Introducing the BPE Commercial Property team 

Offering a personal and pragmatic approach, BPE’s largest team provides City expertise without the City fees. 

The last 12 months have been an exceptionally interesting time for the Commercial Property Team at BPE. With the Ukraine War, soaring energy bills, an uncertain economic outlook and the continuing post-Covid pressures, its multitude of clients have been facing relentless challenges, no matter the sector or industry within which they operate and no matter their size. 

By investing in building strong long-term relationships with clients, the BPE Commercial Property Team strive to thoroughly understand each of their client’s particular challenges – as well as their businesses, industries, strengths and opportunities. In times as turbulent  

as these, the Team are remarkably proud to offer their clients technical expertise, commercially-grounded legal advice and legal support beyond just the billable hours – by becoming what their clients see as an extension of their own internal teams. 

The BPE Commercial Property Team provides clarity and certainty for developers, landowners, landlords, occupiers and lenders across a wide range of commercial property transactions ranging from straightforward owner-occupier purchases to highly complex multi-million-pound transactions. The Team has an enviable client base across a wealth of industries and sectors, punching above its weight with both national and global clients – many of whom are longstanding. 

Some of the team’s key clients include Superdry plc, a nationally recognised retailer whose relocation from Regent Street to Oxford Street in London was facilitated by the BPE team;  Boultbee Brooks Real Estate, a national heavyweight developer and investor, with an expansive portfolio of properties that BPE helps to purchase, redevelop, let and sell with prices in excess of £20 million;  and Gloucester Rugby Club, whose recent multi-million pound investment into a new state-of-the-art training facility near Kingsholm, BPE acted upon. 

Combining City expertise with a personal and pragmatic approach, BPE is recognised as a regional heavyweight. 

THE TEAM 

The Commercial Property Team remains the largest team at BPE – and one of the largest property teams based solely in the South-West. Having recently welcomed back networking powerhouse, Partner and Notary Public, Paul Engelbrecht from Hughes Paddison, the Team now comprises five partners, four senior associates, one associate, one solicitor, three paralegals, two secretaries, a trainee solicitor and a chartered legal executive. There have been many recent notable achievements for the team including: 

Antonia Shield, Managing Partner, who built her career working with notable brands such as Golden Tulip Hotels, Wyevale, Pure Gym, Soho Coffee, and Superdry, was shortlisted in the Law.com Women in Law Power Awards 2023 in the Mentor of the Year category. 

Jo Bewley, Deputy Managing Partner and Head of Property Services, and a recognised expert in the healthcare sector whose super surgery work has put the Team on the map, retained her position as a Leading Individual in the most recent Legal 500 annual rankings. 

Doug Armstrong, who specialises in the acquisition, management, and disposal of large investment properties across the UK, was promoted to Equity Partner in October 2022 and continues to champion the firm’s Regional Business Group (which looks to promote business in the region and specifically support start-ups in the area, aligning with the Golden Valley objectives).

“Doug and the Property team at BPE are reliable, concise and very easy to deal with. It’s why we’ve instructed the team for almost a decade and would happily recommend them to property investors.”  - Zoe Wood, Asset Manager of Boultbee Brooks

“BPE were instrumental in getting this deal to exchange and we can’t thank BPE enough for their hard work, support and efficiency. BPE kept us fully up to date to make informed decisions along the way and went beyond what was expected in making the deal happen.” –Tim Cheater, Greenway Nurseries

“Many thanks to BPE for the excellent work on my behalf. Doug has been thorough, persistent, fair and transparent throughout and I do not hesitate in recommending him as a solicitor.” – Metin Civlak, Director of Sef Steakhouse

“BPE have always been extremely helpful with everything we ask of them no matter how big or small the request. Their experience has always helped us get the best deal possible in the quickest possible time.” – Peter Creed, The Bell Inn

.

.

RECENT WORK HIGHLIGHTS 

In only the last 6 months, BPE have advised on the following: 

Acquisition of Bay Tree Court for Lilian Faithfull Care – The Team advised well known South-West based charity Lilian Faithfull Care on their recent acquisition of Bay Tree Court, a spacious purpose-built 59-bed home together with independent living units, tucked away on Prestbury High Street in Cheltenham. The transaction was structured by way of an asset purchase, with completion conditional upon CQC approval. Having previously acted on three other acquisitions for this client, as well as the lease of LFC’s first charity shop in Tewkesbury, the team were uniquely positioned to manage this transaction in an efficient and pragmatic manner. 

Retail Expansion for Weird Fish – The Team recently completed five new retail premises leases for Weird Fish in Whitstable, St David’s, Aldeburgh, Southwold & Boscastle bringing the total number of shop premises for the lifestyle clothing and accessories retailer to 28. 

Acquisition, financing and lettings for Warners Retail at Cleevelands Centre Development – At the beginning of 2023 BPE celebrated the completion of longstanding client Warners Retail’s brand-new bespoke development – The Cleevelands Centre in Bishops Cleeve, Cheltenham. Having acted on the site acquisition in 2020 the Team further advised Warners on the pre-lets of the units to national tenants including Co-op and Dominos Pizza and then the financing of the site to Handelsbanken. 

Dodo Pubs Lease of The Cross Hands, Bristol – The Team assisted Dodo Pubs Co with the acquisition of its newest location  – The Cross Hands in Bristol.  Dodo Pub Co now has seven neighbourhood pubs in its growing portfolio (including The Bottle of Sauce in Cheltenham and The Rusty Bicycle in Oxford), each offering a traditional yet quirky welcoming style. The All Inn, as the pub will be renamed, will reopen on Staple Hill Road in Fishponds, in May 2023, and is the latest pub to be rescued from closure by co-founders Leo Johnson and Chris Manners. 

.

Visit our website www.bpe.co.uk or call us on 01242 300996