THAMES VALLEY
PROPERTY AWARDS
A second resounding year at Ascot – a familiar venue for winners
The must-attend annual awards celebration of the Thames Valley property market
Building and development are key words in the Thames Valley property sector, and appropriately they also summed up this second annual awards event – having built attendance numbers, added award categories and quickly developed into “undoubtedly one of the biggest property events of its kind in the region outside London.”
“This year’s Awards have seen phenomenal interest. There are more than 500 developers, property consultants, town planners, occupiers, funders, lawyers, contractors and real estate executives here in this room tonight,” said David Murray, publisher of The Business Magazine, and Matthew Battle, managing director of UK Property Forums, as they began the awards gala by welcoming the black-tie diners – 160 more than the inaugural event last year.
“Once again, we are together flying the flag for the Thames Valley region – with the property sector showing what a great place to work and live within this region truly is.”
WINNER:
Murray explained that the evening showcased and celebrated commercial and residential property in the Thames Valley and the successful developers, consultants, planners, contractors, lawyers and dealmakers in the sector. It included two new awards – Property Law Firm of the Year and Rising Star Property Business of the Year – along with the surprise revelation of the Judges’ annual choice of the person most deserving of recognition for their Outstanding Contribution to the local property sector.
Recognition was also made by both Murray and Battle of the professional skills and knowledge displayed by the distinguished judging panel in selecting the finalists and winners, and to Estates Gazette for supplying data to help the judges make their decisions.
The two new awards and category criteria amendments had produced a bumper crop of entries, Battle revealed. “But, as usual, the judges did their homework – including visiting many of the developments – to ensure they gained first-hand knowledge of the strength of nominations.
“We will continue to refine the awards as we aim to make them the definitive, and most prestigious of their kind in the south,” added Battle.
Murray expressed the co-organisers’ heartfelt thanks for the support of award sponsors: Barton Willmore, Haslams, Hicks Baker, Jansons Property, Jelf, McKay Securities, Optima Contracting, Peter Brett Associates, Pitmans, Romans Group, SEGRO, and Vail Williams.
At Ascot, the home of winners, there was always going to be one ‘dead-cert’ winner – the Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service, selected as the event’s charity partner and currently raising funds to build Berkshire’s first purpose-designed children’s hospice. A six- acre plot has been gifted in Maidenhead and a start on building work is planned this year.
Table donations from the property sector guests later benefited the charity to the tune of £6,379. A London Irish match-day hospitality package and an Ascot Racecourse magnum of champagne had helped boost fundraising, with BrookStreet des Roches providing the most generous table of the night.
organised by:
Guest presenter for the evening was Gyles Brandreth, the multi-talented former Oxford Union president, broadcaster, author, journalist, West End performer, and actually no stranger to awards of his own. Notably, with the recent General Election still in many minds, Brandreth also served as MP for Chester 1992-97 and within John Major’s government.
Fortunately there was no voting required. The keen and enthusiastic audience merely awaited the results of the ‘returning officers’ for the Awards.
www.businessmag.co.uk THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – JUNE 2015
2015
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