The Bristol Magazine November 2013

Page 68

BUSINESS:Layout 1

25/10/13

10:10

Page 1

BRISTOL | UPDATES

News in brief ■ A vintage clothing store that started up in the Midlands just two years ago is expanding with its latest store opening in Bristol. LOOT Vintage Clothing will be opening its doors in the newly revamped Bear Pit on Thursday 7 November, showcasing vintage clothing and accessories for men and women hand-picked by owners Richard Emerson and Louise Dooley. ■ Featuring leading and emerging designers of millinery and accessories, a new shop called Milliners' Guild has opened in Broadmead. The five-storey building also allows plenty of room for owner Ani to teach workshops and provide bespoke millinery services. Milliners' Guild stocks occasion and casual millinery for both men and women, as well as bridal headpieces and accessories such as handwoven scarves and handmade bags. For further information visit: www.millinersguild.com ■ There’s a new website that makes it easier to give money to Bristol charities that make a real difference. Visit www.giveamonkeys.co.uk where you can choose one of the four Giveamonkeys funds and they’ll distribute your cash direct to the charities doing what matters to you most. The new website is the brainchild of Quartet, the Community Foundation for the West of England which serves more than one million people in Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. ■ Bristol has won the bid to host the International Fairtrade Towns Conference in 2015, it was announced in Oslo last month. Bristol gained overwhelming support from Fairtrade Co-ordinators from around the world for its bid, due to the international reputation of the city’s Fairtrade campaigning and enthusiasm for linking the conference to the European Green Capital events and celebrations in 2015. 2015 will mark 10 years since Bristol became a Fairtrade City, and hosting this conference is a perfect way to celebrate what has been achieved in this time.

68 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE

|

NOVEMBER 2013

Sparking new life into Electricity House Crest Nicholson has exchanged conditional contracts to purchase the 90,000 sq. ft. West Gate office building on Colston Avenue for a residential led mixed use scheme, in a deal brokered by Bristol-based property company Cubex Land. Previously known as Electricity House; the iconic Grade II-listed building, which was designed by renowned architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, is currently owned by Aviva Investor’s APIA Regional Office Fund. Ben Miller, development director for Crest Nicholson south west, said: “The West Gate building provides an excellent opportunity for Crest Nicholson to deliver an exciting, high specification development within what is arguably one of Bristol’s most stunning 1930’s Art Deco buildings. Our commitment and investment to this project will seek to secure a new lease of life for this prominent building, and we look forward to working closely with Bristol City Council to ensure that the building gets the new lease of life it deserves.” A planning application for the change of use and refurbishment works will be made later this year. The proposals are likely to be one of the first major residential projects to be put forward within the city’s Nelson Street regeneration area, acting as a stimulus for further development in the area.

CITY BUSINESS New Homes in Historic Church There’s been a turnaround for a landmark Portishead church, which has lain vacant for several years. The doors of the Victorian United Reformed Church were closed as a place of worship in 2010 when the congregation faced mounting maintenance bills on the historic building. Saved from disrepair by a North Somerset company specialising in converting redundant properties, the doors will re-open again for the first time this month. Following completion of a bespoke development of six contemporary town houses and two apartments by awardwinning developers Brownfield Green, part of the church is open for public view on 23 November. Renamed The View, the ambitious project, which has retained the fabric and character of the original building, is creating a range of two to five bedroom properties inside the church. Phase 2 of the work will be completed in early 2014. The open house event on 23 November runs from 11am to 3pm. Further details are available from agents Goodman & Lilley on tel: 01275 430440.

Dragons’ Den style club for the city One of the region’s fastest growing investor clubs is expanding into Bristol, as it aims to provide a source of funding for local businesses. The Chelverton Investor Club, which focuses on UK small company investments for high net-worth individuals, is celebrating the move with an exclusive event at Hotel Du Vin on Wednesday 6 November. David Horner, managing director of Chelverton, explains: “From both a fundraiser and investor perspective the timing for these types of investments, with the economic recovery underway, is crucial in terms of sustaining growth and providing compelling, investment opportunities that represent good value for investors over the medium to long-term. We expect to make some £6m-£10m worth of investments in our first year. These investments will be focused exclusively in UK businesses with an enterprise value of between £0.5m-£5m, which is an area long overlooked by private company equity providers, as well as banks. Up to £3m could be invested per company through the club, with each member investing up to a £1m across a range of companies, with a minimum investment of £25,000 in any one company.” For more information on the Chelverton Investor Club or attending its launch event, visit: www.chelvertonic.com


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.
The Bristol Magazine November 2013 by MC Publishing Limited - Issuu