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news opinion
What a difference a quarter makes. Just a few months ago, business leaders and economists had nothing but good things to say about the recovery and about the UK‘s prospects for 2016 and beyond
Now there‘s a new parlour game: who can ratchet up the negativity the most? ‘We are all doomed‘ appears to be the message from a number of quarters.
RBS went so far as to tell its clients to ‘sell, sell, sell‘. The bank, and others, have warned of a ‘cataclysmic year‘ ahead with the price of oil continuing to fall, with deflation a real possibility, and with the ‘major correction‘ in the Chinese economy causing stock markets across the world to slump. ‘Set your dial to gloom‘ was the phrase in the City as we went to press.
The chief economist of HSBC told one of our breakfast audiences a few months back that we had probably had the best of the recovery, and that 2016 was likely to be a more volatile year than 2015.
But we‘ve got to beware the self- fulfilling prophecy. Our readers must have noticed that when they walk into a networking meeting and tell colleagues how well their company is doing, they invariably get similar upbeat assessments in reply.
If they say business is slow,
others agree about how quiet it seems to be.
So let‘s be robust and positive. Let‘s talk business and do business. Let‘s be John Lewis and not Sports Direct.
And let‘s remember that five of the top 12 best ‘cities‘ to live and work in are Southampton and Portsmouth, Reading, Bracknell and Oxford.
It could be better, but it could be a whole lot worse ...
Thames Valley powers the best region for growth outside London, reports LSH
The South East is the UK’s fastest-growing economic region outside London, with the Thames Valley home to three of the top five UK towns and cities best placed for growth in 2016. This is confirmed by the annual UK Vitality Index published by commercial property consultancy Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH).
The Index identifies towns and cities that have healthy and robust local economies; are best placed to support growth and will provide opportunities for businesses to expand. Four of the top five locations are in the South East – Brighton, Oxford, Reading and Guildford – and notably three of these are in the Thames Valley.
Affluent commuter towns such as Guildford performed well, as did dynamic hubs of commerce and hi-tech industry such as Oxford and Reading.
While falling outside the top 10, Maidenhead ranked highly in the most entrepreneurial index and fastest-growing index and has the largest number of businesses per 1,000 people. This town will benefit from Crossrail and Western
Rail Access to Heathrow and it will be very interesting to see if it appears in the top 10 list in 2017.
LSH’s head of the Thames Valley Nick Coote commented: “The Thames Valley stands out as the most successful location for business outside London due to its quality living environment, connectivity to the City and Heathrow – all attracting a creative, educated, skilled workforce.”
The top 10 towns and cities in the 2016 UK Vitality Index are:
Cambridge – Brighton – Oxford – Reading – Guildford – Bristol – St Albans –Manchester – Edinburgh – Milton Keynes
Data calculation
The results of the ‘UK Vitality Index’ are based on the analysis of 20 datasets, with each city ranked within six separate categories: most productive, fastest-growing, most entrepreneurial, best educated, greenest and growing affluence.
Details:
www.lsh.co.uk Avery to lead Gateley office in Reading
Christopher Avery, one of the Thames Valley’s best-known lawyers, has joined Gateley plc and will head up a new office in Reading for the AIM-listed law firm.
The new Reading office will expand Gateley’s national network to seven locations in England, as well as an operation in Dubai, and fits with its strategy of becoming a leading national law firm while still retaining a strong regional emphasis.
Avery was managing partner of Reading-based law firm Pitmans for 25 years, before stepping down this summer. During his 36 years with Pitmans – now described as a ‘regional heavyweight’ by The Legal 500 – the business grew from 25 to over 200 staff with a fee income in excess of £20 million.
Commenting on Avery’s appointment, Gateley CEO Michael Ward, said: “Christopher has been appointed to help us develop a full-service commercial practice in the highly strategic Thames Valley/M4 corridor which is a large and growing centre for legal services. He is well known in the Thames Valley and has the right combination of experience and entrepreneurial spirit to help us deliver our objectives.
David Murray Publisher
www.businessmag.co.uk
“We indicated at our IPO* that whilst we had a fully invested UK network of offices we would consider opportunities in one or two other geographical locations if the right opportunity presented itself, and Reading is such an opportunity.”
Avery commented: “I am delighted to be joining Gateley plc at such an exciting time in the firm’s development. I have lived and worked in the area for all of my professional career and know the Thames Valley market well. I have been impressed with the attitude, ambition and professionalism of the Gateley team and believe together the prospects for this new venture are extremely promising.”
*In June, Gateley plc became the first UK commercial law firm admitted to the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange .
Next month: More on Gateley's arrival in the Thames Valley.
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – FEBRUARY 2016
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