Lindsay living the interior design dream thanks to ehB Reeves

A stylish new interior design studio in Southam town centre is the realisation of a 25-year-old ambition for owner Lindsay Vincent.

She’d dreamed of running her own furniture and accessories firm for a quarter of a century and this autumn she finally decided to act.

Incredibly, Lindsay opened the Simple Interior Company store in Coventry Street just a few weeks later to make her dream come true.

Lindsay explained: “This has been my ambition for 25 years but I have only just plucked up the courage to go for it.

“I know it’s going to be one of the biggest challenges of my life but that’s much better than a lifetime of regret.

“That was the clincher for me in the end – I didn’t want to be left looking back in a few years’ time and saying to myself ‘I wonder’.”

New start

Once she’d made the decision, Lindsay, from West Haddon, Northamptonshire, was scouring the area for a suitable property to launch her new venture.

It didn’t take long, thanks to Warwickshire-based commercial property specialists ehB Reeves, who helped Lindsay complete a deal on a converted cottage in the heart of Southam town centre.

Lindsay said: “My daughter Amy lives in Southam and I’ve always thought it was a lovely town and would be ideal for me to open a shop.

“Now it’s happened and happened very quickly. I saw the premises, I spoke with the landlord and with ehB, I told them I wanted it and the next thing I know I’m open for business.

“It’s been a bit of a whirlwind but I’m loving it and the response from local people has been really positive and complimentary.”

Jonathan Blood, senior surveyor at ehB Reeves, said: “We are delighted to help Lindsay find the ideal property for her to launch her first interior design store and we wish her every success in Southam.

“Simple Interior Design certainly brings something fresh, stylish and quirky to the town centre and we’re glad there’s been such a positive reaction to it.”

For more information, visit the Simple Interior Company website.

Jack opens gym number three thanks to ehB

Warwickshire fitness guru Jack Gibson once set himself the target of owning his own gym by the age of 30.

He’s still only 28 but has already opened three – one in Kenilworth, one in Warwick and now his latest Fitness Worx venture in Southam.

The ambitious young businessman is now setting himself the target of making Fitness Worx the largest self-owned gym group in the Midlands.

Commercial property specialists ehB Reeves helped Jack acquire the site on behalf of its landlord.

Jack explained: “I asked ehB to find me a new premises in the area and they identified this unit at Southfield Road in Southam.

“The site is perfect and I couldn’t wait to rip out the interior and put in our new, specially designed equipment.

“My initial goal was to try to recruit 50 members but when we opened we already had 120 on the books and by the end of the first week we had 180.

“So it’s been a great success and the business is really flying but I’m not finished yet.

“I want Fitness Worx to be the biggest, self-owned group of gyms in the Midlands so I think I’ll be keeping ehB busy for a while yet.”

Simon Hain, director of ehB Reeves, said: “Jack was very specific about the sort of premises he was seeking and the one in Southam was easily the best match.

“We are delighted to have delivered him a property with the size and scope for him to open his latest Fitness Worx gym.

“He’s certainly wasted no time in transforming the unit and we’re thrilled the reaction has been so positive.”

New HQ for Stratford firm delivering vital support to disabled adults

Avon Support, an organisation which provides vital help for disabled adults in Stratford, has moved to a new headquarters in the town which will help it provide its services even more efficiently.

The organisation has left its former home in Western Road for a new site at Crown Buildings, in Alcester Road, a fully-accessible ground-floor setup which is much better suited to its needs.

Avon Support was formed in 2011 by social workers Sue Courtney and Marie Soros to provide a variety of services to disabled adults, including supported living, which allows clients to live independently and safely in their own homes.

It also offers day-time activities such as cooking, education courses and volunteering placements, as well as regular holidays, weekends and nights away to allow carers to take a break.

The majority of adults who use the service are referred to Avon Support by Warwickshire County Council and the NHS, based on an assessment of their needs.

“Everyone is really chuffed with the new building. We are so central here, which is key so people have easy access to all the facilities in Stratford town centre,” said Sue.

“There is a huge gap in social care at the moment as there aren’t enough service providers. The fact that we’re in a position to move to new premises shows we’re doing well.

“The key to our success is staying small and local. If you are good, you can get flooded with referrals and your ability to deal with them becomes compromised.

“We’re small, we know our area and we know our customers, so we’re never overstretched. This is very important to us.”

The new site also has a garden, providing another vital outlet for the adults who use the service – some of who volunteer to maintain the flowerbeds at the nearby Stratford-upon-Avon railway station, recently winning a Britain in Bloom award for their efforts.

Plans are also afoot to develop an exercise and massage room for physically disabled adults and the site also boasts an exercise and massage room, where an aromatherapist and sports physio assistant offer services to clients.

“We fund the activities we do because it’s important for disabled people to get out and about alongside members of the community. We think it is a really valuable service,” added Sue.

Leamington-based commercial property consultants ehB Reeves secured the letting of Crown Buildings for Avon Support.

Senior surveyor Jonathan Blood (pictured) said: “Avon Support is an important and well-used service in Stratford and we’re delighted to have played our part in getting Sue, Marie and the service users into their new home.

“The new site is 4,800 sq ft in size and the layout is far better suited to the organisation’s needs than what they had before.”

More information on Avon Support is available on its website.

ehB Reeves offering £1.8m Regency Villa in Leamington

A stunning, Grade II listed home, described as “one of Royal Leamington Spa’s finest Regency Villas,” has gone on sale with ehB Reeves for £1.8 million.

The four-storey, link-detached property dates back to the early 1800s and enjoys a prime location in Beauchamp Avenue, one of Leamington’s most sought-after addresses.

Property details issued by leading Warwickshire commercial property consultants ehB Reeves, also reveal it boasts accommodation covering 6,850 sq.ft. and has a Coach House and mature gardens to the front and rear.

The sale is being handled by ehB Reeves director Simon Hain, who said: “This is a rare opportunity to acquire one of Royal Leamington Spa’s finest Regency Villas.

“This residential investment is currently laid out to provide three high-quality income-producing apartments and the unconverted basement and separate Coach House mean it has excellent potential for further residential development.

“However, there is also the opportunity to convert this magnificent property back into what would undoubtedly be a grand and impressive family dwelling, with both front and rear secluded gardens.

“There has been keen interest already and not just locally. We’ve had inquiries from as far afield as Cornwall because this is a unique opportunity to acquire a unique property.”

ehB Reeves has created a 360 degree virtual tour of the villa, which is available to view online .

ehB Reeves was formed by the recent merger between Leamington-based companies ehB Commercial and Reeves and Partners. The new firm now enjoys a growing management portfolio valued in excess of £100 million.

ehB Commercial announces merger with Reeves and Partners

Two Leamington-based commercial property consultants have announced they have merged to create “an even stronger and more dynamic” firm with a growing management portfolio valued in excess of £100 million.

ehB Commercial has joined forces with Reeves and Partners to create a partnership which will trade as ehB Reeves.

Initially, the two businesses will continue to operate independently, with ehB trading from its current premises in Clarendon Place and Reeves remaining at its base in Euston Place, Leamington Spa.

The longer-term plan is to relocate both businesses to one location in the centre of Leamington, bringing all of its services under one roof.

Simon Hain, director of ehB Commercial, said: “This is a natural coming-together of two successful businesses which will expand both our agency and management presence to cover the wider Warwickshire and Midlands region.

“We will be able to offer a strong service which people will be able to look to with confidence. It will be a comprehensive offer and enable us to diversify the business even further.

“Likewise, it will be a seamless merger for ours and Reeves’ existing clients. It’s important for us to be open about our plans with our clients and contacts, as we are a people business first and foremost.”

Richard Pomfret, managing director of Reeves and Partners, said: “This is a significant move for us and we are delighted to be teaming up with ehB, a company which, like ourselves, has worked hard to establish the reputation it enjoys in South Warwickshire.

“It’s very much business as usual for us both as we enter this exciting new partnership.”

Mr Hain said the property management market is buoyant in the Midlands, making it a perfect time to expand in this arena.

“We’re both going in with the view that we will look to expand and bring in new staff in the future,” he added.

Festive fundraisers ignore the seasons to take on Snowdon trek

A team of five intrepid fundraisers are ignoring the seasons and the glorious weather to don Santa outfits and climb Snowdon in aid of two worthy Warwickshire causes.

Staff from Leamington-based commercial property consultants ehB Commercial are taking part in the Santas Rock Snowdon event on Wednesday, May 16 – five months after it was originally scheduled to take place.

It’s a case of third time lucky for the hike up the tallest mountain in Wales, with the previous two dates falling foul of the harsh winter weather.

The team – Jonathan Blood, Nicholas Evans, Simon Hain, Scott Blake and Sam Hain – accepted an invitation from Leamington-based youth charity Young People First to take part and will be raising £1,000 for the charity’s work in reaching vulnerable young people in Coventry and Warwickshire.

They will also be raising additional funds for Myton Hospice, ehB’s charity partner.

ehB director Scott Blake said: “It might seem a little unusual to be getting in the festive spirit in the middle of such hot weather, but we’re certainly not fazed!

“It was unfortunate that we had such a severe winter as it put paid to the first two dates but we’re hopeful the conditions will hold out for us this time.

“We are really excited about the challenge and the opportunity to support two excellent local charities.”

In the past, ehB has raised money for worthy causes including Leamington care centre Castel Froma, Pancreatic Cancer UK, spinal muscular atrophy charity Jennifer Trust and Regain, for paralysed sportsmen and sportswomen.

New deli heading to Leamington town centre

We’re delighted to announce our latest let which will see a new fine food outlet coming to Leamington town centre.

We’ve let 113 Regent Street to Fred & Virginia Ltd, who will be opening up a specialist deli on the site.

We agreed a new sub-lease of the ground floor on behalf of Opera Holdings Ltd, the head lessee.

Jon Blood, senior surveyor at ehB Commercial, said: “Leamington has a great food scene and this new deli will only add to that. We’re looking forward to seeing what’s on offer and wish the proprietors the best of luck with their new venture.”

ehB helps high-end interior design firm move to Warwickshire

A high-end interior design firm set up by the former directors of High Street brand Fired Earth has moved to Warwickshire ahead of its official launch.

Claybrook Studio has moved from premises in Bloxham, Oxfordshire to Westfield Road in Southam as well as opening a London showroom in the hip Curtain Road, Shoreditch.

The commercial premises, on Southam’s Kineton Road industrial estate, measure in at just over 12,200 sq ft and will be Claybrook’s main office space and distribution centre.

The team behind Claybrook – CEO Andy Manders, creative director Rob Whitaker and marketing director Lucy Kenna – were responsible for returning Fired Earth to profit in 2013 after a decade of losses.

The team is backed in its new venture with £4m of equity from Arnhold and Co, a Hong Kong-based manufacturer and supplier of natural stone, mosaic tiles and bathrooms.

“Our multi-skilled and knowledgeable team has a diverse background with experience ranging from designing theatre sets through to American retailing and high-end fashion. One thing we have in common is a love of tile, with more than 100 years’ experience between us,” said Andy.

“This experience allows us to discard many of the generic styles available from myriad websites and high street shops and over time we will expand to include other home product equally as tactile and well-made.

“We are also making a commitment to quality customer service, after living through all of the frustrations associated with the choosing, buying and delivering of lifestyle products in the mainstream ourselves.

“A central, well-served location like Southam makes perfect sense to us and we’re hoping to be a successful part of the Warwickshire business community for many years to come.”

Simon Hain, commercial property consultant and director of ehB Commercial, who leased the property to Claybrook, said: “The team know their business and hopefully Claybrook is going to become a household name over time.

“We’ve been working with them since they chose Southam as their base and it is a good-sized property we’ve leased to them. We’re delighted they chose a building through ehB, our client Wesleyan Assurance Society is delighted with its new tenant and jointly we wish them every success in their new venture.”

ehB helps RepairTech rise from the ashes

Warwickshire businessman Richard Costello watched his thriving company burn to the ground and admitted he feared for the future of the firm he had built from scratch.

However, it was with a sense of joy and achievement the RepairTech managing director walked into his brand-new headquarters three years later – constructed on the very same site on the Kineton Road industrial estate, in Southam.

It was a real ‘Phoenix from the Flames’ moment for the boss of the successful electronics repair company.

Mr Costello, who formed the company in 1999, explained: “There was a catastrophic fire in November 2014 which totally destroyed our building and threatened our business.

“It was a dark day for us and I must confess I was very concerned for our future.

“But now here we are back where we belong and bigger and stronger than ever – and with brand new premises to boot.

“It’s taken more than three years but I could barely believe it when I walked into the new unit, it was so fantastically clean and tidy and it just seemed right.

“Southam has always been the home of RepairTech and we’re so glad to be back where it all started.

“We were offered other premises in the area but I always had the hope that we would move back here one day.

“We’ve gone full circle really and are back here making a fresh start and full of excitement over what more we can go on to achieve together.”

Market leaders RepairTech now boast an impressive 848-square metre, modern, hi-tech facility and Mr Costello praised Leamington-based commercial property experts ehB Commercial for playing a key role in returning them to their roots.

He added: “Right from the start, ehB understood our situation and did a brilliant job working with us to make our return a reality.”

Simon Hain, the ehB Commercial director who brokered the deal, said: “We are delighted we have been able to help RepairTech return ‘home’.

“The fire was devastating and the building was destroyed but now they are back on the same site in a fantastic, new modern facility and we wish them continued success.”

ehB Commercial is a dynamic professional firm of chartered surveyors, commercial estate agents and commercial property consultants based in Leamington Spa, offering experience across all sectors of the commercial property market.

Double let for ehB Commercial in Harbury

One of the UK’s best-known budget hotel chains and a company specialising in classic motorcycle imports have both taken on new commercial property in Warwickshire.

Units 3 and 4 at Churchlands Business Park, in Ufton Road, Harbury have been let to Travelodge Hotels Ltd and Summerbud by Leamington-based ehB Commercial.

The five-year lease with Travelodge is for a furnishing storage unit, while Summerbud will use its unit for working on imported classic motorcycles.

Jonathan Blood, assistant surveyor at ehB Commercial, said: “These are two very different clients with different requirements, so we’re delighted to have helped them both in their search for new warehouse space.”