Commercial real estate specialists on your doorstep at Harrison Clark Rickerbys

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Legal expertise from local firm Harrison Clark Rickerbys (HCR) supported various recent commercial developments in retail, hospitality, and technology.

Ben Thomas, head of real estate at the Cheltenham office, showcases the team’s projects within the last six months, including a deal on a development which won Property Deal of the Year in the South West Insider Property Awards 2021...

Protection for landmark cyber business investment in Cheltenham

In the summer of 2020, Gloucestershire College was awarded almost £1m of investment to create a unique new workspace for businesses in the cyber sector in collaboration with Hub8.

Last September, the partnership between Gloucestershire College and Workshop GC Limited brought the college’s leadership team to Ben Thomas and Steve Thomas, who sought the understanding and documentation to protect their position going forward.

Ben said: “Between us, we prepared a risk matrix for the client, which allowed them to report to their board of governors and establish whether the proposed arrangement worked for them. Then Steve negotiated the operating agreement which will form the spine of the ongoing relationship between the two companies, whilst I drew up the lease of Hub8 GC itself.”

Scaling new heights in the Cotswolds

Clients of HCR’s real estate team purchased the site known as Bentham Country Club, featuring two old inflatable domes, in Gloucestershire, which will be converted into a state-of-the-art climbing centre - the only site in the UK to offer Olympic standard walls (speed climbing, lead climbing and bouldering) both indoor and outdoor.

Mark Fabian, partner in the Cheltenham team, has been leading the transaction since 2018. He said, “We have genuinely achieved new heights with this project. The completed climbing centre will be an amazing new facility for use locally but will also draw people in from a wider area. I am very proud to have been able to help them make their vision a reality by securing the site.”

Support for award-winning development

In October 2021, the freehold acquisition of former Debenhams store in Gloucester by University of Gloucestershire – supported by Mark Carter, Morgan West and the real estate team in Cheltenham – was awarded Property Deal of the Year in the South West Insider Property Awards 2021.

Having led the project, Mark said, “We are delighted that such an important development has been recognised for its significance for the local community; we have worked with the university for some time and this will be an excellent step forward for them and play an important part in regenerating the centre of Gloucester.”

New store on historic Promenade assisted by HCR

The property team in Cheltenham supported the development of the new Superdry store on the Promenade. Mark Fabian and the team collaborated with KBW Surveyors to ensure that Superdry were able to take up the tenancy and develop their new concept store, launched in December last year.

Mark said: “Securing such a tenant against the background of Covid-19 is a major success, and we’re delighted that this very welcome development has taken place. This is a good arrangement for both landlord and tenant; it is great to see some revival in the retail sector in such a historic location.”

Historic Cotswolds pub sells, thanks to Ben Thomas and team

HCR’s real estate and corporate solicitors aided the sale of a Grade II listed Cotswold pub, as the owner decided to retire after 15 years. The range of expertise available from Ben Thomas and cross-team support led to a successful sale.

Ben said: “I’m pleased that we’ve been able to assist our client in the sale of this historic pub, allowing him to retire after many years as a publican.”

If you are a local business in need of commercial property advice, HCR can help.