Category Archives: Nottingham

Jun 1 2012

River Crescent – ahead of its time….

There was a sad predictability to the announcement this week that River Crescent, the award winning scheme on the banks of the Trent, had collapsed primarily as they hadn’t sold enough flats.

It is a great scheme, completed just as the market was disintegrating. That they sold just 17 apartments out of 128 was likely to cause some financial issues. It turns out that the Bank are owed £36m – and the prospect of them seeing all of this have all but evaporated. Estimates suggest they might get £20m back. Ouch.

As the market turned the developer let them as best he could and last week there were 99 currently let, 17 were sold, two have been converted into a gym and the remaining ten are either vacant or incomplete.

I had a look around the scheme around three years ago – it was (and is) an impressive place. The quality of the finishes was top quality. There were themed units – Paul Smith, Hugo Boss and others. The views from the apartments was quite spectacular.

But my biggest problem with the apartments was the location. The access was relatively poor through the industrial heartland of Nottingham. Of course, it wasn’t meant to be like this. The development was intended to be part of the major Waterside redevelopment zone. But it got developed ahead of it’s neighbour – which remains vacant today. And so it became a bit of an isolated scheme – which really did need the connection closer to the City.

The location, coupled with the collapse of the property market meant that there were few of us who could see anything but problems with the scheme.

It seems to me that this really was a great idea, just ahead of its time – which is a great pity. Hopefully as Waterside adjacent gets developed (it will) this scheme will eventually come good. In the meantime, the Bank look like they may be licking their wounds…

May 30 2012

Can supermarkets ever be sustainable?

I am the least green person I know – although I do go to London on the train and sometimes get out on my bike. But there ends my light touch on the planet.

A few months ago I was in a place called Biddulph. If you get the chance to go there, don’t. Wash your hair instead. It’s the sort of place NASA could use for training – you know – no atmosphere. It’s also difficult to get to. Especially from Nottingham.

I valued some property there. It wasn’t one of my high-value jobs. And I had a look around the place. I came across a Sainsbury’s superstore. It was green. Very green – solar panels, rainwater harvesting, high insulation and generally those things we do in buildings to lower the carbon footprint. All good stuff and the feel-good factor was high. There were even posters to tell me how good I should feel.

But here’s the thing – they’re not really sustainable are they? The only thing they sustain are their profits.

As I have wandered around various places over the last few weeks it is plain to see that we have lots of vacant shops. Too many.

But they did have a use once upon a time – as shops. They haven’t always been vacant. And despite Mary Portas not wanting to apportion blame – the blame almost certainly lies at the door of the supermarkets. These monster (green) stores are built and they are like death stars – they suck the lifeblood out of everything around. Although Tesco have now announced an end to their big box concept the damage has been done.

It is not sustainable to build a supermarket which then shuts down all the local shops around it.

One of the biggest issues we face in reducing carbon footprint is the existing building stock. And buildings which are vacant will not attract the investment required to get them to standard needed…It’s a double whammy!

May 29 2012

The Invest in Nottingham Club

As I intimated last weekend, I went to the Invest in Nottingham Club AGM last week. I’ll shorten the club to IINC…

The Club has grown significantly in the last couple of years. There are now 158 members (up a third) – and last year 23 events were held. I went to quite a few (and was at the heart of the MIPIM one!). The Club met with around 1200 people at these events in the year. That’s a good reach!

Of course it’s not all parties! The Club have become the organisation who can mobilise a group of people if the City get enquiries from companies looking to come to set up shop in Nottingham. In the year they helped with 149 enquiries. Sadly we didn’t land Standard Chartered or the Green Bank, but it wasn’t for lack of trying.

The club work alongside the Invest in Nottingham Team at the Council. And this is perhaps the way forward. As Public Finances continue to get squeezed it is going to fall to the private sector to help. I think we are at the start of that road. It takes time for the Council to get comfortable with getting into bed with the Private sector.

One of the big issues is that we often disagree with them (you already know I do!). But I see no reason to apologise for that. Paul Southby, Chairman of IINC put it succinctly – “we don’t have to agree with the Council all of the time, it’s healthy to have a debate. It is a part of a grown up relationship to disagree”.

So what about 2012/13? The club have set some goals – it still focusses on the growth points – Bio-Medical, Green technology and the digital and creative classes. But the key one for me is the City Centre. We must make sure that the City doesn’t slip further in retail tracings! But that’s a very big subject!

May 26 2012

It’s all pants….

I was at an Invest in Nottingham Club event in the week (more on that next week!) and there was an unashamed plug during dispatches for the audience to part with their cash in exchange for a pair of pants. This may be an over-share, but I’m prepared to show you my new pants. The choice was pink or the blue you see here.

The project is ‘pants to poverty‘ and it’s 5 years old they sell in over 20 countries around the world and support over 5000 farmers in India. It’s an ethical brand prepared to take on the major fashion houses. You can buy them on the website here.

From their website, in view of the global reach, I smiled at the explanation of the name,

“We’ve got a very English name. In England, in case you didn’t know, Pants are not trousers, but they are underwear. However, more than that, if something is pants, then that means it’s terrible! So, “Pants to Poverty” means Poverty is terrible, as well as saying that they are fairtrade and organic underpants! We all need pants and so we aim to provide pants for all people, in a way that supports, rather than destroys, all of the wonderful people that make them”.

I am not really about reviewing pants on my blog, but felt the need to share a great product idea….

Over-share ends here.

May 23 2012

Will HS2 happen for Nottingham?

I blogged before about the HighSpeed2 Train line and my view that it was critical for Nottingham. Shorter train journeys to London must be of benefit to us.

Transport Secretary Justine Greening announced the controversial HS2 high-speed rail project was approved earlier in the year. Well, the first phase was. This was the line from London to Birmingham. The second phase will then form a ‘Y’ shape and he’d from Birmingham to Leeds. There has been a lobby for a stop in Nottingham.

Or more precisely between Nottingham and Derby – close to the motorway and somewhere near the end of the tram line. All roads point to Toton? It’s a logical place, unless you support the East Midlands Parkway Station on the A453.

Recommendations to ministers about this future extension should be made to ministers by the end of the year. So we have some time to wait for the outcome.

But I have it on good authority that Nottingham may not now benefit. I have been told that the line may well go to the west of Derby. There is current infrastructure there and the right noises are not being made to the Government. It was suggested to me that HS2 might get a spur at a later date to Nottingham.

This would be disastrous in my view. You cannot get an official response as the whole project is shrouded in mystery and secrets. But there seems to be a slightly different mood in the City. It will be a real headache if the line doesn’t benefit us at the first cut. We need to up the campaign!!

I will do a little digging to see what I can find out…

May 22 2012

A new way of working?

There’s a new word – “freeroamer”. It’s used to describe a laptop or iPad user who doesn’t have the restrictions of an office (with its incumbent commitment and rent!). Instead he or she runs a business from one of the plethora of coffee shops which now have free wi-fi.

Most people who know me realise my day starts in Costa Coffee (it used to be Starbucks but they don’t have wi-fi at my local store). I can get an essential caffeine boost, breakfast, warmth and a connection into the world through wi-fi. I have noticed an increase in numbers of people logged in this way. They aren’t necessarily chatting on their phones though – it seems to be email…

Then if I call later I can do a meeting – get good coffee again and if we need it – plans or documents on my iPad. The coffee shop is a great meeting place. We don’t even have to wash up!

It’s become a new way of working. There are some statistics which suggest 1.3 million people now work this way. Of course it offers the ultimate in flexibility. And perfect conditions!

And there’s a new class of worker too – the Bleisure Brigade – those blurring business with leisure. People who work flexible hours (not like the Cvil Servants in my blog yesterday) but also in flexible places. They can move from coffee shop to coffee shop. The key element is the wi-fi connection. It has become critical now – and the coffee houses have finally grasped it. Free wi-fi and Costa-Lot coffee!

May 18 2012

Life’s a game; squash is serious

Last week I got wet playing Golf in Scotland. It’s the only ‘other’ sport I play. My first choice is the game they regard as chess with a ball. Squash.

I have played for many years – and became an England Squash qualified Coach back in 2001. These days my knees are likely to shorten my career! It’s a hard game on the joints.

There was a travesty when Squash was not chosen as an Olympic sport either this year or for 2016. The problem is that it’s not a great spectator sport – although the introduction of glass walled courts have changed that. You really have to have played to appreciate good play.

The British Open is currently being hosted at the O2 in London. It’s the Wimbledon of Squash – and we currently have the world number one and two – James Willstrop and Nick Matthew. I have seen both of them play at Nottingham’s Squash Club. There aren’t many sports Where you get to see the World number one or two play? Sadly the sport has been declining in numbers for many years – which is a great pity.

We have to encourage kids to play.

And one such ‘kid’ was my youngest son Jak. He played from the age of six and then had a gap after picking up a number of injuries. But starting back a couple of years ago, his game has come on – to the extent that he won the Club Championships – Group C at the weekend. The final was hard fought, but he shone through. Apologies about the quality of the image! But you get the picture – Jak’s on the left.

I think his coach during the game is still awaiting the champagne…

Well done Jak!

May 17 2012

A fascinating Dinner

Last night I was at an Urban Land Institute Dinner in Nottingham with a select group of Nottingham folk. The discussion was around ‘Sustainable Economic Development & Inward Investment and ‘creating a competitive advantage’ for Nottingham. The ULI is an old organisation – set up in the 1930′s in America. It aims to connect, share and learn – about places. It shares the good and the bad.

The event was held under Chatham House Rules – so I can’t divulge the full details. However, it was a fairly robust and challenging discussion.

My views are fairly well known about Nottingham now. I think we don’t punch above our weight. I think we under-achieve. And to some extent I’m of this view because I believe that we have got bogged down in small minded politics. We do have some good things – and there are good things in the pipeline. But I’m restless about where we are going. I worry that we are slipping back.

I travel around a lot and I see other places pushing forward. Nottingham has to find itself again. There is a rich seam of talent here – and that needs to be given a voice and an outlet.

We are going to arrange another Nottingham based Dinner as the follow up is all important.

What became clear at the end of the two hour session were that there were some themes that people were passionate about:

1. Nottingham needs a story. Be it Robin Hood or sustainability or that we are easy to deal with. Our identity his not clear.
2. The power of education is all. Our Universities and Colleges are critical to the success of the city now and into the future
3. Sustainability is a given – but must pervade everything the City does.
4. Retail is king – we must keep improving and the Broad Marsh / Victoria Centre debate needs to be resolved.
5. Jobs and social cohesiveness will become more important. We have to head off the riots and disenchantment.

I look forward to the next Dinner. Hopefully some good will come from this – and all of Nottingham can benefit.

May 16 2012

Dexy’s Midnight Runners – now less the midnight runners

I remember it all too well. 1982. I was working (briefly) at the now defunct Kimberley Brewery.

I didn’t have dungaree’s but I did have the Dexy’s Midnight Runners album – from which they drew ‘Come on Eileen’. It remains, to this day, a disco favourite. The drum section towards the end is a classic. Perhaps you had to be there…

Kevin Rowland was notoriously difficult and it was perhaps no surprise that the Midnight Runners ran off. It was a brief period of fame.

But 30 years on they’re back. But renamed, they are now just Dexy’s. Rowland is there as are a couple of the original members of the band. I have only caught a few minutes of the songs, but they sounded rather good. I was surprised.

You will know if you follow this blog that I’m a big music fan – and the music from the late 1970′s through to the Eighties was some of the best in my view. Squeeze, Bowie, The Stranglers and The Boomtown Rats. I liked the Dexy’s album, but when I listen to it now it sounds rather dated!

I have heard that the super-group Steps have reformed – but I think this sounds like it’s for the money. And that is surely the issue. When you have been away for so long, you can’t help but wonder whether these bands are in it for the cash. Cashing in on peoples memories. That’s going to lead to disappointment!

Perhaps I’m being cynical. I will probably buy the Dexy’s album out of curiosity. I won’t be following Steps though.

However, if Bob Geldof is out there watching – the comeback tour can’t come soon enough. It only seems like yesterday when I appeared on stage with Jonny Fingers and helped him play Banana Republic! Derby Assembly Rooms – April 1982 (oh dear that seems to be 30 years ago too!)

May 12 2012

Portable Speakers….

I bought some small portable speakers in New York four years ago – they were really good, but they got a bit wet last year at the Isle of Wight Festival. It turns out they weren’t waterproof and so emitted a hiss in protest. Irritating at the best of times. They got binned.

So I have been looking for replacement. Ideally so that I can listen to my iPod / laptop when I am away. An external speaker is a necessary luxury!

The solution has been found in the form of a Jawbone Jambox. I bought it in the shop girls don’t get – the Apple store in the Meatpacking District of New York. It was $199, so not cheap.

It is fantastic. The sound from the tiny little box belies its size. And better still it connects to my phone and laptop by bluetooth (although there is a dinky little red flat wire for a speaker connection). It also has a microphone so you can use it for ‘hands free’ – the reception is really clear. I haven’t used it for conference calling, but it looks as though it will handle this with ease.

It’s an impressive bit of kit, really well built, cool to look at and sounds as good as some hi-fi systems! The battery life is around 10 hours too. It could have almost been made by Apple – it’s so good!

It now accompanies me everywhere – so when the need takes me I can do Tiger Feet on the train or wherever…