03/11/2016

Fiona Brownfoot is retail partner at Hicks Baker in Reading. It’s not just an army that marches on its stomach…..it would appear that the townsfolk of Reading have an insatiable appetite (pun intended) for eating out. There are currently 15 new restaurant operators ‘in discussion’ on approximately 32,000 sq ft of space in the town centre. The majority of the space is ‘subject to planning’ so may not translate to actual deals but it is nevertheless a very interesting snapshot of the confidence

03/02/2016

Simeon Fenn is Senior Associate in the Property Litigation team at BrookStreet des Roches. 4.1°C. That was, according to the Met Office, on average how much warmer last December was compared with the 1981-2010 long term average, making it the warmest December since 1910. Such unusual weather is often cited as an example of climate change, which is now largely (if not universally) accepted as a significant challenge for us all. Which is why in 1997 the UK, along with the majority of developed

12/22/2015

Reading’s key drivers of transport and talent are helping the town’s economy deal with the after effects of the global downturn. Will Lawrie, park manager at Winnersh Triangle says while demand for commercial property is not yet reaching levels anticipated a few years ago, connectivity, skills and the quality of the built environment have helped keep the area competitive. Park operators Patrizia, backed by Oaktree Capital Management, took over in July, 2013 and have continued the ongoing

12/22/2015

Few firms illustrate the value of location better than lawyers BrookStreet des Roches. The property-specialist law firm, operates nationally and could work from anywhere in the UK but the firm’s accelerating growth has been fuelled in no small part by its Thames Valley base. Launched in 1994 when two lawyers (named Brooks and Street) left Oxford practice Linnells and set up in Witney (in Des Roches Square), it moved to Milton Park in Abingdon in 2007, not only bringing other major towns and

11/05/2015

Office rents in Bracknell are lagging behind those in nearby towns but are poised to catch up reports Thames Valley specialist RARE. RARE director Jonathan Mannings compared rents in Bracknell with those in its Berkshire neighbours Reading and Maidenhead from 2000 to 2015. He found Bracknell rents over this period were signing at on average 77% of those of its two neighbours. Mannings said: "With prime quoting rents now £35 per sq ft in Reading and Maidenhead, this suggests Grade A rents in

11/03/2015

Forty years ago residential letting was seen as old hat even by estate agents. Now, it's so much in vogue landlords themselves are living in rented homes, while they watch their investments grow. John Grimes has been in the thick of the Thames Valley market for more than 50 years. He joined Parkers in 1964 and says conditions remain good although red tape is causing more work for agents. He has just merged his Drummonds Property Rentals business with Romans to concentrate on his Drummond House

10/28/2015

Rory Carson, 35, had originally studied theology before doing a masters in Land Management at Reading University. He became a surveyor at Knight Frank before going on to become associate director at PRUPIM (now M&G;) where he had responsibility at Imperium, Apex Plaza and Green Park developments. Now he is director at Green Park owner Oxford Properties. He lives in Barnes in west London, working one or two days a week in the capital and the rest at Green Park. He said from the plush offices at

03/21/2016

Matthew Battle reports for the Thames Valley from MIPIM 2016 For the dozen or so hardy souls who attended the inaugural Thames Valley breakfast held at The Carlton, MIPIM 2016 it was a unqualified success. Not since the heady days of the Reading Boat over ten years ago has there been a formal gathering of Thames Valley folk at this global property fest in the re-badged Cannes-upon-Thames with numbers back up to its 2008 level of 24,000 official delegates from around the world’s property

03/21/2016

Bellway’s plans for 205 riverside apartments on a council car park in Staines have been approved. The application was submitted in December and approved this month for the mix of one, two and three bedroom apartments on the site in Bridge Street. It will have a restaurant with glass frontage and panoramic views of the river, 140 parking spaces, a gym and communal garden for residents. Cllr Nick Gething, cabinet member for planning and economic development, said: "This announcement marks an

03/18/2016

The Stable A restaurant which specialises in pizza, pies and cider has applied for permission to make alterations to one of Reading’s most historic buildings. Dorset-based The Stable plans to open a restaurant at Seven Bridges House in Bridge Street which was originally the head office of the former Simonds Brewery on the current site of The Oracle. Listed building permission has been sought to make the internal alterations. The building, which had been used as offices by The Oracle owners