Eg Property Podcasts

When the pandemic gripped in March last year, the nation's auction rooms fell silent. Bidding, buying and selling went online and gavel-wielders had to become instant masters of more sophisticated technology. But what was it like for the ballroom-junkies to suddenly have to adapt to a virtual world? And what, if anything, would they keep as we head back to the auction room? EG's senior writer Piers Wehner talks to Allsop partner Richard Adamson, Mountview Estate's head of sales and acquisitions John Herne, and Prideview's principal Jesal Patel to find out whether the future of auctions is in or out of the room.

As COP26 continues in Glasgow, EG’s Sarah Jackman takes a look at how the dilapidations process can be made greener. Joining her to discuss the topic are Jon Rowling, technical partner and dilapidations specialist at TFT, Siobhan Cross, real estate dispute resolution partner at Pinsent Masons, and Allan Clark, head of sustainability and facilities compliance at Pinsent Masons. Rowling discusses why green dilapidations are receiving increased interest and highlights measures that could be adopted to make the process less wasteful, while Cross discusses how a more sustainable approach – such as retaining an existing fit out – could work from a legal perspective. Clark provides the occupier perspective and reflects on achieving the right balance between acting sustainably, while at the same time safeguarding business interests.

The industrial market in Kent is enjoying its strongest ever year thanks to ease of access and hugely competitive rental values, according to Caxtons Commercial director and head of commercial agency Mark Coxon. The Radius On-Demand Rankings for Kent reveal Caxtons Commercial has transacted almost 220,000 sq ft across 20 deals so far this year. Chief among these have been two 70,000+ sq ft lettings to Argos and DHL. Coxon says M25 industrial rents in Kent are 50% the level seen at prime sites to the north and west of London, despite journey times to the city centre being the same. Some 3.5m sq ft of industrial space was let across the county this year compared to just 850,000 sq ft last year. The biggest challenge is finding development land, something not helped by some potential sites being bought by the government for use as lorry parks.

Jess Harrold is joined by head of content Emily Wright and, dialling in from Glasgow during COP26, editor Sam McClary for a lively conversation on environmental, social and corporate governance matters. McClary sends her message to the sector that real estate can and should be leading the fight to solve the climate crisis, while Wright offers her thoughts on what ESG means for real estate. In addition, they discuss the highlights of this week's timely ESG special in the pages of EG and online.

Jess Harrold is joined by partner Michael Stacey and associate Pauline Lam, both from Russell Cooke, to discuss the recent county court ruling in Fairhurst v Woodard – a nuisance and breach of privacy claim between neighbours which involved use of Ring doorbell cameras. Stacey and Lam address the breach of privacy and data protection issues raised by the case, how they were handled by the judge, and the implications for residential landowners looking to protect their properties. In addition, they consider the position for commercial landowners.

Haunted by technical difficulties, delivery people and other distractions, Jess Harrold is joined by editor Sam McClary and residential editor Emma Rosser, all in high spirits for a Halloween episode of EG’s weekly roundup – including their bleary-eyed rundown of all the fun of the EG Awards. McClary shares her experiences of co-hosting the event with actor David Harewood, and Rosser talks through her bumper build to rent special in the latest issue of EG. But will these brave victims survive the horror of the quiz of the week?

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has outlined his spending plans for a “new economy post-Covid” – but what will his Autumn Budget mean for real estate?   With business rates, housing, planning, levelling up and REIT taxes among the key points, there is plenty that the industry will need to digest. In this Budget special, news editor Pui-Guan Man is joined by Melanie Leech, chief executive of the British Property Federation, Mark Prisk, former housing minister, strategic adviser to Handley House and chair of Saltaire Housing and Vivienne King, chair of the Shopkeepers’ Campaign to discuss what lies in store for property – and the missed opportunities.

Jess Harrold is joined by head of content Emily Wright and EGLSM debutant Phoenix Deutsch, recruitment account manager and member of EG’s diversity and inclusion committee, for the latest weekly podcast. Deutsch talks through the extensive work being done internally on D&I at EG, including our new mission statement - and shares her own views on the state of equality in the sector. Wright shares major merger news from the world of tech, and discusses the powerful new article series Unheard Voices, which offers a "safe space" for those who have suffered from discrimination, harassment and other mistreatment in real estate to tell their stories anonymously  

Take up of logistics space in the West Midlands is at almost twice the five-year average but uncertainty created by Brexit, Covid and a global shipping crisis are increasingly forcing occupiers to ask for short term leases thus presenting difficult decisions for landlords, according to Darby Keye director Chris Keye. Darby Keye is a niche industrial specialist which has nevertheless risen to second in the Radius On Demand Industrial Rankings for the West Midlands region after transacting 605,174 sq ft of space so far this year. Only JLL has disposed of more space in the West Midlands, where geography makes it a competitive marketplace for the logistics sector. Keye says pent up demand, exacerbated by a shortage of available space, means that landlords are frequently able to hang out for long term leases, but some units are being taken for as little as three months as occupiers look for short term solutions to ride out the current supply chain chaos. He believes the industry needs to work more closely with o

This week, Bricks & Mortar host Sarah Jackman is joined by Hollis’s head of ESG Consulting, Katherine Beisler, for a catch-up on its new junior board. Established earlier this year with the intention of nurturing talent and increasing diversity of thought within the organisation, Beisler reflects on her own experience of being elected to the 12-strong board. It’s an opportunity that has helped her to foster greater contacts within the organisation and hear a range of different perspectives, as well as broadening her understanding of what’s going on within the business. Tune in to hear the full discussion.

“You can’t avoid it. It is here to stay.” John Davies, head of sustainability at Derwent London, knows that the ESG agenda is now inescapable for real estate companies large and small.  In this 30-minute podcast, recorded as part of EG’s upcoming ESG special, deputy editor Tim Burke is joined by Davies, DWF senior partner Melanie Williams, Stride Treglown sustainability director John Wright, and Evora co-founder Ed Gabbitas to discuss the challenges in embedding an ESG strategy into a property business — and their advice for businesses making their first moves in this area. For more ESG news, analysis and commentary from EG, head to https://www.egi.co.uk/sustainability/

Jess Harrold, Emily Wright, Pui-Guan Man and Tim Burke make their triumphant return to EG's recording studio for a full-spirited reunion in the first ever in-person episode of EG Like Sunday Morning. Pui and Tim round up the major news stories of the week, Emily airs her views on the return to the office, and the whole team share their lockdown indulgences and life-changing experiences from the pandemic.  

In this second of two EG Property Podcasts looking at the power of difference, EG editor Samantha McClary asks whether real estate has really moved from tolerating difference to embracing and celebrating them. Joining her in this 40 minute discussion are Sasha Covington, chief operating officer in JLL's UK valuation advisory business, Michael Toft, head of care homes at Octopus Real Estate and Canary Wharf Group's managing director of people and culture Jane Hollinshead. Listen in as the trio discuss how much further real estate needs to move and what actions it has to take if difference really is to be celebrated.

On the latest episode of On the Case, Jess Harrold is joined by Nick Trompeter QC, of Selborne Chambers, to discuss the decision in London Trocadero (2015) LLP v Picturehouse Cinemas Ltd and others [2021] EWHC 2591 (Ch); [2021] PLSCS 165 – a significant unpaid rent claim arising out of the Covid-19 pandemic. Trompeter, who acted for the successful landlord, addresses the defences to the claim raised by the cinema chain tenant, and how the High Court dealt with each of them. In addition, he looks at the implications of this judgment together with earlier unpaid rent rulings, considers whether any real grounds of defence are left open to tenants, and offers his thoughts on whether his type of claim may be pursued by more landlords.

For the latest Future of Real Estate podcast, Damian Wild joins an investor tour of Birmingham to learn how the city is pitching inward investment opportunities. The council is the 20th biggest land owner in the country and, with the Commonwealth Games and HS2 on the horizon, believes it is on the cusp of a golden decade. He asks leader Ian Ward and interim chief executive Deborah Cadman why they believe their investment story stacks up.

As London returns to its pre-pandemic bustle, under the surface lies a changed city. The experience of the past 18 months, and the increasing importance of sustainability and work-life balance, has led to a fundamental rethinking of the office and workspaces more generally. Or has it? In this episode of the EG Property Podcast, EG editor Samantha McClary is in discussion with Matt Flood, head of occupier markets at LandSec, Mark Shepherd, a partner at DWF and James Shannon, chief product and technology officer at Essensys to uncover more about what the role of the office really is, what is it that is most important to occupiers and how can technology and collaboration ensure that London remains a resilient city. Listen in to find out.

In this first of two linked EG Property Podcasts, host  EG editor Samantha McClary talks to Real Estate Balance managing director Sue Brown, head of HR at Savills Noel McGonigle and Pierre-Etienne Accarier-Francoz, an associate in the development team at Oxford Properties about changing attitudes to difference in the real estate sector. This 30 minute listen covers everything from how working environments are changing to reflect the needs of a more diverse workforce to whether the industry has moved from tolerating difference to embracing.  

Sometimes the first step towards progress is being totally, even brutally, realistic. And when it comes to an issue as complex and politically sensitive as delivering affordable housing in a city like London, a healthy dose of realism can work wonders - especially for those who are committed to finding solutions to this thorny, and increasingly pressing, problem.   Realism is what will ensure laurels are not rested upon. It is what will drive those who want to make a change to differentiate between what Government says and what Government does. Realism, for all its grounding in the sensible and pragmatic, is what could drive the creativity we desperately need.   “Those organisations out there that truly want to deliver affordable housing are just going to have to find creative solutions to do that,” said Square Roots managing director Barbara Richardson on an EG podcast focussed on how the industry can deliver more quality, reliable and affordable accommodation in the capital and how it can better service

In this episode of the EG Property Podcast, EG editor Samantha McClary is talking all about London’s continuing attractiveness as an investment hotspot with Rasheed Hassan, head of global cross border investment at Savills, Katherine Ekers, a partner in the commercial real estate team at Forsters and James Edwards, managing director of Evans Randall Investors. Over the next 30 minute conversation Hassan, Ekers and Edwards share their insights on how investor interest may have changed as we start to rebound from the coronavirus pandemic, how ESG are three letters on everyone’s lips and just how confident London can feel for its future prospects. All that and much more as we ask, how do investors see post-pandemic London?

In this episode of the EG Property Podcast we turn our attention to the increasingly fascinating world of life sciences. The UK life science sector was thrown into the spotlight during the coronavirus pandemic as experts in Oxford, Cambridge and London lead the way on vaccines. But there is more to life science than vaccines. And there is certainly more to life sciences in the UK than just the golden triangle. EG editor Samantha McClary is joined on this episode by a trio of experts – Emma Goodford a partner at Knight Frank and head of national offices with an increasing focus on the life science sector, Stuart Grant, Co-Founder of CoreLife Investors, adviser to Brookfield’s Real Estate Group,  and CEO of Harwell Campus with some 25 years of real estate experience to draw on and Richard O’Boyle, executive director of We are Pioneer, with some 17 years of investment track record. Over the next 30 minutes they discuss the power of the web that life sciences can bring to the UK. About how success is not just