harold benjamin...flagship bond street, sloane street and mount street stores for luxury maisons....

Commercial Property Pocket Guide

Harold BenjaminReal Estate | Business Law | Private Client

• Our core business is property but our clients also rely on us for business and private law advice.

• Our clients tell us that they instruct us because we offer great service and value, delivering commercially focused advice, in an approachable way.

• Founded in the 1950’s, we began our practice in the City of London, opening later in North-West London. We have since forged a significant presence in London’s West End, opening our office in W1 in 2015. In the past 10 years, we have more than doubled in size from 40 to over 80 people. The focus of 12 of our 17 partners is property law.

• Our Secured Lending, Investments & Auctions and Commercial Property teams are actively working with banks, borrowers, lenders and high net worth individuals, securing finance for residential and commercial developments including hotels and healthcare. In 2017 alone, we were delighted to have participated in at least nine hotel and leisure deals; a significant achievement for any legal adviser.

• From a retail and leisure perspective we work with large multi-nationals across their acquisition, disposal and leasing programmes. We also support a number of well-known high street brands and luxury maisons with their property and franchising requirements. Our clients include Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Boucheron, Bread Group, Christopher Kane, Countrywide Group, Gail’s Bakery, Hamptons International, Headmasters, Roksanda Ilincic and Vivienne Westwood amongst many other recognisable names.

W H O W E A R E O U R T E A M

Vijay Parikh Managing Partner Investments & Auctions, Hotels & Leisure

020 8872 3033 [email protected]

Mina Kakkad Partner Commercial Property


Sarah Paul Partner Commercial Landlord & Tenant


Robert Souber Head of London Office Retail & Leisure


Ray Oshry Head of Commercial PropertySecured Lending 020 8872 3037 [email protected]

Varsha Sood Partner Investments & Auctions, Hotels & Leisure


Our experienced team will highlight factors of concern or factors capable of adding value to your investment and will guide you through the whole auction process making it as effortless and stress free for you as possible. We are used to working to the

tight timeframes associated with auction transactions. We can also assist if you are looking to sell your property at auction. We realise the importance of a properly prepared legal pack and of dealing promptly and efficiently with pre-auction enquiries from interested parties in helping achieve a successful sale.

AUCTION S

O U R T E A M

Andrew Farnell Partner Commercial Landlord & Tenant 020 8872 3005 [email protected]

Farrah Tejani Partner Commercial Property & Property Development 020 8872 3027 [email protected]

H O W W E C A N H E L P

Our team uses its extensive knowledge to devise strategic options and opportunities, enabling our clients to achieve their commercial objectives. Demonstrating a clear and practical understanding of the most complex practice areas

(including pre-lets and conditional lease agreements), we work closely with our clients and some even consider us to be their ‘out-sourced’, ‘in-house’ legal team – a compliment we value.

COM M E RCIAL LAN DLORD & TE NANT

COM M E RCIAL PROPE RTY I NVE STM E NTOur team has a wealth of experience in acquisitions and disposals by private treaty, auction, portfolio, sub-sales and forward commitment investment. We act for high net worth individuals, private and publicly quoted property companies, property

funds, commercial managing agents and fund managers in the UK and overseas, including the Middle East, Africa and India. Established connections with offshore providers allows us to offer expert advice and assistance with the restructuring of acquisitions through offshore vehicles and inward and outward investment from and into the Indian sub-continent and East Africa.


Alongside our extensive property experience, we have focused expertise in the retail and leisure sectors for iconic high street names, high-end fashion and luxury maisons. Our clients are corporate and

private individuals, global luxury maisons, multiplex and art-house cinema operators, one of the UK’s premier estate and letting agents, several multi-outlet retailers and well-known names from the property sector, all at the forefront of innovative retailing. We work closely alongside the brands, their in-house teams and their external advisors. Often our instructions are complex, market sensitive or time critical. Our experience of handling instructions of this nature ensures that our clients receive a bespoke service at every stage from single units to multiple outlet portfolios.

RETAI L & LE I SU RE


SECU RE D LE N DI NGThe Secured Lending team provide a full and efficient service for commercial lenders and borrowers including banks, building societies and a range of private lending institutions.

They work closely with lenders and borrowers across a wide-range of sectors preparing, negotiating and agreeing loan documentation for a broad spectrum of property transactions including secured loans, re-financing and structured project financing. The team are experienced in dealing with secured commercial lending against a range of securities including public houses, restaurants, B&Bs, shops, offices, commercial and residential developments and collateral security including debentures and personal guarantees.

• Acting on the acquisition and disposal of numerous flagship Bond Street, Sloane Street and Mount Street stores for luxury maisons.

• Acting on the property aspects of a £300m corporate share sale for a wholesale and retail food business.

• Acting for a purveyor of luxury tea, a new entrant to the UK market, on the acquisition of their Central London stores including their 7,000 sq ft Leicester Square flagship.

• Acting for the purchaser and developer ELRS on the purchase of a large site for a mixed-use development scheme in Central London. The site being 5,365 sq m commercial use and 120 residential units together with public use including site acquisition, consolidation and then planning and ultimate sale of the site to a major property developer.

• Development of a large-scale site of 177 luxury apartments and a gym. The property was originally acquired in 2012. This was a very complex transaction which required several years of planning up to 2014. The site was then built and sold on to a USA investor. The entire project was funded by a series of complex loans and included a mezzanine facility, Options and secured lending.

H I G H L I G H T S

• The purchase of a site for residential development for circa 100 upmarket residential units. Exchange and completion concluded within five days including bank funding.

• Acquisition of a Bracknell site by a major developer, requiring a buyout from existing market stallholders and the local council. The site was developed into 311 residential properties. The site required equity funding and a series of complicated finance and subordinated loans. The site continues to be built.

• West London – acquired site for £7.2m for mixed residential/commercial development into 111 flats and commercial space.

• Acquisition of the share capital of a Midlands based hotel - a rapid deal concluding in eight weeks.

• Acting for a privately owned hotel investment group in obtaining finance for a development site in Manchester for a flagship hotel franchise.

• Our Secured Lending team were instructed on close to 100 refinance deals in 2017, acting for both borrowers and lenders and from time-to-time both parties. Finance and loans varied between £1m - £5m.

• Shopping Centre acquisitions and disposals.

• Our Commercial Landlord & Tenant team undertake hundreds of lease renewals every year.

‘‘“The firm acted with diligence, caution and steadfastness that, at

times, I felt went beyond thecall of duty. Great service. I’ll be back

for more”

“The Commercial Property department continues to fly the flag for this Harrow-based firm”

“I would like to place on record my appreciation for all the work you have done - it has been

professional, pragmatic, authoritative and helpful”‘‘W H AT T H E Y S AY

“Harold Benjamin paid meticulous attention to detail with an excellent practical

commercial approach and an appreciation of our very specific business requirements”

W H O W E W O R K W I T H

• 259 City Road Ltd

• Alexander McQueen

• Allied Irish Bank

• Banner Homes Ltd

• Balenciaga

• Bellwood Homes Group

• Boucheron

• Bouygues (UK) Ltd

• Bread Group

• Byrne Group Residential Ltd

• Cavanna Homes (South West) Limited

• Christopher Kane

• Comer Homes Group of Companies

• Countrywide Group

• Davis Estates (Southern) Ltd

• Fonehouse

• Gail’s Bakery

• Groveworld Group of Companies

• Hamptons International

• Harcourt Developments Ltd

• Headmasters

• Jaysam Contractors Ltd

• JS Bloor Homes Ltd

• Kier Living Ltd

• Ladbrokes Coral Group

• Mackenzie Homes

• Matthew Homes Limited

• Martin Grant Group of Companies

• Metro Bank

• NatWest/Royal Bank of Scotland Plc

• Orion City Road Trustee Limited

• Picturehouse Cinemas Ltd

• Pomellato

• Roksanda Ilincic

• Sherrygreen Homes Ltd

• Taylor Wimpey UK Ltd

• Tesco Stores Ltd (Residential Estate Development)

• The Flour Station

• Turner Properties Ltd/ATA Estates Ltd

• Vivienne Westwood

• Wallis Road Developments Ltd

• Westcombe

• YaccoMaricard

www.haroldbenjamin.com

February 2019 edition

H A R R O WHill House 67-71 Lowlands Road Harrow HA1 3EQ

Tel +44 (0)20 8422 5678Fax +44 (0)20 8864 7530

W E S T E N D48 Queen Anne Street

London W1G 9JJ

Tel +44 (0)20 7224 0888Fax +44 (0)20 7486 4220

@hb_solicitors

Harold Benjamin hb_solicitors

HaroldBenjamin

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harold benjamin...flagship bond street, sloane street and mount street stores for luxury maisons....

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