EW Developments: From church conversions to record revenue

Co-owner James Winters on Liverpool property firm’s big plans for the future

EW Developments was launched in 2019 by business partners

James Winters, founder of major engineering firm M-Tech, and Rob Edwards, architect and owner of R+R Design.

The pair’s first project, The Phoenix Hotel, saw the total redevelopment of an abandoned Victorian building in North Liverpool into a boutique hotel.

EW launched a second site in the heart of Liverpool city centre, The Phoenix Pods, at the end of 2022 following the success of The Phoenix.

It has also completed a stunning church conversion, transforming the dilapidated property into 11 luxury apartments.

Can you tell us the story of EW Developments so far?

EW started as a domestic property builder, dealing with extensions and loft conversions mainly.

However, we built up an excellent reputation and the workload and size of contracts we were awarded began to increase.

From there, we have gone on to fully redevelop our two hotels, The Phoenix Hotel and Phoenix Pods, complete a full church conversion and a 26 apartment build for a housing association.

We are now on target for a record year with estimated turnover of over £5 million by next April.

What made EW move into the boutique hotel market and are there plans for further hotels?

Rob and I moved into the hospitality industry because of where the Phoenix Hotel was situated.

We initially planned a residential conversion, but because of the proximity to Everton and Liverpool FC football stadiums, we decided to venture into the boutique hospitality market.

Following the success of The Phoenix, in a short space of time, Rob and I had the confidence to take on another hotel, The Phoenix Pods, which is located in Liverpool city centre.

Hospitality is so customer-based and forward-facing, and we always aim to give our customers an amazing experience and value for money. That is our ethos, that we keep the customer happy every single time and give them a good deal, especially in the current climate.

Everyone still wants to do nice things, but at the moment, they might not necessarily have the money. At The Phoenix and Phoenix Pods, we offer affordable luxury to all our guests.

How satisfying was it to transform an abandoned church into much-needed new homes?

From an EW perspective, it shows our versatility.

We’ve gone from new build houses, to apartment conversions and right across to unique and complex builds, with abandoned and dilapidated sites such as churches. It shows how versatile we are, being able to breathe fresh life into derelict places.

We gave the church a new lease of life, but not only the church, the community too. They are able to use the building again, and that is a really nice feeling. With the portfolio of work we have successfully completed over the last three of four years, it shows the industry our flexibility.

Owing to Rob’s background in architecture, EW can cover all aspects of design and construction, from the initial drawings to handing over the keys to customers.

We’ve gone between church conversions, hotels, houses, apartment blocks, new builds... EW covers it all and always delivers in a successful and timely manner.

What are the main lessons you have learned from creating and growing firms such as M-Tech, EW and the Phoenix Hotel group?

Any industry, no matter what sector, the core principles are the same.

You need to be invested and enjoy what you do, but if you deliver what you say you are going to deliver for the right cost, then the work should speak for itself.

Being true to your word is the foundation for any successful business.

What are your overall plans for growth in the next 3-5 years with EW?

I envisage EW as a cornerstone for construction in the North West and hopefully further afield.

I can’t see any issues in exceeding £10 million in sales during this time because we have the infrastructure to deliver as we branch out and deliver projects across the nation.