Category Archives: London News

London News, News, Property, Property Buyer News

Bellway London invites Watford homebuyers to meet managing agents

Homebuyers at Bellway London’s Waterside at Riverwell development, in Watford, were invited to attend a ‘Meet the Managing Agents’ mixer, as part of the housebuilders initiative to deliver award winning customer service, even after the customers have moved in.

All customers who have purchased a new home at Waterside at Riverwell had the unique opportunity to meet staff from PBM Property Management, about the aftercare they will receive, now construction has finished and Bellway’s sales and site team will be moving off site.

The session, which was attended by over 50 residents, was held in the development’s sales and marketing suite, where light refreshments and canapes were provided.

Waterside at Riverwell is a development of 143 Bellway London homes off Thomas Sawyer Way, comprising 110 apartments for private sale and 33 affordable properties available for local people through rent or shared ownership.

PBM Property Management has now taken charge of the upkeep of the apartment buildings, the concierge service, the residents private gym and the communal and landscaped areas, including the podium gardens.

Greg Allsop, Sales Director for Bellway London, said: “We wanted to take the opportunity to host an event where the new residents of Waterside at Riverwell, could meet the managing agents in an informal environment.

“The aftercare to those who have bought a Bellway property, is really important to us and doesn’t stop once the team have moved off site. We look after our customers from enquiry through to completion and onwards. The event was clearly a well-received idea because a significant proportion of our customers turned up on the day.

“As a responsible housebuilder, we felt it was important for us to use our links with both the residents and the managing agents to bring them together and give an opportunity for people to ask any questions they might have. There are often lots of queries surrounding apartment block and estate management, service charges and living in a leasehold property, so this three-hour session enabled those questions to be answered.

“Bellway has achieved five-star builder status with the Home Builders Federation (HBF) for six years in a row because nine out of ten of our customers would recommend us to a friend. We are proud of this coveted status which comes as a result of always putting our customers first.

“This event is a perfect example of how we are trying to ensure that our buyers experience the very best level of customer care we can provide.”

Waterside at Riverwell is part of the wider Riverwell regeneration project. The scheme is a joint venture between Watford Borough Council and Kier Property to develop 70 acres of land to the south of Watford General Hospital and Watford Football Club.

In addition to providing new homes, the project includes plans for a new two-form entry primary school, community centre, flexible workspaces and more than 4.5 acres of green open space.

There’s currently only a handful of apartments left for sale at the development, with a selection of one and two-bedroom apartments available to reserve, with prices starting at £269,995 and £380,000 respectively.

For more information about the development visit https://www.bellwaylondon.co.uk/new-homes/north-london/waterside-at-riverwell or call the sales team on 01923 700486.

Fashion, London News, News, North of England, Retail, Retail & E-commerce

Recycled cashmere brand hosts pop-ups at John Lewis this September

Luxury second-hand fashion brand, Nearly New Cashmere Co is set to host two pop-up stores later this month at high-street retailer John Lewis stores in Greater Manchester and London.

The family-run company was established in 2015 by entrepreneur Ali Orr from her home in the Yorkshire Dales. Since then, it’s become a leading shopping destination for cashmere lovers – who can shop for luxury cashmere knitwear at affordable prices. 

The skilled team at Nearly New Cashmere Co works meticulously to restore, repair and hand-finish cashmere pieces to a like-new standard. They’re also passionate about waste reduction and finding innovative ways to reuse discarded cashmere. This process includes transforming jumpers into neck warmers, fingerless gloves, beanie hats and other accessories.

The sustainable fashion brand has a restore and repair service for customers who wish to extend the life of their existing cashmere pieces and exchange service. The exchange service is for customers that want to exchange their old cashmere items for credit to spend at Nearly New Cashmere Co. The team hopes this will encourage people to wear clothing and accessories for longer and positively impact the environment.

Sharing more about what customers can expect at the pop-ups, founder Ali Orr comments: “At Nearly New Cashmere Co, we specialise in repairing and restoring second-hand and vintage 100% cashmere clothing into like-new quality cashmere pieces. We are passionate about saving discarded garments that would otherwise end up going to waste.

“Over the years, we’ve hosted many pop-up stores and stalls at fairs across the UK, and we’re always excited to run these. They’re an excellent opportunity to meet some of our customers in person. 

“We will have an extensive range of men’s and women’s cashmere clothing and accessories available at the pop-up shops, including cashmere scarves, cashmere jumpers, and cashmere cardigans. 

“We appreciate that second-hand and sustainable shoppers are conscious about the products they’re buying, and rightly so. With that in mind, the pop-ups present a great opportunity to chat with customers about the products, the repair and restoration process, and cashmere care and styling.”

The Nearly New Cashmere Co pop-up stalls will take place later this month at the John Lewis store in Stratford, London, from 20-25 September, and the John Lewis store in Trafford, Manchester, from 26 September-2 October. 

Both of these events coincide with Oxfam’s Second Hand September – a sustainable style challenge to encourage people to buy only second hand items for 30 days in the month of September.

London News, News, Property

Hunter Jones becomes leading consultancy for property investment following launch of new Group structure

Alternative property investment firm, Hunter Jones, has unveiled its new Group structure to establish the brand as a leading consultancy for diligently researched and structured property investment opportunities.

A growing force in the property investment and development sector, Hunter Jones was originally launched in 2013 as an alternative investment introducer, and since this time has raised over £100 million for structured investment opportunities in partnership with multiple leading developers.

With a proven track-record in delivering above average returns for its investors, Hunter Jones established sister brand, HJ Property, in 2021 with a clear vision to meet the increasing demand for property acquisitions, delivered off-market and with attractive rates.

In combining both Hunter Jones and HJ Property under the new Hunter Jones Group, Founder and CEO, Reece Mennie, has established a forward-thinking and holistic service – ranging from diligently researched alternative investment and direct property acquisition opportunities for investors, through to an alternative and specialised lending facility for developers.

He explained: “For investors, there’s a huge amount of stability and potential to be found in bricks and mortar – but only if you can maximise that potential with the right kind of expertise, accessible guidance, and the influence that only seasoned specialists, like our team at Hunter Jones Group, can provide.

In establishing our new group structure, we are confident we can advise on and deliver a wealth of exciting opportunities through alternative and direct investment with above average returns, while offering developers access to our advanced and alternative lending facility. We have made excellent progress over the last several years and are now committed to ensuring Hunter Jones Group is the UK’s leading property investment consultancy for years to come.”

Headquartered in Canary Wharf, London, Hunter Jones Group now employs a team of 25 property development and investment specialists.

Awards, Construction, Construction News, London News, News, Property

Project manager wins prestigious award for housing project in Greenwich

A project manager from Bellway London has won a national award for overseeing the construction of high-quality new homes in Greenwich.

Jason Spink has been named as a recipient of this year’s Pride in the Job Quality Award in recognition of his work at The River Gardens development off Banning Street.

Construction work is nearing completion at the site, where all 264 homes for private sale have now been sold.

He is among the 443 winners who have been selected to receive the accolade by the National House Building Council (NHBC) from a pool of more than 8,000 site managers from across the country. These recipients will now be considered for the Seal of Excellence later this year.

Pride in the Job celebrates site managers who achieve the highest standards in construction and has become one of the most prestigious competitions in the housebuilding industry since it was first held more than 40 years ago.

This is the second time that Jason has won a Quality Award, having previously picked up the prize in 2014.

Jason, 52, who lives in Basildon, Essex, said: “This award is a very satisfying achievement for our whole team because it acknowledges the effort and care that we put into each home that we build.

“We have gone above and beyond to please our customers throughout our time at The River Gardens. That is why I believe that our team fully deserved to win the Quality Award.”

After starting out in the construction industry as a carpenter at the age of 17, Jason joined Bellway as a site manager in 2009.

He continued: “I first went into carpentry because my father and my elder brother were both working for a local developer as carpenters, and I have been employed in the construction sector ever since.

“The best thing about working for Bellway is that I have been able to build strong working relationships with those on my team because we all take pride in the homes we hand over to our buyers.

“My plan for the coming years is to keep performing to the high standards we have managed to achieve at Bellway so that our customers can continue to expect the best from us.”

John Haggerstone, Construction Director for Bellway Thames Gateway, said: “For our site managers, winning an NHBC award in any year is rewarding, but this year has been a special achievement in such challenging circumstances, ensuring our building sites are kept to the highest standards we set ourselves at Bellway, and keeping our customers and local residents happy with the work we are doing across those sites.

“Jason and his team have consistently demonstrated their excellence in delivering new homes to our customers over the past 12 months and Bellway is extremely proud of and grateful for their efforts, resulting in the Quality Award they have been deservingly given by NHBC. We would wish Jason all the very best for the next stage of the NHBC awards this year, as he progresses to the Seal of Excellence phase of judging.”

To find out more about the new homes being built by Bellway London, visit https://www.bellwaylondon.co.uk.

 

CAPTION:

  • (Left to Right) Site Manager Nicolae Marius Cocos with Project Manager Jason Spink at Bellway’s River Gardens development

 

About Bellway Homes

Bellway Homes is a FTSE 250 Index listed residential housebuilder based in Newcastle upon Tyne, employing almost 3,000 staff across 22 Divisions across England, Scotland and Wales.

Bellway began as a small family business in the North East in 1946 – with a passion for building exceptional quality homes in carefully selected locations, inspired by the needs of real families. We are proud of our heritage in the North East, and remain one of the region’s largest employers, with our Head Office still being located in Newcastle upon Tyne.

To this day, we maintain these same core values, combining our decades of expertise with the level of personalised care that Bellway is known for.

We are delighted to have been awarded 5 star builder status by the Home Builders Federation for the sixth year running, with 9 out of 10 customers saying they would recommend us to a friend.

Commercial Property, London News, News, North of England

Flex Space to increase 50% in four years

Hybrid working policies are driving demand in the flexible workspace market as companies are using coworking and serviced offices at record levels.

In its annual UK Market Research Report, The Instant Group’s data shows that demand for flex space across the country is up 22% in the last 12 months. Regional cities – such as Leeds and Manchester – are leading the way in this increase but the latest market data shows a recovery in central London.

The size of the space being taken with flex operators has also increased by 44% since the pandemic as larger companies incorporate more flexible workspace in their real estate portfolios.

With demand for flexible space eclipsing pre-pandemic levels, the result is that the supply of new centres is growing and diversifying at a rapid rate. New supply is primarily coming from traditional landlords. GPE has announced that it aims to grow its flex offering from 13% to 25% of their total portfolio by 2027, and CBRE have taken over 40% of Industrious to boost their flex product. Many other landlords are already following suit, shaking up the flexible landscape in the UK.

Supply of new workspace grew at 5% throughout the pandemic but that rate of growth is expected to double this year. The number of flex spaces will double by 2026 and account for more than 150m sq ft of office space in the UK, or 10% of total UK office space.

Despite the increase in supply, average workstation rates are up 4% on H2 2021, currently averaging £408 pcm across the UK. This is primarily due to demand in major cities picking up as well as operators increasing rates to cover inflationary costs.

Lucinda Pullinger, UK Managing Director, The Instant Group, said: “Flex space is now a critical component of most companies’ office strategy. Hybrid working has entrenched the role of serviced offices, coworking and meeting rooms. After the ups and downs of the past two years, it is very exciting to see growth in markets such as central London again.

“However, we would sound a note of caution that recessionary fears are likely to see some organisations put their office moves on the back burner in H2 as they watch the wider macro-economic picture play out. With more landlords entering the market in the next 24 months, there will be an increase in supply to meet current demand levels with the flex market set to become an increasingly competitive market.”

Instant’s data is based on its market leading flexible workspace platform which placed customers in flexible workspaces in over 225 cities and towns across the UK in the last 12 months.

Cardiff, Construction, London, London News, News

Welsh fabricator secures top class school projects in Wales and London

LEADING Welsh fabricator Dudley’s Aluminium is supporting the construction of two innovative school projects.

 

Net Zero Carbon New Build School in Rhydyfelin

The first of the two builds is a Welsh medium primary school in Rhydyfelin, in the greater Pontypridd area.

The new school, which is aiming to be net zero carbon, will house first-class education facilities in a 21st century building. Other features include a new playing field, multi-use games area, on-site bus drop-off area and staff car park.  An artists impression of the new building is shown above.

Dudley’s Aluminium will be working with ISG Construction Ltd on the build and will install sustainable Metal Technology System curtain walling, windows and doors, in addition to remote window operators and automatic doors.

 

Nishkam Multi-Faith School in North Brent, London

Teaming up with BAM Construction, Dudley’s will also be using Metal Technology System products throughout its second build, a Nishkam multi-faith school in North Brent, London.

The fabricator will install Metal Technology System curtain walling, windows and doors at the all-through school which will provide places for 1400 primary, secondary and sixth form students.

The innovative school will include a central faith area with an EFTE dome, a main assembly hall, two dining halls, a four-court sports hall, a multi-use games area and grass pitches.

Adding to its sustainable credentials, the school will feature an extensive solar array on the roof, electric charging points in the car park and the football field will be used for storm attenuation.

 

Colin Shorney, Managing Director at Dudley’s Aluminium, said:

“We are excited to be working with both ISG and BAM Construction on these innovative, modern schools. These sustainable projects will provide state-of-the-art facilities which will enhance the learning of young people in South Wales and London.”

 

Since 1993, Dudley’s Aluminium has offered clients full in-house design and production facilities, completing many successful and prestigious projects within the education, health, commercial, retail and defence sectors throughout the UK and Channel Islands.

Dudley’s reputation for quality has been recognised with several industry-related accreditations. The company is CHAS accredited, Constructionline registered and certified to manufacture “Secured by Design” products.

London News, Marketing, PR and SEO, News, Sport

London-based digital marketing agency changes its name to celebrate the world’s greenest football club, FGR’s promotion to league 1 “It’s more than a promotion – it’s Changing the Game”

London-based digital marketing agency, Going Up is thrilled to be celebrating the historic promotion of Forest Green Rovers from League 2 to League 1. In recognition of the achievement, Go Up have changed their name to “Going Up”, as they continue to support their partners at Forest Green Rovers climb the ranks.

Forest Green Rovers is officially recognised by FIFA as the World’s Greenest Football Club™ thanks to the numerous initiatives spearheaded by chairman Dale Vince OBE. These include introducing the very first organic football pitch, creating football shirts made from recycled plastic and ground coffee, and a commitment to veganism within the club. 

Going Up has supported Forest Green Rovers as their ‘Official Training Ground Partner’ since August 2021. Next season, they are delighted to be sponsoring their training kit. As well as benefiting from hospitality and advertising as part of the commercial rights package, this partnership of shared values will continue to help shape the future of the agency. With their partnership, Going Up pledges an even stronger commitment to green business growth and sustainable development off the back of this unique, purpose-driven sponsorship.

The teams’ partnership has thus far been a catalyst for Going Up to develop their Happiness Manifesto and Green Manifesto, which have been recognised through two major award wins at the UK Company Culture Awards. These groundbreaking initiatives regarding sustainability and wellbeing have been designed to inspire new attitudes and behaviours perfectly aligned with those of Forest Green Rovers. 

Going Up’s co-founder Tom Skinner said: ‘To see an organisation that is so driven by its values and a sincere commitment to protecting the planet is, in itself, something to celebrate. To see that organisation winning, and leaving the competition in its wake, makes this feel very special. Us changing the name of our agency to celebrate their success felt like the least we could do.’ 

Speaking after the full-time whistle, FGR manager Rob Edwards said: “It’s hard to put it all into words. I was emotional at the final whistle. I’m so pleased and so proud of this group.”

“We’re certainly going to enjoy the moment. It’s difficult to compare winning promotion as a player and as a head coach. It’s a brilliant feeling. As a player, it’s the best times of your life, but this is certainly the proudest moment of my professional career.”

The 12-month Go Up x Forest Green partnership commences from 30 July 2022.

For more information, please visit: www.goup.co.uk

Business & Property News, London News, News, North of England, Property, Property News

Proptech platform Symple expands with new London office

A fast-expanding proptech business has opened a new office in London to serve a growing client base in the capital and across south-east England.

Symple,http://www.symple.co.uk which was launched in May 2021, is an online platform for residential landlords, estate and letting agents and homeowners.

It manages property certificates for single and multiple sites, including ones for gas safety, electrical installation condition reports and residential energy performance, all of which are required by law.

The cloud-based platform is a one-stop shop which manages bookings for inspections and arranges for accredited and strictly vetted service providers – gas safety engineers, electricians and energy assessors – to carry them out.

Symple, which has its headquarters on the M60 Office Park in Swinton, Greater Manchester, began with just three staff and now has a team of 16.

Its ambitious growth plans include expanding its current portfolio of 3,000 properties to 10,000 by the end of 2022, as well as adding a raft of new services.

Symple has now opened an office in Hendon, north London, which is headed by product specialist David Schauder, who leads the innovation and development arm of the business.

A recruitment drive in the capital for sales and other staff is currently under way.

Founder and chief executive Simon Dresdner said: “Our new office in London provides a strong platform from which to further accelerate growth in line with our business plan.

“Our client base in and around the capital is increasing in size, as is our pool of service providers who carry out the inspections. As we also expand our range of services, it is important to have a presence there.

 

“David has been with us since the launch and is playing a key role as we develop our offering, focusing on the functionality and development of our platform alongside bringing on board innovative services which will add value to our client base.”

Registration with Symple is free for landlords, agents and homeowners as well as service providers.

Its platform manages the entire renewal process for certifications, including sending reminders and arranging inspections with key holders and service providers.

The Symple portal enables clients to check the progress of each job. They are charged for each inspection.

Service providers have no need to raise invoices, as they are paid automatically. They are notified via email or text about available jobs in their locality and they can set the distance they are prepared to travel for each inspection.

Simon added: “Landlords, agents and homeowners who were convinced their systems worked perfectly have tried us, and have subsequently transferred entire portfolios to Symple. The platform eliminates the headache of getting their certificates completed on time.

“They simply have to register their property and provide us with the last expiry date, and the rest is taken care of.

“Service providers have seen that Symple offers a great opportunity to earn extra money at a time and location that suits their schedule.

“These features have enabled us to expand rapidly nationwide and, as we add more services, we see great potential for sustained growth for the business.”

Symple is part of Kingsbury Holdings, the parent company of several service providers in the property and facilities management sectors.

The Kingsbury group includes Merco Facilities Services, a commercial cleaning business, and FCS Management Services, a business rates management company.

London News, News, South East

Alexander Lyons Solutions increases headcount following success in legal consultancy sector

Disruptive recruitment consultancy, Alexander Lyons Solutions, has increased its headcount by an impressive 1400% over the last 12 months, following continued growth and success within the legal consultancy sector.

Founded in 2011 by experienced recruitment consultant, Alex Dick, Alexander Lyons Solutions has evolved into a high-performance team of self-motivated recruitment specialists, united in the consultancy’s straight talking, no-nonsense approach.

With credible experience in supporting business growth through effective recruitment strategies, the business has established a leading reputation within legal consultancy and has been instrumental in the growth of many market leading firms.

As a result, Alexander Lyons Solutions has successfully attracted 14 new senior hires to the business during the last 12 months, enabling it to expand its specialisms into executive support, human resources, TMT, sales & marketing, and finance.

Alex Dick, Founder and MD of Alexander Lyons Solutions, confirmed: “The last 12 months have proved incredibly exciting for Alexander Lyons Solutions, where we have not only played a fundamental role in supporting the growth of an advancing business model within the legal sector, but we have also expanded our own pool of talent, attracted by our authentic and autonomous approach to recruitment.

Unlike many industry competitors, we are not only committed to putting the wellbeing of our staff before profit, but we genuinely believe in treating our staff right through perks like unlimited holiday, mental health days, true work life balance and 50% – 80% commission past threshold as standard.

Therefore, although legal consultancy will remain a key specialism for the business, having spent many years helping law firms adopt and grow into this new, flexible model, we are also focused on expanding into other industry sectors to achieve similar levels of success, helping to accelerate our own growth and that of our clients – watch this space.”

Headquartered in London, Alexander Lyons Solutions combine over 200 years’ experience in recruitment.

Appointments, London News, News, South East

Child Friendly Cleaning Brand Welcomes Justin King as an Investor and Advisor

 Justin King CBE has joined London-based sustainable cleaning products producer Nimble. The former Sainsbury’s CEO, who has invested in the company, will become an advisor to the business and a mentor to its founder, Von Sy.

Mr Sy, a Philippines native and a qualified chemist who moved to London and worked in R&D for multinational consumer goods company Unilever, founded Nimble in 2015. After becoming an uncle for the first time, he was shocked at the amount of chemicals used in many cleaning products and decided to create an effective alternative which was suitable for families with babies and young children.

Six years on, Von is now father to three young children of his own and Nimble has launched a range of six non-toxic, plant-based products for laundry, bottle-cleaning, surface cleaning and hand sanitising. These are currently available online and at over 900 sites in the UK, stocked by a range of retailers including Tesco and Sainsbury’s.

Justin King was initially introduced to the business at an online pitching event last year where he was highly impressed with the brand, its management team and the scientific rigour behind its products.

His appointment comes as Nimble is seeking to raise £200K through Crowdcube to scale up the business and invest in further product development supporting ambitious growth plans in both online and retail.

The global baby cleaning products market is anticipated to exceed (USD)$5bn per annum* by 2026 with eco cleaning products growing more than 5 times faster** than regular brands.

Nimble founder Von Sy said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have Justin King, a former head of a multibillion-pound retailer and respected industry thought-leader, joining our emerging business. In the short time we’ve known each other he’s given us a number of valuable insights and has been a real pleasure to work with.

“His appointment coincides with our crowdfunding campaign, another exciting step in our journey which began with the aim of making life easier for parents of young children by producing effective and sustainable cleaning products that are safe to use. As a father, I understand the anxiety that many parents feel about using potentially harmful household products and the growing desire to find sustainable, plant-based cleaning solutions which are kind to our planet.”

Justin King CBE said: “Von has impressed me with his energy and enthusiasm and he has developed unique products which have built a loyal following. I’m excited to be able to help him and his team build a unique and valuable business.”