p54-72_Q7:p03-12
13/3/12
11:01
Page 69
TABLE TALK
KATE HANRATTY HAS LUNCH WITH.... Kevin Scott, managing director of Loc8 estate agents
T
he Pioneer stands out amongst the other eateries on Liverpool road, with the bar and brasserie’s wide windows and dark awnings giving it an unmistakably upmarket feel. Brasserie is the French word for a relaxed and upscale restaurant and in this case the word certainly fits. Inside the Pioneer the interiors are bright and airy and decorated in sumptuous cream and gold. Gorgeous gold lighting features highlight the restaurant area making it the perfect place to enjoy a spot of lunch and conversation. Meeting with Kevin Scott, managing director of Loc8 estate agents for lunch we were won over by the varied menu and chic surroundings. Kevin opted for a light chicken caesar salad and the Thai green fishcakes while I chose the chicken carbonara from the lunch menu. As is common nowadays the topic of conversation turns to the recession. “The recession is over now, it’s gone,” says Kevin. “Yes the housing market has changed. Obviously things have happened to the market, for example access to funding is different now, people can’t access the money to get a mortgage like they used to. “But people will always move, people will always need somewhere to live and they will always need guidance and help throughout that process.” Kevin says the lettings market is very positive at the moment. “In the UK we are moving towards a more European housing model where people rent rather than buy,” he adds. Kevin set up Loc8 estate and letting agents in 2006 after ten years of working in the industry for big names such as Black Horse and Countrywide. “I stopped and thought these guys are making good money. Why don’t I do this myself?” he says. From here Loc8 was born with
THE PIONEER 107 LIVERPOOL ROAD, CROSBY, LIVERPOOL. L23 5TD
Cuisine: Italian and English grub. Tapas and an a la carte menu.
Book: Booking is recommended. Parking: Residential area, easy to find a spot.
Good for: Home-made sauces and marinades. The freshest ingredients locally sourced. Price: From 3.95 for lunch dishes. Call 0151 924 1665. Visit www.pioneercrosby.co.uk
its main offices based in Maghull. Having worked all over the country Kevin knew that he wanted to come back to Liverpool to set up. “Liverpool is where my heart is,” he says. For Kevin, where Loc8 differs from other estate agents is in its approach to customer service. “Good agents who have come through the recession are those who focus on good customer service,” he says. Loc8’s team of 15 is trained across the board in selling, valuing and viewing so there is never the situation where a customer speaks to a team-
“The recession is over now, it’s gone”
member who doesn’t have experience in the field they are talking about. With the Global Entrepreneurship Congress arriving in Liverpool this month I asked Kevin, from his own experience, what advice could he offer to young entrepreneurs in the city. “There has been a lot of negativity in the press,” he says. “Ignore everything you see on the TV and in the newspapers, just go for it. Businesses that fail do so because there’s no plan, no real vision and their heart is not in it. You must have a plan in place and you must work towards it.” The caesar salad with bacon, anchovies and croutons is, in Kevin’s words, “lovely, really light but still tasty.” The Thai green fish cakes looked fantastic, a vibrant shade
of orange on a bed of greens with a chilli jam sauce. My choice of the chicken carbonara was a good one, rich and creamy with plenty of chicken, wild mushrooms and pancetta to contend with. The portion size was also very generous. So what is next for Loc8? Kevin tells me the company is looking at opening a base on Allerton Road and in the future would like to think about a regional centre, perhaps in Manchester or Preston. And of course he will be popping into the Pioneer again in the meantime thanks to the varied menu, good food and great service. For more information on Loc8 visit www.loc8estateagents.co.uk Your Move 69