Recently in Manchester Category

The latest wheeze among managing agents in Manchester, writes David Thame, is installing iris-recognition software at office reception desks. Ship Canal House, King Street, has a fancy black box of tricks on the reception desk, and visitors are asked for an iris scan when they arrive.

EG wondered what was so special about the tenants at Ship Canal House that they needed visitors' biometric data? Thinking a vox pop might be fun, we telephoned one occupier. Did they like or want the iris-recognition device? The plain-spoken receptionist seemed confused. That big black box by reception, you remember it, EG asked? She thought she might have seen something. So does it suit them to have it there? No reply.

In fact, it was a very odd conversation. In the end EG asked outright if they were a front for one of the security services. The receptionist said that if we sent an email, she might be able to help.

Himor, Ship Canal House's owners, insist the device is just taking a picture of people wearing their visitor badges. But that certainly wasn't what EG or others in the queue that day were told. And why take pictures of people wearing badges you've just given them?

Ship Canal House isn't the only Manchester office block putting up fancy barriers to entry. Belvedere, Booth Street is notorious. Said one frustrated visitor: "The worst building to get in to at the moment is Belvedere, took us 20 minutes the other week."

Should any other managing agents be interested in upgrading security, they can find iris-recognition devices far less swanky than the sophisticated Ship Canal House model for $1500 upwards at www.alibaba.com - a website name that seems oddly appropriate.

Eye image by Luisar on Flickr

A fly through video of the Co-operative Group's Noma development in Manchester has come through this morning.  So if you fancy a nosy at how their refurbishment of the 105, 000 sq ft Hanover building might look, it's all below. The Co-op are yet to find a development partner (£) to help with the £800m scheme but is currently working up plans for the Hanover building. 

The UK cities have been here in greater numbers this year shouting about enterprise zones and development proposals. I've learnt that there is still a lot of the nitty gritty to work through on the EZs before they will finally fly, if indeed they do prove to be more than government window dressing. Sheffield's LEP chair James Newman was still negotiating details with the Treasury a couple of days ago.

But it feels like there has been more to say this year and that concrete things are starting to happen. Derby council has put money into kick starting the first spec office scheme in the city for 20 years - off the back of a meeting it held down here in Cannes a handful of years ago.

Newport is close to announcing an anchor tenant for its Friars Walk retail scheme and planning is due to be submitted at the end of the month. Manchester has launched a search for development partners for a medi-park and Birmingham has shortlisted three developers for its Digital Plaza hub.

On the one hand there haven't been as many leggy models adorning the Russian and Eastern European stands but on the other it doesn't feel quite as austere as last year. There seems to have been more champagne on offer, there have been some really fancy canapes and treats around (no cuddly toys though as far as I can tell) and developers have had dinners in very nice restaurants.

It's not goodbye MIPIM but au revoir, I'm sure we'll all be back again next year.

And the brighter weather certainly added an air of enthusiasm to those showcasing their cities and companies. Chris Oglesby speaking on the Leeds stand said the company was on the prowl for new properties in the city as its existing portfolio is 99% full. He also said development of City House by the station would commence when they'd secured a pre-let of  just 30%.

Meanwhile on the Manchester stand it was an announcement about not announcing. NOMA's David Pringle had the gathered crowd, myself included, on tenterhooks as he built up to what we thought would be an announcement of a development partner for the company's 4m sq ft regeneration project, only to say that they still haven't found the right partner. He did, however, add that it wouldn't stop them progressing the development.

Manchester and Leeds were pitted against Birmingham and London in the EG/GVA UK cities debate (see video coverage online next week). All the panellists - Manchester's Sir Howard Bernstein, London's Sir Edward Lister, Leeds' Neil McLean, Birmingham's Mike Whitby and GVA's Stephen Hollowood were all trying hard to keep feelings of rivalry to a minimum.

There was lots of talk of working together and mentions of UK plc but Sir Howard couldn't resist one quip. Sir Ed was talking about how the rest of the country benefits from London, giving the example of the capital's new fleet of double decker buses which are to be made in Northern Ireland. Sir Howard, who was sat next to Sir Ed, responded: "I'm gratified for the acknowledgement that places exist outside London and thought for a moment you were going to say you were sending us a fleet of double decker buses."

Elsewhere Tom Bloxham was spotted in his trade mark hat and summery white Birkenstocks on the Birmingham stand for the Icknield Port Loop regeneration presentation. British Waterway's vision for the site which includes 1,150 homes sounds right up Urban Splash's street and, as a development partner is to be sought at the end of the year, perhaps that is why Tom was there? 

So that was a taster of day two, one more day to go and lets hope the sun is out again.

You can see some of todays snaps plus the pics from the UK cities debate below.

This year the UK cities are out in force and with Enterprise Zones to promote and development money to find, the competition to shout loudest is hotting up. Sheffield and Leeds have already scheduled events that overlap later in the week and Birmingham and Manchester have both got crammed schedules of events on their respective stands. 

I haven't visited the Manchester stand yet but certainly Birmingham gets points for its snacks on offer: glass bowls full of Cadbury's chocolate.

Brum city council's Mark Barrow was well prepared to brief me about progress on the city's Enterprise Zone, despite having only just registered. I was treated to a sneak peek of his presentation which he had on his iPad - definitely the device of choice this year.

The Edinburgh stand, as usual, is tempting visitors with regular whisky tastings and also rather tasty rum and raisin tablet (fudge for those from south of the border). Another duo fresh from registration were Montagu Evans' Hugh Rutherford and Edinburgh city council's Dave Anderson both of whom were full of enthusiasm with the former saying he was confident about the market this year due to pent up office demand.

Meanwhile back in the London Pavilion, the battle is more about models - not the leggy type but the development type. There are at least four including the huge and very impressive central London model which gives a interesting glimpse of what the capital could look like with several proposed towers. The Nine Elms follows on a close second with some impressive towers of its own and a faithful reconstruction of Battersea Power Station - wonder if that will make it into the future?

You can see pics from the London Pavilion and all the other days delights by clicking on the slide show below.

Other MIPIM posts you might like:

There are pictures and a review of the North West Focus reception here

Developers were out in force, Urban Splash's Tom Bloxham arrived in his signature hat (and didn't take it off all evening) joining Allied London's Mike Ingall, Argent's David Partridge and the Co-op's David Pringle.

If there was any glum feeling about the state of the lending market and the economy then it was buried in the bottom of the beer bottles and and wine glasses.

The winner of the EGi deals competition was announced with Roger Hannah and Co lifting the crown.

Our next Manchester Focus is published on March 31 and you can find more information about the topics we are covering as well as the writers contact details in a previous post.

Offices  

How will current tough market conditions shape the Manchester office market going forward?

Contact: Daniel Cunningham, North correspondent, 020 7911 1822, daniel.cunningham@estatesgazette.com

Retail 

How will the current tough market conditions shape the high streets across Greater Manchester?

Contact: Helen Hamilton, freelance writer, 01568 709155, bluesomeh@gmail.com 

Analysis of the sector and its future prospects. 

Contact: David Quinn, freelance writer,  07841 115601 david@wordsdept.co.uk 

Sheds 

Analysis of the sector.

Contact: David Thame, NW features writer, 01544 262 896 dthame@clara.co.uk

We'll be compiling the latest data across the offices, retail and industrial sectors, if you think you can help with figures and soundbites then drop an email to Stacey Meadwell, regional editor stacey.meadwell@estatesgazette.com

A third of shops in Stockport are lying empty. That's the news from the Local Data Company released today in its six monthly check-in on shop vacancy. 

The Manchester town retains its top spot (or should that be bottom??) with over 30% of its shops vacant.

The LDC said that although the national rate stabilised at 14.3% there was a growing divide between the good and the bad. 

That bad is the north with the majority of towns with vacancy rates over the national average in the Midlands and the North. Nottingham, Grimbsy, Stockton, Wolverhampton, Blackburn, Walsall and Blackpool all have vacancy rates over 25%. 

Faring best was St Albans which did "well" with a vacancy rate edging towards 10%. 

Mary Portas' involvement also gets a beating. It's just one day since Portas and local government minister Grant Shapps said they will launch a competition to choose 12 Portas Pilots. Our property lot have had quite a bit to say about Portas' poking around (and not much has been complimentary). The Local Data Company's take is that her report has failed to identify any structural failure on the High Street. Vacancy rates are rising, it says, because the amount of spend the high street captures is falling (down from 49.4% in 2000 and expected to fall to 39.8% in 2014) as it comes under attack from online sales. Worringly it says that if there's less expenditure then  it may be that there are just too many shops on the high street.  

Everyone knew BNP Paribas Real Estate would want to do something after its aborted takeover of DTZ. Who knew it would be this. 

This week, the agent announced it was cutting 10% of its UK workforce and shutting its Manchester and Cardiff offices. 

So why did the axe fall on these two offices? 

In Manchester BNP PRE first mistake was failing to gain traction on the office agency side. Manchester is all about the office market, and a key driver of any agent's success. On the industrial side it recently lost two star players with Sara-Jane Preston and Brendan O'Herlihy leaving to form their own firm. 

Then there are the costs of the business.In hushed tones other agents say BNP PRE is paying top whack, very close to headline levels, for its new offices. Those offices were meant to house 60 people but today it's believed to be only just in double figures.

In Cardiff the market is tough. The market is looking poorly and is forecast to see the biggest drop in average rents in the UK this year. There's also a fair amount of agent overcrowding in the city. As such, putting the well respected and well known Anthony Phillips in as head of the Cardiff office was a smart move.   

As the capital of Wales the city is seen as a must have office in any UK portfolio. But it's a tight knit market and one that even the local agents admit doesn't move that fast. 

Losing those two offices will account for around 20 of the 70 announced cuts. All eyes are nervously casting around for where the axe might fall next. The firm has offices in Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Leeds, London, Newcastle, Southampton and Sheffield.