Whilst the cornerstones of exceptional property management will always focus on full occupancy and best value, what’s equally important is flexibility and ensuring a property represents an attractive proposition for tenants.
Recently, this proved the case at one of the commercial retail units in our current portfolio. Our director, Jason Hercock explains…
“Part of what makes our team a CoStar number 1 ranked agency is paying attention to any changing requirements of existing tenants and negotiating these swiftly with landlords. At Bespoke Trade Kitchens, which is a family-run kitchen sales and installation company with a showroom in Oadby, Leicestershire, a life-changing motorcycle accident entirely altered the direction of the business.”
Designer Jacob Smith, son of Bespoke Trade Kitchens’ owner, Jamie Smith suffered a serious accident, in which he was paralysed from the ribs down and now requires a wheelchair. After extensive rehabilitation including physio via the award-winning Matt Hampson Foundation, Jacob was ready to return to work.
“I initially started part-time in the showroom but before I could even re-enter the workplace, we needed to improve the premises to accommodate my wheelchair,” said Jacob. “This meant a series of minor alterations including levelling the entrance way for access, upgrading the disabled toilets, and re-fitting the shower room to include a fold-down bench. The Wells McFarlane team and our landlord acted quickly to facilitate these, and I was so inundated with new designs and helping customers that my part-time role evolved into a full-time position.”
After the alterations were completed, Jacob realised there was an opportunity to improve the firm’s accessible/disabled access products and set about launching a new display of kitchens for this market.
Jacob continues: “It wasn’t until after my accident that I realised there was likely a lot of people in similar situations, or with different types of disabilities that might require even more bespoke kitchens. The current market for this sector was very clinical, and I was keen to show how we could deliver something functional and practical, yet still aesthetically pleasing.
“Our new display highlights how electric lifts can be incorporated into a design, to enable small appliances like microwaves, as well as worktops and cabinet shelving to be adjusted to suit the height of a wheelchair user but also returned to a standard height for non-disabled users. I’m really proud that we’re only the second showroom in the country to install such a specific display and are pioneering development in this sector,” Jacob concludes.
For more on our property management services, contact Jason Hercock.
