VALUE STORES AND MOBILE PHONE SHOPS – THE NEW LOOK POST-BUST BRITISH HIGH STREET.

MCBAINS COOPER

PROPERTY & CONSTRUCTION CONSULTANCY

PRESS RELEASE

March 30, 2011.

VALUE STORES AND MOBILE PHONE SHOPS – THE NEW LOOK POST-BUST BRITISH HIGH STREET.

In the boom years it was big brands, restaurants, hairdressers and estate agents - but as Britain battles out of bust, the signs are the country’s high streets will have soon changed beyond all recognition with “value shops” and mobile phone retailers staking claim to prime shopping strips across the country.

That’s not a prediction, it’s a fact - according to McBains Cooper, the international property and construction consultancy.

“Our building surveying function is carrying out a significantly enhanced – and growing – number of building surveys for ‘value shops’ and mobile phone retailers, which indicate that the high street is going to have a very different look about it by the time the retail economy has settled,” said Allan Davies of McBains Cooper, Birmingham.

“These dual trends started in the South East in 2007, but they’ve gathered a real momentum in the regions – particularly northern towns – providing a much needed re-invigoration of high streets, following the void left by the likes of Woolworths, Adams and Ethel Austin.

“The high street multiples of 2012 and beyond are going to be variations upon the ‘pound shops’, and more, bigger and better mobile phone retailers. We know of two mobile phone retailers who plan to open more than 50 new stores in 2011, most of which are occupying sites previously operated by high street icons.

“Our background research says that the value store chain growth is down to high street shoppers easing away from premium and designer brands, but the quality and range of value store products is so good that there’s a question of whether consumers will ever flex back up to those designer brands.

“The value brands grew from the downturn, and are genetically tuned to managing costs, and developing and deigning stores that pack the maximum retail punch per square foot combined with attractive but no-nonsense design.

“That, combined with tumbling property costs and charges, means they’re perfectly placed to re-shape and re-invigorate the high street.”

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

07788 978800 im@pressrelations.co.uk

www.mcbainscooper.com

Notes.

McBains Cooper

McBains Cooper is an inter-discipline consultancy, specialising in property, infrastructure and construction, offering a wide range of consulting and design services including architectural, aesthetic or technical design, problem solving, budget management, facilities management, health and safety, sustainability consultancy and on-the-ground civil engineering. Driving and supporting projects ranging from minor works to major contracts worth more than £100 million, McBains Cooper operates across a variety of sectors throughout the UK, Europe and Latin America. McBains Cooper is committed to environmental, social and economic sustainable development and their integrated approach means they deliver effective, award-winning solutions to their clients. The Group employs 150 people. McBains Cooper has regional headquarters in London (head office), Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, Oxford, Windsor, Lima (Peru), Miami and Mexico, with associate offices in Belfast and Dublin. www.mcbainscooper.com

LONDON’S PRIME PROPERTY ASSETS ARE FOREIGN CURRENCY PLAYERS’ TROPHIES.

MCBAINS COOPER

PROPERTY & CONSTRUCTION CONSULTANCY

PRESS RELEASE

March 22, 2011.

LONDON’S PRIME PROPERTY ASSETS ARE FOREIGN CURRENCY PLAYERS’ TROPHIES.

A gilt-framed window of investment opportunity - through which deal-hungry foreign pension funds and investors are piling - is driving a third speed to the property economy in the UK beyond the traditional north-south divide.

McBains Cooper, the international property and construction consultancy, says that while there’s that continuing north-south split in the becalmed UK property market, there’s a distinct ring of bright water in the heart of the central London property pool that sets it massively apart from everywhere else.

“Based on our experience of pre-acquisition work, we’ve noticed a consistent trend in big-ticket residential asset movement and commercial property deals in central London arising from a perfect but very localised combination of cultural, business and economic circumstances – and deep-seated trust in UK business,” said Gareth Hird, a director of McBains Cooper.

“Currency values against sterling mean foreign investors, and wealth and pension funds, are buying up trophy assets, prime London stock, high-end residential properties and commercial sites. This is in the knowledge that not only are they getting a relative currency-value-impacted bargain on restricted-supply property assets, but their currency play means that as soon as UK interest rates start to rise, so too does the value of sterling. It’s a double property investment whammy.

“In troubled times we see a rush to the blue chip shares, and while property investment as a whole across the UK is relatively flat, the ‘old world’ is a stable investment environment and offers the prospect of strong, focussed and localised returns for investors hunting down the trophy assets.

“This is largely driven by London’s unassailable status as a global city – a few square miles of an economy within an economy – and the advantages its cultural diversity bring. Middle Eastern, Far Eastern and Russian investors feel comfortable in London, both in terms of a place to live and a place to do business.

“The key is that there is no dramatic escalation in deals; the environment is of consistency - and has been for many months – with London being perhaps one of a handful of global gilt investment property cities, but which is also impacted and influenced by currency, but, crucially, has a foundation of business integrity that outdates most of the rest of the world’s major localised economies.

“However, rumblings about UK interest rate rises are beginning to instil some cautious urgency.”

McBains Cooper has been involved in due-diligence and pre-acquisition work on a number of deals, but has also been involved in project management of development projects including super-high-end residential properties aimed at the buyers being targeted by the acquiring and investing pension and wealth funds.

“We’ve come to understand the culture and demands of many of the target audiences, and have consequently been involved in some incredibly high-quality developments, some of which are not even obviously marketed because there is such a specific and contained target audience,” said Gareth Hird.

“But what we have noticed is that in many of these high-end properties, especially those which include a number of self-contained residences - there can be a wide array of styles and designs based on very specific demands. While one cultural group will want ultimate ‘traditional palatial’, others will want almost unimaginably cutting-edge technology.

“The common factor is that their background is rarely British or European.”

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

07788 978800 im@pressrelations.co.uk

www.mcbainscooper.com

Notes.

McBains Cooper

McBains Cooper is an inter-discipline consultancy, specialising in property, infrastructure and construction, offering a wide range of consulting and design services including architectural, aesthetic or technical design, problem solving, budget management, facilities management, health and safety, sustainability consultancy and on-the-ground civil engineering. Driving and supporting projects ranging from minor works to major contracts worth more than £100 million, McBains Cooper operates across a variety of sectors throughout the UK, Europe and Latin America. McBains Cooper is committed to environmental, social and economic sustainable development and their integrated approach means they deliver effective, award-winning solutions to their clients. The Group employs 150 people. McBains Cooper has regional headquarters in London (head office), Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, Oxford, Windsor, Lima (Peru), Miami and Mexico, with associate offices in Belfast and Dublin. www.mcbainscooper.com

THE CHALLENGE: CHANGE PERCEPTIONS OF THE CLUB WITH 21 MILLION NOT-SO-GRUMPY NOR PAST-IT MEMBERS.

SAGA

PRESS RELEASE

March 22, 2011.

THE CHALLENGE: CHANGE PERCEPTIONS OF THE CLUB WITH 21 MILLION NOT-SO-GRUMPY NOR PAST-IT MEMBERS.

Video – Dr Ros Altmann.

Over-50s group Saga has laid down a challenge to change the perception of over-50s in 120 seconds.

There are 21 million members of the over-50s club in the UK, and the aim is to create influential videos about life at 50, and beyond, to strengthen understanding between generations and change how people think.

And the most persuasive video – regardless of whether shot on a mobile phone or a broadcast standard camera - could win a budding video-maker £10,000.

The video challenge follows independent research commissioned by Saga, which shows that oldies believe younger people pigeonhole them as grumpy and past-it - even though younger people often have far more positive attitudes to older people.

Saga's research compares what 18-24s actually think of over-50s with what older people believe younger people think, and it is clear that there is much misperception.

“We're looking for two minute videos on the theme of what it means to be 50, and which dramatically challenge perceptions,” said Dr Ros Altmann, Director-General of Saga. (Video: Dr Ros Alrmann)

“The overall messages through TV like Grumpy Old Men and Victor Meldrew do not accurately represent what younger people really think of being over 50.” said Dr Altmann. 

“67% of over-50s believe 18-24s perceive them as ‘past it’, but the reality is that only 18% of 18 -24s think that.

“Age groups do have very different views about reaching a 50th birthday and whether this makes you 'old'.

“39% of 18-24s say 50 seems old, but only 8% of over-50s agree.

60% of over-50s say 50 is ‘just another birthday’, compared to only 16% of younger people.”

The competition is open to anybody over the age of 16 who lives or studies in the UK.  For example, you may be younger than 50:  As you think about the future, what do you hope life will be like when you turn 50?  What are you looking forward to?  You may be older than 50:  in a similar way, put yourself in the shoes of someone around 25 today, and think about their world when they will be 50.  

Full details on http://www.saga.co.uk/being50

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

07788 978800

im@pressrelations.co.uk

www.saga.co.uk

NOTES FOR EDITORS -

Note 1. The research was conducted by YouGov for Saga, sampling 1,148 UK adults on February 22 and 23, 2011.

Note 2. Regardless of the age of respondents to the survey – whether 18 or 80 – 58% considered younger people think 50 is old.

Note 3. 29% of 18-24s consider the over 50's are friendly, but only 11% of older people think the younger ones feel that.

Note 4.  42% of 18-24s perceive oldies as being knowledgeable, but  just 17% of over-50s think younger people consider them to be fonts of knowledge.

PATIENT TRANSPORT PROVIDER SAVOY MORE THAN DOUBLES TECHNICIAN TRANSFER JOURNEY LEVEL.

SAVOY VENTURES LTD.

NHS PATIENT TRANSPORT

PRESS RELEASE

March 16, 2011.

PATIENT TRANSPORT PROVIDER SAVOY MORE THAN DOUBLES TECHNICIAN TRANSFER JOURNEY LEVEL.

Video: Increase in technical transfers.

Video: What do technician transfers entail?

Patient transport service provider Savoy Ventures has more than doubled the number of technician transfers carried out for South London Healthcare Trust since December 2010.

Technician transfers involve movement of patients who are extremely unwell, who may be attached to life-saving or life-maintaining equipment, and who require highly-qualified ambulance technicians to ensure their wellbeing, or, on occasion, to carry out resuscitation.

“Technician transfers are critical and highly-specialised procedures which can involve the safe transport of people between specialist hospitals or hospital departments – this can include Special Care Baby Unit transfers through to the movement of unconscious, high-dependency adult patients, and are categorised as emergency or blue-light transfers,” said Jonathan Smith, Paramedic and Training Manager with Greenhithe-based Savoy Ventures Limited.

“The ambulances are fully equipped with life-saving aids, and the ambulance technicians – 20 of whom we have added to our team since December – have all undergone crucial upgraded training to ensure patients are in the best possible hands.”

Savoy carried out 60 technician transfers in December 2010, 84 in January 2011 and 153 in February 2011. On average, Savoy carries out up to 900 patient transfers each day.

Savoy Ventures Limited is a private company providing patient transport and transfer services to NHS Trusts in the South East of England. Established in 2006, Savoy makes more than 240,000 patient transfer journeys a year. Savoy Ventures Limited is engaged by a number of NHS Trusts to carry out blue-light transfers, specialist wheelchair, incubator, bariatric chair or stretcher transport, notes/X-ray transfer, and movement of tissue between hospitals. Many staff are trained and qualified to Ambulance Technician level.

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

im@pressrelations.co.uk

07788 978800

www.savoyventures.com

HUTTON RECOMMENDATIONS: PUBLIC SECTOR PENSIONS REMAIN AMAZINGLY GENEROUS, SAYS SAGA.

DR ROS ALTMANN

DIRECTOR-GENERAL, SAGA

PRESS RELEASE

March 10, 2011.

PUBLIC SECTOR PENSIONS REMAIN AMAZINGLY GENEROUS.
PUBLIC WORKERS SEEM UNAWARE OF JUST HOW GENEROUS THEY ARE.

Lord Hutton's recommendations on public sector pensions have led to calls for industrial action by public sector unions, but the reality is that his proposals will still leave them with hugely generous pensions that most private sector workers could never hope to achieve, says Dr Ros Altmann, pensions expert and Director-General of over-50s group, Saga.

Dr Altmann makes a number of observations on the Hutton recommendations:

1.  Public sector workers will still retain really generous pensions.

2.  Even a £4,000 a year public sector pension is worth more than £100,000, and most private sector workers, especially those on low pay, could never hope to save that sum of money during their working lives. Public sector workers pay relatively little to achieve this huge benefit.

3.  Pay in the public sector is no longer lower than in the private sector, so workers' pensions are no longer reflecting lower pay as was the case in the past.

4.  The new proposals will be fairer for women and low paid workers, because they benefit most from a career average scheme rather than final salary.

Dr Altmann said: “There are several good points in amongst Lord Hutton's recommendations.

“An independent oversight of the costs of public sector pensions to protect future taxpayers and help provide transparency - these changes are long overdue.

A proper cost cap on employer (ie. taxpayer contributions) – again, this is essential if we are to make pensions sustainable because unexpected future changes need to be accommodated more flexibly than current systems allow.

“Linking pension age to state pension age is very welcome because it reduces the unfairness between public and private sector workers - and I would expect private sector pension schemes will look to follow this example too

“The new proposals will share the cost more fairly across generations and ensure workers are paying more if the costs of their pensions is rising.”

Dr Altmann has also explained why public sector pensions remain generous even after the Hutton recommendations.

“All workers in the current scheme will have their accrued pension benefits linked to their final salary when they retire, not career average and not their actual salary when the scheme changes, which is far more generous to them because they will keep the final salary link even for the future. The new career average accruals will only start from when the new scheme starts.  

“Anyone close to retirement or in their 50s will be pretty much unaffected.

“Public sector pensions will still be 100% inflation-linked - even if it is to a slightly lower measure of inflation, the protection is still vastly better than in the private sector.

“Meanwhile, anyone who has left the public sector will still have their pension revalued each year by average earnings - not prices - up to their retirement, so their pension will be higher than for equivalent private sector workers,” said Dr Altmann.

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

im@pressrelations.co.uk

07788 978800

www.saga.co.uk

MCBAINS COOPER APPOINTED ON ECONOMY-CHANGING SOUTHWARK PROJECT.

MCBAINS COOPER

PROPERTY AND CONSTRUCTION CONSULTANCY

PRESS RELEASE

March 10, 2011.

MCBAINS COOPER APPOINTED ON ECONOMY-CHANGING SOUTHWARK PROJECT.

Property and construction consultancy McBains Cooper has been appointed as interdisciplinary consultants on a scheme which will have a massive positive impact on the local economy in Southwark, Greater London.

McBains Cooper will provide project and cost management, architecture, mechanical and electrical engineering and sustainability advice for Delancey and Oakmayne Properties which has bought Oakmayne Plaza in Elephant and Castle.

The one acre site, which is freehold, is in the heart of the Southwark Regeneration Area, and has planning consent for 390,000 sq ft of private residential, student, leisure and ancillary commercial uses and will provide 373 residential apartments and penthouses, all for private sale.

The £200 million scheme will comprise three towers, rising from 16 to 24 storeys, linked by a three-storey podium.  A multi-screen cinema complex, cafes, restaurants and a supermarket will be developed in the commercial space in the podium supporting the residential towers.

“This is a classic illustration of how McBains Cooper’s interdisciplinary approach to driving a project will come into its own – there are many facets to this development, and our team, including project and cost management, architecture, sustainability and building services, will all be based under one roof: McBains Cooper,” said Mark Leeson of McBains Cooper.

“With the new market square to the south - on the scale of Borough Market - eventually connecting into to the wider master plan being worked up by Lend Lease, the scheme will have a huge positive impact on the local economy in what is set to be one of the most important urban regeneration schemes in the country.”

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

07788 978800

im@pressrelations.co.uk

www.mcbainscooper.com

Notes.

McBains Cooper

McBains Cooper is an inter-discipline consultancy, specialising in property, infrastructure and construction, offering a wide range of consulting and design services including architectural, aesthetic or technical design, problem solving, budget management, facilities management, health and safety, sustainability consultancy and on-the-ground civil engineering. Driving and supporting projects ranging from minor works to major contracts worth more than £100 million, McBains Cooper operates across a variety of sectors throughout the UK, Europe and Latin America. McBains Cooper is committed to environmental, social and economic sustainable development and their integrated approach means they deliver effective, award-winning solutions to their clients. The Group employs 150 people. McBains Cooper has regional headquarters in London (head office), Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, Oxford, Windsor, Lima (Peru), Mexico and Miami, with associate offices in Belfast and Dublin. www.mcbainscooper.com