Eight’s just great for region’s most active property agent

Eddisons incorporating Barker Storey Matthews has been identified as the East of England’s most active commercial agent for the eighth year in a row in the annual deals competition run by property research specialists EG Radius.

In each successive year of the competition since 2013, the agent – whose regional offices are in Peterborough, Cambridge, Huntingdon and Bury St Edmunds – has been awarded the title of East of England Overall Winner.

This year sees further success as the region’s most active agent for deals in the industrial, retail and investment sectors.

It’s the fourth consecutive year in which the firm has triumphed in the industrial category and the third successive year in both the retail and investment deals categories.

The annual deals competition is open to all commercial agents who complete commercial property transactions in Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and Norfolk and is assessed on the volume of deals done for lettings and sales.

Commenting on the agency’s sustained success in the regional competition, Steve Hawkins, Partner, Eddisons, said, “To have maintained our position in the top slot and the individual sector categories in this latest year of the competition is enormously gratifying.

“The Covid-19 pandemic and phases of lockdown during the past twelve months have stress tested every sector of business – and commercial property agency is no exception.

“Notwithstanding, our firm’s presence on the ground in the eastern region and the insider knowledge and expertise of our agents when it comes to their markets, means we have continued to push deals through in a timely fashion to the satisfaction of all clients for whom we act and all parties benefitting from the transaction.

“Barker Storey Matthews’ full integration with Eddisons last November (2020) can only serve to reinforce the agency offer that our ongoing success in this competition highlights.”

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For any press queries, please contact:
Richard Jones, Eddisons incorporating Barker Storey Matthews, 01733 897722, [email protected].

Premises let for cosmetic services

Studio premises on Lincoln Road, Peterborough have been let by city agent

Eddisons incorporating Barker Storey Matthews  for use by two cosmetic therapy practitioners who have taken a three year lease.

The self-contained, 380 sq ft (35.34 sq m) premises at 967 Lincoln Road will be the new base for Caroline Briston and Kerry Hutson, both experienced professionals in their chosen field of cosmetics and who previously practised from city centre premises on Priestgate.

Having been looking for new business premises in which they could offer their combined specialist services – which include advanced laser hair removal and permanent make-up among other cosmetic and beauty procedures – 967 Lincoln Road came to their attention at the right time with space to grow their successful businesses together.

Speaking on behalf of both practitioners, Caroline Briston said, “It’s a great location for our businesses.

“We are gearing up for the easing of lockdown restrictions next month (April) and look forward to welcoming our loyal clients and a new customer base to our new treatment facilities.”

Eddisons was the sole agent instructed by the landlord in the letting of 967 Lincoln Road, Peterborough.

For more information business premises to let in Peterborough, contact the local office of Eddisons incorporating Barker Storey Matthews, tel 01733 897722, or through eddisons.com/barker-storey-matthews.

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For any press queries, please contact:
Richard Jones, Eddisons incorporating Barker Storey Matthews, 01733 897722, [email protected].

Keighley Industrial Investment Acquired

Acting on behalf of Malco Holdings, Eddisons have acquired Foundry Park, Dalton Lane, Keighley, BD21 4LG, a new build industrial investment, from Dalton Lane Properties who were represented by Brackenridge Hanson Tate.  The investment was acquired for £4.1 million showing a net initial yield of 5.8%.

The property comprises a new build warehouse totalling 3,650 sq m (39,289 sq ft) on a 0.85Ha (2.1 acre) site.   Whilst it is currently being occupied as one property, it was constructed as two semi-detached units, so the building is capable of future subdivision.   The property is let to Platinum Stairlifts on a 15-year unbroken lease at a rent of £253,500 pax (£6.45 per sq ft).  Rent reviews are every 5 years, to the higher of open market rent or linked to the Retail Prices Index.

The tenants are a Keighley based manufacturer who were seeking a new facility to consolidate their multi-site operation into. Platinum Stairlifts secured a new facility retaining over 200 jobs within Keighley and because of their investment in the building, were prepared to commit to a long-term lease.

Steve Hawkins, Partner at Eddisons commented “Dalton Lane Properties speculatively developed an excellent product based on the strength of the Keighley industrial market.   Platinum Stairlifts secured a new facility retaining over 200 jobs within Keighley and because of their investment in the building, were prepared to commit to a long-term lease. Malco Holdings secured a great investment opportunity with guaranteed growth”.

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For any press queries, please contact:
Richard Jones, Eddisons incorporating Barker Storey Matthews, 01733 897722, [email protected].

Budget 2021: Eddisons incorporating Barker Storey Matthews comments

Measures announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Budget Statement (03 March) regarding the extension of business rates relief, reduced VAT rates and the furlough scheme are welcome but remain too focused on the short term and the assumption of the smooth roll-out of the current roadmap out of business lockdown.

That’s the view of leisure and retail specialists of Eddisons incorporating Barker Storey Matthews in considering the effect the Budget Statement will have on operators in the sector.

The extension of full business rates relief will now run until the end of June (2021) and at two thirds of the normal charge for the remainder of the year. Yet, as it stands presently, all current lockdown legal restrictions will not be lifted until 21 June.

Many business operators in the retail and leisure sectors will be ‘testing the water’, as they are permitted, in the months running up until June. However, it will only be from mid-June when hospitality businesses can operate in anything like pre-pandemic circumstances in anticipating also that customers will return with confidence too.

The timeline for the maintenance of lower VAT rates is also too short for leisure operators against the backdrop of lockdown lifting and consumer confidence returning, according to Eddisons.

The current five per cent reduced VAT rate will operate only until the end of September this year (2021), lifting to 12.5 per cent until April 2022 when it will resume at 20 per cent – the pre-pandemic level.

Again, in following the current roadmap for the lifting of lockdown restrictions in England, this means that, in just over a year’s time (April 2022), businesses who have been closed for the best part of 12 months at this point (March 2021) will be expected to be operating at a level at which they can return to VAT outlay at the 2019 level.

The announcement in the Budget of the retention of the furlough scheme until the end of this September will help businesses to plan, in one respect, contrasting with the previous announcement of the scheme’s extension which was so close to the end-of-scheme deadline.

Commenting further on Eddisons’ response to measures affecting the retail and leisure sectors, Julian Welch, Director – who is based in the Eastern region – said, “The measures are welcome but could have been more meaningful were they extended to a more mid-term timescale.

“If there are no bumps in the roadmap and we have a spring and summer of something like ‘normal’ trading, that will only claw back some of a year’s severely restricted – or totally absent – trade.

“There may, indeed, be an initial consumer spend bounce in the late spring and early summer. But many consumers may take any window of opportunity open to travel abroad in the late summer and not spend in the UK.

“But, after that, consumers’ thoughts will, undoubtedly, be turning to September, the end of the furlough scheme and the consideration of their own household’s financial circumstances for what might lie ahead.

“As notable for the measures the Chancellor did address were those that were absent from the statement.

“The chance has been missed to address the glaring power imbalance between high street retailers and the online giants that existed before the pandemic.

“Lockdown has served to boost online operators pre-pandemic ascendance – and profits – at the expense of traditional high street operators who were forced to close.

“Much deeper fiscal easing for high street retailers and operators in the food and beverage sectors is required in order to ensure their survival and in recognition of their contribution to the viability of town and city centre economies.

“Similarly, the inequality of the business rates regime has been thrown in to sharp relief by the pandemic. This presents the authorities with the ideal opportunity to address this outdated regime – the reform of which business operators and sector professionals have long been calling on.”

For any press queries, please contact:
Richard Jones, Eddisons incorporating Barker Storey Matthews, 01733 897722, [email protected].

New industrial premises in place for summer occupation

The roof is in place on brand new industrial premises at Eagle Business Park, Yaxley, on the southern outskirts of Peterborough, where Barnack Estates UK Ltd is well underway with phase two of this development.

Falcon House, Harrier Way is a 10,050 sq ft, detached, two storey industrial unit which, as the sole agent, Eddisons incorporating Barker Storey Matthews  is offering to let as one, large, full sized unit or as two semi-detached units of 4,050 sq ft and 6,050 sq ft and will be ready for occupation early this summer (2021).

Joinery giant Howdens is the neighbouring occupier of a 10,000 sq ft warehouse/trade counter unit at the companion development of Harrier Court, where it began trading last autumn (2020).

Whether one or two units, the Falcon Court premises have offices and cloakrooms with the option to add additional office at ground floor and first floor levels, subject to negotiation and the internal build schedule.

Falcon House is approved for B1 & B8 uses and offers good levels of parking and a yard with security barrier. It is the latest new-build addition to be offered to let on this, the second phase of development at Eagle Business Park which fronts on to Broadway in Yaxley and is now a well-established business location.

Eagle Business Park is close to Junction 16 of the A1(M) at Norman Cross and onward connections to Peterborough’s Parkway System and, to the south, the newly upgraded A14 and network of local access roads across Huntingdon.

According to the agent, the development of Eagle Business Park’s phases have played a leading role over the past decade in profiling commercial and industrial opportunities on the southern side of Peterborough.

Richard Jones of Eddisons said, “The presence of national operators boosts that of regional and independent occupiers at Eagle Business Park.

“The second phase of development has built on the success of the park’s original phase and provided an additional opportunity for light industrial occupiers to trade from what is now an established business location.”

Viewing of Falcon House, Harrier Way, Eagle Business Park, Yaxley is strictly by appointment through Eddisons as the sole agent.

To arrange a viewing or for more information, contact Richard Jones at the Peterborough office, tel 01733 897722, [email protected].

Find out more 

For any press queries, please contact:
Richard Jones, Eddisons incorporating Barker Storey Matthews, 01733 897722, [email protected].