EG Property Podcasts

Jess Harrold is joined by senior writer Piers Wehner and reporter Evelina Grecenko to round up a busy week. Wehner tackles the Queen's Speech (delivered by Prince Charles) and digs into what detail there is in the ensuing Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill - plus the political backdrop against which its policies have been formed. Grecenko shares her big life sciences news on Breakthrough Properties and its WeWork-style lab concept. But who will prevail in the quiz of the week?

This EG Property Podcast, brought to you in partnership with Savills and Shoosmiths, features a live recording from EG’s first back-in-real-life regional event. Team EG headed to the wonderful city of Birmingham to discover just how the UK’s second city was going for gold as the countdown to the Commonwealth Games begins. The Games, which take place in the city from 28 July, have already been helping Birmingham meet its potential as not just a leading UK city but on global stage too. In this discussion EG editor Samantha McClary is joined by experts from across the city to understand more about how Birmingham is going to capitalise on the Games to ensure that the region and all of its residents and businesses prosper long term. Listen in to hear from: Henrietta Brealey, chief executive, Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce Michael Davies, director, Savills Paul Kitson, strategy director – place, prosperity & sustainability, Birmingham City Council Tim Flight, partner, Shoosmiths To find out more about EG’s Cities Live events, how you can get involved and join us as we traverse the country, visit www.eg.co.uk/eg-events/

Jess Harrold is joined by head of special content Emily Wright and senior writer Piers Wehner to round up the week, with a focus on EG's latest Tech special. Wright shares what she learned at the CREtech conference about the importance of failure, why it's becoming a sought-after skill, and the fun that can be had at "F-up nights". Wehner reports a sighting of what could be Europe's first tech unicorn, and talk turns to other highlights of the Tech special - including the innovations driving community engagement in planning. In addition, Wehner tackles the week's major headlines, including the seismic impact of Amazon's £3bn Q1 loss. But how will they fare when their tech credentials are put to the test in the marvellous quiz that can only be called "Metaverse or Multiverse?"

Logistics is still king in the West Midlands - despite the shockwaves created by Amazon’s strategic reassessment this week - with rents and capital values continuing to blossom, according to Siddall Jones managing director Ed Siddall Jones. The company leads the way in the 2022 Radius On Demand Rankings for the West Midlands, with 306,782 sq ft of space transacted across 51 deals. Chief among these has been a 71,000 sq ft letting at Hawthorns70 on the Park Rose Industrial Estate in Swethwick to logistics operator World Depot Inc. Siddall Jones says logistics is still taking up a “ridiculous” amount of space and rents are continuing to rise, with the only limit being the availability of stock. However, he expects specialist manufacturing to become a bigger part of the industrial picture as international supply chains come under increasing pressure. He also expects the Commonwealth Games to create a legacy that will benefit the region’s wider CRE market.

This week’s Bricks & Mortar guest is Joanna Lampert – a partner at law firm Mishcon de Reya, who advises on property disputes and sits part time as a deputy master of the Chancery Division, hearing cases in the Business & Property Courts. In a wide-ranging discussion looking back at over 20 years in the profession, Lampert reflects on what she loves about this part of the industry and why “property litigation is not simply landlord and tenant law.” She highlights the breadth of work that she’s involved in, attributes her success to tenacity and commitment (something that has “never wavered”) and offers advice for those seeking to progress within a law firm. Lampert acknowledges a lack of awareness amongst school age students of “what property lawyers actually do” and is keen to point out the benefits: “Property litigation is far more interesting than it might first appear. It exposes you to a challenging range of legal issues, it exposes you to a challenging range of business issues and I take great pride in being able to drive around the City of London pointing out the buildings that I’ve had some input into. It’s richly rewarding both for its legal challenges and also for the rich variety of what it involves.”

Jess Harrold is joined by deputy editor Tim Burke to round up the week's news. Burke discusses Amazon's big plans for Cardiff, a major new scheme in Aldgate that has secured approval, more planning news from the City of London and the rest of the latest headlines. And, in a special bank holiday treat, he shares his five-track (well, one is an album) real estate-themed hip hop playlist. Give the "Burke mix" a listen at https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7rvc3wbsf6iQb73iHTxJKq  - and tweet us your suggestions for tracks to add @EGPropertyNews @_tim_burke

EG today launches a new podcast series – In on the Act – which will see a member of property set Falcon Chambers joining EG each month to discuss a legislative topic. What better way to start the series than with a catch up with joint head of chambers – Guy Fetherstonhaugh QC – for a look at the recently enacted Commercial Rent (Coronavirus) Act 2022, which introduces a new arbitration scheme for the recovery of ring-fenced rent arrears (those incurred during the pandemic by business tenants that were forced by coronavirus-related laws to fully or partly close their business or premises). Fetherstonhaugh discusses how the new Act works, the benefits of using arbitration to resolve rent disputes, the time frames that apply and Falcon Chambers’ work as an approved arbitration body under the Act.

Jess Harrold is joined by editor Sam McClary and news editor Pui-Guan Man for the latest weekly round-up. McClary digs into the results of EG's fourth annual  LGBTQ+ Attitudes and Actions in Real Estate survey, which, after a backwards step last year, shows some positive signs in 2022 - albeit still with much work yet to be done. Fingers crossed the whole industry can learn from the 27 companies named by survey respondents as exemplars of inclusivity. Man offers an update on the ever-troubled landscape for retail and leisure, and shares the industry's reaction to plans that could force landlords to rent out vacant shops. But is it time to stop using the word "landlord" altogether? This and other questions await in the quiz of the week.

In this week’s episode of Bricks & Mortar, Sarah Jackman catches up with Colliers’ Paddy Allen to discuss his work for Pathways to Property, which he chairs. The not-for-profit initiative run by Henley Business School at the University of Reading and supported by stakeholders in the real estate industry to increase diversity, social mobility and inclusion within the sector, celebrates its 10th anniversary this year and has recently launched the programme for its 2022 summer school, which returns in person after going virtual during the pandemic. Allen reflects on how the initiative has evolved over the last decade, the breadth of support and opportunity that it offers to participants, and the generational change that he ultimately hopes will flow from it.

In a bumper episode of EG's weekly round-up, Jess Harrold is joined by editor Sam McClary, head of special content Emily Wright and senior writer Piers Wehner for a veritable basket full of treats. Wehner discusses the international trial of the four-day week, and how willing - or reluctant - real estate might be to embracing this employment revolution. Wright rounds up the highlights of EG's latest talent special, including the growing impact of youth boards on the industry, and the pioneering climate-risk work being done by Lukky Ahmed's Climate X platform. McClary shares her excitement at the launch of not only the latest Future Leaders program, but the 2022 EG Awards. All that, plus this year's student essay competition and a quick tour through the headlines in the latest quiz of the week.