Halls Heritage Magazine Issue 01

ISSUE 01

PROPERTY & LAND : ANTIQUES & INTERIORS : FOOD & FARMING

We offer a free valuation of all antiques and collectables on a Monday from 10am-1pm at Halls Holdings House

Halls Fine Art Auctions: Halls Holdings House, Bowmen Way, Battlefield, Shrewsbury, SY4 3DR 01743 450 700

fineart@hallsgb.com

hallsgb.com/fine-art

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CONTENTS 4 Homes 16 Fine Art 22 Agricultural Auctions 31 Commercial Property 38 Land & Farming 42 Food

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Welcome to the first issue of our magazine, Heritage As one of Shropshire’s longest standing businesses (second oldest to be precise) we want to bring you stories from the vast array of local people and places we encounter on a daily basis.

We are proud to have established our business in Shropshire and we are dedicated to serving the people within it and in our surrounding region. Shropshire and our bordering counties hold such variety and history.

We have been privileged to meet fascinating members of this community and share in their lives since 1845 when Halls was founded.

Today we want to bring you some of the stories from our encounters by sharing observations and insights from our team of professionals. If you want to know more you can always ask us for help or advice. With 173 years of working in and around Shropshire we’d like to think we’ve learnt a thing or two but we’ll let you be the judge.

DAVID GILES, Managing Director

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Do you remember the spring snow?

On Friday 2nd March our two Hayleys braved the snow drifts to walk 5 miles from their homes to our Oswestry office in order to keep Halls up and running during blizzards.

That’s a 10 mile round trip, 3 hours walking in total, and it was all worthwhile because they agreed a sale which other lesser agents would have failed to do had they taken the easy option of staying in bed.

Good job ladies!

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P RO P E RT Y F O C U S

ÂŁ850,000 LL20 8BW

RHYSGOG FARM

Rhysgog Farm dates from 1799, outdating even Halls by almost 50 years. This traditional farmhouse enjoys a pleasant position within its 8 acres of land and benefits from a panoramic view of the Vale of Llangollen, to Castle Dinas Bran and the prominent Eglwyseg Rocks.

Contact Hayley Jackson in our Oswestry office for more information 01691 670 320

hayley@hallsgb.com

The character and charm in each room is complemented by beautiful interiors. It has a superb kitchen dining room, garden room, two reception rooms, two bedroom Suites, five further Bedrooms, a superb barn and immaculate grounds.

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We understand that buying and selling houses is not just about bricks and mortar We can help you find the home you’re looking for ‘Halls helped me when everything else had failed… They were friendly, thoughtful and sold my house in just a few weeks for the price I wanted’

MILL VIEW - SY5 9EE OIRO £449,000 5 beds, 3 receptions rooms, 3 bathrooms 01743 236 444

ANSTY HOUSE - SY11 4EQ OIRO £545,000 5 beds, 2 receptions rooms, 2 bathrooms 01691 622 602

Whitchurch

‘Alex was lovely. It was so refreshing to speak to someone who understood what we wanted and could actually give us some advice on the area’

Ellesmere

Oswestry

Shrewsbury

Welshpool

Bishop’s Castle

Kidderminster

Selling A House

Buying A House

One bedroom or ten, it doesn’t change our service. We offer you our whole team and we’ve been selling property in this region for 173 years.

We are local people with local knowledge so you can visit us for help and advice six days a week.

You can view all our properties at

hallsgb.com but we would prefer to meet you so please visit us at your nearest local branch

PENTRE - SY21 9BP £495,000 5 beds, 4 receptions rooms, 2 bathrooms 01938 555 552

FRONLLWYD - SY21 9PG Guide Price £1,500,000 7 beds, 2 bed coach house, 28.5 acres 01938 555 552

P RO P E RT Y F O C U S

From the ultra-modern, contemporary bespoke property, to the traditional country home, our Kidderminster office continues to see demand outstripping supply. Property sales, of all shapes, sizes and price ranges have been strong. A number of sales have been achieved much quicker than expected with multiple bids for certain properties.

FAIRVIEW Fairview is a stunning contemporary detached home with a modern sleek design providing spacious single storey accommodation, beautifully situated within a convenient yet peaceful rural location with outstanding surrounding countryside off the Bridgnorth Road.

Having gambled on a particularly high quality finish the young developer was hoping to see an equally impressive sale price. He sourced four local

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agents but the values quoted by three of them were all around ÂŁ550,000. After some deliberation and careful consideration we marketed the property for ÂŁ640,000, due to the unique nature and styling of this individual property.

Fairview was a truly special development and we were able to see and realise its full potential. The key was to be bold and stand out from the crowd, just like the design of the property.

P RO P E RT Y F O C U S

THE GLASS HOUSE The Glass House is a traditional country home set in a peaceful rural location with a detached annex and adjoining land of approximately five acres. Although a very different property to Fairview, The Glass House was again valued at a lower level by local agents below ÂŁ500,000 and, as with Fairview, we achieved a successful sale that was in excess of ÂŁ500,000.

If you want a valuation for your home or feel that it has been valued incorrectly then please get in touch.

We are here to help and one of our qualified chartered surveyors can visit you to provide a free valuation.

01562 820 880

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P RO P E RT Y F O C U S

SHELMORE FARM A superbly equipped and productive livestock and arable farm for sale by private treaty either as a whole or in 3 lots Shelmore Farm is situated in a quiet, rural location approximately 1 mile along Radmore Lane after tuning off the A518 Newport to Stafford road between Swanpit and Gnosall.

It offers the very rare commodity of a new (2012/13) architect designed house built in a wonderful open location and a similarly new (2007) extensive and welldesigned set of modern farm buildings. The house and buildings are quite centrally set and have good road access. The land offers a good mix of arable and pasture and it should be noted that a quite prolific farm shoot has operated for many years. There is also a delightful landscaped pool area with log cabin and certified caravan park for 5 units on this 203.58 acre plot.

THE HOUSE Constructed in a superb location with beautiful views in this partly oak framed house also has oak joinery within. There are 3 receptions rooms, three bedrooms and two bathrooms. To side of the house is a double garage with a study above. The house is paved all around set in level gardens comprising floral borders with lawns bounded on two sides by a ha ha to pasture land beyond.

NOTE: The house is subject to an Agricultural Occupancy Restriction.

FARM BUILDINGS Constructed in 2007 by Stan Richards on the opposite side of the Council road to the farmhouse an entirely level site bounded to the rear by woodland and approached through a double gated tarmac entrance.

The whole complex is exceptionally well served initially by a tarmac yard and thereafter concrete roads and aprons.

County equestrian buildings range of four stables of cedar wood construction together with two tack rooms.

Grain Store, 80ft x 50ft, of heavy duty steel frame construction incorporating roller shutter door, concrete panel walls and fully clad , (4) Fodder Store, 140ft x 45ft, partly clad, (3) Machinery Store, 100ft x 18ft, open to each side General Purpose single span building, 160ft x 106ft, of steel frame construction with high eaves height used as bull beef unit with wide central feed passage, concreted throughout with panel walling and space boarding above together with concrete roads to the one side and each end. Further 32ft wide lean-to of similar construction, open sided and providing additional cattle housing, (1 & 2) It should be noted that all the buildings are of recent construction and have been built with versatility and adaptability in mind.

For information please contact David Giles: 01743 450 700 davidg@hallsgb.com

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New Development Coming Soon after successful Planning Appeal A long-standing client of Halls Ellesmere office, R & C homes Ltd, have been successful in their Planning Appeal for a residential development of 13 new homes at Big Green, Penley, near Wrexham.

The development will commence shortly and will include a range of 2, 3 and 4 bedroom properties which will be finished to a high standard by this well respected local developer.

For further information or to register your interest in this development, please contact the Ellesmere office: 01691 622 602 ellesmere@hallsgb.com

Our Ellesmere team goes from strength to strength and has recently recruited Olivia Walker who will work alongside Jo Amos in our busy sales department.’ left to right: Allen Gittins Olivia Walker Jon Quinn Gemma Smart Aimee Davies Jo Amos Rebecca Jones

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A VIEW

FROM OVER THE BORDER Our Kidderminster office is experiencing increasing interest from buyers moving out of the West Midlands and neighbouring Shropshire and Herefordshire to the county town of Worcester. With the property market generally being in good health, house prices have increased around seven per cent across Worcester in just one year - with the city’s demand outstripping some other parts of the UK. Bordered by two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and within touching distance of Birmingham, Worcestershire has plenty of pulling power and Kidderminster to the north of the

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County offers convenient access to the motorway network and national rail services and the commute to Birmingham can take as little as 25 minutes by train.

Kidderminster is just 17 miles south west of Birmingham and 15 miles north of Worcester. The surrounding towns and villages are some of the most beautiful and popular locations within the region, with just a small example being Bewdley to the west, Belbroughton to the east and both Kinver and Ombersley to the north and south respectively.

View our homes for sale at hallsgb.com

How will new Lettings Legislation affect you?

Amy Hyde-Fynn has been keeping a close eye on the letting market and has some advice for landlords…

As you may have heard, the Government has decided to make various changes to legislation involving the Private Rental Sector, some of which may affect you more than others.

So, what’s happening? The first change to take place is regarding the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). You may know exactly what they are, you may have just been told that you need one and agreed in a daze of information overload! When you buy a new appliance, there is a lovely little graph on the side that tells you how energy efficient it is, and legally the vast majority of properties for sale and for rent need to have one. The higher up the alphabet you are, the less you should be spending on utilities to heat and power your home. The new changes coming in April mean that a rented property has to have a rating of ‘E’ or above and that you can’t start or renew a tenancy if it is below that.

If your property is a listed building, then this is unlikely to affect you at the moment, as most listed buildings don’t need to have an EPC. If you are unsure if you have an EPC for your rented property, then you can either speak to your Letting Agent, or check online at www.epcregister. com and put in the property address.

Okay, so now you know what an EPC is, and you’ve found the one for your rental property, and.. Oh. Oh, dear. It’s not good. The heating system is about as efficient as a fence made of toothpicks and the bulbs are more powerful than Blackpool Illuminations! Fortunately, you probably won’t need to take out a new mortgage to make significant changes to your rating, and some of the more expensive bits are eligible for grants.

Rather than go charging in, flinging new light bulbs at the tenants and stapling tinfoil and bubble-wrap over windows you can ask us about the most cost-efficient way to increase the efficiency, because we have been made aware of some grants that tenants can apply for to get changes done for free. Nearly all of these grants are backed by the Government, and are completely subject to their criteria, but we can help you jump through the hoops.

Although this is not ideal in the short term, a modern, more energy efficient property is more attractive to tenants which will hopefully minimise your vacant periods, and may even attract a higher rent.

To discuss lettings legislation please call Amy on 01562 820 880 or email kidderminsterletting@hallsgb.com

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P R E M I U M P RO P E RT Y

FRONLLWYD 14

Fronllwyd, Llanerchydol Welshpool, Powys, SY21 9PG Guide price ÂŁ1,500,000 A fine, period, imposing 7 bedroom, 4 reception room country home with a traditional courtyard consisting of 2 bedroom Coach House, original stabling and stalls and modern multi-purpose building, Leisure/Sports Area comprising indoor swimming pool, games/barbeque room and tennis court, and delightful

mature landscaped gardens, surrounding parkland, and paddocks extending in all to approximately 28.5 acres.

Fronllwyd dates back to the 1840’s and has the benefit of many of the features and architecture from the late Georgian and early Victorian eras. The house is a large property but has a wonderful welcoming and homely feel to it with well-proportioned rooms and large windows offering plenty of light and delightful views from all aspects. Fronllwyd sits in an

enviable elevated position above the market town of Welshpool and is surrounded by its own land.

It is accessed over a private driveway with electric gated access and offers all of the benefits of a truly rural existence whilst being within walking distance of town centre amenities.

ENQUIRIES Welshpool Office: 1 Church St, Welshpool SY21 7LH

01938 555 552 welshpool@hallsgb.com

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A flavour of the

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O R I E N T

Asian Art specialist Alexander Clement explores the rich and varied world of Chinese cloisonné One of the most labour intensive and, consequently, highly prized of the Asian arts is cloisonné enamel. Distinctive, rich and ceaselessly varied, this sought after branch of the decorative arts is a triumph of craftsmanship; for the end product to be worth so much when the raw materials used to make it are comparatively humble.

Such was the esteem in which cloisonné was held during the Qing Dynasty in China that the emperor Qianlong (1736-1795) ate his food from cloisonné dishes while his retinue dined on gold, silver or porcelain tableware. The production of this art form requires an army of craftspeople, each adept at their part of the process, and several weeks or even months to complete a single work. It is only through this process that the simple materials of copper and glass are combined to such extraordinary effect.

Red copper is the base material of choice which the Chinese artisans of the Ming Dynasty found to be highly ductile. This allowed the development of thin and light shapes onto which a fine wire

could be fused forming the ‘cells’.

The term cloisonné is derived from the French ‘cloison’ meaning ‘partition’ or ‘compartment’ and these are formed using fine copper wire that must be carefully bent to shape before being applied to the body of the object. The wire is bonded using a glue made from bletilla tuber so that it stays in place to form a complete design.

To fuse the design to the body, it is fired using a zinc brazing flux.

With the design fixed in place the next stage is filling with colour. This is a special glaze made with metal oxide for the hue together with quartz and silica as well as gypsum and borax which would help the main ingredients to melt. In addition, calcium luoride and arsenic were used to clarify and opacify the mixture. This glaze was mixed and fired to fuse it together and then, when cooled and solid, it was ground into a fine powder, ready for applying to the copper ware.

The most common colour used in cloisonné is blue and it is this colour that gives its name to many of the processes such as ‘blue

painting’ and ‘blue firing’. The glaze powder is mixed with water and then applied with a tool known as a ‘blue gun’ and a straw to each individual compartment of the design. Depending on the complexity of the pattern, this could be an extremely time consuming process and one requiring high levels of skill and artistry.

Once completely filled with glaze, the object goes through its first blue firing. As the water from the glaze evaporates, it fuses with the body but sinks below the level of the copper wire. And so the process of filling with glaze and re-firing begins again, up to three further times, until the glaze is flush with the wire. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the firing kilns used wood fuel and so building up to the correct temperature would take four to six hours.

After the last glaze firing, there was still a further major process to complete. Polishing the ware was another highly skilled job, carried out by a craftsman with technical knowledge across all processes, such that they could detect faults that might need putting right. The polishing was carried out using grinding stones of increasing fineness; first emery, then yellow stone and finally basswood carbon, creating a perfectly smooth, glassy surface.

The last process is a final firing with clear glaze followed by gilding. The gilding of exposed copper serves firstly to prevent the metal from oxidising but also adds a touch of

splendour to the object. Each of these essential steps in producing the best cloisonné was lengthy and laborious but also demanded the very best craftspeople to carry them out. The end result was a material considered more precious than gold which is small wonder that it became the preserve of emperors.

FINE ART

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A rare early 18th Century Dutch silver tea caddy, Johannes van der Toorn I, 1714-1743 Gravenhage (The Hague), date marked B, 1724 Sold £7,400 After Daniel Mytens (1590-1647) Portrait of Prince Charles (later Charles First) Sold £12,000

Highlights from our March Auction Our Spring auction of fine pictures, silver and jewellery brought a large crowd to our saleroom, phone lines and the internet.

Amongst the highlights were these three outstanding lots. Our next sale of fine pictures, silver and jewellery will be on June 20th and you can view the catalogue from June 1st via our website. www.hallsgb.com/fine-art

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After Hans Holbein (1509-1537) Portrait of Jane Seymour Sold £20,000

Coming up in Spring & Summer A Martin Brothers stoneware tobacco jar and cover dated 1907, 29cm high Estimate £20,000-£30,000

Martin Brothers Birds In the late Victorian period, many craftsmen took note of the William Morris call to arms in turning away from large scale production and setting up their own smaller manufactories, concentrating on their manual skills in defiance of the encroaching machine age. In 1873, four brothers Robert Wallace, Walter Fraser, Edwin and Charles Douglas Martin set up a pottery in Fulham to produce art pottery which reflected their particular fascinations. Amongst their steady, although by no means prodigious, output, were a series of grotesque pottery birds, often caricatures of famous politicians of the day. The birds were Robert Wallace Martin’s idea and he may have been inspired by his work as a stone carver on Pugin and Barry’s new Houses of Parliament-plenty of gargoyles to fire the imagination! The brothers Martin worked together on the bird jars, named ‘Wally’ birds after Robert Wallace Martin and these pottery avian oddities soon became famous in their own right.

Today Martin ware ‘Wally’ birds are highly collectable and have a timeless quality and cheeky expression which is both amusing and contemporary. They have become extremely sought after in the market place and expensive with even small examples selling for £3,000-£4,000.

Halls are fortunate to be offering four examples of the genre with the largest, 29cm and dated 1907 estimated at £20,000-£30,000 and three smaller examples at £8,000-£12,000 in the Summer Fine Art Auction on Wednesday 23rd May.

April 25th Asian Art May 2nd Collective Sale May 23rd Summer Fine Art June 6th Collective Sale June 20th Fine Pictures, Silver & Jewellery July 4th Collective Sale July 16th Fine Pictures Exhibition August 1st Collective Sale August 29th Toys, Books & Militaria

FINE ART

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ASIAN ART AUCTION 25 April 2018 Catalogue available to view from April 6th

A PAIR OF CHINESE SANCAI GLAZED HORSES, QING DYNASTY A present from Ingrid Bergman to her makeup artist John O’Gorman in 1964, thence by descent to the vendor Estimate £2,500-3,500

Rare Chinese Horses Have An Unlikely Connection To The Big Screen We have been instructed to sell a pair of Chinese stoneware horses that have a unique story. These late Qing Dynasty horses are estimated at £2500-£3500, a price that is not only justified by their provenance but by a famous connection. Our Auctioneer and Asian Art specialist, Alexander Clement, says

‘These figures are of exquisite quality and to have such a heartwarming story associated with them only makes them more desirable.’

John O’Gorman (1911-1977) was a British makeup artist for the motion picture industry, a career which began in 1947 with Mine Own Executioner starring Dulcie Gray.

Among no fewer than 69 film credits O’Gorman worked on the first James Bond picture Dr. No (1962) with Ursula Andress as well as Charade (1963) with Audrey Hepburn, There’s a Girl in my Soup (1970) with Peter Sellers, the Beatles vehicle A Hard Day’s Night (1964) and The Yellow Rolls-Royce (1964) with Ingrid Bergman.

Such did his reputation become as an expert in his field that actresses like Ingrid Bergman, Ursula Andress and Raquel Welch specifically requested him to do their makeup on shoots.

It was during the filming of The Yellow Rolls Royce with Ingrid Bergman on location in Rome that O’Gorman spotted a pair of Chinese glazed stoneware horses in an antique shop. Though he admired them greatly they were just beyond his means. He mentioned them in passing to Bergman while continuing to work but thought no more about them until the shoot wrapped and everyone was leaving. Ingrid Bergman took O’Gorman to one side and said that there was a crate waiting for him with a present inside. On opening the crate he was delighted to discover the Chinese horses he had so wanted.

The horses remained in the family and were passed down to his son and daughter on his death in 1977.

Reunited for this auction, we are pleased to offer the O’Gorman-Bergman horses in our Asian Art sale on April 25th.

FINE ART

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Auction Ca Shrewsbury

Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY4 3DR 01743 462 620 hallsgb.com/auctions

WEANLINGS, COWS & CALVES AND YOUNG BULLS Tuesday 10th April Tuesday 24th April Tuesday 8th May Tuesday 22nd May Tuesday 5th June Tuesday 19th June Tuesday 3rd July Tuesday 17th July Tuesday 31st July Tuesday 14th August Tuesday 28th August Tuesday 11th September Tuesday 25th September Tuesday 9th October

DAIRY YOUNG STOCK

STORE CATTLE

SHEEP

Tuesday 17th April

Thursday 12th April

Tuesday 10th July

Thursday 26th April

Saturday 21st July Pedigree Suffolk Sheep

Tuesday 29th May Tuesday 26th June Tuesday 24th July Tuesday 21st August Tuesday 18th September Tuesday 30th October Tuesday 27th November

Thursday 10th May Thursday 31st May Thursday 19th July

Sunday 29th July Traditional & Native Rare Breed Sale

Thursday 9th August

Tuesday 7th August

Thursday 30th August

Tuesday 21st August

Thursday 13th September

Tuesday 4th September

Thursday 27th September

Saturday 8th September

Thursday 11th October

Tuesday 18th September

Thursday 1st November

Tuesday 2nd October

Thursday 15th November

Tuesday 16th October

Thursday 6th December

Tuesday 30th October

Thursday 21st June

Thursday 20th December

Tuesday 23rd October Tuesday 6th November Tuesday 20th November Tuesday 4th December Tuesday 18th December

Halls Holdings House, Bowmen Way, Battlefield, Shrewsbury, SY4 3DR

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Tuesday 24th July

alendar

Kidderminster Bishops Castle The Gallops, Stanklyn Lane, Stone, Kidderminster, Worcs. DY10 4AR

Station Street, Bishops Castle SY9 5DD

01562 820 880 / 820 990

01588 638 639

hallsgb.com/auctions

hallsgb.com/auctions

PLANT AND MACHINERY

PLANT AND MACHINERY

BREEDING SHEEP

Friday 6th April

Friday 27th April

Friday 7th September

Friday 25th May

Saturday 6th October

Friday 1st June Friday 3rd August Friday 5th October Friday 7th December Items For Catalogue Please 2 Weeks Prior To Sale Date.

Friday 29th June Friday 27th July

STORE CATTLE

Friday 31st August

Thursday 5th April

Friday 28th September

Thursday 19th April

Friday 26th October

Thursday 3rd May

Friday 30th November

Thursday 17th May Thursday 14th June

No Sale In December

Thursday 12th July

Catalogue Entries: 12 Days Prior To The Sale. Catalogues Can Be Downloaded From Our Web Site:

Thursday 16th August Thursday 20th Septebmer

www.hallsgb.com

Thursday 4th October

Delivery Of Items To Be On The Thursday 8am – 5pm Prior To The Sale Day

Thursday 18th October

All Items Must Be Removed Before 12 Noon Saturday Following The Sale Day

Thursday 8th November

Thursday 25th October Thursday 22nd November Thursday 13th December

01743 450 700

sales@hallsgb.com

hallsgb.com/auctions

AUCTIONS

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A VELLUM AND SHEET COPPER FRAMED CIRCULAR WALL MIRROR Carlo Bugatti (1856-1940) Signed ‘Bugatti’ circa 1900-1905 Sold for £4,600

Inviting entries for our

SUMMER FINE ART AUCTION 23rd May 2018

Entries close 23rd April 2018

MEET THE TEAM

MEET THE TEAM

LIVESTOCK We are proud to continue a rich history of livestock auctions in Shropshire. We operate markets in Bishops Castle and Shrewsbury offering a friendly and professional service to farmers looking to buy and sell a variety of livestock from fat lambs to store cattle.

Our team of knowledgeable auctioneers include (l-r) Jonny Dymond, David Giles, Allen Gittens, James Evans, Stuart Richards, Nick Griffiths, Peter Willcock and David Bryan Jones. If you require help or advice please feel free to get in touch.

AUCTIONS

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We are proud to host The National Beef Association (NBA) renowned Beef Expo at our Shrewsbury Auction Centre. The annual highlight of the beef industry calendar is due to take place on Friday 25th May with organisers looking to build upon the huge success of last year’s event at Stoneleigh.

Bringing together the very best in British commercial and pedigree cattle, equipment, ground-breaking developments, and show classes for everyone involved in the industry, NBA Beef Expo is a celebration and exploration of everything British Beef has to offer.

The NBA Beef Expo is considered a major showcase for pedigree and commercial breed societies which want to promote the quality of their cattle. Thanks to

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this, the event displays some of the finest examples of British breeding anywhere in the UK. Farmers, exhibitors, agricultural companies and interested members of the public also use the annual event to network, do business and share knowledge, as well as seeing the crème de la crème of British beef cattle.

Over the years the NBA Beef Expo has become a highlight in the beef farming calendar. Representing all the industry has to offer in terms of new developments, breeding expertise and celebrating the work of all beef farmers across the UK regardless of breed or method. The event attracts experts and industry leaders looking to educate both the farming community and the public, encouraging respect and innovation from all corners of the market.

National Beef Association:

Beef Expo May 25th

In line with the event theme ‘Beef Up Our Future’ the show will encompass the entirety of the beef industry and its ancillary industries with over 100 indoor and outdoor trade stands and demonstrations, covering nutrition, genetics, machinery and technologies, highlighting the strength and progression of the industry.

An array of technical seminars and debates will continue this theme investigating how we as an industry can work together to make our farms and supply chains more economically viable, integrated and transparent as we prepare to leave the EU. Visitors will be invited to join the NBA for a day of Beef Expo farm tours on Thursday the 24th of May, giving guests the opportunity to view three

exceptional beef farms hand-picked from across Shropshire and the Welsh Borders. This forum for knowledge exchange has sold out for three years running and is not to be missed - early booking is highly recommended! The farm tours will be followed by the prestigious Beef Expo Industry Dinner, the ultimate networking event for those within the industry.

Online applications are now open for trade stands, breed societies, cattle exhibitors and visitors wishing to attend the event. Please visit, www.beefexpo.co.uk to make your booking. Visitor tickets will be £10 prior to the event or £15 on the day. Please ask at the mart for further details or to buy tickets.

AUCTIONS

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The Perfection Collection A British sale with a difference April 21st

Shrewsbury Auction Centre, Bowmen Way, Battlefield, SY4 3DR 01743 462 620 Sparked by hunger to provide an elite one-stop-shop marketplace for top UK genetics, 3 friends embarked on a mission to create a British sale like no other. And on April 21st, Richard Bostock, James Doherty and Tom Lomas will see their brainchild come into fruition as their Perfection

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Collection sale takes centre stage at our Shrewsbury Livestock Market, abley supported by Jonny Dymond and fully backed by the full team at Halls.

animals for their full potential.

Currently in the UK there is 1 sale in December where breeders can sell elite animals, we wanted to provide another option in the spring.’

Richard Bostock explains:

The young team have travelled over 3,000 miles across the length and breadth of the UK and Northern Ireland in search of around round 100 World Class Pedigrees that will go under the hammer.

Predominately Holstein, but also Jersey, Brown Swiss and Ayrshire breeds. Having enquiries from around the world, Bostock adds:

‘These past couple of years UK cattle have brought top prices at sales in mainland Europe. In our eyes, breeders shouldn’t have to travel so far for the prices they deserve. Our vision was to bring the atmosphere and prestige of these sales back to the UK, providing breeders with a platform where they can sell their

Weak Pound and Strong Export Trade Strengthens Trade for Used Farm Machinery

‘We have been honoured by the level of backing breeders have shown us. Sales like this don’t come for free and we are very grateful of support from breeders and sponsors.’

With the strapline: “British sale, European atmosphere, worldclass pedigrees” Lots will include progeny from 4 World Champions, countless World Dairy Expo champions, and 4 UK Dairy Expo Champions.

Also catalogued are some of the best pedigrees in Europe with 1 Lot consigned from Germany, two from Holland and four from Italy. The line-up will include fresh milking heifers and animals with high genomic indices.

If you are looking for a easy way into new families, want to top up the tank with fresh milking two year olds or fancy a couple of show calves to have a bit of fun with the family at local shows this year then get on down to Shrewsbury Market for a spectacle never before seen in the UK and the very best hospitality in the country.

The low value of sterling has continued to boost the second hand machinery market, with dealers struggling to meet the demands of the extremely buoyant export market. Plant and machinery that is no longer popular in the UK still has a strong market in Ireland, Eastern Europe and Africa. The varied soil types and ground conditions throughout the UK has meant we utilise a wide variety of equipment, suited to an array of specifications, which is another reason UK equipment has such a high export demand.

Managing assets is crucial in modern farm businesses, selling used equipment is not limited to struggling businesses or after there has been a change of enterprise. The strategic sale of used farm machinery which utilises the seasonality of kit and targets the demand from buyers, can maximise the price achieved, and provide a boost to the cashflow. It is important to remember that machinery has a value, which fluctuates throughout the year, so selling at the right time is an easy way to maximise returns.

The longer disused machinery sits idle on the farmyard, the

quicker the depreciation will take effect, reducing both the useful life of the item and the value at the end. In addition, having an array un-used machinery on your yard, dripping various fuels and oils would not be seen favourably with Cross Compliance regulations or indeed an Inspector.

We are still in a period of favourable tax allowances for the purchase of equipment.

The current annual investment allowance is £200,000 for purchases of most plant and machinery, the amount you have spent is then deducted from your business profit before tax is applied, making it’s a prime opportunity to update used equipment to fully utilise this allowance to reduce your tax bill.

We hold regular collective plant and machinery sales at both our Shrewsbury and Kidderminster sites. We have a range of experienced auctioneers and valuers who are able to provide you with advice regarding any equipment you want to sell.

For more information contact Eleanor Watkins 01562 820 880

AUCTIONS

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MACHINERY Our machinery auctions go from strength to strength with more variety than ever.

Sarah Hulland holds regular sales at our Kidderminster site and Jonny Dymond at our Shrewsbury site.

If you are looking to sell we offer a free and comprehensive valuation of your items and advice on when and where to sell them. If you want up to date information on our sales and the items being sold please go to our website and download the catalogues or ring us on 01743 450 700 for more details.

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New Horizons in 2018

2018 has marked both a diversification of our commercial portfolio at a national level, together with a widening of our geographic reach.

Our commercial team has been instructed to sell an investment of four houses in multiple occupation (HMO) near to Bangor University in North Wales. Located in College Road, It is a rare opportunity to acquire a substantial premises providing 31 bedrooms, all income producing, with further asset management potential.

The four terraced houses are prominently located in the sought after ‘golden mile’ that serves the university and has off road parking at the rear. The premises are well presented and have undergone maintenance works to a high standard.

With 31 bedrooms included, the opportunity exists to create more bedrooms by converting spaces such as the ground floor common sitting rooms, the roof void within the properties and the potential development of further residential accommodation to the rear of the property.

The asking price of £2,250,000 reflects an initial yield of 6.5%, after stamp duty and acquisition costs of 1.5%.

The team is excited to be expanding the portfolio across national markets and recognises that student accommodation is a growing sector.

Further expansion in this sector has led to the Commercial team also winning an instruction in recent weeks to market a very well maintained HMO investment portfolio in Worcester, providing 48 bedrooms, one lower ground floor apartment and one penthouse apartment, arranged across one detached and two terraced properties. These are 68

Bath Road, 79 Lowesmoor and Woodside, Larkhill Road, all located in, or close to, the city centre.

The properties have been the subject of an ongoing scheme of maintenance and improvement works and the condition of the properties together with their location combine to create a strong HMO investment opportunity for property investors. There is the potential in the future to further enhance the investment return by the further asset management of the properties.

The properties can also be purchased separately.

Halls Commercial is instructed to seek proposals for our client’s freehold interest in the region of £2,500,000, subject to contract and the existing occupational tenancies, reflecting a Net Initial Yield of 8.0% (after stamp duty and acquisition costs).

The Worcester instruction marks further growth in the team’s personnel, with the arrival of Huw Bevan. Huw joins us to focus on agency work in the Worcester region and has already won a number of landmark instructions, including the letting of the Boucher Building, a former Victorian textiles building in the centre of Kidderminster.

Huw joins Rebecca Welch and James Evans in the commercial agency team.

Anyone interested in learning more about the opportunities available in this marketplace should contact the Halls Commercial team 01743 450700 commercialmarketing@hallscommercial.com

COMMERCIAL

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Commercial Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs)

The majority of property owners will by now be aware that from April 2018 there will be changes to the legislation relating to Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) which will have an impact on how easily a building can be sold or let.

The changes are not straightforward and it is difficult to say with any certainty at this stage what the criteria for exemption will be.

Halls Commercial is pleased to be able to offer advice on this subject working closely with our independent expert Nigel Ingham of IDEA Ltd. Nigel provides an overview of the topic and some sound advice for property owners in the paragraphs below: Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) were introduced in 2007 and are a legal requirement whenever domestic or nondomestic (commercial) properties are sold or let. The EPC is carried out by an accredited Energy Assessor. A commercial EPC is more complex and detailed than its domestic counterpart hence costs more to carry out. The commercial EPC takes account of room activities, heating, ventilation and air conditioning along with the lighting.

In addition to the commercial EPC, a Recommendations Report (RR) is produced which advises

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how energy consumption may be reduced in a cost-effective manner. This report is required at the same time as an EPC.

Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES)

EPCs and the associated RR are valid for ten years unless significant changes are made to the building, such as an extension.

From April 2018, a property will need to have a minimum of an E rating if it is to be let or sold after this date. This is a Government introduced requirement. There will be an exemption register which will make it possible for some properties to be exempted from this legislation.

Nevertheless, an EPC will need to have been carried out in the first place and calculations carried out before a property can be formally exempted. Details of MEES and exemptions can be found in a Government document https://www.gov.uk/government/ publications/the-non-domesticprivate-rented-propertyminimum-standard-landlordguidance.

Not all properties require an EPC, the following non-domestic buildings are EPC exempt • L isted Buildings (initially these required an EPC but are now exempted) • Detached commercial buildings with a Gross Internal Area (GIA) of 50 m2 • Religious buildings (such as churches) • L ow Energy Buildings (usually warehouse buildings with no personnel areas such as offices or toilets) • B uildings that have no fixed heating will still require an EPC if they have personnel areas, such as a sales area, office or toilet. Typical examples include small lock up shops or small office suites.

Gaining the best possible EPC rating

What if my building has a very poor EPC rating?

All energy assessors are required to assess a building as it is seen, and are regularly quality checked by their accreditation schemes.

They are required to assess with the lighting and heating that is fitted, or in the case of no fittings they are to use the worst-case scenario defaults.

If your property has a poor rating (E or F rating), it will still be lettable in April 2018, but there will come a point when it may no longer be possible to let the building (see Section 1.2.1 of the Government guidance).

However, it is possible to improve the rating of a building before it is assessed by considering the following points.

Lighting This has a significant bearing on commercial EPCs scores, therefore replacing any tungsten or halogen lights with fluorescent or LED lights.

Heating If the property has fitted heating providing details of the models of boilers or air conditioning units can be useful.

Loft insulation Do not forget that hot air rises and therefore ensuring that there is loft insulation in place is a low-cost improvement measure.

Ideally 200 – 300 mm of loft insulation should be put in pace

For buildings with an EPC they will be lettable until 2023, unless the current EPC expires before them.

For example, an EPC carried out in 2009 will need renewing in 2019 (as EPCs have a ten-year validity), and therefore if it is an E or F or will not be possible to let in 2019 unless it is on the Exemptions Register.

If your property has not yet got an EPC and is assessed before April 2018, it will be possible to let until 2023.

If an EPC is carried out after April 2018, the new legislation will apply straightaway and if it is an E or F cannot be let or sold after this date

www.ndepcregister.com. The sections in the report detail how improvements can be made, but a quick checklist is • Replace any tungsten or halogen lighting with fluorescent or LED lighting • Try to avoid electrical heating (storage heaters and panel heaters). Ideally modern condensing gas (or oil) boilers or high efficiency air conditioning are much better.

• Make sure there is roof insulation.

If in doubt about improvement measures, it may well be cost effective to have a voluntary EPC done that is not lodged and acts as a feasibility study. The cost of the EPC assessment will be much cheaper than double glazing throughout, only to find that the replacement glazing has a limited improvement on the rating.

Improvements can be made to properties. If the property has an EPC, firstly by looking at the Recommendations Report. This can be found at

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY

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C O M M E RC I A L P RO P E RT Y F O C U S

UNDER OFFER

Land at Battlefield Roundabout

Shrewsbury, Shropshire A49/A53 Prominently located commercial development land 5.277 acres (2.136 hectares) offering prime roadside land For sale: POA

Residential development site

Crew Green, SY5 9AT An opportunity to buy an attractive well located residential development site Planning consent for 8 residential homes (three 3 bedroomed houses and five 4 bedroomed houses) Site within proximity of the town of Shrewsbury, Oswestry and Welshpool.

Panoramic views over surrounding rural countryside For Sale: offers in the region of ÂŁ575,000 (exclusive)

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Yew Tree Inn

Shrewsbury Road, All Stretton, Shropshire SY6 6HG Historic public house Total site area of approximately 1.46 acres (0.59 hectares) Planning consent for 4 new build residential houses and conversion of 2 other residential properties Available as a whole or separately For Sale by Informal Tender

UNDER OFFER

Unit 3D, Block B

Worcester Trading Estate, Worcester WR3 8HR Substantial Industrial Unit and Offices Prominently located property on the Worcester Trading Estate Workshop of 418 sq m (4,793 sq ft) Site offices of 14 sq m (150 sq ft) To Let: ÂŁ25,000 per annum (exclusive)

The Cross Keys

North Road, Llanymynech, Shropshire SY22 6EA Prominently located public house in outstanding rural location with car park Suitable for a variety of alternative uses (subject to consents) Function suite & 6 letting rooms Private 2 bed management flat and living accommodation For Sale: £225,000 (exclusive) plus stock at valuation

SOLD

7 & 8 Tower Street

Ludlow, Shropshire SY8 1RL SOLD Retail Investment (Existing business unaffected) A prominently located retail investment in sought after town of Ludlow Situated on main retail street For Sale: Offers in excess of £350,000 (exclusive)

Town centre of Whitchurch

Shropshire Significant mixed investment portfolio for sale A variety of retail, commercial & residential properties Asset management opportunity Equating to a net initial yield of 7.11% and a net reversionary yield of 7.19% For Sale: Offers in excess of £2,250,000 (exclusive)

40 High Street

Whitchurch, Shropshire SY13 1BB A large retail unit in prime position next door to Costa 2 floors of offices above and generous parking to the rear Property available as a whole or can be divided to suit individual needs To Let: from £25,000 per annum for the retail space (exclusive)

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY

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C O M M E RC I A L P RO P E RT Y F O C U S

3 Church Street

Oswestry, Shropshire SY11 2SU New Town Centre Retail/ A3 Development 32-255 sq m (348-2,747 sq ft) Prime position on Church Street in the centre of Oswestry, with national retailers nearby Variety of sized units Public car park to rear To Let: POA

First Floor Office, St James’ House

Plot 23, Shrewsbury Business Park, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY2 6F Part of a high-quality office building, centrally located approximately 2 miles from the town centre 5 parking spaces 90.5 sq m (974 sq ft) Available to Let on New Lease £12,500 per annum (exclusive)

1 Marlowe Court

Shakespeare Way, Whitchurch, Shropshire SY13 1QR Well-presented office space Modern business park setting close to A525 bypass Extending to 137.6 sq m (1,481 sq ft) 6 parking spaces For Sale: £135,000 (exclusive)

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92-98 Colmore Row

Birmingham B3 2AB Prominent business location Suites from 252-758 sq m (2,723-8,169 sq ft) New VRF heat recovery air conditioning system Portered/concierge reception area To Let: £18 psf (exclusive)

Halls provide a comprehensive commercial property service.

Whether you are looking to buy, sell, rent or develop, the Halls commercial property team will help you achieve your business objectives in a way that is appropriate for your situation.

Sales Lettings Valuations Property Investment Auctions Building surveying Development Consultancy Property & Asset management

STAFFORDSHIRE

NORTH WALES

SHROPSHIRE

WEST MIDLANDS

WORCESTERSHIRE

Halls Commercial: Halls Holdings House, Bowmen Way, Battlefield, Shrewsbury, SY4 3DR 01743 450 700

commercialmarketing@hallsgb.com

hallsgb.com/commercial

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY

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RURAL PROFESSIONAL Our Rural Professional team are at the forefront of property, land and livestock issues. The team are currently advising land owners throughout the region on issues from water to the fast approaching HS2 rail link. Their aim is to advise in a timely and sympathetic way whilst making sure the needs of the clients are met.

Since 1845 they have dealt with such variety that we always feel confident they can help if you have a query or concern. In this issue they explain new rules on water for farmers, dealing with phone mast applications and an increase in the region’s poultry ventures. If you want advice feel free to contact Halls or any of our professional team directly.

You can also bend their ear at the following shows that we will be attending this spring and summer

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Shropshire Show

26th May 2018

Oswestry Show

4th August 2018

Minsterley Show

18th August 2018

New Farming Rules For Water From 2nd April 2018, all Farmers in England will have to follow a new set of rules relating to water.

Most of the rules overlap with existing Cross Compliance and Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ) requirements, so are not necessarily “new”. For this reason, DEFRA expects that most farmers will already comply.

The eight rules include: 1: Planning use of manures and fertilisers 2: Storing organic manures 3: Applying manures or fertilisers 4: Where not to apply organic manures 5: Where not to apply fertiliser 6: Reasonable precautions to prevent soil erosion 7: Protecting against soil erosion by livestock 8: Position of livestock feeders In depth information on each rule is available on the gov.uk website so I will not go into detail here.

The key changes that are not already covered by Cross Compliance are; The requirement to carry out soil tests and analysis on all cultivated land, every 5 years.

The need to plan nutrient use (manure and fertiliser) on all agricultural land, not just land within an NVZ. Restrictions on where livestock feeders can be located.

The rules will be enforced by the Environment Agency who plan to take an “advice-led” approach and it is thought that enforcement action should only be necessary where there is serious potential or existing risk to water quality.

Louise Preece BSc (Hons) MRICS FAAV

RURAL PROFESSIONAL

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SHAUN JONES BSC HONS MRICS FAAV RURAL DIRECTOR

New Territory For Phone Masts Historically negotiation of terms for new mobile phone mast sites and lease renewals was carried out by commercial negotiation.

Following strong lobbying by Operators for regulation the Electronic Communications Code came into effect in December 2017. Despite it extending to nearly 70 pages and Ofcom’s commentary extending to circa 100 pages there is still ambiguity.

Until recently Operators have been willing to agree terms and document lease renewals. In the last 12 months they have dragged their feet to put it mildly hoping that the new Code will help them.

Since introduction of the new Code I am surprised how many Site Providers have come out of the woodwork and said their lease expired two years ago. Generally, it is better for a Site Provider to have an up-to-date lease as opposed to relying on their expired lease but now every case will depend on its merits.

The next two years will be interesting, no doubt with Operators pushing their luck. I urge Site Providers not to agree to terms without taking advice.

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Secure Consent For Dwellings Before Affordable Housing Requirements Change Adopted Council Policy in Shropshire from 2012 requires all new open market developments to deliver a contribution towards affordable housing (either on site or via a financial payment) ranging from 10% to 20% of the number of units depending upon the location in the County.

A Written Ministerial Statement from 2014, relaxed the requirements so that developments only trigger a contribution if they deliver more than 10 units or 1000 square metres of development (or more than 5 units in some smaller named settlements).

Landowners and developers naturally prefer to maximise

value and avoid/dilute these obligations. The percentage of Affordable Housing required varies substantially across the UK. A number of National Government Consultations and Statements have been released recently trying to stimulate house building and introduce consistency in the proportion of Affordable Housing Contributions on sites.

There is scope for Shropshire Council and other Local Authorities to revise its Policy so that it supercedes the Written Ministerial Statement. Therefore, we encourage potential applicants to progress plans and secure consents whilst guidelines are favourable.

Pursue Poultry Sheds Before Ecological Concerns Spread The last three years in particular has seen many planning applications for 16,000 or 32,000 bird free range egg laying units in Shropshire and Powys.

Following a High Court case in Spring 2017 NRW in Powys and Shropshire Council’s Ecology Team have wished to work on lower ammonia thresholds, to provide greater protection for certain environmental features; Sites of Scientific Interest, Ramsars Sites, Special Areas of Conservation, Ancient Woodland and Local Wildlife Sites.

Unfortunately, now broiler or free-range applications within 1-2 km of these particular features will find it harder to meet the lower thresholds. In some cases, it will prevent consent from being achievable.

Proximity, bird numbers and site sensitivity influence the chance of success. Shropshire Council’s Ecology team have put the brakes on for a few months but in early March an extension to a free-range unit was approved with mitigation including tree planting.

Hopefully most sites will still secure consent with some mitigation.

There are only a handful of Counties in the UK advocating the new approach including Powys and Shropshire. There is strong industry opposition to the substantial alteration in ammonia threshold which equates to lowering the speed limit from 60mph to 15mph without any consultation.

I therefore encourage any Farmers outside of these Counties who are considering a poultry venture to pursue it, in case ammonia thresholds are changed across a larger area. Poultry enterprises produce impressive financial returns, compared to conventional enterprises, and are not dependant on subsidy.

RURAL PROFESSIONAL

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The Café recipe We think for scones to be at their best, they absolutely, positively must be freshly baked. For that reason we bake fresh batches every single day. By popular demand, we are very pleased to introduce the wholemeal lemon buttermilk scone, a light and fluffy lemon scone with a sweet, zesty hit of homemade lemon curd, served with clotted cream.

Fancy replicating our scones at home? Try this recipe.

They’re quick and easy to prepare, delicious with afternoon tea and always a real treat.

Lemon Buttermilk Scones FOR THE SCONES

Pre heat oven to 180c

300g plain flour

Weigh the flours and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat with the beater attachment until breadcrumby.

(makes 12)

200g wholemeal flour 100g butter 100g caster sugar 5 level tspn baking powder Grated zest of 1 lemon 1 tblspn lemon juice 2 eggs 180-200ml buttermilk

Add the sugar, baking powder and lemon zest and beat slowly With the motor still running, slowly add the rest of the ingredients.

Mix until combined (don’t over mix).

Lay a sheet of parchment paper on a baking tray.

Turn out the mix on to a lightly floured work surface and use a scone cutter to cut out your scones. With a light hand keep bringing the mix back together and cutting out until you have used the whole mix, placing the scones on the baking tray as you go.

Beat 1 egg with a fork and carefully egg wash the top of the scones with a pastry brush.

Bake in the pre heated oven for about 18-20 mins.

FOR THE LEMON CURD (makes about 1 jar/500ml) Juice of 4 lemons 300g sugar 200g cubed butter 2 whole eggs 4 yolks

Set a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water (make sure it doesn’t touch the water) Put the juice, sugar and butter into the bowl and heat until the sugar has dissolved and the butter has melted.

Lightly beat all the eggs and yolks and slowly stir into the lemon juice, butter and sugar with a whisk.

Cook for about 12 minutes or so, whisking lightly from time to time, it needs to reach about 82c for it to thicken and set.

Transfer the finished lemon curd to a sterilised jar or tub and refrigerate.

Serve your lovely freshly baked lemon scones and lemon curd with some thick clotted cream and a nice pot of tea.

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Our café serves fresh, seasonal food that is handmade to order. Alex and his team make a variety of breakfast and lunch classics along with some delicious afternoon treats like our Lemon Buttermilk Scones. Our site is easily accessed and we have plenty of free parking so join us for a light bite, cup of tea or a spot of lunch if you are in the area or coming to an auction.

OPEN MON - FRI 9.00AM TO 4.30PM EVERYONE WELCOME

ALL DAY BREAKFASTS SANDWICHES PANINIS JACKET POTATOES DAILY SPECIALS CAKES & PASTRIES