• Winning Formula
• Secretaries clock up 53 years with estate agent
• Barnsdales acquire Bridge Estates
• Barnsdales open Epworth office
• Jason Barnsdale joins Doncaster firm
• Barnsdales move commercial offices
• Barclays deal helps property firm return to family ownership
Taking a bite: Doncaster is among those that created the role of an elected mayor "with teeth". Has it worked? Melanie Clarkson reports
As a former professional rugby player, Martin Winter has faced his fair share of bruising clashes. It has equipped him well to tackle the challenge over the past seven years of being Doncaster's first elected mayor.
From an election cash row that flared up at the start of his tenure to a recent controversy over subsidies for the town's stadium development, he has featured in many column inches in the local press - and not all of the comment was glowing. But it is something that Winter brushes off as part of the job.
"You've got to remember that I am overtly political, and anything I am involved with, people will criticise - just like they did with [then London mayor] Ken Livingstone," he says.
Former prime minister Tony Blair's vision when creating local mayorships was to establish a "post with teeth" that could enact real and positive change. But there is much debate about whether the mayors adopted by 11 local authorities in the country have really had the bite that Blair envisaged.
Critics suggest little has changed. It certainly seems that councillors still wield much of the power at local authorities, as seen in councils such as Stoke and Hartlepool, where they have forced climbdowns and compromises on mayors' budgets.
As for Doncaster, it is clear that this is a town with aspirations to a grander future, and during Winter's reign as mayor it has seen an impressive wave of regeneration.
A £32m community stadium has been delivered, Doncaster Education City is up and running, and Doncaster Racecourse reopened last August following a £35m redevelopment, called Town Moor. The next phase of the project will be the creation of a four‑star hotel and luxury flats.
Despite initial smirks over the name, Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield, which opened for business three years ago, is one of the country's fastest-growing regional airports.
Other plans include the development of a further 37 acres for mixed-use at the Waterfront, one of the largest remaining town centre brownfield waterfront sites in the UK.
A huge £300m joint development with Muse is also getting off the ground to create a civic and cultural quarter in Doncaster, transforming part of the town centre and providing a civic square and library. It includes the prospect of a boutique hotel and town centre loft apartments to give a fresh sheen of glamour to this once-maligned town.
The property industry may question whether Winter can actually take credit for these developments, but he is convinced he has helped drive these schemes forward by helping to attract inward investment. He points to specific projects - the stadium and Education City - that were instigated by him.
"From an investor point of view, local authorities are known for their slow processes and the tortuous progress through committees," he says. "Having one individual as an elected mayor with a mandate means I can move things forward, encourage investors to come here and, in essence, do the deal."
Doncaster's mayor talks directly to investors and developers, and he believes they prefer the approach simply because it speeds things up. "A mayoral form of government allows you to make decisions," he says. "The racecourse, for instance, had been talked about for 30 years, but never been done. It's not that these developments wouldn't have happened without me, but I do believe they wouldn't have happened in such a short space of time."
The mayor was also instrumental in creating 3D, a strategic partnership between Doncaster council, accountant KMPG and DTZ, tasked with liaising with the private sector and securing inward investment.
It has proved popular with local agents. Jason Barnsdale of Barnsdales says: "3D is very active in getting property professionals and investors from out of town into Doncaster, and it does a good job of selling Doncaster to the rest of the world."
But there remain doubts about the true effect mayors are having. One agent says: "The mayor has the potential to be very powerful and act as a catalyst for change, but the potential doesn't seem to have been quite realised yet."
And there are specific criticisms, most recently concerning the subsidies to the stadium. The flagship £32m community stadium has been losing money, and is subsidising the cost of Doncaster Rovers FC because of what some have called "disastrous financial planning".
Winter responds, saying: "The stadium was delivered on time and on budget - in fact, it was under budget. We then handed the stadium over to the management company. We always said that we expect it will take three years before we have got a well-established business model that will be in profit."
What no-one can argue with isthat Doncaster is changing. And the man at the heart of the plans is passionate about the bold ambitions for his town.
"By 2012," Winter says, "we'll see the birth of a new town, completely unprecedented in terms of that level of regeneration. Just look out of the window here and you can see a city emerging before your eyes."
Market at a glance
The market is steady and rents are holding up
Doncaster is experiencing record levels of investment. More than £340m was invested in 2007
Office rents at Doncaster Lakeside have reached £16 per sq ft - a new high for the town
The first office space to be developed in Doncaster town centre for many years is due for completion in November. Lazurus Properties is quoting £13 per sq ft for its Princess Street scheme
Town-centre offices are available at around £8 per sq ft
Retail demand has been satisfied by the 350,000 sq ft extension of the Frenchgate Shopping Centre
Retail rents have reached £150 per sq ft zone A at the Frenchgate centre, but remain at just over £100 per sq ft in the town centre
Secretaries clock up 53 years with estate agent
[top]
TWO secretaries have notched up a combined 53 years working for a Doncaster estate agent.
Pat Harrison has worked for Barnsdales, on Nether Hall Road, for 28 years while Jean Thompson has just celebrated 25 years with the firm.
When they started Pat, 61, of Hatfield, worked for Malcolm Barnsdale and Jean, 62, of Armthorpe, worked for his brother Butch. Both brothers have since retired.
Jean was the first person at Barnsdales to get an electric typewriter - in the days when manual typewriters were the norm. She had moved back to Doncaster from Canada, where she worked for the Bank of Nova Scotia.
She said: “I’d used an electric typewriter there and when I came here everyone was using manual typewriters which I found hard to get used to again, so I was the first one to get an electric one.
“After that we progressed to word processors and when computers came in I was very nervous of them but now I wouldn’t know what to do without one.”
Jean started as a receptionist before becoming secretary to Butch, who ran the business with Malcolm.
Pat worked full time until she was 60 and now works part-time in the surveying department.
Pat said: “It’s been very interesting working here and there’s been a great deal of variety.”
After working for Butch Jean was secretary to partner Paul Wildsmith and now works for Jan Barrett as a senior residential lettings administrator. She was presented with some pens and a bouquet of flowers by current partner Jason Barnsdale.
She said: “It was strange to be presented with my gifts by Jason because I remember him as a little boy. It doesn’t seem like I have been here 25 years, its flown by. Butch was a great boss and I’ve enjoyed my time here and don’t plan to retire yet.”
Jason Barnsdale said: “Pat and Jean have been loyal employees and are both valued members of staff.”
Barnsdales acquire Bridge Estates
[top] Barnsdales continue to expand their business with the merging of the residential sales businesses of Barnsdales & Bridge Estates. Paul Wildsmith, a Partner at Barnsdales comments; “as part of the Barnsdales business plan we have a strategy in place to expand and develop the whole of our business and this merger with Bridge Estates is the first step towards strengthening our residential sales business and offering an improved service to our valued clients”.
Alison Telford-Simms from Bridge Estates comments; “we are very excited about joining forces with Barnsdales, we have been in discussions with a number of local estate agents, however we were most impressed with the professional and proactive approach from Barnsdales which attracted us to merging our residential sales businesses. “We currently have approximately 60 residential sales on our books and we expect most of these to transfer to Barnsdales, this will create over 250 residential sales across the merged business from the three offices in Doncaster, Thorne & Epworth, with Bridge Estates offices on Bennethorpe closing from the 9th February 2008”.
From the 3rd March 2008 Barnsdales move their residential sales and lettings department to Unit 2 Fraser House; this will see Barnsdales opening modern sales premises to display the properties they are selling from the merged businesses.
For further information you can call Paul Wildsmith or Alison Telford-Simms on 01302 323 453.
Barnsdales open Epworth office
[top] Barnsdales the Doncaster based Chartered Surveyors have opened a new residential sales office in North Lincolnshire town of Epworth. The office has already successfully completed several house sales. This additional office complements Barnsdales two other well established residential sales offices at 45 Netherhall Road, Doncaster and 46 King Street, Thorne.
Paul Wildsmith, a Partner at Barnsdales comments: “This is a very exciting opportunity for Barnsdales, over the last few years our business has been growing and the timing is now right for us to extend our residential sales business. The office occupies a prominent location within the centre of Epworth at 24 High Street and benefits from free customer off street parking directly outside the offices. We would like to welcome any one passing buy to call into the office or telephone on 01427 875 819 and see how we can help sell your house”.
Following this announcement, Barnsdales are also pleased to announce the tie up with The Ridgeway Partnership working with Barnsdales to provide free independent mortgage consultation on a no obligation basis, with no bank interviews or form filling required, please call Barnsdales Mortgage Service on 0845 45 00 151 to book your free consultation.
[Your home is at risk if you do not keep up payment on a mortgage or other loan secured on it. Think carefully before securing debts on your home. Barnsdales Ltd is an Introducer to The Ridgeway Partnership who are directly authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority reference 303555.]
Jason Barnsdale joins Doncaster firm
[top] Jason Barnsdale, formerly Senior Asset Manager at Warner Estate Holdings PLC (“Warner Estate”), has now joined family firm Barnsdales as a Partner. His remit at the Doncaster based Chartered Surveyors is to widen the client base and identify and secure new investment opportunities for in-house clients.
Since he joined Warner Estate in 2001, Jason has been responsible for the asset management of key schemes, including the Royals Shopping Centre in Southend-on-Sea and Middleton Shopping Centre in Middleton. Jason also played an integral role in laying the foundations for a £40million restoration and redevelopment of the Grade II listed Market Hall at Market Place Bolton Shopping Centre in Bolton, which is currently underway.
Michael Stevens, Property Director at Warner Estate comments: “Jason will be very much missed at Warner Estate, where he has been a key player in driving the retail business forward in the last few years. We wish him the very best as he joins his family firm. We also take the opportunity to congratulate Jason and Alison Raine on the happy news of their engagement.”
Barnsdales move commercial offices
[top] After 80 years in the same building Barnsdales have moved their commercial and administration functions to Fraser House on Nether Hall Road. The new open plan, air conditioned offices have meeting room facilities and new IT systems to improve the efficiency of the business. Jason Barnsdale, a Partner at Barnsdales comments; “this move is stage one of our new business plan and starts the transformation of the way our business operates, moving our commercial and administration functions helps us improve our service to our valued clients”.
Jason goes on to comment “Barnsdales commercial business has been growing rapidly, in the last 3 months we are delighted to have become involved with over £15m of new instructions and we are also in discussions concerning a number of other exciting projects for both local and national clients, we have many other exciting plans for Barnsdales which will become apparent as the year pans out, so watch this space”.
In October 2007 Barnsdales put in place a new business plan to develop and expand the business and from the 3rd March 2008 stage two of this business plan will be implemented when Barnsdales move their residential sales and lettings department to Unit 2 Fraser House, this will see Barnsdales opening a modern sales premises to display the 200 properties they are selling.
For further information you can call Jason Barnsdale direct on 01302 308 174.
Barclays deal helps property firm return to family ownership
[top]
Arthur Hartshorne, director Barnsdales, Jason Barnsdale, managing director Barnsdales and John Spalton
A YORKSHIRE commercial property advisory firm has agreed a new structured funding package with Barclays to help finance its expansion plans and return it to fourth generation family ownership.
Barnsdales, which has offices in Doncaster, Sheffield and Scunthorpe, is one of the largest independently owned commercial property advisors in South Yorkshire which was founded in 1905.
The financing in the form of a loan facility from Barclays will be used by the firm to continue its medium term expansion plans and sees it return to fourth generation family ownership with share capital being bought back for an undisclosed sum from former partners in the business.
Managing Director Jason Barnsdale, said: "As part of the Barnsdales business plan we have a strategy in place to expand and develop the whole of our business and Barclays has a genuine understanding of and a funding appetite for our business and growth plans. Right from the start they demonstrated a proactive approach to our needs and the assistance of Barclays allows for our continued programme of expansion and strengthening all areas of our business for the benefit of our clients."
The company has recently expanded opening offices in Sheffield and Scunthorpe.
John Spalton, relationship Director, at Barclays South Yorkshire commented: "The funding we have provided for Barnsdales demonstrates we are open for business and committed to the South Yorkshire market. With this new funding and restructured working capital, we hope that Jason and his team have a record year and continue with their growth strategy and success they have seen over the years."
