to Move Commercial 24 Mover & Shaker Move Commercial meets RIBA’s Andrew Ruffler 28 Spotlight on Speke A look at how the area has been regenerated 30 Entrepreneur Smaller Earth founder Chris Arnold discusses how it all began 33 Lunch Debate Our experts discuss the Manchester office market 36 Founding Business Littlewoods’ brand director Gary Kibble chats to Move Commercial 36 Ask the Panel How will the HS2 benefit Manchester?
Key Events
move publishing ltd Advertising Director Fiona Barnet Tel: 0151 709 3871 Account Manager Jo Tait Tel: 0151 709 3871 Editorial Team Christine Toner. Email: christine@movepublishing.co.uk Tel: 0151 709 3871 Kate Hanratty. Email: kate@movepublishing.co.uk Tel: 0151 709 3871
Designer Rob Whyte. Email: rob@movepublishing.co.uk Published by Move Publishing Ltd Directors David O’Brien, Kim O’Brien, Fiona Barnet Printed by Precision Colour Printers Ltd Distribution Liaison Manager Barbara Troughton Tel: 0151 733 5492 Mobile: 077148 14662
23 Merepark launch The Department 26 Hitchcock Wright & Partners 20th birthday
Appointments 18 Who’s moving where?
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.
MOVE COMMERCIAL
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News Latest
Pugh launches latest catalogue
Anfield Business Centre opens A LOCAL business centre, sponsored by Paul Crowley & Co solicitors, is set to officially open this month. Anfield Business Centre is located in the former Department of Work and Pensions building on Breckfield Road South, which has undergone a £1 million refurbishment. The centre features high quality office space at affordable prices
Anfield Business Centre Reception
THE ONLY firm outside of London to appear in the top five auctioneers, Pugh & Company, is launching a new auction catalogue. Over 195 lots are up for grabs at Pugh’s latest auction. The lots will be offered over four days in Pugh’s auction halls in Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle and Liverpool. There will be a variety of properties on offer including a mix of vacant and tenanted residential properties, commercial sites, redevelopment opportunities and land. Paul Thompson at Auction
The Liverpool auction date is July 18 at Aintree Racecourse. The full auction catalogue is available for download now at www.pugh-auctions.com where you can also register your details, arrange a viewing or make an offer. Pugh & Co is the largest commercial property auctioneers in the north of England. To enter your property into Pugh’s next auction in September and to take advantage of the firm’s national and regional coverage and extensive database of buyers please call 08442 722444.
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MOVE COMMERCIAL
with modern conferencing facilities and organizers are confident it will attract new businesses to Anfield, helping to regenerate the area and pumping money back into the local economy. The offices are fully serviced and tenants will pay just one monthly inclusive fee. Chris Dunford, manger of Anfield
Business Centre, says: “ABC will be become an integral part of the North Liverpool business community providing a professional platform for both fledgling and established business'. The Business Centre enables companies to expand within the facility. Indeed, several more mature firms have already relocated to Anfield Business Centre taking advantage of our affordable brand new offices, and inclusive services such as free parking, and monthly rolling contracts. Paul Crowley, partner at Paul Crowley & Co Solicitors, says: “We’re sponsoring the centre because we’re very supportive of the fact that it’s bringing new business into the local area. It’s encouraging entrepreneurial, young start up businesses to have a base in Anfield which helps the local economy.” The official opening takes place on July 19th.
Liverpool’s West Tower sold A DEAL has been struck to sell Liverpool’s tallest building, West Tower. The building was formally placed up for sale in April with an asking price of £12.5 million. The buyer has not yet been named and the sale is expected to take around a month to complete. Martyn Green, director of Jones Lang La Salle, estate agent overseeing the sale said: “We are delighted with the outcome. We would like to do a sale like this every week. It has been hard work but all partners are very pleased.” Martyn said that there was a huge amount of interest in the 40 floor waterfront building with over 100 expressions of interest with enquiries coming from as far afield as America and Israel. Jones Lang La Salle eventually received 15 offers for the Liverpool skyscraper building.The tower was built by Liverpool developer Beetham but went into administration last year after the companies behind it failed to meet their bank borrowing requirements. West Tower has 123 apartments, 106 of which are unsold and mainly
let to tenants. The remaining 17 properties are owner occupied. West Tower also includes 12,500 sq ft of commercial space on the lower four floors and the prestigious Panoramic restaurant on the 34th floor. Panoramic, the occupiers of West Towers’ office floors and apartment residents are not affected by the administration and sale process. Administrators Les Ross and Martin Ellis of UK accountancy firm Grant Thornton appointed Jones Lang La Salle to deal with the sale of the building. It has been reported that Grant Thornton has paid council bosses £500,000 for ‘fresh air’. Beetham had been unable to sell 60 apartments in the tower because the building overhung a 36 sq m section of public highway. A deal to buy the land from the council for
£750,000 was made but the money was not received before West Tower was placed into administration. However the council has now confirmed it has agreed a deal with Grant Thornton for £500,000.
West Tower
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Latest News
Kingsley Associates celebrate fifth year A LEADING recruitment consultancy is celebrating its fifth and best year of trading in 2012. Kingsley Associates is a niche recruitment consultancy, specialising in the legal, construction and property sectors. The company was established in 2007 and has experienced continued growth year on year since. Caroline Kingsley, director of Kingsley Associates said: "The market has been difficult, but we have still managed to grow both the client base and the team. Having a background in the industry is a major benefit. We fully understand the client
and their business as well as each candidate and their specific needs." Caroline is joined by her husband, Andrew Kingsley, a chartered surveyor who has worked in the North West property market for GVA Grimley, Neptune Developments and CTP Ltd over the last 20 years. Andrew Kingsley said: "It is very satisfying when clients ask us to source candidates in other parts of the country such as Edinburgh or London, when they could use more local agencies. Our clients are obviously more than satisfied with the service we provide."
The recruitment consultants operate from their office in the plaza on Old Hall Street Liverpool. Their clients vary from small individual operators to large international organisations across the country. "When the opportunity arose to help expand the business further, it was not a difficult choice. The contacts we have both made over the years helps us forge new relationships and clients for the future," added Andrew. Caroline Kingsley was previously a building surveyor with EC Harris and GVA Grimley, before embarking on a career in recruitment.
Commercial awards THE NINTH annual Your Move Property awards 2012 will be held on 1 November in the crypt of the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral. Categories for nomination in the commercial sector include Best Commercial Agent, Best Commercial Deal and Best Commercial Scheme. Last year Neptune Developments won Best Commercial Scheme for its No.1 Mann Island development. The prestigious awards recognise excellence in property developers, agents, investors and housing associations across the North West. For more information about entering the awards or booking a table on the night please contact 0151 709 3871.
‘The Department’ launches
The Department CGI
REGENERATION property developer Merepark has formally launched some 75,000 sq. ft. of office space to the market. The office space, named The Department, is currently undergoing a major refurbishment in the former Lewis’s building in Liverpool and is the second largest speculative office scheme in the North West. The scheme is part of Merepark’s six-acre Central Village development which comprises the former department store, three hotels, retail outlets, restaurants, bars, cafes, a new public car park and extensive landscaped public spaces.
The refurbishment of the L-shaped grade II listed building has been partfunded by the European Regional Development Fund, and when complete will provide an Accor Adagio Apart Hotel and The Department Offices separated by a six storey atrium. The building will provide four main floors of Grade A office space, which can be accessed from the Plaza level of Central Village or independently from Renshaw Street. The high quality space will be air-conditioned with an entrance hall boasting an impressive full height Atrium. Merepark Construction Ltd is currently
undertaking the refurbishment works. Practical completion is due by the end of November 2012. DTZ and CBRE are the appointed letting agents and are marketing the Grade A space at £15.50 per sq. ft. Neal Hunter from Merepark said: “Central Village is an extremely complex scheme and after several years of hard work we are delighted to see both the hotel and offices taking shape. There has not been a building of this quality in this part of the city before and we believe the inherent strengths of The Department will ensure that it finds a successful niche in the Liverpool office market”.
MOVE COMMERCIAL
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News Commercial
20 years of Armistead A WIDNES building firm, which has succeeded in weathering recessions and tough economic climates to grow and diversify into other business markets, is celebrating its 20th birthday. Armistead Building Services specialises in energy solutions and construction as well as working in insurance restoration. “We’ve nurtured the business,” says managing director Dave Walker, who brought Armistead back to Liverpool from Lancaster in 1998 settling in Widnes a year later. “We seem to be very successful at helping in traumatic situations. We were heavily involved with the floods in Huyton last year when a main sewer collapsed, and we’re now involved with a number of blue chip insurance companies and are the first point of call for flooding and fire restoration.” Dave says the introduction of
Armistead ABS Chemdry, one of the newest additions to the Armistead umbrella, has helped. “It’s meant that when people have a flood, not only do we come and renovate the property for the insurance company and get it back to its former glory, we are also looking after that first stage of controlling the damage where the property needs drying out. We’re a kind of one stop shop in that respect,” says Dave. “We are always looking for new opportunities as well.” says Dave, who has seen a 50% growth in Armistead year on year since 2004. “That’s how we got involved in the green deal and launched Armistead Energy Solutions. There are a number of measures which can allow people to carry out renovations to reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption in the home and pay for it through their existing bills.”
Dave Walker
LIVERPOOL FIRM TAKE NEXT STEPS WITH RETAIL DEVELOPMENT LIVERPOOL wealth management firm Wilcocks & Associates has secured an option on a plot of commercial land on behalf of investors that could be worth up to £15m. The land in Sunderland was acquired for
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£1m and W&A, ran by Liverpool brothers Martin and Robert Wilcocks, has secured planning permission for retail use. Planning permission will allow the construction of a two-storey building in landscaped grounds. The family run
Liverpool firm is now in discussions with a number of third parties in regard to taking the next steps with the land. Martin Wilcocks said, “In particular we have one major fund manager involved who we are negotiating a purchase with subject to securing larger anchor tenants. ” The deal has been structured in such a way that will see all profit retained offshore and not liable to UK tax. However, Robert Wilcocks was keen to stress that this was not a tax avoidance scheme. He added: “The site is owned by a protected cell company that we Wilcocks & Associates set up and this sits Proposed Site Concept 3D underneath a
specialist offshore pension arrangement. This is a structure designed specifically for intergenerational wealth pass over to beneficiaries within a pension arrangement and it is entirely appropriate.” W & A are working in partnership with City Architects Condy Lofthouse to deliver the retail development. W&A based in The Plaza in Liverpool’s business district stated the retail development in Sunderland will have 186 parking spaces and estimated work on the site may begin as early as August 2012. W&A will be hosting a series of seminars on Qualifying Non UK Pension Schemes (QNUPs) on July 12. The seminars will take place at the W&A offices at 8am, 12 noon, 3pm and 6pm. They will also take place at a later date at the firm’s London offices on Dover Street, Mayfair. Anyone interested in attending should email martin@wilcocksassociates.co.uk or call 0151 601 4390
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Commercial News
Landmark signing takes place in Beijing A LANDMARK agreement between Peel Holdings and China to rubberstamp the development of the International Trade Centre in Wirral has been signed. Leader of Wirral Council, councillor Phil Davies, councillor Jeff Green, leader of the Conservative Group, and councillor Tom Harney, leader of the Liberal Democrats attended the signing along with Lindsay Ashworth, development director at Peel and Stella Shiu, Chairman of Sam Wa Minerals. Cllr Phil Davies said: “Today’s signing is a milestone in the development of the International Trade Centre. This afternoon I spoke to over 100 Chinese businesses who are already demonstrating real commitment to locating in Wirral. Today demonstrates our ambitions for proactively pursuing Chinese investment and will yield direct benefits for our local economy and the people of Wirral.” Stella Shiu, Chairman of multi-million dollar company Sam Wa Minerals said: “Today is a big move forward as we have been able to demonstrate national
and local Chinese government support as well as support from businesses and academics. The timing of this project is excellent as Chinese businesses are being encouraged to move out and invest overseas. Today’s success will make our vision a reality.” Lindsay Ashworth, Development Director at Peel said: “As far as the project is concerned the significance of today was not about signing the JV agreement with Sam Wa. We have developed a strong relationship over the last 4 years and this is merely the paperwork to support it. The real objective of the mission is about securing tenants and that was what today was all about. Today we have made a significant leap forward in delivering this project.” So far, Letters of Intent (the first commitment towards occupancy) for the ITC have been obtained from Chinese businesses accounting for 36% of the total floor space. This is before the project has been marketed widely in China.
Cllr Davies signing in China
Former roadside Little KAMES CAPITAL Chef Restaurants on INVESTS IN DEANSGATE the market POWELL WILLIAMS has been appointed to manage the refurbishment of 28,406 sq ft of 201 Deansgate in Manchester on behalf of the landlord Kames Capital. The five storey office block will undergo refurbishment of two vacant floors of office space, common areas as well as replacement of the buildings central air conditioning chillers and BMS system. The works estimated to cost £1.5million will commence in August 2012 with completion expected in December 2012. The upgrade is the latest phase of works from Powell Williams which
has been involved with the building over a number of years. Martin Hunt, partner for Powell Williams Chester office said: "This is a great commercial property located between the established Central Business District and the Spinningfields regeneration zone offering great floor plates in a central location. Following the corporate failure of a previous tenant from two floors we have the opportunity to undertake significant refurbishment works and create a space which can make its mark in the competitive Manchester marketplace."
Kames Capital, Deansgate
MOVE COMMERCIAL
FIVE FORMER Little Chef restaurants in key roadside locations across the North West and North Wales are now on the market. The properties are being marketed for sale and to let by Edward Symmons’ Liverpool as part of a wider disposal of 34 restaurants nationwide that were formerly occupied by the Little Chef chain. The properties, in Cumbria, Lancashire, Cheshire and North Wales are all located on major Aroads and are expected to attract a good level of interest. Robert Diggle, partner at Edward Symmons Liverpool, said: “These properties are well known landmarks on major A-roads and should attract interest from residential and commercial developers as well as tenants wishing to reopen them for café or restaurant use. We have already received a significant number of enquiries from tenants, owner occupiers and property speculators.’’
The properties on the market are located: • Along the A66 near Appleby in Cumbria, with a guide price of £85,000 or alternatively available to let at £10,000 per annum • At the Kinmel Road Service Station along the A55, available to let at £50,000 per annum • On the A51 near Littleton, outside Chester, available for sale with a guide price of £250,000 • Along the A65 in Newby, a village 20 miles outside Lancaster, available to let at £22,500 per annum • In Trewern just over the Wales border, in a roadside location along the A458, available to let at £25,000 per annum For further information please contact Robert Diggle at Edward Symmons on 0151 236 8454. 9
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News Sales & Lettings
Lease agreement on Appleton Industrial Park
Alex Smylie
UNIT B on Appleton Industrial Park has been let to Francis Flower Ltd, on a new three year lease. DTZ, part of UGL Services, a division of UGL Limited, acting on behalf of High Row Storage Ltd, has successfully agreed the letting of an average rent of £3 sq ft on the 21,000 sq ft industrial unit in Warrington. Alex Smylie, senior surveyor at DTZ in Manchester commented: “Occupier demand remains robust in prime distribution locations such as Warrington and is demonstrated by this latest letting where the building was vacant for less than one month.” Francis Flower is the trading name of the Gurney Slade Lime & Stone Company Limited. The family business, which was formed in 1953, is one of the major suppliers of limestone powders for industry. DTZ is now combined with UGL Services, a division of UGL Limited. The combined business of DTZ and UGL Services is now one of the largest property services companies in the world. DTZ is also marketing two further units of 16,000 and 27,000 sq ft with large yards at Appleton Industrial Park.
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Commercial investments up for auction A TELECOMMUNICATIONS mast and a former public convenience building are amongst the 109 properties up for grabs at Sutton Kersh's next auction. The event will take place on 12 July at the Liverpool City Centre Marriot Hotel from 12 noon. Amongst the lots on offer is a portfolio of high yielding commercial investments for which Sutton Kersh is acting as a joint agent alongside Mason Owen. The portfolio comprises a mix of retail and commercial investments and a telecommunications mast which is let to Vodafone on a 15 year lease for £9,000 per annum. 19 and 21 Williamson Street in Liverpool City Centre will be offered as lot 56. The premises comprise two retail units arranged over ground and first floors and currently produce a yield of £32,000 per annum. 21 Williamson Street is let to Cheveux Limited on a 5 year lease and 19 Williamson Street is vacant. The units are for sale as a whole
and carry a guide price of £400,000+. Also for sale in the catalogue is the freehold of a substantial town centre retail investment in South West Manchester. The premises are located at 7, 9, 11-13 and 17-19 Leicester Street and Barons Quay in Northwich town centre and comprise three retail units with ancillary first floor accommodation and a vacant retail premises to the rear of Leicester Street on Weaver Way. The units currently generate a yield of £65,000 per annum and carry a guide price of £400,000 - £435,000 per annum. James Kersh, director at Sutton Kersh commented “This is the biggest catalogue to be offered in Merseyside for over four years.
Many of the commercial units we are acting on with Mason Owen offer a guaranteed income and all carry very reasonable guide prices showing attractive returns on investment. There are also many cheap residential investments up for grabs.” Sutton Kersh are now inviting instructions for their next auction which will take place on the 6 September.
Williamson Street
Olympic success for Birchwood office scheme FOSTER CARE ASSOCIATES has acquired Unit 3, a 5,286 sq ft office building, at Olympic Park, Birchwood for an undisclosed sum, in a deal which makes it the fifth sale to complete at the
scheme within the last 12 months. Jones Lang LaSalle and joint agents Matthews & Goodman were instructed, on behalf of retained clients, to sell seven properties within the high quality office
Birchwood, Olympic Park
scheme. With a total of 23,895 sq ft recently being sold, a further 6,195 sq ft currently under offer and just one unit of 4,090 sq ft remaining, Olympic Park has been one of Warrington’s success stories of over the last year. Olympic Park is set in 10 acres of landscaped grounds and has 16 onsite office buildings built to a BREEAM accreditation. USC Group, Sovereign Blinds and D2 Trading Ltd are among the businesses already operating from the premises which is close to the M62 and M6. Claire Johnson, of Jones Lang LaSalle’s office agency team, said: “We are delighted with the number of freehold transactions completed at Olympic Park and elsewhere across the North West. Since January 2011 Jones Lang LaSalle’s office agency team has completed 21 sales totalling 127,734 sq ft demonstrating that there is still demand by occupiers to purchase, albeit at competitive levels.”
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Sales & Lettings News
Bruntwood secures letting with Bosch BRUNTWOOD has secured a letting with business process outsourcing specialist Bosch Communication Centre at its flagship building, The Plaza. Bosch will take a 16,500 sq ft of space on the eighth floor at North of England property group Bruntwood’s building on Old Hall Street. The outsourcing company was previously located in a 10,000 sq ft suite in Bruntwood’s Cotton House. The new suite has been completely refurbished and includes flexible floor plates, new social spaces and a canteen. The Plaza has undergone an extensive redevelopment since Bruntwood acquired the building in 2003. Among the £24m investment into the building is the £2.4m reception entrance relocation to St Paul’s Square. The letting means that The Plaza is now more than 85 per cent occupied, with circa 45,000 sq ft of refurbished space available to lease. David Seddon, head of sales at
Bruntwood, said: “This letting was one that was strongly contested in the market and it’s testament our flexible approach and commitment to providing the right office solutions for prospective and existing customers that we have secured this lease. “We recognise that customer’s business circumstances will change, whether it’s downsizing or in Bosch’s case, growing, and as a property partner our focus is on offering real flexibility and enabling customers to move across our portfolio.” John Milburn, general manager at Bosch Communication Centre UK, said: “We were looking for contact centre space that represented a high quality environment for our employees and customers. “As an existing Bruntwood customer, we’re pleased to continue this relationship at The Plaza, which offers us a highstandard, modern solution that meets our specification demands.”
The Plaza
GVA SECURES Langtree makes a DEAL AT move on Old Trafford PENRHYN COURT
LANGTREE Commercial Property has purchased a single let industrial building in a deal worth in excess of £1.6m with a private property company. The 27,350 sq ft self-contained modern industrial unit, which is situated in an unrivalled premier industrial location close to the Guinness Circle Roundabout on Trafford Park, is tenanted to CCF Limited, a subsidiary of Travis Perkins Group, until 2021. CCF, a distributor of interior building products to the construction industry, has 29 outlets throughout the UK and the Trafford Park outlet is regularly ranked as their best performing. Richard Ainscough, managing director of Langtree Commercial Property, said:
“We are delighted to have acquired unit B Guinness Circle in a deal reflecting a yield approaching 9%.” “Langtree CP is an active investor in properties like this and we’re keen to acquire more. We have a number of other possible acquisitions under consideration and I expect we’ll be doing more deals in the coming months. It’s certainly good to be on the continued acquisition trail.” Langtree specialises in development and investment earning them a property portfolio of over 4 million sq ft. Langtree currently operates nationally out of four offices in Merseyside, Doncaster, Cannock and Washington covering the North West, Yorkshire, North East, West Midlands and East Midlands.
INDEPENDENT commercial property consultant GVA has sold Unit C2 at Penrhyn Court, Knowsley Business Park, on behalf of Caddick Developments. North West paper merchant, Paper 4 Print, has purchased the 12,155 sq ft unit which benefits from a generous sized car park and large concrete yard area. Penrhyn Court
On the sale, Jonathan Lowe of GVA, said: “We are delighted Paper 4 Print have chosen Penrhyn Court, reconfirming our belief that it remains the premier industrial business park within Merseyside, providing high quality specification coupled with a substantial power supply and large self-contained yard areas. ” The business park is located to the South of the A580, the wellestablished estate has access to junctions 4 and 5 of the M57 motorway, linking through to the M62 motorway, the M58 motorway and the Liverpool conurbation. The scheme offers a range of semidetached and detached units, ranging in size from 5,715 sq ft to 20 Chapel Street 19,850 sq ft and available leasehold or for sale. MOVE COMMERCIAL 11
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Moving to a new pad? For an award winning service call the only law firm in Merseyside with the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme and Lexcel accreditations, Investors in People and Your Move’s Best Property Law Firm award.
Tel: 0151 264 7363 www.paulcrowley.co.uk
Authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA No: 75593)
12 MOVE COMMERCIAL
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Auction
18th July 2012 at 2pm Aintree Racecourse, Ormskirk Road, Aintree, Liverpool L9 5AS
Over 190 lots on offer across 4 venues including 24 CAE PERSON, LLANRWST, GWYNEDD LL26 0HS
8 SEABANK AVENUE, WALLASEY, WIRRAL CH44 1EH
8 DONEGAL ROAD, LIVERPOOL, MERSEYSIDE L13 5TA
71 MARLED HEY, LIVERPOOL L28 0QL
Two storey end terraced house.
Vacant three bedroom terraced house in need of modernisation.
Residential investment comprising a 2 bedroom terraced house let on a Regulated Tenancy producing £3,480pa.
Residential investment comprising a three storey four bed semi detached property let on an AST producing £6,600pa.
On behalf of Mortgagees
On behalf of Receivers
FORMER VEHICLE REPAIR UNIT, MUSKER STREET, CROSBY L23 0UB
43 CABLE HOUSE, CHEAPSIDE, LIVERPOOL L2 2DY
13 HEOL MEIRION, BARMOUTH LL42 1LA
19 BUTTERTON ROAD, RHYL LL18 1RB
Motor trade workshop approximately 451.49 sq m (4,860 sq ft) and adjoining yard.
City centre live/work unit used as offices extending to approximately 94.2 sq m (1,014 sq ft).
Vacant three bedroom semi-detached house.
Three storey mid terraced property.
On behalf of ATS Euromaster Limited
On behalf of LPA Receivers
Acting jointly with Connollys
On behalf of Mortgagees
104 SCARISBRICK NEW ROAD, SOUTHPORT PR8 6LR
1-3 OLINDA STREET, NEW FERRY, WIRRAL CH62 5DA
1 DIAL STREET, LIVERPOOL, MERSEYSIDE L7 0EH
22 MORECAMBE STREET, LIVERPOOL L6 4AX
Vacant six bedroom detached house.
Commercial property with planning consent for conversion to two flats.
Vacant two bedroom end terrace house.
Vacant two bedroom mid terraced property.
On behalf of Mortgagees
On behalf of LSL Corporate Client Department
Acting jointly with Reeds Rains
Now taking instructions for our September auctions, closing date 8th August
Please contact us for a FREE Auction Appraisal on
08442 722 444 www.pugh-auctions.com www.theauctionpeople.co
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Leisure News
Harvester at Liverpool’s Central Village
Liverpool’s Central Village CGI
THE DEVELOPER behind Liverpool’s £160 million Central Village scheme has attracted another big name brand to the city centre development. Mitchells & Butlers, which operate 1,600 restaurants and pubs across the UK, has taken 4,446 sq. ft. across two levels within the former Lewis’s building for its Harvester brand. Tony Palmer from Mitchells & Butlers said: “Central Village is an ideal space for our Harvester restaurant which targets retail and leisure hubs in city centre locations. We currently have three successful, traditional Harvester restaurants in the Liverpool area, and this letting marks our first move into the city centre.” The restaurant chain will be spread across the Plaza and
Upper Plaza Levels in Merepark’s multi million pound development and will sit alongside the 14,000 sq. ft. independent pan-Asian restaurant Cosmo and a 135-seat Prezzo restaurant around the new public realm. The refurbishment of the Lewis’s building, which is part funded by the European Regional Development Agency, is a central part of the development and will also see the unused upper floors brought back to life as 80,000 sq. ft. of offices and a 126-bed Adagio apartment hotel. The letting to Mitchells & Butlers marks the eleventh pre let to be secured at the scheme, which will create a new city centre leisure and entertainment hub. The innovative link, which will run through the
former Lewis’s building to connect Renshaw Street to the heart of the development, is also progressing, with the cut through work expected to be complete in a matter of weeks. Neal Hunter, associate director at Merepark, said: “Central Village is attracting a great deal of interest from leisure operators and the development already has a number of further exciting pre-lets in the pipeline. “We’re delighted to welcome Mitchells & Butlers on board, whose Harvester restaurants perfectly complement the offering already on the table at Central Village.” Central Village is expected to contribute £100 million to the city’s economy when it is complete and will create approximately 3,000 jobs.
Philharmonic £10m refurbishment plans THERE ARE plans for a £10 million refurbishment of the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall in time for its 175th birthday in 2015. Owners of the iconic hall on Hope Street want to improve facilities for audiences, musicians and make the grade II listed Art Deco landmark more environmentally and financially sustainable. The project will also include changes to the front of house areas, including the foyer, bar, toilets and improved backstage facilities. They have already secured £634,000 seed funding from Arts Council England to move forward their plans. Royal Liverpool Philharmonic chief executive Michael Eakin said: “In challenging economic times, when we are striving to drive costs down and income streams up, we greatly appreciate this investment from Arts Council England which will help us continue to build on our success in recent years. “Our artistic reputation has never been higher, and this award will help us
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achieve still more, by encouraging further growth in the amount of funding we bring in from private sources. I’m confident that this award will, indeed, act as a catalyst in attracting additional support.” Now the owners plan to appoint a design team of architects and surveyors to develop the initial phase of the project which, if successful in raising the estimated £10m needed, they hope to complete in time for the Phil’s 175th anniversary in 2015. Liverpool Philharmonic will be making major applications for public and private support in 2013. The Arts Council England’s funding award recognises Liverpool Philharmonic’s commitment to maximising its fundraising potential and finding new and
innovative ways to generate income to support its artistic activity. Liverpool Philharmonic generates over two thirds of its own income through sources including box office, orchestral engagements, broadcast and recordings, hires of Liverpool
Philharmonic Hall, bars and catering and fundraising. A new fundraising initiative Liverpool Philharmonic Challenge Fund supported by the Kenneth Stern Trust, launched in 2011 as a response to cuts in public funding.
Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
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Leisure News
Liverpool casino £2m makeover CASINO operator Genting will spend £2m refurbishing its Queen Square Genting Club Casino creating 20 jobs and 24 hour opening hours. The project will introduce a new 360 degree bar on a mezzanine floor above the gaming area which will serve champagne and cocktails. Paul Willcock, managing director for Genting UK’s provincial estate, added: “The redevelopment will make far better use of the space and will broaden the offering available to all of our customers. The refurbishment is part of a wider investment programme by Genting across its provincial estate.”
Genting Casino
The refurbishment will see the casino fitted with private booths, a dance floor and screens showing live sport. Punters will be offered facilities for blackjack, roulette, baccarat, a range of slots and electronic roulette machines and more poker tables. The club will remain open during the refurbishment which is due to be complete by August when the venue will be open 24 hours a day. Existing gaming facilities will be expanded and updated as part of the refurbishment, while a complete redesign of the internal layout is also proposed. General manager Carole Poulson said: “We have invested heavily in the design and creation of the new look club.”
Baa Bar targets £5m expansion drive CITY CENTRE CHAIN Baa Bar is planning to double its portfolio of ten bars over the next five years in a £5m expansion drive. The company which was founded as a single bar in 1991 in Liverpool's Fleet Street, currently operates five units in Liverpool, four in Manchester and one in Nottingham.
Baa Bar plans to spread the brand to a further three UK cities in 2012, including Leeds, Sheffield and Birmingham, bucking the trend of closure that has rippled through the industry. The group employs more than 320 people and had a turnover of £11 million in 2011.
Baa Bar
Richard O’Sullivan, chairman of Baa Bar said: “It’s a credit to the team and our customer’s loyalty that Baa Bar has proven to be so resilient through the last four years of economic challenge. This is also in no small measure down to the support of Yorkshire Bank who continued to show faith in us, despite the constant challenges faced by the sector”. The brand carved out its identity by making a clear commitment to value, experience and innovation which is reflected in affordable drinks prices, a dynamic image and dedication to improvement of the customer experience. It’s still viewed as a cool independent operator in a market generally populated by branded chains. Richard O’Sullivan added: “We aim to double the number of operations to 20 venues over the next 5 years, maintaining our independent feel while opening in new cities where our customers are keen to see us!”
UK’s first indoor caravan park at Camp & Furnace A NEW KIND of venue has opened in Liverpool. The Camp & Furnace is an event space and indoor outdoor event park with the UK’s first indoor caravan park hotel on its way. The Greenland Street destination has been developed to accommodate a variety of uses from large scale conferences to club nights, photography shoots and pop up restaurants. The venue is the brainchild of a group of friends who run businesses in the city’s Baltic Triangle including investors from Architects FVMA, design agency Smiling Wolf and Elevator Studios. The group saw potential in transforming vast Victorian factories and industrial spaces into an independent creatively led concept incorporating architecture, art, music, design, food and hospitality. There are two photography studios for TV and film and the Blade Factory is the venue's late night offering. Ian Richards, manager of the venue said: “Camp & Furnace is the
antithesis of the elitism that’s so prevalent these days. We prefer to champion the local and the authentic. We’ve made a village like environment and we hope that people will respond positively.” Camp & Furnace even has its own brew ale Brown Bear, developed in conjunction with Liverpool Craft Brewery. CAMP, the UK’S first indoor caravan park hotel is currently in development and will launch later
this year. Miles Falkingham, director of Camp & Furnace, said: "We'd all enjoyed a decade or so of going to festivals and wondered what it would look like, if we took all of the best bits and brought them together under one roof. "It was massively important to us to retain that outdoor aesthetic; we wanted to keep that feeling of being in a field with your friends, but in a city centre location." Camp & Furnace
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By Kate Hanratty kate@movepublishing.co.uk
The government’s National Infrastructure Plan 2011 includes over 500 projects and is worth over £250 billion across the UK. The government is investing heavily in highways and rail to upgrade creaking transport systems across the country. Move Commercial looks at key projects coming up in the North West and the striking impact the investment will have on the region’s economy. These five projects alone represent more than £1billion worth of investment in the region which is expected to create more than 16,000 jobs in the North West over the course of the works.
Improving our infrastructure MERSEY GATEWAY BRIDGE What the project involves The £600 million project is a plan to create a six lane toll bridge over the Mersey between Runcorn and Widnes to relieve the congested ‘Runcorn’ Silver Jubilee Bridge.Over 80,000 vehicles currently use the bridge every weekday which is ten times the number it was originally designed for. This traffic puts the bridge under severe pressure. Maintenance work is required to keep it operating and the impact of closure because of these works or the increasing number of incidents affects millions of people who use the bridge daily. Work is expected to start late 2013 and complete late 2016. What it means for the region Travellers will have to pay an expected £1.50 toll to travel across the bridge but official figures have not yet been set. It is expected that the project will create the equivalent of 470 permanent full time jobs on site during the construction phase and 4,640 permanent new jobs as a result of the operation of the Mersey Gateway, regeneration activity and inward investment. Once complete journey time will be more reliable, improved by up to ten minutes in 16 MOVE COMMERCIAL
peak periods and it’s expected that there will be reductions in the cost of accidents of up to £39 million. The council is currently at procurement stage with three big multinational companies to take on the scheme.
EXPANSION OF THE MERSEY MULTI MODAL GATEWAY What the project involves The Mersey Multimodal Gateway is a warehouse and logistics hub in Widnes which deals with the movement and storage of goods. It has infrastructure features including rail access from the West Coast Mainline; rail connected warehousing, an intermodal terminal facility where truck trailers or shipping containers can be moved from rail lines to truck or vice versa and daily rail links to key deep sea ports. The site has secured £9 million from the Regional Growth Fund to help develop rail infrastructure in the region. The expansion will realise the potential for developing a major new rail/road freight handling and logistics park covering roughly 180 hectares. It will build upon the established assets of the location to create a sustainable 21st century freight park which will act as a flagship for the region.
What it means for the region Working together the Stobart Group, Prologis and Halton Borough Council will expand the Widnes freight park, reclaim acres of contaminated land and create up to 5,000 new jobs for local people. They will also attract more blue chip retailers to the borough and make the movement of freight more sustainable.
WESTERN GATEWAY INFRASTRUCTURE SCHEME AT PORT SALFORD What the project involves The highway works in connection to Port Salford and the wider Salford Gateway Scheme are known as the Western Gateway Infrastructure Scheme. The works include improvements to the M60 motorway between Junctions 10 and 11 and a new road link between the A57 and the Trafford Centre. There will be a new lift bridge over the Manchester Ship Canal and provisions will be made to allow for the future expansion of the public transport system. The completion of the highways scheme will allow the development of the full Barton Strategic Employment Site to be realised and is still in the planning process at the moment.
What it means for the region The highway works are required as part of the £400 million Port Salford development to reduce traffic on local roads and to relieve peak time congestions on the M60 Barton Bridge. Port Salford has planning approval for developments which will take freight traffic off roads by connecting road, rail and canal. The development of the site will employ up to 1,170 staff and support up to 2,350 job regionally. Port Salford is a key project which aims to significantly reduce the cost of import and export for Northern companies and consumers by using northern ports instead of Southern, over 150 million road miles could be saved realizing a significant congestion benefit and carbon saving.
MANCHESTER AIRPORT RELIEF ROAD What the project involves The £290 million A6 to Manchester Airport Relief Road will extend the current 4 km A555 on the eastern side to the A6 at Hazel Grove and the western side to Manchester Airport resulting in a 10 km long two lane dual carriageway. There will be new sections of road built from the
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National Infrastructure Plan Update
A6 at Hazel Grove to the eastern end of the existing A555 at Woodford Road. A pedestrian and cycle route is proposed for the whole length. £290 million funding is made up from a contribution of £165 million from Government, £29 million from the Greater Manchester Transport Fund, and £7 million from Manchester Airport. What it means for the region The relief road will improve access to south east Manchester, benefiting both communities and the local economy, in particular assisting the potential growth of Manchester Airport and Airport City as well as areas of Manchester, Stockport and Cheshire East. It is expected that it will contribute to more than 5,000 new jobs due to improved connectivity between labour and business markets. A planning application is being submitted before the end of 2012, a contractor should be appointed in 2013 followed by a start on site in late 2014.
MANCHESTER CROSS CITY BUS SCHEME What the project involves A £54m scheme to improve bus links in Manchester will see improvements across 18 miles of roads. Bus lanes will be extended to improve public transport links on three major bus routes. Cars will also be banned on a half a mile stretch of Oxford Road to ease congestion. The plans will provide improvements along routes between Middleton, East Didsbury and Salford and create the first direct bus link between Salford and South Manchester. Cars will be banned from the section of Oxford Road between MMU and Central Manchester Hospitals and also along a section of Princess Street and two roads near Piccadilly Gardens. After final approval from The Department of Transport in March work can now begin on the project which is expected to be finished by 2015. What it means for the region The plans will improve employment opportunities for people in the city and deal with the fact that very few bus services cross the centre of Manchester. The bus corridors being improved will give people increased access to employment opportunities around the universities and also access to the Central Manchester Hospitals.
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Appointments Warner Estate backs Black
Jonathan Black
Jonathan Black has been appointed as senior asset manager by Warner estate and will be responsible for the Ashtenne Industrial Fund’s North West portfolio. Black joins the company after working for MEPC where he was head of leasing at Birchwood Park, Warrington. The recruiting of Black represents continuing investment into Warner Estate’s Liverpool office, which also manages the assets of the Space Northwest portfolio. Jonathan said of his new role: “I am very pleased to have joined Warner Estate within the Ashtenne Space Northwest team. The business has a flexible approach to leasing and recognises the importance of building relationships with its customers.”
WHR celebration Independent property consultancy WHR, is celebrating its eighth year in business by expanding its Manchester-based practice. The consultancy has recruited three new senior appointments. John Edwards has set up WHR’s new building division, Alan Watson as senior surveyor in the building team and Graham Aitkenhead has become a partner in WHR’s professional team.
New RIBA president Stephen Hodder has been confirmed as the next President of the Royal Institute of British Architects. Stephen will become elected President on 1 September 2012 and will take over the two-year presidency from Angela Brady on 1 September 2013.
Stephen Hodder
Stephen Hodder said: 'I am extremely pleased to be confirmed as the elected President of the RIBA. I look forward to helping to deliver an ambitious programme of work to support our members and encourage the wider public to greater appreciate the social and economic benefits good architecture can bring.
Kinglsey strengthens team
Kate Goldstein and Andy Kirk
Alan Watson, Harry Skinner, Graham Aitkenhead, Gareth Buckley, John Edwards and James Preston
John Edwards says: “WHR has a very strong reputation within the property industry with an impressive client list, which complements our existing high profile clients who include Wilson Bowden Developments and AIB International. I am very excited to have this opportunity to provide another level of service for the firm.” 18 MOVE COMMERCIAL
Kingsley Associates, the recruitment consultancy have strengthened their team with two new appointments. Kate Goldstein is now a legal consultant for the recruiters who specialise in legal, property, construction and business support. Andy Kirk has also joined the team from William James, Manchester. Andrew Kingsley, director at Kingsley Associates said "After a record first half of the year, we are delighted to expand our team even further. I have no doubt that Kate and Andy will thrive in their new positions to serve all our existing and new clients throughout the North West."
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Move Commercial Bitesize thinking
PETER LINFORD director, Nobles Construction:
In my crystal ball…
Peter Linford
The public purse strings will remain tight for the foreseeable future but we will begin to see greater investment in critical infrastructure and housing. The UK’s road network is constantly under pressure and the coalition’s continued advancement of plans for High Speed 2 demonstrates a central commitment to delivering upgraded public transport facilities. Meanwhile, the ongoing housing shortage, which current estimates predict will represent a shortfall of 750,000 in England alone by 2025, means that the government will be compelled to ramp up homebuilding activity through a variety of schemes. It’s important for Nobles that we’re equipped to respond to these developing needs and grasp opportunities as they arise.
£82m
The Government has announced young entrepreneurs will be able to gain access to around £82m worth of loans to help them launch a business. Prime Minister David Cameron said he hoped the StartUp Loan scheme for 18 to 24-year-olds could lead to 30,000 more start-ups in the UK. The initiative will fund loans worth on average £2,500 to entrepreneurs with a robust business plan.
&
Home Away
FAVOURITE BUILDINGS Bob Marley, construction director, Denizen Contracts
If only I’d known… In the early 90s I was a site manager for Tysons Construction - Liverpool’s premier contractor of its day. This was just prior to the city centre residential boom and I was working on a refurbishment scheme creating a new HQ for a well-known housing association. The site was quite restricted but we managed to agree to rent one of the adjacent buildings as our Site Office. Over the course of the job I came to know the building owner quite well and one day he offered to sell me the building for £25k, which obviously, as a young site manager, I couldn’t afford. Some five years after we had completed the job I bumped into the guy next to the building which had now been developed into a luxury apartment scheme. He rather modestly told me that he’d sold the site two years after our conversation for over £2 million – I could have done with a crystal ball on that day!
‘Pre-plan’ Buzzword Meaning: What do you do when you want to prepare for something? You plan. Ah, but what do you do when you want to prepare for that plan? You guessed it, you “pre-plan.” “Pre-planning” – when simple planning is not enough and one must in fact plan one’s plan - is a favourite amongst manager-types,
Vital statistics
up there with the likes of “110%” and “going forward”. Of course there’s really no such thing. Either you plan for something or you don’t. Preplanning is exactly the same as planning just with a jargon twist. But then business jargon wouldn’t be business jargon if it wasn’t utterly pointless would it?
“The Port of Liverpool Building is my favourite building in Merseyside. The architecture and construction is
spectacular. I worked on a project in the Port of Liverpool and its design and architecture struck me every single day. The central dome and four corner columns are impressive. The detail at the high level eaves is fantastic; it is a standout building. Much of its interior is hand carved and its marbled staircase brings to mind Liverpool’s rich heritage as a port city.”
The Port of Liverpool Building
Colosseum, Rome
For his favourite building away, Bob chose the Colosseum in Rome. “Rome is one of my favourite cities and the Colosseum rivals any building I’ve ever seen. It is a remarkable feat that a structure this complex and intricate was built almost two thousand years ago. It has features that with today’s modern construction equipment would be simple to install but back then it was a real triumph of architecture and engineering.” MOVE COMMERCIAL 19
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By Christine Toner christine@movepublishing.co.uk
Alex Russell, associate director at CBRE tells Move Commercial how he’s achieved so much so soon and how it feels to be working for his dream company.
Speeding to success
20 MOVE COMMERCIAL
CBRE is one of the biggest name in commercial property and certainly one of the most well known in Alex’s native Manchester. I’m interested, then, to know how it feels to join such a goliath in the industry. “It’s fantastic,” he says. “I think I was always quite clear that I believed WHR and CBRE were two of the very best practices in Manchester, and the only place I would have considered leaving WHR for would be CBRE. So when
any interested parties,” he says. “The instructions I am looking after include some of the highest quality buildings in Manchester city centre, working for clients such as Bruntwood, Ask, Climate Change and Capital, Himor, Deka and Muller International, in addition to working on top quality schemes out of town for clients such as Peel and Moorfield.” The buildings and developments that Alex is involved are indeed
“
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As a youngster, Alex Russell was something of a speed junkie with a passion for Go Karting. So much so that when he graduated from Nottingham Trent University in Real Estate Management and Property Development he took a year out, spending twelve months racing in the Formula Renault Series in Italy. While he may not have made it as the next Jenson Button, Alex did have another passion, one he would go on to excel at. “My father owns a property company and he was always keen for me to do a bit of work experience during the school holidays,” says Alex. “When I was 16 I did some work experience with a firm of property surveyors called EP2 – that was probably the first time I realised that I’d be interested in becoming a surveyor and working within the property industry. I knew that if the racing didn’t work out this was what I wanted to do.” After graduating in 2004, Alex got a job at Dunlop Haywards as a graduate surveyor where he stayed for 18 months before being approached by WHR Property Consultants. He stayed there for five years before moving to CBRE in January this year.
I knew that if the racing didn’t work out this was what I wanted to do.
I got the position here I was absolutely delighted.” At CBRE, Alex’s role involves assisting the head of the Manchester office with the day to day running of the office agency team. “On a daily basis I’m responsible for liaising with clients, updating them on the phone and in meetings with regards to current interest in their buildings as well as maintaining constant dialogue with
some of the best the city has to offer. With such high profile work, then, it would be easy to think this must be a career high for 30-year old Alex. So what would he say is his proudest moment? “Career wise, probably being involved with Belvedere from the very start,” says Alex. “And then within a 12-15 month period, letting 70,000 – 80,000 sq ft within the building. Doing that
from such a young age, dealing with such a high quality building and being at the forefront of the deals from start to the finish, generating the interest and then seeing it right through, building on my reputation and developing relationships with the key funds.” Of course, most careers have some lows as well as highs. For Alex, who has achieved so much in a relatively short amount of time, I’m intrigued to know if he has any regrets. Perhaps unsurprisingly, he hasn’t. “I wouldn’t say I have any regrets, I’d say everything is an experience,” he says, “I'm proud of how quickly I've risen in the market and the fact that I’ve built my own reputation. In my early career I was always linked to my father and his company. A lot of people told me not to work in Manchester, suggesting I should go to London instead to make my own way, but I've always loved Manchester so it was a challenge to take that on and make a name for myself without going into the family business.” Alex says he has also really enjoyed getting involved in the tenant rep work. “The day to day work is letting buildings for the clients and that takes up the vast majority of time. But at CBRE we work for occupiers
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Alex Russell, associate director at CBRE Rising Star too, so we act for the tenant to acquire offices throughout the North West. This allows us to see the market from both sides and gain a sound understanding of how it all works, working closely with our building surveyors.” Looking ahead Alex is optimistic about the future, buoyed by what he sees as an improvement in the commercial market over the last twelve months. “I think the market has picked up in comparison to last year,” he says. “We have just finished the take up for the first quarter and the numbers are up compared to the same period last year, so that's a positive sign. “Another good thing from our point of view is that there are a number of larger occupiers looking for space in the market, with requirements for Jacobs, Aviva and Bupa. Everybody is obviously trying to pursue these quite closely. We didn’t really have the larger requirements last year – there was KPMG in Manchester and Weightmans in Liverpool, but they were few and far between last year. There are three or four larger occupiers now that people can get their teeth stuck in to and fingers crossed we have the quality to secure them.” Looking to the future, Alex says: “I have my five-year plan and I can see that there is great potential for me here at CBRE. To be honest I try not to look further on than that. My plan is to improve my reputation and relationship with clients and grow within CBRE, cementing our position as the number one office agency team in the North West.”
Russell File DOB: 15.06.82 Education: King’s School, Macclesfield Nottingham Trent University Career: Dunlop Haywards WHR Property Consultants CBRE
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Lewis’s building set to reopen Key events
Lewis’s becomes ‘The Department’ With the iconic Lewis’s building set to reopen this year developers Merepark invited guests to a launch party amid the dizzying heights of the Radio City Tower. As part of the Liverpool Central Village Scheme Lewis’ will reopen as ‘The Department’ a four storey high specification office building. It will provide four main floors of office space, which can be accessed from the Plaza level of Central Village or independently from Renshaw Street. The space will have an entrance hall boasting a full height atrium. DTZ and CBRE are the appointed letting agents and are marketing the space at £15.50 per sq ft. The Lewis's building is one of Liverpool's best known landmarks, rebuilt in neoclassical Portland stone after the Luftwaffe destroyed it in the 1941 Blitz. Merepark Construction is due to complete the refurbishment by the end of November. 1
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1. Jane Wyche, Merepark, Geoff Goodman, Aedas and Sophie Roberts, Merepark. 2. Andrew Gardiner, TSG Property Consultants and Ian Jones, Merepark. 3. Richard Peel and Neal Hunter both Merepark. 4. Steven Richardson, CBRE and David Trippier, Merepark. 5. Jo Tait, Move Publishing and Neil Kirkham, CBRE. 6. Nick Harrop, Hitchcock, Wright and Partners, Tony Reed, Keppie Massie, Brian Ricketts, Hitchcock, Wright and Partners and Andrew Byrne, Keppie Massie. 7. Helen Moss, Jones Lang La Salle, Robin Evans, Matthew & Goodman and Nick Rice, Rice Consulting. 8. Robert Diggle, Edward Symmons and Rupert Lowe, SGP Property. 9. View of the department from the Radio City Tower. 10. Robin Evans, Matthew & Goodman, Gavin Thomas, CBRE and Steven Richardson, CBRE. 11. Stuart Keppie, Keppie Massie and Paul Unger, Place North West.
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By Kate Hanratty kate@movepublishing.co.uk
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) champions better buildings, communities and the environment through architecture. The institute has 2800 individual members in the North West alone, making it the second largest region outside of London. Move Commercial spoke to the new director of RIBA in the North West, Andrew Ruffler, about the challenges facing the sector and the latest developments in the field.
Building innovation
24 MOVE COMMERCIAL
leadership and help our members with their business development, which is key in the current climate.” The current climate, of course, is presenting challenges across all areas of the business world. Latest figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that the country’s economy has fallen into the first double-dip recession since 1975. Amidst this doom and gloom economy how has the recession hit North West Architects? “For architects the market certainly is challenging right now in terms of identifying a project,” says Andrew. “The competition is tough. Architecture is not regional, and to some extent it’s not even national, it’s international. Architects have to be clever, creative and innovative in the way they’re trying to find projects and deliver them. I think business development is key. There is also a desire to look at new sectors and new technologies.” One piece of technology is particularly high on the agenda for RIBA. Building Information Modelling (BIM) provides a complete solution for the planning, design, construction and management of building, infrastructure or plant projects. RIBA is aiming to encourage industry-wide use of BIM. “We’re trying to provide as many opportunities for practices big and small to get involved with BIM,” he says. “It’s a one stop shop technology for delivery of buildings. It takes you away from the artist’s sketch board and some of the pre existing technology and really moves into the 21st century.” Andrew has a career background in sales, marketing and business development for big companies
such as Shell, BASF, Manchester Investment Development Agency Service (MIDAS) and The Merseyside Partnership. His role as director of RIBA not only involves looking after RIBA members’ interests but also overseeing public events promoting North West architecture. One part of these public event, which have been particularly effective at promoting Liverpool’s architectural history, is Liverpool’s city tours, which put the spotlight on key buildings that form the contemporary Liverpool landscape.
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The competition is tough. Architecture is not regional, and to some extent it’s not even national, it’s international.
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Liverpool is full of architectural brilliance. Home to some of the most impressive buildings in the UK – including the Anglican cathedral (the largest in the country) and the award-winning Liverpool ONE development – the city is renowned for both its innovation and its history. It is perhaps fitting then that RIBA chose Liverpool as the base for its North West headquarters. As the primary professional body for architects in the UK, membership of RIBA is recognised around the world as a symbol of professional excellence and quality in architecture. Wirral born and bred, RIBA North West director Andrew Ruffler explains RIBA’s remit. “RIBA has a number of strategic priorities, including delivering a service to our membership, which is huge in the North West and promoting the value of architecture and good design more widely to the general public. We try to get the public engaged and involved in architecture. The majority of our activities and programmes are set up on that basis.” Despite public engagement being high on RIBA’s list of priorities Andrew says it is important that the organization does not lose sight of the fact that it is a membership organisation and as such its primary focus is serving the needs of its members. “We need to be delivering services that members are going to want to continue to pay their membership fee for whether that is lectures, continuing professional development (CPD) or business development opportunities,” he says. “We seek to provide the right tools and the right events to provide
Andrew says RIBA looked across the pond for inspiration for the tours. “We followed a model that had been very successful in Chicago,” he says. “The Architecture Foundation there is phenomenally successful. We looked at their model and felt that we could replicate it here in Liverpool.” RIBA’s tours have been a resounding success leading the
public around the city pinpointing buildings of architectural significance. The tours around Liverpool’s waterfront buildings have been extended this year due to last year’s success and another tour has been added covering the Hope Street area. Further public events are also in the pipeline such as the RIBA led ‘Love Architecture Festival’ from the 15- 24 June. “We’ve got a public tour of The Athenaeum, which is the private members club founded in 1797 above Aubin & Wills in the city centre,” he says. “FACT is showing ‘Of Time and the City,’ a critically acclaimed Liverpool documentary by Terence Davies and on 14 June we are launching the successful ‘A Place to Call Home’ RIBA exhibition at Mann Island. There is a lot going on.” As a large professional body with a public-facing arm RIBA is also aware of the importance of upholding its social responsibility. As such the organisation runs a project called ‘Architect in the House’ in conjunction with Shelter, the homelessness charity. RIBA provide a matching process where homeowners post projects on the website. Architects can then register and say they want to be part of that project. The RIBA North West office in Liverpool then undertakes the matching process. The consultation is free and the only obligation for the homeowner is to donate a minimum of £40 to Shelter. “The architect gets a potential lead and at the end of the day it’s a win win situation,” says Andrew. There are future plans to move the RIBA North West team to take a more public facing space. Plans include an architecture centre with a place for running the tours,
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Andrew Ruffler, director of RIBA in the North West Mover & Shaker
exhibitions, delivering training, conferences and possibly a retail offering. With this move and expansion in mind what can we expect from future projects in the pipeline from North West RIBA? Andrew says he wants to make Liverpool and the North West a global platform for architecture. “We’re working on bringing big name lectures and talks to the region,” says Andrew. “In the past the lectures we have had have predominantly been by people from the North West for people in the North West. “I want to try and push the boundaries so we have national and international names coming to Liverpool to deliver lectures which appeal to both our members and the public.” With the city already firmly on the map when it comes to architectural excellence, establishing it as a centre of architectural thinking seems a natural progression. And with Andrew and RIBA North West leading the way it’s certainly achievable.
Ruffler File DOB: 26/03/1976 Education: • Wirral Grammar School • Business Studies University of Sheffield Career: • Sales co-ordinator Montell – Joint venture between Shell and Montedison • Sales & credit controller – Basell Polyolefins – Joint venture between BASF and Royal Dutch Shell • Account manager – Chamberlink / Manchester Solutions • Business development manager – Manchester Investment Development Agency Service (MIDAS) • Investor development manager / sector manager low carbon – The Mersey Partnership • RIBA North West regional director
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Hitchcock Wright & Partner’s 20-year anniversary Key events
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Hitchcock Wright & Partners celebrate 20 years in commercial property The great and good of Liverpool’s commercial property industry came together at the Walker Art Gallery to celebrate leading Liverpool commercial property agency, Hitchcock Wright & Partner’s 20-year anniversary. Celebrating two decades of commercial property work in the region, founding partners Eric Wright and Peter Hitchcock combined their passion for art to mark their 20th anniversary and welcomed guests to the Walker Art Gallery for the special opportunity to view the exhibition of artwork by Rolf Harris. Founding partner Eric Wright took the opportunity to thank his team and supporters over the years and gave special recognition to his business partner, who announced his retirement from the partnership. 5
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1. Harry Friend (Gregory Abrams Davidson) with his wife Diane. 2. John Barker (Hitchcock Wright & Partners), with Colin Morgan (Amaline) & partner Avril Jones. 3. Gillian Chesham, Harvey Sunderland, Eric Wright (Hitchcock Wright & Partners) & Paul Chesham (GVA Dixon Webb). 4. Eric Wright (Hitchcock Wright & Partners) thanks all the guests for coming to the function. 5. The function was very well attended. 6. Eric Wright & Peter Hitchcock (founders of Hitchcock Wright & Partners) 7. Karen Smith (Tomorrow’s People), Matt Kerrigan (Hitchcock Wright & Partners) with Edward & Gillian Brown (Cash Converters). 8. Helen Jones (The Design Foundry), Andrew Ferguson (Knowsley Council) & Lesley Martin Wright (Knowsley Chamber of Commerce). 9. Helen Stewart (Hitchcock Wright & Partners) with husband Robbie & Barrie Bartlett (CLA). 10. Peter Hitchcock and his wife Judy appreciate the humour in Eric Wright’s speech. 11. Tracey Ricketts (Hitchcock Wright & Partners) & Carol Cavanagh (Alphabet Design). 12. David Darke (Griffiths & Armour) with his wife Joan.
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By Christine Toner christine@movepublishing.co.uk
Spotlight on Speke As home to Liverpool’s airport Speke is naturally a place of economic significance. However, that has not always been reflected in the surroundings. Indeed, for a long time the Speke area was nothing more than a wasteland of derelict sites. Over the years many attempts have been made to regenerate the wider area, with varying degrees of success. Now with Benmore Group set to further develop the area with a new leisure and retail complex, we shine the spotlight firmly on Speke and examine its past and potential growth.
WEST COAST MAIN LINE
LIVERPOOL SOUTH PARKWAY STATION
- - THE - INTERNATIONAL GATEWAY SPEKE HALL ROAD
TO LIVERPOOL PLANNED BENMORE GROUP DEVELOPMENT
NEW MERSEY RETAIL PARK
MATCHWORKS
JAGUAR LAND ROVER PLANT
SPEKE ROAD
A561
A561 AD
SPEKE HALL AVE
O
KS
SPEKE BOULE VARD
R
SHOP DIRECT LTD
N
BA
ESTUARY BLVARD
DOBBIES HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS
CROWNE PLAZA
ESTUARY COMMERCE PARK
TO A562 DISTRICT SHOPPING CENTRE
LINKS TO M57, M62 & RUNCORN BRIDGE
B&M RETAIL LTD
LIVERPOOL JOHN LENNON AIRPORT MAP NOT TO SCALE
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Regeneration Focus
THE RESURRECTION OF SPEKE DID NOT HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT. INDEED, SEVERAL KEY PLAYERS AND MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS WERE BEHIND IT. HERE WE TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE THAT MADE THE MOST IMPACT.
INTERNATIONAL GATEWAY 2005 A major driver in the regeneration of Speke was the creation of the International Gateway Strategic Investment Area. The International Gateway is located at the southern end of the Liverpool conurbation and forms the main southern gateway into Liverpool from the M57 and M56 motorways. Over the last ten years there has been substantial investment in improving the area, co-ordinated initially by Speke Garston Development Company (SGDC) and now Liverpool Vision. In 2005 Liverpool Vision, then called Liverpool Land Development Company, brought forward plans for a new District Shopping Centre. The plans included a Morrison’s superstore, four large retail units (which were let to the likes of Iceland and TK Maxx) and 11 smaller shops units. Max Steinberg, chief executive of Liverpool Vision, said: “The International Gateway is one of five strategic investment areas in Liverpool and has recently been recognised as one of the new Mayoral Zones for the City. It has huge economic importance for not only the City of Liverpool but also the wider city region and the North West. It is home to a number of major employers in the area and as such is a key economic driver and employer within the City.” DOBBIES 2011 The retail sector has played a key role in Speke’s regeneration with big names such as garden centre Dobbies opening stores in the area. ESTUARY COMMERCE PARK 1998 Several schemes and developments fall within the International Gateway area, including Estuary Commerce Park. The Estuary Commerce Park was created in 1998 but has since been the subject of numerous projects and is today thought to be one of the Liverpool’s most well-known
business locations. Estuary totals 40 hectare of development land within landscaped infrastructure of wide boulevards on the site of the first Liverpool Speke Airport. One of the most well-known companies operating from Estuary is Riverside, one of the leading housing and regeneration organisations in Britain, managing and owning more than 50,000 homes from Irvine to Ipswich. It continues to base its head office, including its customer service centre, in Merseyside where its roots are and where almost half of its tenants live. Ronnie Clawson, director of corporate services, says: “Due to the expansion of the business, we relocated our head office in April 2005 from Wavertree to Speke. At the time of the move we had around 260 staff at head office. Now this has increased to over 420. “Speke has excellent transport links to connect head office staff with the rest of our business. Our new location is a modern, airy, purpose-built office, which provides a much more pleasant and productive working environment for our employees.” Estuary Commerce Park is also home to the headquarters of discount retailers B&M Retail. In 2010 the firm relocated from Blackpool to a 618,000 sq ft industrial unit known as The Vault at the Estuary. B&M secured £10.85 million of finance from Lloyds TSB to buy the premises NEW MERSEY RETAIL PARK 1999 One of the initial turning points in the regeneration of Speke was in 1999 when the New Mersey Shopping Park was re-developed. The park was already a retail site but the redevelopment saw an influx of large retail and textile outlets set up home on the park. Situated in between the suburb of Speke and Garston and directly opposite the former Liverpool airport building, New Mersey
The International Gateway
Retail Park also features several large-scale restaurants. MATCHWORKS 2005 Another development falling under the International Gateway Umbrella, the Matchworks is situated at the former Bryant and May site and was redeveloped by Urban Splash. The refurbishment of the 1948 building added 7,200 sq m of office and light industrial space, while a signature building - the Matchbox - has been created in a prominent position at the front of the site. 1,670 sq m of accommodation is contained within the four-storey, glass-fronted development. The Matchbox, a 20,000ft cubicshaped new build has been occupied by Dutch gym operator Fit for Free since 2011. LITTLEWOODS Littlewoods have always had a presence in Speke but in 2005 Liverpool Shop Direct moved its whole operation into the old airport hanger in a £32million move. The external envelope of Hanger 2 was been completely refurbished by Neptune. MARRIOTT LIVERPOOL SOUTH HOTEL (NOW CROWNE PLAZA) Neptune also redeveloped the former
Liverpool airport terminal building. The Grade II listed building was transformed by Neptune into a 164 bedroom, four-star hotel. The redevelopment included a new three-storey extension at the front of the building in sympathy with the idiom of the original building. The hotel is managed by Marriott under the Marriott brand.
BENMORE DEVELOPMENT The development by Northern Ireland-based developer Benmore Group will be a 50 acre site of mixed use. It will include 160,000 square foot of industrial and offices as well as a 150 bedroom hotel and restaurants. The plans also include a multiscreen cinema and gym. When the scheme was granted permission Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson said: "This scheme would create jobs for local people in an area of the city where they are needed and would deliver a new leisure and entertainment centre for thousands of families to use every week."
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By Kate Hanratty kate@movepublishing.co.uk
After being inspired by a helpful teacher, Chris Arnold, set up an international business group from a bedroom in Halewood Liverpool. The company now has offices in ten countries around the world including the US, Mexico, Australia, Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary. He now wants to use his influence to help disadvantaged entrepreneurs across the globe with the ‘My Big Year Project.’
From Halewood to Hungary
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lasted for life,” says Chris. “One of the reasons I work so hard is to make the most of every second of my life and my motivation is do it on behalf of people who aren’t as lucky as me, whether its people at Hillsborough or people I’ve met along the way. It’s a real driver for me now.” Chris originally from Halewood is a true homegrown success story. From humble beginnings in a Halewood back bedroom he now heads up a business with 200 staff at ten offices around the world. Chris started the business setting up Camp Leaders in 1999 with
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The Smaller Earth Group’s headquarters is based on Mount Pleasant in Liverpool. The international company is set to top £10 million turnover this year and includes successful businesses Smaller Earth, Camp Leaders, Project Ink and Smaller Earth Tech. Chris Arnold made his mark in the flourishing travel market sending people abroad to travel, work and volunteer. Smaller Earth provides opportunities for people to work and travel across the world. Camp Leaders sends young people to work at summer camps across the United States. Project Ink is a design studio and Smaller Earth Tech is a web development and design agency. Speaking to Chris, founder of the Smaller Earth Group and a man instrumental in bringing the Global Entrepreneurship Congress to Liverpool it is clear that he hinges his success on one pivotal moment in his life. At the age of 16 Chris, a keen Liverpool supporter, went to watch an away game at Hillsborough Stadium. The events he witnessed there left him unable to concentrate and on course for dropping out of school. He attributes all of his success to a kind teacher at Halewood Comprehensive who told him he was lucky and that he owed it to the people who died in the tragedy to make something of himself. “She put me in a focus that has
the size of some of our businesses every year,” says Chris. “I could probably retire but I don’t want to. We’ve got too many exciting projects going on.” One exciting project is Your Big Year, a global engagement competition initiated by Smaller Earth. Having had a mentor to keep him on the right path when he was going through a difficult time in his life Chris now feels a responsibility towards helping others. Your Big Year is one of four official events as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week backed by 140 heads of state across the world
We want to open doors and opportunities for people from Anfield as well as Harvard.
£500 from Business Link. In his first year of trading 32 people travelled to the US to work at summer camps. Last year out of an overwhelming 22,000 applications, 5,500 people were sent to summer camps across America. Smaller Earth is valued in the tens of millions and the international Smaller Earth Group’s turnover will top £10 million this year. “We’re growing, we’re doubling
including President Obama and David Cameron. Last year the project had more than 100,000 applications from over 200 countries to win the prize of becoming a Smaller Earth Ambassador. 16 finalists from all around the world were flown to Liverpool to compete in a ten day period of challenges. The winner, Charles Batte from Uganda will now spend this year travelling the
world, doing volunteer projects and meeting world leaders. “This project for me, it’s my change the world thing,” says Chris. “It comes full circle and I feel really fulfilled doing this.” The Your Big Year project, sponsored by various partners including the Kauffman Foundation, Liverpool Vision and accountancy firm Mazars, just keeps getting bigger. For every year from now on Chris’ plan is to fly 1000 people to Liverpool to them meet influential leaders such as Sir Richard Branson, amongst other yet to be confirmed names. They will be immersed in the highest performing offices and environments in the world for example Virgins headquarters. “We want to give people the kind of insight you could only get if you were Eton-level connected,” says Chris. “Most people in Liverpool and certainly everyone in Uganda struggle to have those kinds of connections. We want to open doors and opportunities for people from Anfield as well as Harvard. ” Liverpool is a place close to Chris’ heart, his company headquarters is here and he was instrumental in the city’s successful bid to host the GEC. It’s a city that he has plenty of praise for. “Joe Anderson put Liverpool on the global entrepreneurship map which is a pretty cool thing for our new mayor to have done,” says Chris.
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Chris Arnold, Smaller Earth Entrepreneur “Liverpool Vision was spectacular too. I was surprised by my own city, I didn’t know whether it was an ambitious city but it is and I really believe that the city has people who really want to get us back to a position of huge status around the world. I’m in a really good mood with the city right now.” Backpacking around the world inspired Chris to set up his own business once he got back home. Having seen the world, why did he decide to set up office and stay here in Liverpool even once business took off? “One of my great joys is being a company where our London office is a regional office, I like saying that,” says Chris. Practically he says it might have made more sense to move the businesses headquarters to London to be nearer to embassies. But that as long as he owns Smaller Earth he will never move the company. He now lives in Allerton with his wife and two sons. “I’ve travelled and I’ve seen every major city, San Francisco, New York and they’ve all got problems,” says Chris. “I think I’ve got a certain amount of responsibility to Liverpool as there is so much talent. The Your Big Year project will leave Liverpool with a legacy. We want Liverpool to be an epicenter, to make a social ability push that is unprecedented, you may start with disadvantages but you can still reach your potential. In terms of raw passion to make things happen Liverpool has got that in heaps.”
Arnold file DOB: 4/11/72 Education: Halewood Comprehensive BSc (Hons), Quantity Surveying Liverpool John Moores University. Career: Set up Camp Leaders which became Smaller Earth Group (1999) Quantity Surveyor at Tilbury Douglas Construction (1998) Professional Backpacker (1996 – 1998)
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Auctions 0151 207 6315 www.suttonkersh.co.uk Featured lots from our forthcoming sale
Merseyside’s biggest auction catalogue now online Over 105 fantastic property deals
Lot 108 29 Lanville Road, Liverpool, L19 7NL VACANT RESIDENTIAL A vacant 3 bedroomed semi detached property benefitting from double glazing, central heating, gardens and shared off road parking. Following upgrading and modernisation the property would be suitable for occupation.
Lot 96 65 Mossville Road, Liverpool L18 7JN VACANT RESIDENTIAL A
Lot 91 9 Oban Road, Anfield, Liverpool, L4 2SA VACANT RESIDENTIAL A
Lot 56 19 & 21 Williamson Street, Liverpool, L1 1EB. RETAIL INVESTMENT
Lot 30 28-34 Woolton Street, Woolton, Liverpool, L25 5JD RETAIL INVESTMENT A
3 bedroomed modern semi detached property benefiting from central heating and double glazing. Following refurbishment the property would be suitable for occupation or investment purposes. Guide price £85,000+
vacant four bedroomed middle terrace property in need of refurbishment and modernisation. The property benefits from double glazing. The property suffers from structural defects and will only sell to a cash buyer! Guide price £15–£20,000
Guide prices from nil reserve Don’t miss out offers now being accepted
Lot 67 127 & 129 Sefton Street, Toxteth, Liverpool, L8 5SN COMMERCIAL INVESTMENT Freehold warehouse investment producing £27,308pa. The property comprises 2 individual units together with associated car parking. Guide price £210,000+
To arrange a viewing call 0151 207 6315
Freehold city centre retail investment producing £32,000pa. Property comprises 2 retail units on ground and first floors. 21 Williamson Street is let to Cheveux Ltd and 19 Williamson Street is vacant. Guide price £400,000+
freehold retail investment currently producing £24,300 per annum. The property comprises four retail units arranged over ground and first floors. Guide price £190,000+
Major Property Auction Sale – 12 July 12 noon Marriott Hotel, City Centre, One Queen Square, Liverpool L1 1RH VACANT RESIDENTIAL 10 Osborne Road, Tuebrook, Liverpool L13 8AT £55,000+ 54 Hampden Street, Liverpool L4 5TZ £30–35,000 432a Mill Street, Liverpool L8 4RG £15–20,000 4 Johnson Street, Southport, Merseyside PR9 0BQ £80,000+ 35 Morecambe Street, Liverpool L6 4AU £30–35,000 53 Orwell Road, Liverpool L4 1RG £35,000+ 2a & 2b Goodall Street, Liverpool L4 3SR £100,000+ 25 Alpha Drive, Birkenhead, Merseyside CH42 1PH £175,000+ 67 Wendell Street, Liverpool L8 0RG £40,000+ 17 Durden Street, Liverpool L7 4LN £20–25,000 84 Vandyke Street, Liverpool L8 0RT £25–30,000 12 Hillside Avenue, Liverpool L36 8DX £55,000+ 14 Hillside Avenue, Liverpool L36 8DX £55,000+ 12 Anderson Road, Litherland, Liverpool L21 7ND £45,000+ 23 Tiverton Street, Liverpool L15 4LR £65,000+ 439 Mill Street, Liverpool L8 4RD £20–25,000 55 Newsham Drive, Liverpool L6 7UQ £80,000+ 89 Grosvenor Road, Wavertree, Liverpool L15 0EZ £40–45,000 Apt 11, Millwood Court, Alderfield Drive, Liverpool L24 6TQ £30–35,000 91 9 Oban Road, Anfield, Liverpool L4 2SA £15–20,000 94 15 Channell Road, Fairfield, Liverpool L6 6DD £20–25,000 95 41 Gwladys Street, Liverpool L4 5RN £35–40,000 96 65 Mossville Road, Liverpool L18 7JN £85,000+ 97 45 Warwick Road, Bootle, Merseyside L20 9BY £45,000+ 98 52 Pinehurst Avenue, Anfield, Liverpool L4 7UH £60,000+ 99 13 Alton Road, Liverpool L6 4BH SOLD PRIOR 100 81 Beatrice Street, Bootle, Merseyside L20 2EG £30–35,000 102 24 Chestnut Grove, Wavertree, Liverpool L15 8HS £95–100,000 103 34, 34a, 34b Knowsley Road, Bootle, Liverpool L20 4NL £70,000+ 104 38 Princes Road, Liverpool L8 1TH £100,000+ 106 311 Breck Road, Everton, Liverpool L5 6PT £30,000+ 107 6a Duke Street, Waterloo, Liverpool L22 8QU £80,000+ 108 29 Lanville Road, Liverpool L19 7NL £130,000+
1
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RESIDENTIAL INVESTMENT 4 55 Garmoyle Road, Liverpool L15 3JH £125,000+ 6 1/1a Charles Berrington Road, Liverpool L18 £100–125,000 7 4–6 Liscard Way, Wallasey, Merseyside CH44 5TP £385,000+ 9 26 Empress Road, Liverpool L6 0BX £40–45,000 12 10 Signal Works Road, Liverpool L9 9EX £40–45,000 15 53 Bligh Street, Liverpool L15 0HE £40–45,000 18 100 Macdonald Street, Liverpool L15 1EL £40–45,000 26 2 Newhouse Road, Liverpool L15 0HL £55,000+
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28 41 50 52 53 59 63 64 65 66 68 69 70 73 75 77 79 90 92 101
11 & 12 North View, Edge Hill, Liverpool L7 8TS £400,000+ 4 Fairbank Street, Liverpool L15 4JQ £40–45,000 39 Newcombe Street, Liverpool L6 5AN £40,000+ 41 Cranborne Road, Liverpool L15 2HX £65,000+ 21 Methuen Street, Liverpool L15 1EG £40–45,000 24 Auburn Road, Liverpool L13 8BJ £35–40,000 50 Haselbeech Crescent, Liverpool L11 3AT £35–40,000 10 Banner Street, Liverpool L15 0HQ £40–45,000 12 Purser Grove, Liverpool L15 1HB £60,000+ 35 Suffield Road, Liverpool L4 1UL £40,000+ 17 Plumer Street, Liverpool L15 1EE £40–45,000 Apt 9, Millwood Court, Alderfield Drive, Liverpool L24 6TQ £30–35,000 66 Macdonald Street, Liverpool L15 1EL £40–45,000 67 Grenfell Road, Liverpool L13 9BZ £60,000+ 145 Strathcona Road, Liverpool L15 1EB £40–45,000 4 Altfinch Close, Liverpool L14 8YG £30–35,000 7 Liberty Street, Liverpool L15 0ET £40–45,000 33 Cawfield Avenue, Widnes, Cheshire WA8 7HG £40,000+ 212 Smithdown Road, Liverpool L15 3JT £140,000+ 39 Sandway Crescent, Liverpool L11 2SN £40–45,000
VACANT COMMERCIAL 5 130 Oakfield Road, Walton, Liverpool L4 0UQ £30–35,000 20 62 Derby Lane, Old Swan, Liverpool L13 3DN £20,000+ 21 50/50a Lower Breck Road, Liverpool L6 4BX £50,000+ 23 3 Bridle Way, Bootle, Merseyside L30 4UA £75,000+ 27 The Strand Tavern, 245 Strand Road, Bootle, Merseyside L20 3HJ £80,000+ 45 2/6 Harrowby Close, Liverpool L8 2XW £90,000+ 47 69 Breck Road, Anfield, Liverpool L4 2QS £50,000+ 57 Former Public Convenience, West Derby Road/Oak Leigh, Liverpool L13 £10,000+ 61 210 Walton Breck Road, Liverpool L4 0RQ £25–30,000 71 1a Helena Street, Liverpool L9 1BH £35–40,000 106 311 Breck Road, Everton, Liverpool L5 6PT £30,000+ RETAIL INVESTMENT 7 4–6 Liscard Way, Wallasey, Merseyside CH44 5TP £385,000+ 10 559/559a Prescot Road, Old Swan, Liverpool L13 5UX £215,000+ 11 10 & 12 Aughton Street, Ormskirk L39 3BW £240,000+ 22 26 Aughton Street, Ormskirk L39 3BW £400,000+ 24 Unit 2, 29/33 Tulketh Street, Southport, Merseyside PR8 1AG £320,000+ 29 248, 250, 252 Grange Road, Birkenhead, Merseyside CH41 6EB £300,000+
30 28–34 Woolton Street, Woolton, Liverpool L25 5JD £190,000+ 31 290 Hoylake Road, Moreton, Wirral, Merseyside CH46 6AF £320,000+ 38 17 Upton Road, Moreton, Merseyside CH48 0PD £160,000+ 39 7, 9, 11–13, 17–19 Leicester Street & Barons Quay, Northwich, CW9 5LA £400–435,000 44 221 Hoylake Road, Moreton, Wirral, Merseyside CH46 0SJ £140,000+ 54 18/20 New Street, Mold, Clwyd CH7 1NZ £85,000+ 56 19 & 21 Williamson Street, Liverpool L1 1EB £400,000+ 78 611 Prescot Road, Old Swan, Liverpool L13 5XA £155–165,000 VACANT MIXED USE 25 219 Hoylake Road, Wirral, Merseyside CH46 0SJ £90,000+ DEVELOPMENT LAND 33–37 Plots 6–10 to the south of 30 High Street, Denbigh, Clwyd LL16 3RY Nil Reserve 80–89 Plots Q-Z Land to the west of Japonica Gardens, St Helens, Merseyside WA9 4WP Nil Reserve VACANT RETAIL 40 11 Bank Street, Wrexham, Clwyd LL11 1AH £40,000+ TELECOMMUNICATIONS MAST INVESTMENT 43 70–72 New Chester Road, New Ferry, Merseyside CH62 5AD £50–60,000 COMMERCIAL INVESTMENT 46 Unit A Maritime Business Park, 6 Sovereign Way, Birkenhead CH41 1DL £210,000+ 51 Unit B Maritime Business Park, 7 Sovereign Way, Wallasey CH41 1DL £115,000 55 Unit C Maritime Business Park, 8 Sovereign Way, Wallasey CH41 1DL £90,000+ 67 127 & 129 Sefton Street, Toxteth, Liverpool L8 5SN £210,000+ 93 60/64 Liverpool Road, Crosby, Liverpool L23 5SJ £175,000+ 105 Olivers Bar, 21–23 Bow Street, Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire OL6 6BV £50,000+
View full property listings online at www.suttonkersh.co.uk
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Manchester Office Market Lunch debate
Location, location, location With the hangover from the economic downturn still taking its toll in some areas we put Manchester under the spotlight and brought together three experts in the city’s commercial property market to discuss how the office market in Manchester is faring.
Paul Kelly Knight Frank
Ed Keany Edwards & Co
Jamie Hills Ask Developments
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Recent figures (from DTZ) show city centre office take up fell in Q1, why do you think this was. Ed Keany: You have to compare apples with apples. Q1 take up figures for this year have to be compared with Q1 take up figures for
new year and takes a bit of getting going. Transactions can take threefour months in legals alone. PK: I think occupiers are a lot more considerate as well, they’re not rushing into things, and they’re taking their time making the decision. JH:
2011 and when you compare those figures, take up for Q1 this year was 169,000sqft as opposed to last year’s figures of 126,000sqft so they are up on last year. Paul Kelly: I think the Q1 figures for this year are a positive start to 2012, and that’s not just in the city centre, South Manchester take up figures were quite positive again when compared against Q1 of 2011. EK: They were up 35%. That is a very encouraging statistic, as is Q1 city centre really. Jamie Hills: There are a lot of large requirements out in the market that have come into fruition within the last 12 months and we’re hoping, certainly by the end of the year, a couple of those big requirements will drop in. These enquiries have been knocking round for probably a year or so and include Bupa, Jacobs and Aviva, all in the market with large office requirements. EK: Generally the first quarter of each year tends to get off to a relatively slow start because it’s a
Previously occupiers would go through a fairly quick process of moving offices or choosing a new location, but now there’s more due diligence that they have to go through which really drags things out. PK: As there’s an economic downturn, people are questioning their decision a bit more and analysing and considering the costs to the decision. This is one of the reasons for transactions not happening. The easiest thing is to stay still and not move because that’s what they did a while ago and that’s what they continue to do; a lot of companies are making do, unless there’s a strategic need to move. What trends have you noticed in office take up? Are there any particular sizes or locations that are doing well? EK: If you go back over the past three or four years, the major location in the city centre is Spinningfields. You only need to go down there today for instance, the place is absolutely thriving. PK: Spinningfields as a
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development spreads the size of the CBD, and people have gravitated, with that it’s created opportunity for further development. JH: We’re trying to create a slightly different product at First Street, that’s not in direct competition to Spinningfields. It’s not your typical corporate environment with rents of £28 -£30 per sq ft but a more sustainable, robust and flexible similar to that of a business park. It is city centre location but with headline rents substantially lower than the prime core. There will be the benefit of public transport and amenities that are all associated with the city centre. What we’re trying to do is attract the likes of Jacobs and particularly Bupa back into the City Centre. Bupa moved out of the city centre to Salford Quays around 25 years ago due to cost and we’re trying to offer a product to attract the likes of them back into the city centre. PK: Going back to the question in terms of trends, spaces continue to be in the smaller size bracket, 2,000-5,000 sqft for small to medium companies offering professional services, accountants etc.
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There’s only two ways at the moment to fund new development.
EK: Recent stats that have been pulled together show that 83% of transactions within Q1 of this year have been sub 5,000 sq ft. That was the same trend as last year as well, the sub 5,000sqft bracket remains the most active bracket and that’s where the churn takes place within the Manchester city centre market.
Are there any key developments currently underway in Manchester? EK: The new developments are 1 St Peters Square. There’s obviously NOMA further up the road, which is coming out of the ground, at the moment that’s pretty much it. JH: There’s only two ways at the moment to fund new development. The first is to secure a pre-let, and the second, is to be a bit more innovative and work with the local authorities and public bodies which is what we’ve done at Greengate, Salford. We’ve secured a rental guarantee from Salford council, which will allow us to go the funding market and speculatively build office space, which will hopefully fill the predicted undersupply of Grade A office space within the next few years. PK: The willingness to do that has not been there. It’s a funding issue, it’s difficult if not impossible to go to a bank and justify the funds to build. EK: There’s already 2.77million sq ft of ready to occupy office space within Manchester city centre. JH: I read an article recently where a survey was carried out with 73 lending teams from 63 banks and not one of the lenders would be prepared to lend against speculative commercial development. How will the continued development of Media City affect city centre office take up? EK: Not all occupiers are going to want to go to media city perhaps because of the cost or because they may not want to be over in Salford Quays but they may still want access to Media City. So if they’ve been attracted to Manchester because of Media City, but they don’t want to be in Media City, the city centre will benefit massively. It’s adding to the city centre. JH: I can’t foresee too many occupiers moving to Media City unless they’re media related. To be honest it’s a very similar price point to the city centre, there’s no real discount in terms of rents. They’re quoting around £24 per sqft depending on the building and you can quite, comfortably get that kind of product at that level within in the city centre. What challenges are facing the Manchester market in 2012 and going forward? JH: Lack of grade A office supply
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Manchester Office Market Lunch debate going forward. EK: And the significant level of vacant mid-tier office space in the market. PK: In the longer term, until the take up of grade B stock diminishes and the deals on offer
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that they don’t know what’s round the corner. JH: The banks have a key role, not just in funding perspective developments. It’s expensive for occupiers to move and the banks need to support these businesses
If the press are portraying doom and gloom that affects businesses.
harden it will remain difficult to justify any speculative redevelopment and/or refurbishment. Albeit things are always changing and moving. If occupiers lose confidence and if anyone has uncertainties it delays the decision making process. Companies are questioning whether the idea to relocate is justified. EK: That’s something out of everyone’s hands, it depends what’s going on there with the wider economic climate. If the press are portraying doom and gloom that affects businesses and can put that seed of doubt and uncertainty in occupiers minds
in moving as well as supporting perspective developers. It’s in their hands and they have a big role to play in the whole economy. PK: That’s one of the factors that organisations have to take into account, is the expenditure required to move accommodation. EK: That’s exactly it; it’s a cash flow issue. PK: Working within this climate, it is a case of trying to be innovative and looking for alternative means to make things happen. We are in a different place in the world than we were five years ago and we need the ability to react to the circumstances. PK: It’s easy to be negative.
EK: It’s very easy, but Manchester as a city is constantly striving for success. JH: If all the requirements that are currently in the market are satisfied this year we will probably have good year in terms of take up. There are a lot of requirements out there; it’s just converting them. EK: They’re out there; they’re looking at the right time of year. Last year, there were three lettings over 25,000 sq ft, two existing stock and the other was a pre let, and the other two transactions were free hold transactions. Compare that to the year before there were 8 over 25,000 sqft. As Jamie said there’s encouraging signs at the moment, that take up will be up on last years 700,000 sqft. PK: I think we’re looking at the local economy but we are affected - and every city is affected by cities beyond the UK, and that’s a confidence issue, if something happens in the euro zone it can affect the site. That uncertainty can prevent occupiers from making that leap. There are things we can do as a city. JH: I like to think I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, although there’s still a lot of uncertainty with what’s going on in the euro zone crisis.
NING: MALAYSIAN RESTAURANT & COOKERY SCHOOL, The Burton Building, 92-94 Oldham Street, Northern Quarter, Manchester, M4 1LJ Our lunch debate guests were treated to a fabulous Malaysian feast courtesy of Manchester restaurant Ning. Appetisers included chicken murtabak (delicious mamak'style crispy pancakes filled with chicken, onion, potato, egg, herbs & spices) and roti canai (a delightful buttery and flaky traditional flatbread.) Guests were particularly impressed by the mains, which included Nyonya Lime Chicken Curry (a spicy, delicately sweet and sour, turmeric curry), basil padprik (a gorgeous sweet and spicy, wok-fried beef and the delicately spiced tofu, spinach and mushroom stir-fry. Situated on Oldham Street in the heart of the Northern Quarter, Ning also features a cookery school. For more information visit www.ningcatering.com or call 0844 414 5484.
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By Christine Toner christine@movepublishing.co.uk
As Littlewoods gears up to celebrate its 80th birthday this September, group brand director Gary Kibble shares the history of the business and its vision of the future as part of the online and home shopping retailer, Shop Direct Group.
Mail order mastermind
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indeed the Littlewoods dynasty were born,” he says. In 1932, John Moores went on to start home shopping firm Littlewoods Mail - the company that celebrates its 80th birthday this year - giving people the opportunity to become ‘agents’. Agents would show home shopping catalogues to relatives, friends and neighbours and receive commission for collecting orders and payments.
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This was the start of group buying, where people clubbed together to buy the things they wanted.
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If you drive down Edge Lane in Liverpool you’ll be hard pushed not to notice the striking art-deco building that was once home to Littlewoods’ Headquarters. It is one of the cities most recognisable landmarks and was home to one of the cities biggest businesses. And, while the building has been derelict since 2003, the Littlewoods’ brand remains one of Liverpool’s most well-known and well-loved names. The first use of the Littlewoods brand came with the creation of Littlewoods Football Pools in 1923. “John Moores and his two partners, Colin Askham and Bill Hughes, founded the ‘Littlewoods Football Pools’ enabling people to bet on the outcomes of football matches,” explains Gary Kibble. “Winners were paid out of the pool of money that was bet. Moores bought out his partners for £200 each during the 1924-25 football season.” According to Gary, the “Littlewoods” name came from Colin Askham. When the three friends came up with the idea for the football pools, they were working as messenger boys for the Post Office. But outside ventures among employees were forbidden so the trio had to hide their idea. “Colin had been orphaned and brought up by his aunt whose surname was Askham but his real name was Littlewood, and so the Littlewoods Football Pools and
“This was the start of group buying, where people clubbed together to buy the things they wanted whilst spreading the cost,” says Gary. “The first Littlewoods catalogue comprised 168 pages of hand-illustrated images offering items including flat irons, nickelplated gas irons and electric steam
irons costing ten shillings apiece.” The success of the catalogue business led to Littlewoods opening its first high street department store in Blackpool in 1937. But probably the biggest cultural change away from ‘agents’ or ‘shillings clubs’ was the introduction of credit mail offerings in the 1950s and 60s. “This move from cash to credit offered delivery of goods in advance of payment and meant that going through an agent was no longer necessary,” adds Gary. Shop Direct Group now has annual sales of around £1.7 billion and employs just over 5,000 people. Of course the business world has changed almost beyond recognition since 1932 and Littlewoods too has seen its fair share of change. In October 2002, the Moores family sold the Littlewoods retail business to Sir David and Sir Frederick Barclay. The Barclay brothers then went on the following year to acquire Shop Direct, the home shopping division of Manchester-based Great Universal Stores. The new, combined company was called Littlewoods Shop Direct Group and included Littlewoods, Great Universal, Kays, Marshall Ward, Choice, Additions Direct and Littlewoods Direct. In 2008, the company went on to acquire Empire Stores and rebranded as Shop Direct Group. In 2009, the brand name of Woolworths was purchased and
added to the stable of brands. Gary joined the Shop Direct Group in 2004 to oversee the Abound brand, after 10 years at WH Smith in a variety of marketing and trading roles. When the merger of Littlewoods and Shop Direct took place, he moved from Manchester to Liverpool and was heavily involved in the integration of the businesses to create a unified organisational culture. “With so many different shopping brands and a certain level of crossover following the merger of Littlewoods and Shop Direct, it was important to rationalise the business while ensuring clear differentiation between the shopping brands,” says Gary. “So in 2009, Littlewoods Direct was relaunched as Very then, in 2011, Kays, Empire Stores and Great Universal went on to be merged and rebranded as K&Co, while Marshall Ward underwent a repositioning and was reborn as is me. “Littlewoods, Littlewoods Europe, Littlewoods Ireland and K&Co are now primarily family brands while Very caters for the younger, more fashion-conscious customer, isme is our mature brand, Brandquarter specialises in discount branded clothing, Woolworths.co.uk is known for kids’ toys, clothing and homewares and Very.com sells to 49 countries, including the US and Canada.” In 2005, Associated British Foods
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Gary Kibble Founding Business
Littlewoods File Founded in: 1932 Founded by: John Moores Number of employees: 5,000+ Annual sales: £1.7 billion Location: Head office is in Speke. Warehouses and returns centres in Shaw, Raven and Little Hulton. Contact centres in Aintree and Bolton.
acquired all 119 of the high street Littlewoods stores across the UK. Gary says by losing the high street presence this enabled Shop Direct Group to focus on its core online and home shopping business, which now has annual sales of around £1.7 billion. “Over the last five years alone, we have grown our online sales from less than 20% of our business to around 75%,” says Gary. “That has necessitated a complete rethink of the way we do things to ensure that we are able to bring the newest products to our customers online
quickly and cost effectively and that we remain ahead of the competition in doing so.” In recent years, there has been a huge shift toward online and particularly mobile shopping as customers increasingly look for ways to shop that suit their busy lifestyles. The Littlewoods website currently attracts around 6.4m visits every month, with around 20% of those coming from smartphones and tablets. “We expect this number to continue to grow as technology becomes more accessible and
advanced,” says Gary. “In anticipation of the rapid shift to mobile commerce that we saw in 2011, we repurposed all of our websites for mobile early last year. Our shopping sites are now all ‘on Rails’ and device-agnostic, offering every customer a simple and effective browsing and purchasing experience whether on a smartphone or a tablet.” While the concept of home shopping may be changing, Littlewoods core values remain the same, as does its love of Liverpool. “Liverpool has always been
synonymous with the Littlewoods brand and has also played a major part in the development of Shop Direct Group as a whole,” says Gary. “We aim to give back to the city and the region in whatever way we can. Alder Hey is very close to our hearts and, during the 80 years of Littlewoods’ history, we and the Moores family have donated millions to the children’s hospital and other local charities. We also work hard to develop relationships and links with local suppliers and use local models and celebrities in our campaigns where possible.” MOVE COMMERCIAL 37
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Expert views Ask the panel
How will the HS2 benefit Manchester and the wider region? The HS2 is a planned high-speed railway between London and the North of England. The first phase of the scheme (linking London and Birmingham) is set to open in 2020. “HS2, whilst not reaching Manchester until 2033, will be a very positive move for the region for the simple reason that it will reduce the travel time by an hour, increasing the confidence of investors from London to look on Manchester and the region more favourably as it will be far more accessible. This will generate further investment in the North West and in turn create jobs allowing the region to prosper.” Alex Russell, associate director, CBRE
“MediaCityUK is a long term proposition and planning permission has recently been submitted for further future phases, which will see the development grow and build over the next 10 to 30 years – possibly longer. “We currently have over 60 media and creative related businesses located here and a real creative hub is starting to take shape. We know time is precious nowadays, particularly for media related businesses, so the ease of which businesses in our community can move around to other parts of the country and businesses across the UK can build relationship and do work with our community is an important part of our transition going forward. “The connections the HS2 will have with the smaller commuters links would certainly be highly beneficial and an added advantage to the current transport links we have into MediaCityUK. I look forward to seeing how this progresses and how it benefits MediaCityUK, Manchester and the northwest as a whole”. Stephen Wild, managing director for MediaCityUK 38 MOVE COMMERCIAL
“The FSB has taken a neutral stance on HS2. Small businesses recognise that the UK rail network needs to be upgraded and brought in line with European standards to ensure connectivity with the continent. “Some members hold the view that it will bring economic benefits through speedier journey times to major cities; other members along the HS2 line will be adversely impacted during and after construction. “In general small businesses are moderate users of the rail network with only 4% considering trains crucial to their business operation. Small businesses instead rely on the road network and
"High Speed Rail is a once-in-ageneration opportunity to transform the rail network in this country. A new, separate, high-speed network is the only cost-effective way of extending an existing railway network that is becoming increasingly congested. It will free up capacity on the existing network for commuter services and inter-city services for smaller towns and give the country a railway fit for the 21st Century. More than that, it will unlock much-needed jobs and investment and help rebalance the UK’s economy to ensure that opportunity is open to all. "The UK's future economic success
60% have no choice but to use a car/van for business purposes.” Richard Gregg, regional chairman, Federation of Small Businesses
“I think my case load is typical of many Manchester Commercial Property Solicitors. I would say approximately 50% of my work is either with other London firms of Solicitors or dealing with London property. Working in Manchester or in any other major provincial centre, you cannot escape the fact that a significant proportion of work relates in some way to London. “A new HS2 rail link between London and Manchester will facilitate a speedier completion of a good proportion of my workload. I also think that providing speedier access between the two centres will deliver jobs and prosperity to the Greater Manchester region. “I do not underestimate the cost and expense in time and the difficulties in achieving HS2. My view is that the benefits to the region and to London itself from easier access outweigh the costs. “When travelling on the train, you can see the amount of traffic on our roads. Going forward, over the decades, spending on our roads is not an environmentally friendly way to connect the major conurbations. “With a fully functional HS2 providing faster journey times between London and Manchester, we will use less fuel, cause less delays and benefit our environment.” Stephen Hindmarsh, partner, Hill Dickinson
will depend upon its capacity to compete on a global stage. For Manchester that means we’re up against cities like Munich, Milan and Copenhagen. International-class connectivity already is an essential factor in Britain's future success. The rest of Europe is already well ahead in the high-speed stakes and acting now to catch up is not an optional extra. "HSR might seem expensive but it's an investment that will ultimately be self-financing.” Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council
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