move commercial 11

MOVECOMMERCIAL

January–February 2009

FREELIVERPOOL WIRRAL SEFTON KNOWSLEY

Merseyside’s guide to commercial property Issue 11

The wraps are off

The fully refurbished Port of Liverpool Building

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Good accessibility close to J7 of M62

Good rail links - approx. 0.5 miles from Lea Green Station

The fi rst phase now complete comprising 54,496 sq ft

Good local amenities

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www.meregrange.co.uk

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p01-21:p03-12 1/13/09 1:41 PM

MOVECOMMERCIAL

January–February 2009

FREELIVERPOOL WIRRAL SEFTON KNOWSLEY

Merseyside’s guide to commercial property Issue 11

The wraps are off

The fully refurbished Port of Liverpool Building

Issue eleven Move Commercial

Welcome to Move Commercial

News04 The MoD moves into

Exchange Flags 05 Hill Dickinson advises Iceland

on Woolworths purchase06 New occuppier at The Estuary07 The Baltic Triangle

offers opportunities08 Liverpool One’s new tenants09 Downing refurbishes the

Port of Liverpool building11 Lingley Mere proves popular12 St Helens’ plans for regeneration13 Hilton lands at JLA15 Awards for Liverpool Vision

Features16 Founding Father

Andrew Collinge on his salons in the changing city centre

20 Mover and ShakerMike Gardner at Claremont on designing the Liver building interiors

24 FocusWirral International Business Park wakes up the peninsula

27 Tracking the ProgressAn update on Merseyside’s evolving transport network

31 Talking PointDebating the Culture Year’s highlights and the city’s future plan

39 DealsAll the latest signings

40 Rising StarTom Venner at Land Securities on breathing life into St. Johns

Key Events19 Women in Construction

celebrate success in style22 Servicemaster arrives in Speke35 Forward Point launches in

Widnes37 Oscar Developments launch

offices on city gateway43 Christmas lunch at Merseyside

Property Forum45 Halliwells brings in the

New Year at the Town Hall

Careers38 Whispers

The commercial property grapevine

44 Appointments Who’s joining whom and acting for whom

46 Q and AThe spotlight’s on Iain Taylor at Highcross

Contents

04

12 27

WELCOME to the eleventh issue of Move Commercial at thestart of 2009, a time to look forward to new developmentsand opportunities in the forthcoming months.

With the ceremonies and celebrations of Capital ofCulture year now behind us, we’ve looked at the highlightsof the year for local businesses in our Talking Point. Lunchin the cultural Georgian Quarter focuses on how the cityshould now be capitalising on its ‘culture’ to bring ininward investment, where work still needs to be done, and how the year’s success can really be measured.

With the effects of the current market continuing to befelt, we look at businesses whose long-term investmentin the city has brought the city forwards and shownconfidence in our markets. Our Founding Father, AndrewCollinge, is a businessman whose passion for his homecity meant a global brand was born in Liverpool, the siteof his flagship salon. In our interview with Rising Star TomVenner, Land Securities’ retail development manager, it’s

clear that the current refurbishment of the long-established St. John’s shopping centre, and of ClaytonSquare, will boost the city’s already thriving value market.

Makeovers for landmarks is definitely a theme at thestart of the new year. Our Mover and Shaker, MikeGardner from Claremont Group Interiors, talks aboutredesigning the interiors of the Royal Liver Building, thatwaterfront icon. Across the river, the spotlight’s on WirralInternational Business Park, where increasing numbers oflocal and international businesses are finding high qualityaccommodation.

And, as the Mersey Gateway awaits governmentapproval and spring sees roadworks resume on the city’seastern road gateway, transport remains a hot topic inthis issue’s Focus. We examine the major projects toimprove the transport infrastructure in the region, andevaluate how far they’ll support Merseyside’s growingappeal to investors.

move publishing ltdAdvertising DirectorFiona Barnet Tel 0151 709 3871Advertising Sales ManagerJeff Porter Tel 0151 709 3871Account ManagerJo Tait Tel 0151 709 3871Art DirectorAdrian LloydEmail [email protected] TeamLucy Oliver and Marie MartinEmail [email protected] 0151 709 3871

Published by Move Publishing LtdDirectorsDavid O’BrienKim O’BrienFiona BarnetDesign & ProductionThe Design Foundry36 Henry Street, Liverpool L1 5BS.Tel 0151 709 1633Printed by Acorn Web Offset LimitedDistribution Liaison ManagerBarbara TroughtonTel 0151 733 5492 Mobile 077148 14662

Copyright Move Publishing Limited. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced copied or transmitted in any form orby 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 forthe veracity of the claims made by advertisers.

MOVE COMMERCIAL 3

News Move Commercial

Ministry of Defencesets up camp Exchange Flags welcomesgovernment occupiers

FOLLOWING the announcementin August 2007, that the Ministryof Defence (MoD) had taken a pre-let of 70,000 sq ft at WalkerHouse, Exchange Flags, inLiverpool’s prime core, the fit-outhas now been completed and theMoD has moved its operations tothe city centre location.

Walker House is undergoing a£15million refurbishment totransform the former vacantbuilding into Liverpool’s premieroffice accommodation withfloorplates ranging from 9,332 sqft to 26,700 sq ft. This is the finalphase of the regeneration ofExchange Flags, bringing 450,000sq ft of high quality office space to

the market.The news follows

announcements towards the endof last year that Coffee Republichas taken 1,200 sq ft of retailaccommodation on the groundfloor of Walker House andcomplements the letting of 3,000sq ft at Horton House to Ridge inNovember 2008.

Joint venture developers UKLand & Property and Pochinundertook the fit-out at WalkerHouse on behalf of the MoD,which will occupy a third of thebuilding and incorporate its owndedicated entrance. The MoDemploys some 600 people on sitehas been fully operational from

the end of December 2008.On the completion of the first

phase, Paul Johnson, director atUK Land & Property, commented:“By carrying out thecomprehensive refurbishment onbehalf of the MOD, we created aturn-key package specific to itsrequirements. Having nowcompleted this phase toprogramme, we are now workingtowards the completion of theremaining 140,000 sq ft, whichwill be ready for occupation by theend of January.”

Tony Reed at Keppie Massieadded: “The impressiverefurbishment of Walker House,due to be completed this month,

will complete the transformationof Exchange Flags into, what isalready regarded by many as,Liverpool’s premier office address.Few schemes in the city can boastthe tenant profile of ExchangeFlags which has, in turn, helped toattract other businesses that aredissatisfied with their currentaccommodation.”

The project follows thecompletion of its counterpartHorton House and is now home toBrabners Chaffe Street, Deloitte,Regus, Knight Frank and RyderArchitecture.

Keppie Massie is the office agentfor the scheme, along with KnightFrank and King Sturge.

GB FINANCE GROUP andCosmopolitan Housing Associationare expanding their provision of nongrant-funded supported housing.

The £43m investment will help localauthorities and NHS Trusts to providean estimated 100 additional units ofaccommodation to people withsupported housing needs.

The partnership will provide thefunding over the next two years andaims to reduce the numbers on localauthority supported housing waitinglists.

Gary Gardner, director of GB Finance

Group, said: “We have worked withCosmopolitan for some time and havebeen impressed with the managementteam. They are a very talented groupof people who are totally dedicated toproviding high quality accommodationfor their clients.”

Dave Griffiths, Cosmpolitan'sdevelopment director, said: “Weinitially started out on quite a smallscale about six or seven years ago,using Cosmopolitan's own funds tohelp our local authority partners fillthe gap in their publicly fundedprogrammes.

£43m assistance for supported housingGB Finance partnership fills the gap

The historic site

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Move Commercial News

£100m Liverpoolscheme back on trackProminent joint venture development to be delivered

WORK HAS re-started on the£100m mixed-use waterfrontdevelopment, The Quarter.

The high profile regenerationscheme at the junction of SeftonStreet and Parliament Street isbeing developed by Sefton StreetDevelopments LLP, which was a joint venture between Ethel Austin Properties and Vermont Developments.

Construction was interrupted inAugust when Vermont was put intoadministration by DowningCorporate Finance, one of itsLondon-based shareholders.

The Quarter, owned and fundedby Sefton Street Developments, was

unaffected by the administrationbut the situation at Vermontcreated a number of legal andcontractual problems in completingthe initial phases of the project.

Ethel Austin Properties and a newcompany, Vermont Capitol Limitedhave now committed to thecompletion of the scheme, whichfeatures a 173-bedroom four starhotel and 22-storey residentialtower, office accommodation, retailand leisure space and a new publicsquare.

The development has already sold83 per cent of the first phase of 187apartments and secured theprestigious international hotel

brand, Ramada Plaza.Vermont Capitol Limited is led by

Mark Connor. He said: “It’s been adifficult few months, but havingreached agreement with all thestakeholders on the project we canfocus on moving forward withdelivering our vision for TheQuarter. I’m obviously grateful toBank of Ireland and Ethel AustinProperties for their unstintingsupport.”

Andrew Lovelady, of Ethel AustinProperties said: “The Quarter willbe great news for Liverpool andwe’re delighted to be able to getback on track with what is anoutstanding scheme.”

The Quarter

Hill Dickinsonadvise Icelandon purchase ofWoolworthsstoresDEESIDE-BASED food retailerIceland has bought over 50former Woolworths storesthroughout the UK.

The 51 stores were acquiredfollowing Woolworths collapseinto administration late last year.Hill Dickinson LLP advised on thedeal, which will create around2,000 jobs.

Andy Pritchard, managingdirector of Iceland Foods Ltd says,“The acquisition of these primeretail sites will further increaseour presence throughout the UKand Northern Ireland.”

Michael Stephens, partner at HillDickinson LLP who advised IcelandFoods Ltd, said: “This deal is highlysignificant. Iceland Foods Limitedis working to an ambitiousexpansion strategy and this keyacquisition will help the foodretailer achieve its businessobjective and increase its marketshare.”

Castle ChambersrefurbishmentCastle Chambers is set to receive a£2.5m refurbishment which leadingcommercial property consultancy CBRichard Ellis has been appointed tomanage on behalf of MerseysidePension Fund.

The historic building at 10-18Castle Street provides its occupantswith office accommodation withinperiod property surroundings andcurrently has over 15,000 sq ft ofspace available to let.

Tim Garnett, senior surveyor andpart of the North West officeagency team at CBRE, said,“Liverpool has seen a massivetransformation recently, particularlyin the case of city centre officebuildings. It is encouraging to seeLiverpool continuing toregenerate and provide qualityaccommodation.”

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PROSPECT (GB) LTD has securedoutline planning permission for abespoke office development inSkelmersdale.

The Warrington based firm, whichis one of the country’s fastestgrowing property development andinvestment companies, is offeringpotential occupiers offices that willbe designed specifically for them ata three acre site at the Whitemossarea of Skelmersdale.

The site, which will house 91,400sq ft of Grade A office space, islocated just off junction four of theM58 and is easily accessible fromthe north-west’s motorway system.

Knight Frank has been appointedas agent of the project and partnerGraham Bowling believes thatWhitemoss offers great potential.He said: “It represents atremendous opportunity for anoccupier to secure tailor-madepremises in an area in which newdevelopments are rare.

“It is well-connected via themotorway network and is close to alarge and high quality workforce.”

Prospect (GB) Ltd’s developmentmanager, Jane Thompson, said:“We’re offering someone a chanceto get their dream offices in a goodlocation and we’re confident thatthis chance will be quickly grasped.”

UK LAND AND PROPERTY haveannounced Kier, as its latesttenants to come to the OfficeQuarter at The Estuary.

The UK building and civilengineering contractor isrelocating from KnowsleyIndustrial Park and has taken15,000 sq ft of office space on a10-year lease at the site in Speke.

Located at The Estuary,Merseyside’s flagship business park,the Office Quarter has 464 sq mimmediately available and whenfully completed, the scheme willtotal 13,006 sq m in buildingsfrom 929 sq m to 3,716 q m.

The campus, a high quality styledevelopment, which offers itstenants an excellent transportnetwork, is located immediatelyadjacent to facilities such as David

Lloyd, Marks and Spencer and theCrowne Plaza hotel.

Ian Sherry, development directorof UK Land and property, said,“Kier is a real coup for us andfurther demonstrates the extent ofquality of the offering at Estuary.In this current climate it’scomforting to see that theoccupational market is stillshowing levels of significantactivity and we have no doubt thatthe Kier brand will furtherenhance south Liverpool asMerseyside’s out of town locationchoice.”

Managing director of Kier, NigelBrook, added: “Our move toEstuary sends a strong message tothe market that Kier is committedto the north-west. It’s a locationwhich we can all be proud of and

will provide the perfect platform tohelp grow the business across allsectors over the next five years.We are now carrying out the officefit out; once complete in Marchnext year, the scheme will houseapproximately 100 employees.”

CBRE and King Sturge are jointagents for the scheme. HelenMoss, surveyor at King Sturge,said: “There is a good choice ofavailable new officeaccommodation in south Liverpooland Kier’s selection of the OfficeQuarter is a testament to theexceptional quality of buildingsprovided by UKLP at the scheme.We are now promoting the last5,000ft2 at the Office Quarter andthe design and build opportunitiesfrom 10,000 ft2 to 40,000 ft2 onthe future phases of the scheme.”


Kier announced as new tenants at The Estuary

Bespokedevelopmentis a temptingprospect

The Estuary (Photography by McCoy Wynne)

Skelmersdale ups its offer

Jane Thompson

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Bright future for Baltic TriangleDevelopment opportunity at landmark siteA SUBSTANTIAL residentialdevelopment opportunity,complete with planning consent,between St James Street andJamaica Street in the BalticTriangle area of Liverpool hasbecome available.

The specialist firm of consultantsurveyors, Edward Symmons, hasbeen appointed to sell the site. Theplot adds to the firm’s growing

portfolio of LPA receivershipappointments being handled bythe firm’s strong line-up of NARA-registered receivers.

The site, which covers some 0.35acres, presents a primedevelopment opportunity for theastute investor, as the plot alreadybenefits from planning consent for60 apartments and a retail unitwith 56 associated parking spaces.

Paul Parker of Edward Symmonscommented: “This site presents anexciting opportunity with verystrong prospects in the mid tolong term. Positioned just a milefrom the city centre it offersopportunity for residentialdevelopment in a primegeographical location. In the shortterm the site has potential for useas surface parking and may also be

suitable for advertising hoardingstogether with a wide range ofalternative uses, subject to thenecessary consents.”

The area has seen increasinginterest, with the Kings Dock Milldevelopment set for completion inJanuary 2010 which will include aHampton by Hilton hotel, 188apartments and 3,600 sq ft ofoffice space.

KENMORE PROPERTY GROUP hasannounced the letting of an office atPuma Court in Kings Business Park,Knowsley, to the engineering,construction and investment companyBalfour Beatty.

The firm is relocating from itspremises in Prescott to take on a7,417 sq ft unit within the park.Balfour Beatty will occupy the spaceon a new 10-year lease, with a five-year break option, and has agreed astepped rent starting at £14 per sq ftand rising to £15.50 per sq ft by thefifth year.

Mark Robinson, associate director atKenmore’s Manchester office,

commented: “We are delighted towelcome such a high profile occupier tothe building. This letting demonstratesthat, despite a tough economic climatein which we find ourselves, there is stilla market for good quality, well locatedoffice premises.”

Puma Court comprises seven units,five of which were originally owned byKenmore. Of the five, two were sold,one to Johnsons Group of Propertiesand another to Kings Park Day Nursery.I-Paye Ltd occupies the first floor ofUnit Two where the ground floor hasspace available of 4,070 sq ft. UnitFour, of 7,634 sq ft, is available to rentor buy as a stand-alone unit.

Knowsley attracts construction kingsPuma Court welcomes Balfour Beatty Puma Court

CGI of the Kings Dock Mill

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New Brightonregeneration enterssecond phaseLeisure and transport improvements to begin

NEPTUNE DEVELOPMENTS hasunveiled extensive plans for Phase Two of its £45 million NewBrighton scheme.

This is the second and finalapplication to be submitted afteroutline planning approval wasreceived in early 2008.

Plans for the scheme includethree groups of buildings withassociated landscaping and animproved public realm including anew seafront promenade, and anew model boating lake, as well ashighways and public transportimprovements.

The main mixed-use buildingwill feature a number of leisureuses, including a 60-bed PremierInn, a six-screen 1000 seat digitalcinema, restaurants, bars and aMorrison’s supermarket.

The second building will borderthe western shore of the existing

marine lake and will house singlestorey restaurants and bars with atwo storey sailing school. Therewill be a large public areaseparating this building from themain building, which will beutilised for public performances.

A new public outdoor pool willsit behind the model boating lakeand the area between this and themain building will provide a 750space landscaped car park to caterfor the visitors expected to helpthe development bring inadditional spend of £21 millionper annum to New Brighton andWirral.

Steve Parry, Neptune’smanaging director, said: “We aredelighted to be getting underwaywith the main body of the scheme.The completion of the new FloralPavilion demonstrates the qualityof the whole project.”

The new Floral Pavilion Theatre,completed by contractor KierNorth West on time and onbudget, is seen to demonstrateNeptune’s expertise andcommitment to New Brighton.

Ken Martin, Floral Pavilionarchitect, said: “I am delightedthe scheme is approachingcompletion on time, on budgetand it is a credit to NeptuneDevelopments, Wirral BoroughCouncil and Kier North West.This was a remarkable team effortwith good will on all sides and wehave finally produced an iconiccultural building which willchange the image of NewBrighton.”

Work on Phase Two is due tobegin in March 2009 and will takeapproximately 18 months, withcompletion due by Christmas2010.

Retail signingsbring confidenceGROSVENOR’S £1bn LiverpoolOne project is celebrating theNew Year with a selection ofprominent new signings.

High street retailers Topshopwill open a new flagship northernstore in spring 2009, totalling65,485 sq ft and set to be thebiggest outside of London.

Jigsaw opens its doors for thefirst time at the end of January,taking 5112 sq ft of space closelyfollowed by Flannels, whicharrives in mid February taking 20, 941 sq ft.

Award-winning Thai restaurantbrand Chaophraya is also set toopen in March, occupying 14, 679sq ft over two sites while Pesto,which takes the Spanish style oftapas eating and applies it toItalian cuisine takes 5,444 sq ft.

Tesco opens a new superstorein February in a 29,000 sq ftspace as part of the Liverpool Onedevelopment on Hanover Street.

The fresh signings indicate thesuccess of the Liverpool Onedevelopment in attracting inwardinvestment to date and show theremaining confidence thatretailers have in the city.

High Streetheavies land atLiverpool One

The six screen, 1,000 seat digital cinema planned as part of Phase Two

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Downing makes over Port of Liverpool City jewel refurbished

ONE OF LIVERPOOL’S mosthistoric commercial buildings hasundergone a comprehensive £10million restoration project.

The Grade II listed Port ofLiverpool Building has beenrestored by Downing, whoacquired the building in 2001, andis on target to offer more than20,000 sq ft of newly refurbishedoffice suites during 2009.

This is the first time the buildinghas been restored since it wasdamaged during the Blitz. Itsiconic dome has now beenreturned to its former glory, withits inner glass and marble cleanedand fully restored.

The work on the building beganin 2007 when the building’slimestone exterior, internalterrazzo flooring and marble wallcladding were restored and the

stained glass windows wererefurbished and reinstated.

Now the building boasts newlifts, upgraded internal andexternal lighting, disabled accessand state of the art technologythat allows tenants to opt-in to acentrally managed cooling system.

Senior agency surveyor atDowning, Robin Ellis, said: “Theseextensive repair and upgradeworks to the building’s fabric andenvelope, mean that our valuedoccupiers can enjoy themagnificent building safe in theknowledge that it has beenfuture-proofed, giving them

valuable confidence and certaintyon costs.”

The strength of therefurbishment space saw the Portof Liverpool building become oneof Liverpool’s most successful

commercial properties in 2008,with some 20,00 sq ft f space tolet to global brands including DHLand shipping giant Hapag-Lloyd.

George Downing, chairman ofthe company, added: “There arefew buildings in the UK as iconicas the Port of Liverpool Building.It boasts a level of grace andquality that would be impossibleto recreate today.

“We will continue to invest inthe building to ensure it thrives inits joint roles as the jewel ofLiverpool’s World HeritageWaterfront and one of the city’smost prestigious businessaddresses.”

Joint agents Knight Frank andCBRE are currently marketing tworefurbished suites of 3,035 sq ftand 6,251 sq ft on the building’sfirst floor.

LIVERPOOL WATERFRONT’Slandmark Cunard building is tobenefit from a conservationmanagement plan to keep it in all itssplendour.

The Grade II star listed building, oneof the city’s Three Graces, will bereceiving a development programmeof repair and restoration led by theLiverpool office of architects,Buttress Fuller Alsop Williams, whohave been appointed by buildingmanagers CB Richard Ellis.

The building was constructedbetween 1914 and 1917 as theheadquarters of the eponymousshipping company. Today, it is a highlysuccessful commercial centre withtenants including the governmentoffice of the north-west.

The plan, being drawn up inconsultation with the local authorityconservation officer and EnglishHeritage, will look at the building’shistory, significance, vulnerabilitiesand propose polices for the Cunard’slong term conservation andmanagement.

Ken Smith, associate to ButtressFuller Alsop Williams, said: “TheCunard building is obviously anarchitectural treasure but it’s also ahighly successful office which mustcontinue to meet the needs ofoccupiers and changing marketneeds. We are using our design andconservation expertise to bring outthe Cunard’s immense character -reinstating some original featuresthat have been lost over time.”

Meanwhile, the iconic Royal Liverbuilding is also receiving a makeover.Warrington based Claremont GroupInteriors are in the process ofcompleting design and refurbishmentworks in the landmark premises.

Waterfrontlandmarks to keeptheir sparkle

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FURNITURE RETAILER OceansApart has taken an industrial uniton the well-establishedWhitehouse Industrial Estate inRuncorn.

The 19,082 sq ft warehousefacility on Fairoak Lane, whichalso contains a production facilityand office extension, wassuccessfully let by commercialproperty consultant CBRE on afive-year lease.

Companies already locatedwithin the industrial estate includeO2, B&Q, Guinness andWincanton.

Paul Cook, director of industrialagency at CBRE, said: “Locatedwithin easy reach of bothManchester and Liverpool,Runcorn is widely recognised asone of the main industriallocations in Cheshire and aleading business destination in thenorth-west. The site is ideal forOceans Apart to take advantage ofthe high specification facility andlocal infrastructure.

“We are pleased to say that thisletting exemplifies there is still ahealthy demand in the area forhigh quality warehouse facilities.”

THE NEW North West Fire andRescue Control Centre has beencompleted at Lingley MereBusiness Park in Warrington.

Joint venture partners MuseDevelopments and United UtilitiesProperty Solutions have nowhanded over the new 31,000 sq ftbuilding to the Department forCommunities and LocalGovernment on a 25-year lease.

The building has been designedand constructed to be low incarbon emissions and hasachieved an excellent rating underthe Building Research

Establishment EnvironmentalAssessment Method (BREEAM).

This is a significant achievementfor a building, which has to behighly secure, resilient andoperate around the clock.

Jonathan Ashcroft, projectdirector at Muse Development,said: “We’re delighted that wehave been able to deliver thisbuilding on time, on budget andto the highest standards ofquality.

“Lingley Mere was originallychosen as the location for thecentre due to its accessibility and

excellent transport links, itssuitability for further developmentand because it has the lateststandards in sustainable designand energy efficiency.

Located near junction eight ofthe M62, Lingley Mere BusinessPark currently provides 380,000sq ft of high quality officeaccommodation set within 100acres of landscaped parkland.

Other tenants at the site includeWates Construction, MWH UKLtd, Jaymar Estates and theUnited Utilities shared servicecentre.


Lingley Merelaunches newcentre

Industrialletting inRuncorn

The new Fire and Control Rescue Centre

CBRE lets Fairoak Lane

North West Fire Control hot on the heels of business park tenants

Paul Cook

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St Helens growthplan extendedRedevelopment success encourages further investment

ST HELENS COUNCIL hasannounced the revision of its 10-year development plan followingits successful implementation overjust five years.

The revised City Growth Strategynow spans 90 projects with acollective value of £1.8 billion.These include 30 extensions tooriginal projects and 60 brand newschemes.

The majority of the original 70schemes have been completed,including the flagship £6 million St Helens Chamber HQ andGraduate Enterprise Centre, £8million office space at MereGrange Business Park and the £90million redevelopment of St Helens Hospital.

The new projects reflect the factthat the economic environmenthas changed since the CGS wasfirst developed and many of theoriginal projects have been

realised, with new opportunitiesemerging.

Revisions to the project includeChalon Way Enterprise Park, anew two-hectare park for high-techcompanies to be located on theformer British Lead Mill site in thetown centre and St Helens ForestPark, involving the creation of amajor new regional attraction.

The spectacular façade of theTheatre Royal in the multi-awardwinning George St cultural quarteris one of many buildings in St Helens which has received thestar treatment in recent years.

Cllr. Brian Spencer, Leader of St Helens Council says: “The factthat we have revised the original10-year City Growth Strategy afteronly 5 years is a reflection of ourhighly successful approach toregeneration in terms of our firmfocus on delivery and working inclose partnership, particularly with

the private sector.“Change won’t happen overnight,

however there is a realdetermination to achieve ourambitions so we can ensure that St Helens continues to develop as avibrant, modern and enterprisingborough at the heart of the north-west.”

CGS was devised at the HarvardBusiness School in the UnitedStates and aims to inspire aforward thinking approach to theeconomic development of urbanareas. It encourages partnershipswith the private sector in order tocreate jobs, income and wealth forinner-city residents.

St Helens was chosen as one ofonly four areas in the UK to pilotthe CGS model in 2002. Followingthe success of the model in StHelens, CGS was rolled out acrossthe country in neighbouring citiessuch as Manchester and Liverpool.


The spectacular façade of the refurbished Theatre Royal

New complexpulls in retailersA NEW SHOPPING complex inWidnes has attracted a number oftop high street stores to the towncentre development.

Marks and Spencer will be theflagship store at Widnes ShoppingPark on the former WindmillCentre site.

Other famous name storesopening branches at the complexinclude Next, River Island, NewLook, Topman and Warehouse.

Widnes Shopping Park, will forman integral part of a modernisedWidnes town centre being linkeddirectly to the high street by apedestrian walkway.

When completed the complexwill extend to 297,000 sq ft withover 600 car spaces on two levelsand it is estimated that around500 jobs will be created.

The new stores are due to openin early 2010 alongside theexisting tenants.

Cllr Rob Polhill, executive boardmember for regeneration, added:“This is the icing on the cake forthe regeneration of Widnes. Theopening of the shopping park andThe Hive leisure development is areally exciting prospect andsomething everyone can lookforward to.”

Further regeneration in the areaincludes the redevelopment of theformer Widnes Town Hall.Construction has recently begunon the £1.275m scheme toredevelop the 123-year-oldbuilding, creating a boutique hotelwith function room, bar andrestaurant. The project is plannedfor completion in around ninemonths.

High streetnames head forHalton

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Caption here


Hilton Hotel landsat Liverpool AirportPeel signs £37m franchise agreement for Hampton by Hilton

PEEL HOLDINGS (LEISURE) hasannounced the signing of afranchise agreement with HiltonHotels for its new hotel atLiverpool John Lennon Airport,Hampton by Hilton.

The 160 bedroom hotel, due toopen in summer 2009, is part of a£37m development that includes amulti-storey car park and a bridgethat will allow guests to walkdirectly to the terminal buildingfrom the new development.

The franchise agreement withHampton by Hilton claims to be “anew kind of economy hotel brand,offering consistency and comfortfor business and leisure travellers.”

This hotel will be Peel’s secondairport hotel, following on fromthe successful opening of RamadaEncore at Robin Hood AirportDoncaster Sheffield in autumnlast year, and further hotels areplanned throughout the group’sportfolio.

Peter de la Perrelle, director ofPeel Holdings (Leisure), said:“Hampton by Hilton continuesthe successful development ofLiverpool John Lennon Airportand will bring a quality hotelproduct to the airport whereguests will be able to walkundercover from the hoteldirectly to the terminal building.

It is expected that this agreementwill be the first of many withHilton as Peel Holdings Ltdcontinue to develop their hotelestate.”

Senior vice president of brandmanagement for Hampton byHilton, Phil Cordell, said,“Hampton by Hilton is anexceptional product which is setto transform the UK’s economyhotel sector and fill a gap at itsupper end. The internationalexpansion of the brand continuesat a pace and we are delighted tobe building our presence in adestination like Liverpool JohnLennon Airport.”

Bootle’s AtlanticPark attractsnew tenantsTHE COMPLETION of the firstphase of Atlantic Park mixed-usescheme was marked by the recentlaunch of Merseyside's largestspeculatively-developed Grade Aoffice building.

The 54,000 sq ft five-storeybuilding provides the strikingfrontage to the 800,000 sq ftmixed-use business park, the firstof its kind in north Liverpool.

The office building on Bootle'sDunningsbridge Road has alreadyattracted significant interest fromlocal occupiers and is aiming for arental price of £14.50 per sq ft.Sulzer Pumps has already taken alease for 90,000 sq ft ofindustrial space, which will soonbe vacated by Rolls Royce.

Nigel Lax of Industrial Securities,which represents Royal LondonAsset Managers, the owners anddevelopers of Atlantic Park, said:“North Liverpool is known for itsestablished industrial andcommercial base but it has lackeda high quality mixed-use offeringlike Atlantic Park.

“In particular, there's been a realneed for high quality office spaceand this building is clearly meetingdemand.

“Overall the site's excellentlocation, major transport links andprominent frontage make thisprime space for a wide variety ofbusinesses and we expect it tocontinue the regeneration ofBootle and Sefton.”

New frontiersin northLiverpool

The office development

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FOR SALE/TO LET

DITTON COURTFOUNDRY LANE, WIDNES

NewBusinessUnits240m2 (2,585 ft2) to 1,320m2 (14,215 ft2)

LOCATIONLocated 2 miles southwest of Widnes TownCentre in an established and improvingindustrial area. The development is situated1/2 mile from the A562 Speke Road, whichprovides excellent access to the RegionalMotorway Network via Junction 6 of theM62 (3 miles north) and Junction 12 of theM56 (4 miles south).

DESCRIPTIONThe development comprises 5 highquality units suitable for a range ofmanufacturing, warehousing and general business uses.The units range in size from 240m2

(2,585 ft2) to 1,320 m2 (14,215 ft2) and are available in multiples to suitindividual needs.

For more information contact:

East Side Developments

on 07718 530000

FEATURES

•High quality brick andprofile steel clad elevations

•Large loading doors 4.7m high

•Dedicated parking

•Low maintenancelandscaping

ONLY 2UNITSREMAINING

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Prime opportunity foroffice spaceCity centre suite to attract high quality tenants

ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES firm,Taylor Young, has been appointedto update the masterplan anddelivery strategy for thedevelopment of a 200 acre formerindustrial area in south Widnes,forming part of the WidnesWaterfront regeneration scheme.

Developments already completedat the site include Forward Point,Easter Park and Turnstone BusinessPark and the regeneration of theremaining undeveloped sites isexpected to create over 2,700 jobson completion. Plans for a £10m

leisure complex by WidnesRegeneration Limited are wellunderway.

Jim Fox, director at Taylor Young,said: “Even in the midst of the credit crunch, WidnesWaterfront has the potential in the medium to long term to betransformed as an exciting riversideemployment and leisure led mixed-use area, building on successesalready achieved and the hugepotential offered by proposals forthe Mersey Gateway crossingimmediately to the west.”

THE TWO remaining office units in abuilding close to the heart of the £1bnLiverpool One complex are nowavailable for let or sale.

Situated on Henry Street and LydiaAnn Street, the units of The Foundryboth offer self-containedaccommodation and are available forimmediate occupation through agentsKeppie Massie and CBRE.

The first on Henry Street offers11,069 sq ft of new build offices with individual floors available from2,077 sq ft.

The second, on Lydia Ann Street is a4,125 sq ft of refurbishment officespace over ground and lower groundfloors with original exposed brick walls.

Associate for Keppie Massie, TonyReed, said: “The Foundry offices providehigh quality accommodation in thepopular Rope Walks area of Liverpool.

“The development is already home tosome high quality tenants includingMove Publishing, the Design Foundry,PS Costs Law and Open Communities.”

Advisors planWidnes’ regenerationWaterfront scheme to focus on undeveloped sites

Towngate launchesWidnes Business Centre

REGENERATION WORK carriedout by Liverpool Vision on key routesinto the city has been recognised withtwo prestigious national awards.

Constructing Excellence, set up to help deliver industryperformance, named LiverpoolVision National Client of the Year2008 for its work on the Edge Laneproject, Stonebridge Park andAintree Industrial Estate.

The award celebrated Vision’scommitment to adopting bestpractice principles on each of theprojects and throughout the supplychain.

Rob Monaghan, director ofgateways at Liverpool Vision, who

collected the award said: “Workingclosely with local communities isalways our number one priorityduring a construction scheme.”

A second award for the city’seconomic development companycame from The Green Organisationfor the environmental improvementson Horrocks Avenue in Garston.

Dr Mohanned Ahmad, seniorproject manager at Liverpool Vision,said: “The two awards we have beenhonoured with are very welcome andtruly a reflection of the efforts thatwe, and our contractors, go to inorder to ensure we always make theright impression in the communitiesin which we work.”

‘Visionary’workLiverpool’s economicdevelopment companyscoops awards Rob Monaghan

TOWNGATE PLC, one of the north’s leading commercial and industrial propertyproviders, held a launch event with a difference for their portfolio of north-westproperties at the Towngate Business Centre in Widnes.

Agents and potential tenants at the launch were invited to take part in a‘forklift challenge’ to learn some of the skills required for forklift truck operationand gain an understanding of the risks involved.

The 70 plus attendees were rewarded for their efforts with a choice of eitherEnglish or Continental breakfast.

The Towngate Business Centre has a number of properties available after arecent refurbishment, offering units of 75,000 sq ft on the industrial estate.

Warehouse and factory units, with storage and parking land, are on offer at thesite on Everite Road, Widnes.

Fork lift challenge for guests over breakfast

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THE STATE of the art Castle Streetpremises of Andrew Collinge’sflagship salon welcome clients in toenjoy high ceilings, large windowsand polished floors as though it werea boutique art deco hotel. A formerbuilding society, the site is nowhome to the salon’s main businessafter moving across from St John’sshopping centre, where it wasestablished for 40 years, althoughthe training salon continues to dowell inside the precinct. It’s now four years since the relocation of theflagship studio and, with the city alsochanging rapidly within this period,it’s a move that confirmed thebrand’s reputation in the commercialdistrict of the city at a crucial time,and which brought to bear a totalrethink of traditional hairdressingpremises and sites: “We wanted to be as near to themain shopping district as possible,and here we’re just a stone’s throwfrom Church Street.

“It was a maze of offices andcorridors when we first saw thebuilding, but when we ripped it outwe found some fantastic skylights.We used the designer Ian Wilsonwho worked on some salons for uspreviously, and he’s created a realFifth Avenue feel here, on what is

arguably the most beautiful street in Liverpool.”

The brand was not new to thebusiness district, having hadpremises in Brunswick Street, butthe relocation was a significant stepin establishing its headquarters in a spacious building: “We wanted to expand our training premises andso we decided to use the space in St John’s and to set up our flagshipsalon elsewhere. Ideally, we werelooking for a large shop of 3-4,000sq ft, to accommodate the salon aswell as beauty rooms and privatemeeting rooms. This location wasperfect as it’s also not far from theshopping district on Church Streetand Liverpool One, which isconvenient for our clients. Weekdaysare busy catering for the businesscommunity as well as Saturdays. We open from 8am and until 8pm to cater for those coming to us beforeand after work. There’s acosmopolitan feel to it as the citycomes to life and it’s great to betrading as the working day ends and the nightlife in the city is justbeginning.”

It was Peter Collinge’s awards for hairdressing which first broughtthe Collinge name to attention, and those salons’ reputation for

excellence which Andrew has builtupon and extended with the AndrewCollinge brand. It was in working in one of his father’s salons during the summer in 1974 that Andrewdiscovered his passion, and fromthere began his career at the WestKirby salon, and later at Thatchers,the innovative cut and blow drysalon, in Liverpool. Andrew’sambition and drive then took him to Michaeljohn in Mayfair, London,where he assisted in the styling of thestars, including Elizabeth Taylor. Itwas also in the capital that he metLiz, who was then a model for hishairdressing, now his wife andknown for the brand of beautyproducts under her name.

Andrew is modest about hisreputation and the salon’s, admittingthat he worked hard for hisachievements, travelling to Europeon numerous occasions for seminarsand shows: “I was nominated forHairdresser of the Year six or seventimes before I won it in 1993 and in 1997, and I think I was the first to win it without being based inLondon.” His growing profile sawhim become president of theFellowship of British Hairdressers in 1996, following in the footsteps of his father who had held the

presidency in 1973. Andrew becamea household name when working onThis Morning for ITV, when it filmedin Liverpool, offering makeovers toviewers, alongside Liz: “We did over500 shows during those nine years,and it was a fantastic experience.”

The company now operates sixsalons, two graduate salons and twotraining salons covering Liverpool,Wirral, Chester, Manchester, andSelfridges in the Trafford Centre. The Heswall salon was established23 years ago, the Ormskirk one 40 years ago by Peter Collinge;longevity matched by innovation and advancement. The companyowns the premises at the Academy,where the head office is basedalongside the training salon. As amanaging agency for training, thetraining is integral to the businessand, at any one time, 200 studentsare enrolled: “We’ve been awardedBeacon status and a Grade 1 in theOFSTED inspections for the pastthree years, and we also run, in the Academy at Seymour Terrace,private courses for qualifiedhairdressers from salons around the country. This was something myfather started in the mid 1970s, and30 years later, it’s still going strong.”

With one training salon based in

Winning the Regional Salon of the Year Award has been just one of thehighlights of Liverpool’s Capital of Culture Year for Andrew Collinge.The acclaimed Liverpool hairdresser’s move into his flagship salon almostfive years ago placed him at the heart of the city’s commercial district,poised to contribute to, and enjoy, the city’s growth. With plans to expandthe business further this year, he remains as keen and hands on in theindustry as ever, and equally enthusiastic about Liverpool’s future.

Ahead of the game

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St John’s shopping centre, the otherat The Grange in Birkenhead, and a graduate salon at the Academy on Seymour Terrace, the floorspacegiven to educating the city’shairstylists of the future isconsiderable. The St John’s studio is laid out to serve both the clientand the student’s needs: “It’s beenmodeled to have a number ofclassrooms, and the salon is at thefront, where graduates work undersupervision and learn how to runtheir own columns of clients. Thepremises are ideally situated at theheart of the shopping district and,while the shopping centre haschanged over the years, it remains a key venue for us and easilyaccessible for clients.”

The brand has certainly come along way forwards since Andrew’sgrandfather’s barber shop, whichstarted in the north-west in 1911.Andrew’s father developed his careerin ladies’ hairdressing, competingagainst Vidal Sassoon, beforeestablishing a chain of salons. This began with Cooper’s Buildingopposite Henderson’s on ChurchStreet in Liverpool in the mid 1950s:“My father established the Collingename as synonymous with excellencein hairstyling, and became a legendin the north-west for ladies’hairdressing, and for training uphairdressers of the future.” In 2008,Andrew Collinge’s artistic teamstyled the L’Oreal Colour TrophyFinal at Earl’s Court, visited NewYork to give a seminar to Britishhairdressers, and styled AutumnKelly for her wedding to PeterPhillips. Two stylists were alsoshortlisted this year for theprestigious national hairdressingawards.

The brand’s reputation in thecapital and across the north-west has been matched by a growingawareness abroad. The launch of theproduct range in pharmacies andsupermarkets in the UK, and in

Australia and New Zealand for thepast 10 years, has seen the AndrewCollinge brand become global. Therange will also be expanding intonew markets in the Far East but thishasn’t stopped Andrew from viewinghairdressing as the company’smainstay: “I’ve always believed that the salon is important; dressingclients’ hair comes first; that’s why somuch of what we do involvestravelling to shows and seminars.”

As Liverpool moves beyondCapital of Culture Year, Andrew is optimistic, having personallyexperienced the city’s new-foundappeal: “This week alone I’ve gotthree different groups of clientscoming up to visit. I’ll have meetingswith journalists from magazines, our suppliers and retail chains, andthey’ll all come up here. We’ll givethem a fantastic welcome, withdinner in one of the top restaurants,and I’ll take care of their hair. Five or 10 years ago, it wasn’t as easy toencourage people to come up here.Now, they’re really keen to see whatwe have to offer.

“With Liverpool One opening andthe increased footfall in the city as a result of the past year, it’s reallyexciting for those of us who workedin Liverpool and traded here duringthe darker days.” It seems clear that it’s the city’s hardworkingbusinesses which have created theseopportunities. Andrew, for one,plans to open another salon thisyear: “The time is now right toexpand, and we’re very excited aboutour plans to open another salon inLiverpool, this year, and aboutexpanding our Heswall salon, afteracquiring the shop next door.

“We’ve always invested a lot intothe salons to make them a specialplace to visit, rather than trying toopen as many as possible. Now we’reready to build and expand the brand,starting here. Liverpool has a verybright future; it’s going to be a realdestination city.”

Andrew Collinge Founding Fathers

“My father established the Collinge name assynonymous with excellence in hairstyling,and became a legend in the north-west forladies’ hairdressing, and for training uphairdressers of the future.

”

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For further information please contact Chris on

0151 282 [email protected]

JST Lawyers, Colonial Chambers, Temple Street, L2 5RH

ADVERTISEMENT

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CHRIS HARMER

Chris Harmer specialises inadvising commercial landlords

and tenants in relation toproperty and contract disputes

Q. My tenant hasn’t paid rent or service chargerecently. The tenant does have some expensiveequipment. Can I take this equipment in default ofpayment?

In these difficult times when tenants are not paying rentand/or service charges there are a number of remedies forlandlords. Distinct from distraint is whether or not thelandlord can operate a lien. A lien is a right to retainpossession of another’s property pending payment of anysums due to the landlord, eg. If the tenant has valuableplant/machinery in the property is the landlord able to takepossession of plant or machinery either in lieu of payment orto increase the pressure on the tenant to pay?

The first matter that must be considered is whether or notthe tenant actually owns the plant or machinery. Is forexample the plant leased/hire purchased or no finance? If itis then the landlord will not be able to exercise a lien.Secondly the landlord must consider whether or not there isan expressed right of sale in the lease to enable the landlordto sell the plant or machinery. If there is no expressed rightof sale then the landlord cannot sell the plant in lieu ofpayment.

The final option to consider therefore is whether by thelandlord taking possession of the plant, whether this wouldincrease the pressure on the tenant to pay. The landlordmust take possession of the plant but must carefullyconsider what action to take. For example if the tenant isexcluded from the property this could constitute forfeitureof the lease rather than the landlord exercising a lien.Potentially the landlord would have to remove the plantfrom the property which in itself raises difficulties. Unlessthe landlord takes control of the plant then the lien has notbeen exercised.

Whilst it may therefore seem attractive to take expensiveplant or machinery in lieu of payment, there are practicaldifficulties with liens. However in the right circumstances alien can be an effective way of increasing the pressure onthe tenants to pay any outstanding sums due to thelandlord.

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Women in Construction Key events

Style in the City

JST LAWYER Sarah Duncan manages the Women in Construction group onMerseyside, and the latest event on the calendar involved a stylish eveningat Andrew Collinge’s flagship store on Castle Street in Liverpool’s commercialdistrict. The ladies only event saw guests gather for hair, make-up andbeauty advice from the professionals over canapés and champagne for anenjoyable evening of networking and pampering.1.Liz and Andrew Collinge with Heather Summers and Sarah Duncan,

JST Lawyers

2 3 4

2. Andrew tousles a model’s hair 3. A model receives a makeover 4. Jane Harper and Pat Cobham from Cobhams, Jody Stockton from Wates, and Debra Grant

from JST Lawyers

7 8 9

7. Laura Sherulker, Michelle Ryles and Ana Mateus, Austin Smith Lord 8. A model tries out a new style 9. Andrea Shaw and Alex Napper from Edward Symmons,

with Sarah Deluga from Gilling Dod

5 6

5. Lindsay Gray, Lindsay Gray Residential, Antonia Martin-Wright from Bruntwood, Katy Roper from Bellway and Hollie Gaskell, Bruntwood

6. Rachel Hall, JST Lawyers with Caroline Heaps and Jan Blanchard from The One Above Ltd, and Sarah Duncan from JST Lawyers

By Lucy [email protected]

1

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CLAREMONT GROUP INTERIORS, the Warrington-based fit-outspecialist, has a proven track recordof evolution and managing director,Mike Gardner, is the main driverbehind such change.

Since its conception in 1977,Claremont has gone throughsignificant metamorphoses that havehelped the company find its feet andeventually, to come of age. Fromfurniture supplier to interior designand fit-out specialist and, morerecently, encompassing the supply of audiovisual technology andmultimedia, the company is nowable to offer an overall solution toclients and avoid missedopportunities. Mike says: “We haveour core business and our individualspecialisms which allow us to coverthe whole gamut of office interiorsand provide a total environment for our clients.”

From his arrival as finance directorin 1986, investing in a 10 per centshare in the company, Mike Gardner

proved his interest in Claremontextended further than just employee.Several buyouts and two decadeslater, Mike has extended his share to30 per cent and cemented hiscommitment as managing director.

Mike’s dedication to Claremont is shared by his employees, 20 ofwhom raised £200,000 in 2000 to buy out the business’ venturecapitalist and allow the company to now be solely owned by the boardand members of staff: “Asmanagement we were very humbledby the fact that they were preparedto go and get second mortgages orwhatever it took to invest in ourcompany.” This sense of a sharedinterest in the success and fate ofClaremont is what leads Mike todescribe it “a family business withoutactually being a family business” and what he believes has enabled itto sustain growth for the past thirtyyears: “Undoubtedly as we've movedfrom being a furniture business to a fit-out business there have been

changes in personnel as we’ve lookedat different skill sets but we nowhave around 25 people who’ve beenwith us more than 10 years and ofthose there are about 10 who've beenwith us for the best part of twentyyears.

“While you have to ensure thatdoesn’t stifle new energy and growth,what it does provide is stability and ademonstration that people care.”

With such a strong and committedworkforce alongside him, MikeGardner has been able to take thecompany from strength to strength,adapting the business’ offering tosuit changing markets but at thesame time staying true to its roots:“In the first six months of thisfinancial year we’ve won £17m worthof business and our target is to do£28m and we’re very much on planto do that. Looking beyond that wecan see £33m worth of business thatwe’re currently in dialogue for overthe next year.

“In this climate, commercially, you

have to accept that prices are goingto be tighter because people aregoing to be hungrier, and we’ve beenable to demonstrate we’re veryrealistic about our prices.

“At the moment there is enoughbusiness out there for us to go andcompete, what we’ve got to do ismake ourselves available to win it. If you equate it to musical chairs,while you’ve still got a chair, you’restill in the game, and for us it’s aboutwinning business, which fortunatelywe seem quite good at doing, bothbecause of our track record and ourcapabilities.”

But while winning business isimportant, for Claremont winningclients is the priority and they haverecently taken on some very highprofile contracts that will help toshowcase their capabilities. Therecent appointment to completedesign and refurbishment works atLiverpool’s Royal Liver Building willsee the firm fit-out both commonareas on behalf of the landlord of

Sustaining growth in the prevailing times of economic uncertainty is arguablysuited to those businesses whose expertise or product is tailored to areduced budget. They are the recognisable beneficiaries of a contractionacross the economy. The less obvious are those who are doing so due, not to a tailored offering, but the fact that they are able to ride with the timesand evolve their business accordingly.

It’s what’s insidethat counts

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Mike Gardner Movers & Shakers

the iconic building and the offices of some of its tenants. While there is inevitably some added pressureinvolved when taking on a project of this magnitude, Mike says theirapproach remains unchanged: “Oneof the constraints with this project isrecognising that you need to get to acertain standard to be able tocompete with the other buildings inLiverpool, so there are certainfunctional elements such as airconditioning that need to beincluded. But ultimately there is thesame responsibility with this projectas any other.

“As soon as you put your headabove the parapet then in someways you’re increasing the pressurebecause your reputation is at stake if you get it wrong.

“For us the Royal Liver is afantastic opportunity, particularly in the current climate. The key is notto be restricted by the building’sheritage but to embrace it. Andmaybe when we’ve successfully

completed this project, IndiaBuildings might look to do thesame.”

Mike admits that his sales focus and approach to risk may belie histraining as a chartered accountantbut it is those characteristics thathave informed his decisionsregarding business and propelledClaremont to where it is today. And in turn Mike and his teamencourage businesses to thinklaterally in terms of design: “Wechallenge our clients’ brief becauseoften there are myths that can beuncovered and debunked. A clientmay assume they need moremeeting rooms than is reallynecessary; it may just be that theyneed to use an effective bookingsystem.

“It’s not about providing a solutionthat is the same for everyone;businesses may have commonchallenges but they have individualneeds and it’s about making sure weunderstand the initial brief. The

‘Trinny and Susannah’ approach isfantastic in lots of ways but it’s notthe norm because people have tofeel comfortable with their ownclothing and the same applies to a business environment.”

As the largest fit-out businessoutside of London and a wealth of major projects across the north-west under its belt, Claremont nowunderstandably considers itself verycapable in terms of hard nosecontracting: “We’re competingagainst national players whoinvariably come up northparticularly when times are not sogood and we want to be in a positionto provide local businesses with alocal alternative.

“Rather than businesses assumingthat once a project gets to a certainsize they have to go to London wewant to send out the message that no they don’t, they can come toClaremont.”

Since Mike Gardner’s arrival atClaremont the company has seen

significant changes, most notably in terms of the scale and complexity of projects. The focus has nowshifted to the creation of ‘intelligentbusinesses’ and is far more contractand fit-out orientated. Furthermorethe addition of specialist divisionssuch as Viewpoint, offeringaudiovisual and communicationssolutions and Airangel, the firm’ssister company, specialising inbranded guest internet access,Claremont has backed up its claim to ‘building a reputation on awillingness to innovate.’

Mike has led the business throughexciting times, all be it interspersedwith economic challenges, and thefirm’s constant willingness toembrace and understand thetechnological changes occurring inthe workplace has ensured it has not just survived but flourished:

“It’s about not losing sight of yourexpertise but building on it andremembering your competitors arealways chasing you.”

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Key events Welcome to Speke

VenturingforthVENTURE HOUSE at Venture Point has welcomed Servicemaster as a newtenant. The Speke-based business park, which is managed by LiverpoolVision, welcomed dignitaries and guests at the launch where the officialopening was conducted by Maria Eagle MP, drinks and canapés were servedand speeches given on the area’s economic and physical regeneration.

1.Kathy Humes and Jim and Annette Doran, Servicemaster

2 3 54

2. Andy Wallace, Liverpool Vision, with Jeff Porter, Move Publishing, and Peter Smith, Liverpool Vision 3. Lynette Moorcroft, Servicemaster and Tina Gould,

executive member to the leader of Liverpool City Council 4. Colin Felton, Mike Phillipson and Steve Emmerson, Servicemaster

5.Maria Eagle, MP, with Daniel Hughes

8 9 10

8. Terry Lowe, Servicemaster, Chris Prescott, King Sturge, Lynette Moorcroft, Servicemaster 9. Steve Dwan, Hygenol, with Mike Connelly, CD Construction

(Widnes) Ltd 10.Mike Phillipson and Jim Doran, Servicemaster, and Paul Lodge, Select Clutches

6 7

6. The ladies in pink: Janet Howarth, Kathy Humes, Cathy Bickerstaff, Anne Gannon, Annette Doran, Lynette Moorcroft, Barbara Kindred and Joan Daley with Neil Jones, Les

Sutton, Eddie Holmes and Tom Hilton 7. Andy Wallace, Liverpool Vision, with Maria Eagle MP, Jim and Annette Doran, Servicemaster, and Rob Monaghan, Liverpool Vision


1

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For more information and advice about investing in Wirral

Call 0151 650 6915 Visit www.investwirral.com

If you are considering relocation for your business,or expanding your company, Wirral offers accessible,user-friendly information that saves you time and enables faster, better informed decision-making.

You will find specialist advice and assistance from finding sites and development partners, through to recruiting and training quality staff and developing new supply chains.

A full package of location advice and business support is availabledesigned to give your company a competitive advantage.

bigon support

417JUN08PJ

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Wirral International Business Park may be the peninsula’s best-keptsecret. A mix of local and international businesses, employing highly skilledworkers in high specification buildings, enjoy unrivalled views of Liverpool’swaterfront and excellent access to the north-west’s major cities. This Wirralis not so sleepy after all.

MENTION WIRRAL InternationalBusiness Park (WIBP) to the manon the street, and he may beconfused with the well-known CroftRetail Park, where a cinema,bowling alley and a number ofrestaurants rub shoulders. On thesemi-circular road behind that parkthough, the WIBP offers space tobusinesses from across the globe inlegal and financial services, scienceand engineering, technology andmanufacturing. Covering 830 acres,the site was recognised as a keylocation in the regional economy bythe NWDA and was earmarked fornew business and resources.

Riverside Park consists of eightGrade A office buildings in the

business park’s second phase ofredevelopment. This will providemore than 21,000 sq ft of officeaccommodation, built on areclaimed brownfield site withviews of the waterfront and parkingfor staff and clients. Lees LloydWhitley Solicitors moved into theirnew offices with just under 30,000sq ft over three floors at the site atthe end of 2007 and businessdevelopment partner Frank Rogerssays it’s been a success story: “Ourroots on Wirral date back to thenineteenth century, and in thattime we’ve had a strong presencejust off Hamilton Square. When thelease came up for renewal last yearwe had three options; either we

could renew it, buy the building tocontrol its destiny, or move. Itwasn’t built for office use, andalthough Hamilton Square has, inthe past, been seen as the jewel inWirral’s crown, it had lost some ofits former glory.

“We are a Wirral firm, althoughour clients are local and national,and we wanted to retain a presencehere. InvestWirral was verysupportive. They introduced us to Riverside Park and helped us to secure the space.”

In June this year, the departmentthat was using the Liverpool officedecided to move across to the site,retaining the city centre office justfor client meetings. Although town

and city centres have traditionallybeen seen as the home of the legaland financial sectors, this didn’tdeter Frank from wanting to movethe firm, and this opinion,forwards: “It’s a myth that the cityis prerequisite for excellence inthese sectors. Here we have highspecification, open plan officesuites with a boardroom and videoconferencing room, and a loungearea to have meetings or lunch in.”

As the first of what may soon be alarge number of firms in the legaland financial sector, Lees LloydWhitley has already introduceditself to other major national andinternational players located on thepark, and it’s apparent that

Frank Rogersbusiness development partner,Lees Lloyd Whitley Solicitors

Brendan Bilton managing director, Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited

High-performing peninsula Riverside Park

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Wirral Focus

increasing numbers of businesstransactions may soon be takingplace here rather than in the towncentre. Rather than being viewedas an out of town destination, firmsin WIBP are just as connected toWirral’s business community asthose in Birkenhead town centre.Lees Lloyd Whitley will be hangingpieces of art in their new premises,designed and made by students atWirral Metropolitan College’s artdepartment. They’re also funding afellowship in Fine Art at thecollege, and continue to sponsorClaire House with initiatives suchas sending electronic greetingscards, and donating the cost ofbuying cards to the charity. Frankadds: “This move would have beenthought impossible 10 years ago,but it’s been the best thing we’vedone in decades. We now haveunrivaled views of the waterfront,on site parking for staff and clientsand it’s incredibly accessible ifyou’re coming by car down any ofthe major routes from across thenorth-west. Our clients havewelcomed our move without anyreservations, and it’s given our staffthe modern working environmentwhich they deserve.”

As Frank says, the Wirral of thepast may have been a slumberinggiant, but the peninsula isbeginning to wake up to a brightfuture. At Riverside Park, the planis to construct eight buildings onthe site to accommodate companiesin the financial and professionalservices sector, with car parkingfacilities for their staff and clients.Just down the road, a pilotmanufacturing project makingceramic for fuel cells operates froma lab space in an older building onthe park. Brendan Bilton ismanaging director of Ceramic Fuel

Cells Limited, which develops andproduces planar solid oxide fuelcell technology for use in fuel cells,and with a view to entering theEuropean ceramics market. Theproject was established on Wirralbecause of the space and facilitieson offer, its proximity to majorcities and transport links, the skilled workforce in the region, and because the region has anexcellent reputation for chemicalengineering. Brendan commented:“There are just six of us on the site,and we recruited locally. It’s a pilotplant, but the plan is to expandwithin these premises over the nextfew years.

“Zirconia, which we process, is the second most used ceramic in the world. There’s a large marketfor it which we may enter in thefuture, including zirconia for insulation in batteries, as acoating on a jet engine, and on hip implants and jewellery.

“As this is a pilot plant, it’s allabout the control systems and to do it on a larger scale and producemore zirconia we’d need to upgradeeverything to the right scale, but inthis building, the old Candy plant,we have the space to do that. Somemodern buildings have a height ofeight and a half metres, but some of our equipment is taller than that by 20 cm, so we need thesehigh ceilings.”

CFC Ltd’s premises provide25,000 sq ft of which only 8,000are currently being used, offeringplenty of scope for development as the production of zirconiaincreases. Brendan puts this intoperspective: “We’re expecting theoutput of zirconia will be up from 15 tonnes a year to somewhere near100 tonnes once we’ve expanded,but that’s a little way off.”

A few minutes away, and thebusiness park is home to a numberof blue chip companies such asBrystol-Myers Squibb, Shell UK,Meyer Prestige, D1 Oils, foodmanufacturers Bake Mark, TyphooTea and CPUK. The powerfulcommercial energy of the areabrings the entrepreneurial vision ofLord Leverhulme, who created themodel village for the employees ofhis soap business at Port Sunlight,into the twenty first century. LordLever’s vision of a well catered-forworkforce came to the fore withemployment, housing and leisureactivity in the village, and the localarea continues to offer beautifulresidential properties. Yet, with somany businesses in such proximityit’s also become apparent that thearea’s leisure offering needs to upits game. Brendan Bilton is just onemajor player hoping that the hotelindustry will address the needs ofvisitors to Wirral. Increasingnumbers of international clientsand customers from across the UKare making frequent appearancesat meetings and conferences on thepeninsula, and the accommodationand restaurant offer is not seen, as yet, to meet these growing needs.

One business that hopes soon to be addressing this gap in themarket is the Leverhulme Hotel in Port Sunlight, just a fewminutes away from theheadquarters of many majorcompanies on the WIBP. Locatedon the site of the old cottagehospital on the Lever estate, it iscurrently expanding to increase its rooms from 15 to 55, and to include a ballroom,gymnasium, pool and spa forclients. Paul Graham, conferenceand events manager, said the areahas increasingly been catering

to the business market.“We have a diverse mixture of

companies in the area, and so we have a number of foreigndirectors from internationalcompanies arriving for meetings.Our underground conferencefacilities will accommodate up to 100 guests, in surroundings I’d describe as art deco with acontemporary twist.”

The owners of the Contessabrand, Craig and Lisa Baker, who are also responsible for theHillbark in Frankby, purchased the site in 2006 and transformed it from a derelict building into its present glory, restoring theoriginal sash windows anduncovering the hospital’sattractive stone mosaic floor. In aGrade II listed building, this can’thave been easy, but the rewardsshould be great considering that,just a year on, it’s alreadyattracting the local and thebusiness community.

With contracts worth hundreds of millions of pounds from theMinistry of Defence placed withNorthwestern ship repairers andShipbuilders (NSL), and the Wirral Waters project in thepipeline for the peninsula, it’s clear that the area is becoming ahotspot for the diverse businesssector in the north-west. Clients and staff can work, rest and play in surroundings that offer the best in accommodation, parkingand technology, coupled with stunning views and picturesqueretreats to tempt in leisure hours.At the same time a base forinternational enterprise and amore rural landscape, Wirral’sInternational Business Park maynot be kept a secret for muchlonger.

Laura DowningCeramic Fuel Cells LimitedLeverhulme Hotel

Paul Grahamconference and events manager,Leverhulme Hotel

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Transport in and around the Liverpool City Region is key to the area’s sustainability and economic growth, and recentprojects have taken this on board to attract investors and to manage congestion and pollution. New and improved routesand extended public transport services within an integratedsystem are essential for the region’s accessibility. This is ourguide to tracking the changes in the Liverpool City Region’stransport network.

Merseyside Transport Update Focus

Tracking the region’sprogress in transport

The Liverpool Canal Link

Description: A new tolled bridge to linkHalton and south Merseyside withWarrington and Manchester.Location: HaltonDeveloper: Halton Borough Council will enter a competitive process in late2009/early 2010 to select theconcessionaire who will then build andoperate The Mersey Gateway.Costs: £431million.Funded by: Government grant of£86million from the regional fundingallocation, a private finance initiative of£123million and the rest (77 per cent)by toll revenue. Agencies involved: Mersey Gateway Project Team.

Supporters: John Lennon Airport,owned by Peel Holdings Plc, O’ConnorGroup of Companies.Aims and benefits expected: Tomake Halton a better place to live andwork. The new bridge is expected tochange the traffic through the area,reducing it by 80 per cent on the SilverJubilee Bridge, reducing journey times,improving health and linking the north-west to the rest of the country moreefficiently. Regional related spin offs: The newgateway will mean that essentialmaintenance work can be carried outupon the Silver Jubilee bridge in Runcorn,which will return to a bridge for local

users with pedestrian and cycle access,two lanes and will also be tolled. Therewill be discounts for frequent users;those that are travelling within theHalton borough. Consistency of journeytimes is also expected to be a key outcome, and benefits to thefreight and transporter industries.Work begun? Not yet: to be decidedupon the outcome of a public inquiry.Work scheduled to complete: 2014.On target? Currently the subject of apublic inquiry.

The Mersey Gateway

Description: The extension of theLeeds and Liverpool Canal, whichcurrently ends at the lock flight runningdown to Stanley Dock, near the Eldonian Village.Location: The canal link will extendthrough the disused Central Docks,across the Pier Head in front of theThree Graces, and into the South Docks.Developer: Balfour Beatty at the Pier Head, Countryside Neptune atMann Island and Pierse Contracting at Central Docks.Costs: £20m.Funded by: British Waterways,Northwest Regional DevelopmentAgency, Merseyside Objective OneProgramme, English Partnerships andPeel Holdings Plc. Agencies involved: British Waterwayshas worked in conjunction with variousfunding partners and contractors to deliver this scheme.Supporters: Liverpool Vision andLiverpool City Council, OxfordArchaeology North and Maritime Museum. Aims and benefits expected:The canal link will provide a further 1.4 miles of navigable waterway to the127 mile Leeds and Liverpool Canal. The route includes two new locks, openchannels and tunnels. At the Pier Headthe development will provide access to the water's edge and utilise space for the public to enjoy. Regional related spin offs: BritishWaterways estimates the benefits of the scheme will include: “around200,000 extra visitors annually to theLiverpool waterfront, spending an extra£1.9million each year; an estimated£2.2million in expenditure annually onboating related activities; 187 personyears of temporary construction relatedemployment; 173 net additional localjobs, an estimated £3.3million perannum in net additional gross valueadded to the local economy, an increasein property prices in the immediate canallink area and wider corridor and widersocio-economic impacts such as animproved city image.”Work begun? January ’07 at Pier Head.Work scheduled to complete:December 2008 and will be open to boats in Spring 2009.On target? Yes.

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Description: KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has announced its intention to operate new services out of John Lennon Airportrenewing a partnership which first beganseventy years ago.Location: Speke, Liverpool.Developer: N/A.Costs: N/A.Funded by: N/A.Agencies involved: KLM Royal Dutch Airlines,Liverpool John Lennon Airport (Peel AirportsGroup), The Mersey Partnership.Supporters: N/A.Aims and benefits expected: From 29March 2009, KLM cityhopper will operate a new scheduled service three times dailybetween Amsterdam and Liverpool,connecting the Liverpool City Region

with over 100 worldwide destinations onKLM’s own intercontinental network and with over 650 destinations across KLM’sSkyteam partner networks.Regional related spin offs: It is expectedthat the region’s increased connectivity to therest of the world via this new gateway will bea significant driver for future growth acrosssectors such as tourism. The flights will alsoaid the city’s business relations withinternational markets.Work begun: Seats on flights have beenbookable since November at KLM reservationsand local travel agents.Work scheduled to complete: Flights willcommence from 29 March 2009.On target? Yes.

John Lennon Airport’s new KLM Gateway

Description: Merseytravel has recast the city centre bus network, followingderegistration of some of the city’s keyservices. S1, S2, S3, 4 and 11 bus routes have been terminated and four new serviceshave been created including the C2, C3, C4and 139 routes.Location: Various.Developer: Merseytravel.Costs: Not disclosed.Funded by: Merseytravel.Agencies involved: Merseytravel, Arriva.Supporters: N/A.Aims and benefits expected: The new C2 service will improve connections to the city’s waterfront, linking in with theoperation times of the Mersey Ferries serving Queen Square Bus Station.

C3 will maintain many cross-city connectionstaking in prominent locations such as the twocathedrals and Royal Liverpool Hospital. C4 willlink Dingle to Queen Square Bus Station,picking up elements of the previous 11 route.Regional related spin offs: The creation of four new services will see an improvednetwork in some areas with new and stronger connections to key city destinationsand ensure the continuity of services in many others.Work begun: N/A.Work scheduled to complete:The service changes came into effect on 27 December 2008.On target? Yes.

Revised City Centre Bus Network

Description: Network Rail has completed itsengineering work to improve the West CoastMain Line, the key route linking London withcities such as Liverpool and Birmingham.Location: London – Scotland West Coast Main Line.Developer: Network Rail.Costs: £9bn.Funded by: Network Rail. Funding of around£50m over seven years also came from theEuropean Commission.Agencies involved: Network Rail hasdelivered this improvement working withindustry partners such as Virgin Trains, LondonMidland and EWS.Supporters: N/A.Aims and benefits expected: The improvedinfrastructure will now facilitate faster, morefrequent services across the route.

Regional related spin offs: Train servicesacross the network will increase by over 30 per cent. The upgrade has allowed VirginTrains to introduce new timetables, whichinclude a new daily two-hour train servicefrom Liverpool Lime Street to London Euston.There will be more trains, running at fasterspeeds between Liverpool and London andmore direct services at weekends. Theseimproved links to the capital will facilitateconnectivity for business users and in the long term encourage inward investment into the city.Work begun: 2003.Work scheduled to complete:Completed December 2008.On target? Completed.

West Coast Main Line upgrade

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Merseyside Transport Update Focus

Merseytram Line One

Description: The Merseytram system wasproposed to run east from Liverpool CityCentre to Kirkby.Location: Liverpool to Kirkby. Developer: Merseytravel.Costs: Merseytravel advised government in May 2005 that total public sector costs had increased by 40 per cent to £315m.Merseytravel’s contribution not disclosed.Funded by: Merseytravel, Department of Transport.Agencies involved: Merseytravel,Department of Transport.Supporters: Liverpool Chamber of Commerce,Royal Liverpool Hospital.Aims and benefits expected: To create an 18km tramway from Kings Waterfront toKirkby town centre including 30 tram stopsand a 750 vehicle Park and Ride site. Thescheme will provide a high quality publictransport service, which will integrate wellwith existing transport networks.

Regional related spin offs: To bring cleartransportation, regeneration and socio-economic benefits to the area.Work begun: Planning approval given in December 2004. Merseytravel advisedDepartment of Transport of increase in publicsector costs in May 2005. The governmenthas refused to increase its contribution but isstill committed to the original funding figure of £170 million. In June 2005 the Governmentasked for assurances that no further requestsfor government funding. Not all Merseysidedistricts have been prepared to give suchundertakings and so the project is currently on hold.Work scheduled to complete: Merseytramis in dialogue about the revised business casefor Merseytram Line One and obtainingpolitical backing for the scheme and have thepowers to begin work on the project untilFebruary 2010.On target? No.

Description: Hall Lane Strategic Gateway is a project to improve the important route into the city centre from the M62.Location: The scheme will provide a linkbetween Edge Lane West, Erskine Street and Islington.Developer: Birse.Costs: £20 million.Funded: Department of Transport andEuropean Regional Development FundAgencies involved: Liverpool City Council.Supporters: Royal Liverpool Hospital, thelocal community and road users.Aims and benefits expected: To improveone of the main arterial routes into the citycentre from the M62, providing a muchimproved traffic route for vehicles enteringLiverpool from the east. The new alignment

will take traffic away from the residentialareas of Hall Lane and Towerlands Street andwill be in dual carriageway form for most of its length. The junction at Low Hill will beimproved and this new north south link willimprove traffic flow between Islington andGrove Street.Regional related spin offs: Developmentopportunities will be created including theformation of new frontage to the proposedRoyal Liverpool Hospital development.Work begun: Planning approval was given at the end of 2008 and work is due to start in April 2009.Work scheduled to complete:Autumn 2010.On target: Yes.

Hall Lane Gateway

Description: Programme of engineering,information and training to increase cycling,including building, sign posting andmaintaining a network of cycle routes.Location: Merseyside.Developer: Merseyside Transport Partnership(Merseytravel and Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton,St Helens and Wirral Councils).Costs: £1.5m-£2m pa.Funded by: Cycle Strategy is part ofMerseyside's Local Transport Plan. MerseysideTransport Partnership receives governmentfunding to deliver this transport strategy andimprovement programme. Additional fundingpartners include Cycling England, Sustrans, EUand developers making contributions throughplanning permissions.Agencies involved: Merseyside TransportPartnership through Travelwise.Supporters: Developers, architects,companies, universities, hospitals and schoolswho develop Travel Plans, which encourage

sustainable travel. The health and educationsectors, CTC, Sustrans and Cycling Solutions as well as cycle shops.Aims and benefits expected: To increasecycling trips by 10 per cent from 2006 to 2011. Regional related spin offs: This wouldimprove the health and safety in the regionconsiderably, ease congestion and, ifsuccessful, would work towards making the region a more appealing option for newbusiness to relocate. Successful Europeancities have much higher levels of cycling than Liverpool does currently. It would alsocontribute to a better environment and lowcarbon economy.Work begun: 2006.Scheduled to complete: 2011.On target: There are signs that people areusing bikes more and, according to Travelwisethe programme is developing well, but it is too soon for the data to tell a clear story yet.

Merseyside Cycle Strategy

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With a range of brand new high specification office, hybrid and lightindustrial units available for sale or lease from 100ft2 to 14,000ft2 and an unrivalled location at the heart of the Northwest communicationnetwork Widnes Waterfront is the right location for your business.

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Culture in focus Talking Point

The setting was the chic 60 HopeStreet in the city’s picturesqueGeorgian Quarter, where a firstclass lunch was served in colourfulsurroundings in an iconic area;particularly apt for our discussionof cultural success.

What, for you, have been thebenefits for the city’s economy asa result of Capital of Culture Year?SK: The benefits of Capital of CultureYear have been enormous, despitethe effects of the economicdownturn over the last 12 months.The Capital of Culture context has no doubt helped us, as Liverpool Onehas given us a real boost, and thenew arena and convention centrehas attracted important events likethe British Council of ShoppingCentres conference, which really is unique for the city.AL: For the past 30 years, it’s fair

to say that Liverpool had a fairlynegative image. Capital of Culturehas done wonders for the city’sperception across the UK, and thearena is going to be key to businesstourism here.CK: With the MTV coverage alone,it’s been phenomenal. SK: It’s been a highlight of the 12months. I personally wish I had paidmore attention to the events takingplace as the ones I’ve been to havebeen superb.AL: There really was something foreveryone to take advantage ofthroughout the year, although noteveryone could take advantage ofeverything. Some events inparticular really did get nationalrecognition, like the Royal Varietyperformance.SK: Or the Tall Ships, you went tothat as well didn’t you? Theatmosphere was like being

somewhere on holiday, with peoplejust enjoying the waterfront.AL: Yes, there was a real buzz! That has to have been good for the business tourist market. CK: And in terms of solidimprovements to the city, the new bus station is a massiveimprovement and will make a hugedifference to shoppers. It’s so muchmore conveniently situated now. SK: Yes, although in some ways the most important aspect of thetransport is the airport. To attractthe global market we needaspiration. It’s easy to be critical of big developments and pick holes, but all credit to Grosvenorbecause there was nothing likeLiverpool One before. AL: KLM coming to the John LennonAirport is going to be massive, and will really open us up to the world.

At the beginning of 2009, the business community in Liverpoolshould be feeling the effects of Capital of Culture Year, but what arethe tangible benefits and will they make any difference in the currenteconomic climate? We spoke to Stuart Keppie of Keppie Massie,Ann Lodge from Downing and Carol Kavanagh from AlphabetDesign for their thoughts on how the city has and can continue toreap the rewards of Culture Year within its business community.

Stuart Keppie,Keppie Massie

Carol Kavanagh,Alphabet Design

Ann Lodge,Downing

Liverpool’s Culture Legacy

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Which event, in your opinion, hasbeen most responsible for puttingthe city on the map?SK: We’ve had so many; the TallShips, the spider, the MTV awards.AL: I think the MTV awards were areal finale to the year. I watched iton the television, and Liverpool wasmentioned all the way through, andthe city really did get the recognitionit deserved.CK: Klimt was an excellentexhibition, and Simon Rattle comingback to the Phil too; it was anincredible year.Are you aware of how much hasbeen spent on events for localpeople?CK: I read that La Machine cost £2 million and I think we have beenkept informed. There’s alwayssomeone who will complain aboutthe cost and how can it be justified,but the truth is, we’ve never had anevent like that before. The spiderwas worth every penny; it was aresounding success. The local pressmay not have put the positive spinon it which it deserved, but like themajority of the events, we’ve beenkept well informed and the money’sbeen well spent.SK: I agree. We all did theSuperlambanana trail. That wassomething which just gatheredincredible speed and theSuperlambanana has become a real icon for Liverpool.CK: I know that it won a lot ofsupport from expats who left blogs,or came back to visit, and I think interms of costs the money has beenwell spent. Do you think enough was done to involve the city’s businessesthis year?AL: The Mersey Partnership did a really good job, and will continue to work now to bring in futureinvestment, which can only be a good legacy of the year.CK: I personally think that a numberof businesses, including myself,could have been much moreinvolved, but we weren’t asked. I would have liked to have had moreinvolvement with the events and to have had an input, but I think thatthis was damaged by in-fighting inthe period beforehand.SK: It’s certainly true that beforeCapital of Culture, more could havebeen done to educate the businesscommunity about what would behappening during the year. Thepolitical problems here and politicalin-fighting of recent times hasn’thelped. It’s also not right that themajority of business couldn’t use the logo.

CK: That made it seem as thoughthe logo was an exclusive club.SK: It catered for bigger businesseswho could afford to pay to use thelogo, and not the smaller ones in theregion, and that’s been a shame. TheMersey Partnership isn’t cheap tojoin either, which may prove to be a problem later on and hold us back.Critics have said that the Klimtexhibition didn’t showcase some of his most important works. Do you think there have beenoccasions where eventorganisation has let us down?AL: No, I really think the city wasreally well organised with streetcleaning and a police presence. CK: I think that the Klimt exhibition at the Tate was really well done. It had some really famous pieces in it, and the Tate always does a brilliant job. The giant spider ‘La Machine’ was fantastic andworked really well, and the Capital of Culture Year should prove to be a major springboard for us. Are there any disappointmentsthough, from a businessperspective? SK: I still think it’s a shame thatLiverpool One opened half-waythrough the year, as in an ideal worldall the shops would have been readyat the beginning of the year. Theopening though, and the opening ofthe arena, were two of the biggestevents of the year and they havebeen two of the biggest factors tocarry it through. Even Manchesterdoesn’t have an arena withconference facilities.AL: I think though that theorganisation of the arena hasfrustrated a number of people, as it’s confused those who don’t knowit is a convention centre. If peopletake a cab from the airport and sayto the driver, ‘I’d like to go to theconference centre’, the taxi driversdon’t always know where that is, and they should do! SK: There are also some key sitesthat need finishing off. There are still physical gaps where we couldbenefit in the current climate if theywere filled. There’s an argument thatwe need decent office space, but wealso need people to move in and fillit for growth.The Culture Company stated thatLiverpool received £200 million ofpositive press. Do you believe thatthe press coverage we’ve receivedhas helped to change the city’simage, and has this been a job well done? CK: I’m sorry to say it but the localpress hasn’t always been supportiveof the events for the year, and has

at times put a very negative take on what’s been happening. Thenational press has been far moreencouraging, with coverage in TheTimes and a number of dailies andweekend papers talking up what’sbeen going on.SK: I completely agree.AL: So do I. In terms of marketing,The Mersey Partnership has a longway to go, even though it hasalready made great strides. It’s not a time for anyone to be negative though.CK: No, it’s a time to be proud.What’s your understanding of howwork will progress this year? AL: Parking is a concern which I hopewill be addressed, and I’ve also heard about plans for Bold Streetwhich should keep the retailers’momentum going.SK: Yes, and in the longer term, thereare incredible plans for the region.The Liverpool and Wirral Watersschemes must have made the localauthorities quite gleeful. Essentially,Peel Holdings is doing the job ofregeneration for the councils. They’reambitious, aspirational plans, whichLiverpool needs. I do have my ownreservations about the sustainabilityand the marketability of the plansbut that’s still not to criticise Peel; if it all comes off then this will really allow the region to attack the global market. AL: I agree. Peel’s is a 50-year planand we can’t afford to take anegative attitude to it or we’ll justfall into a trap of doing ourselves outof something incredible. It’ll changeeverything and bring new jobs, andwe can’t afford not to be behind it.SK: The flaw in the plans though isthe sustainability. AL: But that’s the question of thechicken and the egg; the project isjust beginning.CK: It should certainly help to stemthe brain drain. I can’t see anyonewith a better plan to do this. What is the legacy of the year forbusinesses?SK: For retailers like John Lewis, it’sbeen a good year and the store hasalways done well in Liverpool. Itmust have also given the shops onChurch Street a boost because thecity’s so much easier to walk aroundnow. For the Metquarter I think it is slightly worrying, but now thatLiverpool One has opened it shoulddo better. AL: At Downing, we’re not concernedabout the perceived oversupply ofapartments which people have beentalking about. Of course, nodeveloper wants apartments thatthey can’t sell but we’re confident

“Capital of Culturehas done wondersfor the city’sperception acrossthe UK, and thearena is going to be key to businesstourism here.

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that the good quality ones will findtheir way out there and into themarket. We need city centreapartments to put us on a par with the rest of the major cities in Europe.CK: This also needs to be followedby schools and supermarkets andother facilities though.AL: The problem we have at themoment is that developments havebeen investor-led due to the boomin the market in recent years. Owner-occupiers are crucial to the marketthough, and we should encouragemore retired people to live here, asit’s so convenient for them withtransport and security. CK: We also need to create a caféculture and attract more people into town.AL: That has been happening, andnow being in the city centre at night-time is like being on holiday.SK: Where we’re sitting now, we’realso at the heart of the studentcommunity. Liverpool really hasupped the ante and offers studentsa sophisticated package more thanever before. We have really good,world-class courses here, and Capitalof Culture has only added to thepackage for people to want to movehere for work. We now just need tomake sure we attract the graduatesto keep them here.AL: The universities aren’t alwaysrecognised but they are the onesbringing in students and graduatesand are boosting the economy. Weneed to retain the graduates andbuild on that.CK: Liverpool does have a greatreputation in its universities whichwe should all be proud of; it’s a goodcity to be a student in.SK: Liverpool as a brand is strongerabroad than other cities in the UK.The rest of the country likes to

denigrate Liverpool, but nowLiverpool is far more cosmopolitanand has benefited as a result. Thepeople here have a real work ethic,and we just need to reintegratepeople from outside the city, and I think this is already happening.Has it been too city centre focusedor has the year brought localcouncils together to work?SK: The category ‘Merseyside’ hasbeen done away with in favour ofthe ‘Liverpool City Region’ and thathas been to show that the brandemanates from the city centre. We’ve got to get it right in Liverpoolthen, before we can make a start on marketing and promoting theregion and it will depend on all sorts of things like transport. The out of town office market hasseen a steady growth, in Speke,Widnes and further outside the city. I’m not sure though that TheMersey Partnership has promotedthe whole region. Southport is veryaffluent and the hotel offering isfantastic. It will be intriguing to see the huge developments on the M62 at the Omega site; that’sanother aspirational plan. Liverpool has been said to beriding the crest of a wave; did you experience this firsthand?SK: I think that because of the past year we may escape some of the effects of the recession. In terms of employment, Liverpooldoesn’t compare to Manchester and so if jobs are being lost across the different sectors then that decline won’t affectLiverpool. AL: It’s the survival of the fittest at the moment. SK: There are some schemes that haven’t survived, such as the tram between the docks and the airport.

How do we carry on thismomentum?SK: We need to keep encouraginginward investment; there’s no bettertime as the current economic climateshould help us as we give bettervalue for money.CK: The SMEs aren’t being lookedafter at the moment though.AL: It’s a national problem at themoment, but it’s also happeninghere.SK: A small conveyancing practicecan’t afford the P.I. cover and theresult is, it goes out of business; but firms should be helped andencouraged. There’s also a real lackat the moment of start up business.It’s just too expensive and firmsneed a leg-up. AL: We need to use Capital of Cultureto reach out for inward investmentand highlight our diverse offer here.Restaurant service, leisure facilities,everything is on the up, and so areour expectations.SK: The test will be when it comesto the public sector. At the moment,does any Manchester firm use aLiverpool supplier? It’s always theother way around – but maybe thatwill now change. Liverpool needs to set its sights high, and it isalready doing this. Hill Dickinsonmoving into St Paul’s Square is a big step in the right direction.

Culture in focus Talking Point

To book a table at 60 HopeStreet telephone 0151 7076060. The food follows aseasonal calendar with a dailyspecials menu as well as the a la carte, and is renowned for its seafood and fish dishes. The private dining room is alsoavailable for business lunches,dinners and parties, seating up to 10 people.

“We’ve got to get it right in Liverpoolthen, before we can make a start on marketing and promoting the region…

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Gateway to the Waterfront Key events

Widnes is pointingforwards

THE FORWARD PARTNERSHIP celebrated the completion of its £2.4 millionForward Point scheme at the Widnes Waterfront with a breakfast launchwhere guests mingled with racy Italians – the Alfa Romeo models they hadthe chance to test-drive. The Grade A office development is the first schemeof its kind in Widnes for over a decade, providing 16,500 sq ft of spaceacross three buildings at the Widnes Waterfront gateway. 1. John Moseley and Graham Hale, Hale Group


1

2 3 4

7 8 9

2. One of the sleek Alfa Romeo models available for guests to admire and test-drive 3. Winner of an Alfa Spider for a weekend, Simon Roddam, BE Group with

Chris Wright, The Forward Partnership 4. Tim Leather, Wesley Rourke and Gareth Bennett of Halton borough council

7. Simon Roddam, BE Group with Robert Diggle and Paul Parker, Edward Symmons 8. Tim Leather, Halton borough council, Emily Parkinson, Colliers CRE and

Wesley Rourke, Halton borough council 9. The completed Forward Point

5 6

5. Jonathan Baucher, Cushman & Wakefield, Robert Diggle and Paul Parker, Edward Symmons 6. Ian Threadgold and Dave Billington, Globe, Damian Cafferty,

The Forward Partnership and Paul Fraser, Tweeds

MOVE COMMERCIAL 35

p22-39:p03-12 1/13/09 1:32 PM

For Sale / To Let Grade A Office SpaceCity Point, Great Homer Street27,500 sq feet16 Self Contained Multi-Floor Offices Onsite ParkingLess than one mile from the City Centre

www.oscardevelop.com

For more information call 0151 298 2795

or SaFGrade

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MOVE COMMERCIAL36

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City Point Launch Key events

1. Jim Marshall, JWM Commercial, Pat Loftas, Oscar Developments

and Paul Day, Muirs Associates

5. Brian Ricketts, Hitchcock Wright & Partners, Stuart Keppie, Keppie Massie, and Alastair Newman, King Sturge 6. Tony Reed and Andrew Byrne, Keppie Massie

7. Jon Swain, Mason & Partners, Robin Evans, Matthews & Goodman and Tim Garnett, CB Richard Ellis 8. Paul Thorne, Mason Owen and Helen Moss, King Sturge

2 3 4

9. Janice Mears, The Mersey Partnership, Mark Worthington, CB Richard Ellis and Andrew Owen, Mason Owen 10. John Golledge, Liverpool Vision and Cllr Joe

Anderson, Labour Party leader 11. Natalie Fox, Active Profile, John Brown, Knight Frank, and Anna Heyes, Active Profile

2. Rupert Lowe, Keppie Massie, Robert Diggle and Paul Parker, Edward Symmons 3. Andrew Owen, Mason Owen and Graham Bowling, Knight Frank

4. Jonathan Baucher, Cushman & Wakefield, with Neil Kirkham, Hitchcock Wright & Partners and Roy Backhouse, Roy Backhouse & Co


1

Office suites atthe city’s gateway

OSCAR DEVELOPMENTS unveiled the new office suites at City Point onGreat Homer Street with a deluxe breakfast buffet for agents and clients.A tour of the building’s high specification self-contained suites, withraised flooring, comfort cooling and separate kitchen facilities, was alsoprovided, all complemented by outstanding views of the city’s landmarks.

9 10 11

5 6 7 8

MOVE COMMERCIAL 37

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COMMERCE PARK, BIRKENHEAD

• Industrial and trade counter units from600 sqft to 25,000 sqft

• Highly prominent position along A41• Newly completed trade scheme• Popular trade and commercial location

Gladstone HouseUnion Court, Liverpool, L2 4UQW: www.masonowen.comE: [email protected]: 0151 242 3000F: 0151 236 2569

Whispers

As the New Year begins we lookback on the final months of 2008with quiet reflection…a year ofdos, deals and developments – inreverse order of course! Whisperswas there, as always, sourcingmaterial for our column – althoughwith an increasing amount of‘inside whispers’ winging their wayto us, we may have to soon hangup our party hats.

Recent national tabloid gossipsuggests Downing employeesare mingling with the rich andfamous away from theoffice…having worked in thepast with Mick Jagger andDavid Bowie, Robin Ellis,‘Britain’s poshest builder’ has‘gone to the wall after Russianbillionaire clients failed to paytheir bills.’ ConsideringDowning’s current levels ofactivity we’re surprised Robinhas any time to dedicate toconstructing the homes of stars,or could there be an impostor?

Forget ‘working lunches’, inthe commercial property worldagents are expected to workOUT just for their breakfast. Atthe recent City Point launchattendees were treated to a tastymorning treat…but had to climbseveral flights of stairs firstbecause the lifts were not yet inaction!

They should have gone to therecent Towngate launch whereagents were encouraged to takepart in The Forklift TruckChallenge. Normally ones to riseto a challenge (as the numberswho regularly take part in Wiicompetitions attests)Merseyside agents decided onthis occasion to opt out – itwould seem that virtual braveryis easier to muster!

Claremont must knowsomething we don’t about Swiss innovation in hydraulics – apparently Switzerland wasthe port of call when the fit-outspecialists were weighing up ‘lift suitability’ for the Liver

Building! It would seemClaremont is always prepared to go that extra mile!

Even at festive bashes MoveCommercial journalists areproud to say they’re never off-duty…but is proofreading thesign for a venue’s conveniencesa step too far?

Downing has put forwardPeter Keppie as a potentialcandidate for MoveCommercial’s ‘Rising Star’profile…we can’t possibly think why!!

Happy to hear [email protected]

Peter Keppie…the man to BUZZat Downing.

MOVE COMMERCIAL38

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Changing hands Deals

Property: Suites 2 & 4, Building2, Riverside Park, BromboroughLeased by: Riverside ParkDevelopments Ltd (Mason Owen)To whom: Wirral PCTPurpose: LettingSpace: 8,393 sq ftFor how long: 10 years withmid-way rent reviewFor how much: £96,508 p/aProperty: Queen Elizabeth Hall,Albert Dock, LiverpoolLeased by: Albert DockCompany (DTZ)To whom: What’s Cooking GroupPurpose: LettingSpace: 3,830 sq ftFor how long: 10 yearsFor how much: £90,000 p/aProperty: Brookfield BusinessPark, AintreeLeased by: Priority Sites(Hitchcock, Wright and Partners)To whom: Aintree ElectricalSuppliesPurpose: LettingSpace: 4,072 sq ftFor how long: 5 yearsFor how much: £5 per sq ft Property: Unit 20, Matchworks,SpekeLeased by: Urban SplashTo whom: Five Children andFamilies TrustPurpose: LettingSpace: 3,513 sq ftFor how long: 6 yearsFor how much: £25,000 p/aProperty: 3rd and 4th FloorsCompton House, School Lane, L1Leased by: Grosvenor LiverpoolFund (Knight Frank/KeppieMassie)To whom: Peppered Sprout LtdPurpose: LettingSpace: 4,350 sq ftFor how long: 5 yearsFor how much: £16 per sq ftProperty: Meridian BusinessVillage, Hunts CrossLeased by: Prospect (GB) (GVAGrimley/Hitchcock Wright andPartners)To whom: Gilligan Legal CostsManagementPurpose: LettingSpace: 1,380 sq ftFor how long: 5 yearsFor how much: £13.50 per sq ft

What’s the deal?Following its recent high profile launch, Langtree has secured the first lettingat its new business park in St Helens, Mere Grange.

What’s the purpose? UK-wide construction business, Miller Construction (UK) Ltd has taken a 3,316 sq ft office on a five year lease.

What’s the background? The first phase of this development has seen Langtree, through a jointventure with national regeneration agent English Partnerships, deliver over54,000 sq ft of accommodation offering 10 high quality speculative buildingsas either detached or semi-detached self-contained offices from 3,400 to10,100 sq ft.

Who’s behind the deal? Miller Construction is part of The Miller Group, the UK’s largest privatelyowned construction, property development and housebuilding business.Frank Joyce, area director of Miller, said: “The decision to relocate fromManchester to St Helens was made easier by both Mere Grange’s excellentlocation, which allows access to the north-west motorway links, and also thehigh quality of the offices and surrounding landscaping.”

Who secured the deal? Senior property manager of Langtree, Jayne Furnival, said: “We are delightedthat Miller Construction chose Mere Grange, and as a further 3,400 sq ft isunder offer we hope to have a second occupier imminently. Our aim is tobring new jobs and opportunities to St Helens and Mere Grange has beendesigned to meet the exacting standards of modern occupiers.”

What’s the deal?Gelert have taken a 103, 073 sq ft unit on Ditchfield Road in Widnes ona 15-year lease.

What’s the purpose? Outdoor equipment and clothing specialists Gelert will use the distributionfacility, The Bear, for the expansion of its national distribution network.

What’s the background? The site was chosen by Gelert as it is strategically located to access thenational motorway network. The Bear is a high specification facility owned byThreadneedle Property Investments Ltd and has the capacity to expand up to150,000 sq ft.

Who’s behind the deal? Gelert, the high quality UK camping brand, has been based in Snowdonia forthirty years and its products are stocked in various outlets across thenorth-west.

Who secured the deal?CBRE acted on behalf of Threadneedle Property Investments Ltd. HowardGeorge, senior director of the industrial agency at CBRE, said: “We are seeinga substantial number of industrial lettings being undertaken in a difficultmarket. Already in this quarter we have let 210,000 sq ft in Ellesmere Port,50,000 sq ft in Chester, and now 103,000 sq ft in Widnes.”

Big dealsLatest deals

W

W

“Our aim is to bringnew jobs andopportunities to St Helens.”

Jayne Furnival Langtree

“We are seeing asubstantial numberof industriallettings beingundertaken in adifficult market.”

Howard George CBRE

MOVE COMMERCIAL 39

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With forty years of history and a visionaryfor its namesake, St John’s ShoppingCentre was never going to be left out of the plans for Liverpool’s renaissance.The heralds of change at Land Securitiesreceived detailed permission from the cityplanners in June this year for a schemewhich, according to retail developmentmanager Tom Venner, will see somelarge scale changes to the fabric of theshopping centre as we know it.

MOVE COMMERCIAL40

ADJACENT TO GROSVENOR’S LIVERPOOL ONE SCHEME

STYLISH REFURBISHED OFFICE SPACE FROM 1,193 SQFT TO 3,661 SQFT

HANOVER BUILDINGS11-13 HANOVER STLIVERPOOL L1 3DN

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Tom Venner Rising Stars

LAND SECURITIES, known formajor retail projects across the UK, boasts a commercial propertyportfolio worth in excess of £14billion. At St John’s, themanagement team has remained onsite since the centre was constructedin 1969, and now intends to refreshits offering to the city. Tom Venner,retail development manager forLand Sec, spends three days a weekin the firm’s UK headquarters inLondon, one day in Glasgow andanother in Liverpool on the St John’ssite. Having joined and taken on therole at Land Sec just two years ago,he has seen the firm’s plans for the city change and develop inconsultation with the public and the planners, and is pioneering thescheme to retain current retailersand attract new ones. Part of the

scheme has been to consolidate the area’s offer, starting with aneighbouring shopping precinctlinking St John’s to Central Stationon one side and Church Street on theother. The £2 million refurbishmentof that glass fronted arcade, ClaytonSquare Shopping Centre, is alreadyunderway, and Venner is pleasedthat Land Sec successfully signedJJB Sports’ flagship store to the site:“Work began at the end ofSeptember on the internalrefurbishments with new entrances,new ceilings and new lighting tofreshen up the look of the centre.This is nearly completed now, andhas completely transformed the lower level. We’ll be downing toolsover Christmas, but work willrecommence in the New Year and by June the 24,000 sq ft store will

be ready. JJB Sports is a popularretailer in Liverpool and does really well and so it needs a goodprominent, and convenient, positionlike this. Clayton Square ticks all the boxes.”

The task of refurbishing the 40 year-old St John’s willcomplement Clayton Square’s appealto large retailers, and attract its owninterest. Here, it’s not just the highstreet chain but the independentretailer that’s key to the plans forchange and it’s hoped that a freshbreed of occupier will join existingtenants in the redeveloped site.

With the relocation of St John’smarket, new retail space will be freedup of various dimensions to suit theoccupier, and while the refurbishmentwork takes place, Land Sec is keen toensure that business continues as

normal. As Tom confirms: “The firstphase will take a year to a year and a half to complete because the marketisn’t going to close. It’ll move out inlate 2011 or the start of 2012.Williamson Square is a prominentposition for the market hall, whichhas a strong history in the city, and it won’t be hidden from view anylonger, as it is at the moment.”

New entrances, steps and frontagesare key to bringing the shoppingcentre back into focus on the city’sretail map. The newly created retailspace in the shopping centre will alsoreceive a makeover on the inside: “StJohn’s complexity is that it is anoperational shopping centre. 17million shoppers visited it last yearand we want to retain that, so we’ve phased in the work over a long period of time to ensure

Leading the renaissance of a landmark

MOVE COMMERCIAL 41

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Rising Stars Tom Venner

retailers can carry on trading. New lighting and flooring is going tobe put inside the mall, and it shouldall be ready by 2013. From talking topeople, it’s been a general consensusthat the centre looks tired and dated.Just because it’s primarily a centrefor value to mid-market retailersdoesn’t mean it should beunpleasant to shop there, so therefurbishment will change that andbring in some new tenants too. Therelocation of the food court to theupper level, overlooking the city, will mean that having a coffee or a bite to eat also becomes a moreenjoyable experience, aided by greatviews and a feeling that everything is integrated in the city centre.

“St John’s is different to our otherassets as it is an older centre and avalue centre, but the consultationfound that it really is popular andthe improvements are beingwelcomed. Our retailers do reallywell here. The recent demise ofWoolworth’s was a casualty whichyou may have expected to survive inthe current market conditions, butWilkinson, Argos and Poundland are all doing really well, and in thisclimate it’s great for St John’s.

“Everyone has a guess as to whatthe magic ticket for retail will be inthe current market, but St John’s hasalways been strong and popular. Itmakes sense to retain a value centrein its current location in Liverpool.”

With the current market’schallenges, a comparison to make for recent retail development is withLiverpool One’s recently unveiledscheme, but Venner stresses thedifference between the two ventures:“Liverpool One is an obviouscomparison to make, but that was a case of work going on behind thehoardings before the finishedproduct was unveiled. Here, thepeople visiting St John’s will see the changes occur in stages becausethe work is taking place over anextended period.

“We’ve invested in the city for over40 years and when we build a centre, we continue to own it and maintain it, which makes usdifferent. St John’s is a critical partof Liverpool and the city itself is one of the most vibrant and fastestgrowing in the UK. It’s an excitingplace to be for the propertydeveloper, and we saw that when we invested here in 1969. The city is really seeing a renaissance; we’veexperienced cataclysmic changesover the last five or ten years, andthere’s still a long way to go.”

The firm is not yet at the stage of

signing new retailers for St John’s,but the centre has a history of beingwell let and Land Sec expect interestfor the units in the newly openedspace in the old market for valuemultiples as well as independentretailers: “New businesses, perhapsthat started in the market, areimportant to St John’s, and it’s anincubator for businesses to try newthings when they start out. We wantto nurture that side of things as wego forwards. We have a long termrelationship with customers andretailers and offer a level of customerservice that goes far beyond what aninvestor trader would do.”

It’s this difference which has seenSt John’s consult the public on theplanned changes and a marketingsuite set up to answer queries andtake feedback from retailers andshoppers. The developmentmanagement, project managementand portfolio management teamshave worked closely to design thescheme and its delivery within LandSecurities’ portfolio, and Venner’srole has been to balance the needs ofthe portfolio and project managersand deliver the firm’s commercialobjectives; making sure the figuresadd up in the landscape of designand improvement: “It’s a shepherd-herding exercise in many ways asthere are so many disciplinesworking together. I talk to existingand prospective retailers about thesite and then gain expertise fromwhat we’ve done elsewhere andwhat’s worked to make decisions.

“Property development is all aboutovercoming hurdles. It’s not easy to get to the start on sitestage. There are deals to do, peopleto move, things to buy, the brandand marketing to be worked out, all before the first brick can be laid,We’ve spent a lot of time in theplanning process already, and it’sstill a way to go before we start onsite when the market moves out.”

The campaign to inform the localcommunity found support with 95per cent of shoppers, and won thebacking of Liverpool Vision and thecity council, which Venner says hasmade a huge difference in getting theball rolling. The public transportlinks on the scheme’s doorstep isalso expected to aid theredevelopment, with a car park of itsown, Lime Street and Central Stationin the immediate vicinity and busesstopping just outside on Roe Street.Venner says: “The planners werevery receptive to our proposals but,full credit to them, it’s very easy tolook at what was there and say

anything must be better. Our planthough was not just to agree thatanything would be better, and thecouncil challenged us to meet a highstandard, and so we will be goingahead with the best scheme possiblefor the city.”

The entrances to St John’s, thepublic realm area linking to thetransport systems with the rest of thecity and the improved outsideappearance of the buildings is goingto be supplemented by new signageand street furniture, consistent withthe city’s newly improved image as a tourist destination for visitors fromacross the globe. Putting Liverpoolon the map has been a long journeyand a collaborative process forbusinesses and the council, and with developments such as thiscontinuing after the Culture Year is behind us, building on andimproving what was started in the60s is surely a major part of thelegacy for the city. Venner adds:“We’ve been here a long time andthe centres have been a success, now other developers have come in and changed the face of the cityand we felt it was time we updatedour offering.”

With seven years’ experience in theindustry after completing his landmanagement degree at ReadingUniversity, 28 year-old Venner nowworks with the consultants and useshis knowledge to influence a visionfor the future of the firm’s presencein Liverpool: “I like it here, andspend a lot of time here apart fromwork, and I do feel that have learneda lot from the local shoppers abouthow to best conduct our business.Taking advice is a real art; I’ve beenon the other side of it and know that,and listening to recommendationsand making decisions is soimportant to what we do. Money isshorter all round in the currentclimate, so we have to make mostprudent use of what we have for thebest results, and that’s what we’vedone all along.” An experienced headon young shoulders, Venner takeshis inspiration and vision from thesuccess story of ours and other citiesin a manner of which St John’snamesake would be proud. At thesame time, this is a developmententirely of the new century and if heis a messenger of tidings for reformand change, it is because he hopes to lead the city not into a desert butto water: “We’re in a strong positionin the market that we’re in and,although there are tough timesahead in the current climate, we’reproviding what the retailers want.”

“…St John’s hasalways been strong and popular.It makes sense to retain a valuecentre in its current location in Liverpool.

”

MOVE COMMERCIAL42

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Merseyside Property Forum Christmas Dinner Key events

MERSEYSIDE’S COMMERCIAL property professionals swapped deals andacquisitions for turkey and trimmings at the Merseyside Property Forum’sChristmas dinner. Sponsored jointly by Move Commercial and Estates Gazette,the event provided an opportunity for attendees to celebrate the year’ssuccesses over a festive feast in the snug surroundings of John Mac’s PrivateMembers Bar.

1. Stuart Keppie and Tony Reed, Keppie Massie with Jon Swain,

Mason and Partners

2 3 4

2. John Davies and Paul Hames of Edmund Kirby 3. Mike Honeybourne, Honeybourne Kenny, Andrew Owen, Mason Owen and Alastair Newman, King Sturge

4. Sean Seery, Smith and Sons with Peter Brack of Dears Brack

5 6 7

5. Robin Evans, Matthews and Goodman with Jim Remfry, GVA Grimley 6. Paul Cheshire and Neil Morton, Dixon Webb 7. Stuart Shapley, Estates Gazette,

William Clowes, King Sturge, Karl Kiernan, David Currie and Co, Julie Southern, Estates Gazette

8 9 10

8. Alan Bevan, City Residential with Andy Nichol, DWF 9. Graham Bowling, Knight Frank and Mark Worthington, CBRE 10. Fiona Barnet, Move Publishing and

David Al-Hadithi, The Design Foundry.

1

Season ofgoodwillBy Marie [email protected]

MOVE COMMERCIAL 43

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Appointments Move Commercial

Edward Henshaw, HollieGaskill, Jenny Adie andStuart Longden Keppie Massie Surveyors and propertyconsultants Keppie Massiehas further expanded itsteam with the appointmentof four new personnel.Jenny Adie joins after 13years with SeftonMetropolitan BoroughCouncil, and will beworking with both theregeneration and propertyasset management teams.The Liverpool commercialteam also welcomes StuartLongden and Hollie Gaskill.Stuart, a qualified surveyorpreviously with MasonOwen, will be workingalongside Jenny Adie andMark Richardson as aproperty asset managementsurveyor whilst Hollie, whojoins from BruntwoodEstates, will be working inthe regeneration team as agraduate general practicesurveyor. Finally, EdwardHenshaw, another recruitfrom Bruntwood Estates,will be based in theexpanding Manchesteroffice and will beresponsible for bothregeneration and landlordand tenant instructions.Terry Reed, practicemanager at Keppie Massiecommented: "The latestrecruitment drive by thepractice is to facilitate ourexpanding workload acrossall aspects of commercialand residential property inthe region. We now haveover 40 experiencedpersonnel throughout ourLiverpool and Manchesteroffices”.

Neil Waddington Prospect (GB), Neil Waddington is the newmanaging director of Prospect(GB), one of the UK's fastestgrowing investment anddevelopment companiesbased in Warrington, Cheshire.A wholly owned subsidiarycompany of the RiversideGroup, one of the country'slargest housing organisationswith a portfolio of over50,000 properties, Prospect(GB) has residential and

commercial developmentsongoing across the north ofEngland and a currentturnover of over £6million.With previous experience inboth the residential andcommercial property sectors,Neil has worked for majordevelopers such as MillerHomes (NW), Barratt and,latterly, Hurstwood Livingwhere he was managingdirector in the north-westwith responsibility forexpansion into the Midlands.With flagship developmentsunder way in Salford and justcompleted on Merseyside, Neilis looking forward to takingthe company forward. Hecomments: "We are confidentthat our current schemes arein the right locations forsuccess and although othersare at planning stage or havejust received consent, webelieve that these will be inthe development pipelinebefore too long."

Paul MurphyWidnes Waterfront BusinessSteering Group Paul Murphy, chiefexecutive of ForumTecknik+, has been electedto chair the WidnesWaterfront BusinessSteering Group, which playsa major part in theregeneration of the 200

acre former industrial areain South Widnes. Paulcommented: “As one of thebusinesses located at theWidnes Waterfront I take avested interest in the areaas a whole. Through myposition as chair I hope tomaintain the excellentbusiness relationships thathave already been formedand ensure we worktogether to help theWaterfront become asuccessful commercialbusiness park.”

Anne Selby, Lord PeterSmith, John Stageman andBrenda SmithThe North WestDevelopment Agency The North West DevelopmentAgency has appointed threenew directors, and extendedthe appointment of another.Anne Selby, Lord Peter Smithand John Stageman took uptheir three-year posts inDecember last year. BrendaSmith, has had herappointment renewed for oneyear until 13 December 2009.

Alex Taylor Spencer Holdings Spencer Holdings hasrecruited Alex Taylor tospearhead the lettings team.He joins from CBRE andwill work on a diverse

portfolio comprising 6m sqft on 101 estates throughoutthe UK, and finding tenantsfor schemes at ArroweCommercial Park in Wirral,Chapel Brook, Link onHuyton Business Park andPikelaw Place and PotterPlace in Skelmersdale. Group property directorChris Hughes commented:“Alex brings with himexperience from Ashtenneand CBRE and is proving tobe an excellent addition toour growing in-house assetmanagement team.”

Royal LiverCBRE The Liverpool office of CBRichard Ellis has beenappointed by leading financialservices business, Royal Liver,for the valuation of propertiesin its main and pension funds.

The five-year contract,secured by CBRE’s valuationteam, will see the propertyconsultants value Royal LiverAssurance’s full UK portfoliowhich boasts over 40properties across the BritishIsles, including its landmarkGrade I* listed headquarterson Liverpool’s waterfront.

Peter Eustance, director ofvaluation at CBRE, said: “Thiscontract is testament to thestrength of our valuation teamhere in the north-west and ourcapability as a global practiceto provide a personal serviceon a regional and nationalbasis.

“We are thrilled to have beenappointed for this project andlook forward to working withRoyal Liver in the comingyears.”

Peter Fane, head of property

at Royal Liver, added, “I amdelighted to have CBRE onboard and to furtherstrengthen our relationshipwith them. The package ofservices offered wasdeveloped to meet ourspecific requirements and Iwas impressed by theirattentive and flexibleapproach as well as the highlevel of client care theydemonstrated throughout theselection process.”

Riverside ParkSmith & Sons

Appointed by developerRiverside Park Ltd, Smith& Sons are acting as jointagents on the scheme alongwith existing agents MasonOwen.

Set within a well-established business area,Riverside Park enjoys viewsacross the River Mersey tothe famous Liverpoolwaterfront and when fullycompleted will provide250,000 sq ft of brand new,Grade A high quality officeaccommodation.

Pete Bowskill, partner atSmith & Sons, said: “Weare very much lookingforward to working on sucha great scheme and havealready had keen interestfrom potential occupiers.”

Riverside Park managingdirector, John Henley, said:“We are delighted to beworking with such anestablished practice asSmith & Sons. With nearly170 years agencyexperience they know themarket pretty well. Therecent letting of anadditional 8,000 sq ft ofoffice space at RiversidePark is a furtherendorsement of ourcustomers’ satisfaction withthe scheme and that it isunparalleled in terms oflocation and quality.”

Paul Murphy

From left to right: Edward

Henshaw, Hollie Gaskill, Jenny

Adie and Stuart Longden

Career Appointments

Alex Taylor

Agency Appointments

Riverside Park

MOVE COMMERCIAL44

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Halliwells at the Town Hall Key events

Jump into January

Business people from throughout Merseyside gathered at Liverpool TownHall for law firm Halliwells' annual "Jump into January" event. The event,hosted by the head of Halliwells' Liverpool office, Jonathan Brown, is now inits fourth year and attracted a record number of guests. During the courseof the evening a range of business and charity related themes for the yearahead were discussed and moved forward.

1. Liverpool Town Hall 2. Alan Linguard, RBS Property with Rachel Watkin, Halliwells, Gary Quinn, Atlantic Chambers and David Morgan, Halliwells

2

3. Lesley Hickson, RBS with Tricia Evans, RBS and Beverley Bentley, Halliwells 4. John Fairbrother, Begbies Traynor with Bob Richards, KPMG and

David Moore, Begbies Traynor

3 4

5.Malcolm Rawsthorne, Begbies Traynor with John Newell, PKF, Donna Crompton, Begbies Traynor and Matthew Dunham, BDO 6. Rod Morris, Raphael Health

with Jonathan Brown, Halliwells and Matt Allen, AFM

5 6


1

MOVE COMMERCIAL 45

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MOVE COMMERCIAL46

Asset manager Iain Taylor

and having three young daughtersensures that there is never a dullmoment in the Taylor household!However when I do get time tomyself I enjoy spending time at mylocal fitness club working out in thegym, swimming and playing racquetsports.How would your colleaguesdescribe you?I’m two months into the role and theysay it feels as if I’ve been here years.I’ve chosen to take that as acompliment!

Deacon Park in Knowsley. Our officealso deals with office premises atGrosvenor House in Runcorn and ourmanaged workspace subsidiary, BizSpace, provides managed/servicedaccommodation in Birkenhead,Haydock, Hooton, Garston and StHelens.What are Highcross’s specialisms?Highcross is a property fund managerfocusing on office and industrialproperty investment anddevelopment opportunities across theUK. Over the past four years we’veacquired £1.1bn of property, and thecurrent development pipeline totalsthree million sq ft. Following on fromthe successful investment in the firsttwo funds, a third fund was raised in2008, in which we achieved newequity of over £450m. To date,Highcross has already invested£200m in industrial and office spaceacross the UK. What are Highcross’s plans forthe north-west?Highcross’ Manchester office was setup in 2006 to serve the northernregion, headed by Richard Pellatt. Thefirm has invested over £250m inproperty acquisitions across theregion, including in Knowsley, Runcornand Ellesmere Port. Further growth ofthe Manchester office is in the

pipeline through the third fund, whichwill focus predominantly on the officeand industrial markets. The fundshave been raised and are ready toinvest, which is a unique position tobe in at this time!What excites you most aboutyour role?Highcross is a very progressivecompany and the diverse range ofproperty across the region from primecity centre office developments tomajor industrial schemes offer a dailyexciting challenge, including workingto let 450,000 sq ft at Knowsley, andbeing part of Highcross’sredevelopment schemes.What are the best and worstparts of the job?The best and most satisfying thing isgetting a deal done, whether it’s anew letting, negotiating a new leaseor achieving a good settlement orrent review. I also enjoy the variety ofwork and different challenges, as wellas travelling the full northern regionfrom Crewe right up to Carlisle. Theworst part, and I know that I am notthe only one saying this, but I amfrustrated by government policy suchas the imposition of empty rates tax.How do you like to unwind fromit all?I like to spend time with my family

In thespotlightIain Taylor is an asset manager in thenorthern office at Highcross, the propertyfund manager specialising in investment anddevelopment opportunities. The firm’sproperty portfolio covers 14 million sq ft ofoffice and industrial premises across the UK.

TAYLOR FILEBORN

1971 Born in Morecambe

FIRST JOB

1986 Started at Nationwide

Estate Agents

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

1996 Professional career started

at Countrywide Surveyors

1998 Joined Preston City Council

2001 Joined Walker Packman

2004 Joined Hartnell Taylor Cook

2006 Moved to Close Brothers

2008 Joined Highcross

What led you into this role?I had my first insight into commercialproperty working as an estatesurveyor at Preston City Council. I moved into private practice inManchester in 2001, where I dealtwith asset management work in aconsultancy role for Walker Packmanand Hartnell Taylor Cook from 2004.In 2006 I got my first experience ofthe ‘client side’ as asset manager forClose Brothers PLC, where I managedpart of a £185m industrial andcommercial property fund. Then, inJune this year, I heard about theopportunity at Highcross inManchester and their continuingexpansion and active acquisitionprogramme were my key attractionsto the role.What does your daily routineinvolve?The beauty of the job is that no oneday is the same. The main thrust ofmy role is to mastermind revenueopportunities through active propertymanagement, new lettings, leaserenewals, rent reviews, and to explorepotential development/refurbishmentopportunities on existing sites in theportfolio. The major developments Iam responsible for in the north-westinclude logistics warehouses such asSils Building at Ellesmere Port and

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POINT OF CONTACT

THE CHAPEL CROSSHALL STLIVERPOOL

FOR SALE/ TO LET12,283 sq ft with proposals to extend to 22,764 sq ft

Of interest to Developers, Leisure Operators and Investors for:Boutique Hotel / Offices / Restaurant

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Mark WorthingtonDirect Dial: 0151 471 4971 Tel: 0151 224 [email protected]

MOVE COMMERCIAL 47

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Stunning refurbishmentnow complete

A stunning £10 million refurbishment has made one of Liverpool’s

most distinguished buildings the city’s most desirable office address.

Situated within the UNESCO World Heritage Site and the first of

the famous Three Graces, the Port of Liverpool Building exudes

confidence for any business – and has modern, high specification

suites from 600 to 10,000 sq ft waiting for you. For more

information on the fantastic deals available and how we can offer

certainty on costs, contact our agents or speak to us direct.

Restored to its former glory – for your future glory.

developing a great britain

www.downing.comT: 0151 707 2666

THEPORT OF

LIVERPOOLBUILDING –

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move commercial 11

Documents

new year

commercial property

city forwards

local businesses

pm page

culture years

talking point

years success