Opinions.

Game change with GCW

October 2019

The world of property never stands still. As we celebrate our 30th anniversary, we’ve seen the role of town centres change beyond all recognition. Retail will always sit at the core of what we do, yet the regeneration of our town centres requires a vibrant mix of uses. Consequently, we’ve spent time expanding our expertise in other sectors.

More than ever it’s essential to put people at the forefront of our thinking - examining their requirements and reasons for visiting a place. Understanding and satisfying this need is at the core of successful sustainable locations.  This means we’re just as likely to be considering a medical centre, hotel, retirement living, a college, cinema, shared workspace or a day nursery, as we are retail occupiers. This isn’t simply rhetoric; it’s underpinned by the broad range of occupiers GCW represents, including; Busy Bees, Moxy, Animor, Hamberley Homes, Energie, Notcutts and Safestore.

The market still refers to these as alternative uses; that label is out of date. They are now a fundamental part of urban development. By broadening our thinking and tooling up to ensure we have knowledge of all pieces of the jigsaw, GCW stands out from the crowd.

Agitators of ideas

In repositioning the business, we’ve challenged ourselves as property professionals. Our teams have changed their mind-sets and been empowered to question traditional ways of doing things. We’re prepared to mix things up in the best interests of our clients.

At GCW we understand the difference between advice and brokerage. We’re not just here to lease void space in return for a fee, as much as that is a key part of our role. Our clients respect us for our enthusiasm for deep knowledge and the broader expertise we bring to projects. They involve us early in the process for a holistic overview and to help draw up a strategy for change.

We’re not afraid to question our clients, to challenge their ideas and suggest new ways to add value at every stage.

Our experience in delivering mixed use projects, which embrace different uses and deliver sustainable locations relevant to the catchment, allows people to see town centres as attractive places not only to shop but live, work and play. Current mixed use / regeneration projects include; Dartford, Barking, Ealing, Yeovil, Coalville, Redhill, Feltham, Northampton and Edmonton.

Future proofing

To combat these fundamental changes in the market, GCW has embraced a new way of working that allows us to break down silos, challenge perceptions and open our minds to different approaches.

Data is an essential tool to support our work. We are collaborating with CACI to undertake a new piece of town centre research. We are working to define the basket of ingredients required to make a successful and sustainable location. The blend of these will be different for each location and understanding this mix of criteria is key to delivering successful change for towns and cities.

Be it helping occupiers build stronger portfolios or allowing owners and stakeholders to introduce new elements to their tenant mix, we see the bigger picture. Talk to our team and learn more about what GCW can do for you.