Grainger points to strong rental growth during financial year

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3 hours ago

October 7, 2024

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Occupancy across the group’s portfolio stood at 97.4% at the end of September, according to trading update.

The post Grainger points to strong rental growth during financial year appeared first on Property Week.

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Rolls-Royce NYC Private Office showroom caters to top-tier clients

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3 mins ago

October 7, 2024

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Rolls-Royce NYC Private Office showroom caters to top-tier clients

Inside the Rolls-Royce Private Office in New York City

Rolls-Royce has opened its first U.S. “Private Office,” a secret VIP design studio for ultra-wealthy clients who want highly personalized cars.

The Private Office, in Manhattan’s trendy Meatpacking District, is central to the fabled British automaker’s new strategy of growing sales and profits from selling more customized, higher-priced vehicles rather than boosting production. Rolls-Royce produced 6,032 cars last year, less than half the production of Ferrari, yet continues to generate strong profit growth for its parent company BMW.

While Rolls-Royce customers have been customizing their rides for decades, the Private Office brings the concept of a personalized Rolls to a whole new level. Once select customers order a car from a dealer, they can go to the Private Office to work with a designer to create an entirely personalized car — from special paint colors to their favorite fabrics, woods, lighting schemes and other materials.

“They may want the exterior of their Rolls-Royce to match the color of their dog’s eyes,” said Rolls-Royce CEO Chris Brownridge. “They may want to have interior panels in the car with the mother-of-pearl from their private collection. We can bring those sorts of requests to life through having direct access to the team. And the possibilities really are endless.”

Rolls-Royce CEO Chris Brownridge.

CNBC

Rolls-Royce calls its top level of personalization the “Bespoke” program. Creating a Bespoke Rolls can add hundreds of thousands of dollars to the sticker price, which for a Rolls-Royce Phantom is just under $500,000, bringing the total sale price of some cars to more than $1 million.

The Private Office is reserved for the most complicated — and expensive — Bespoke projects. It’s not a dealership and there are no actual cars displayed. To get into the Private Office, customers press a black security screen outside an unmarked building and take a secure elevator to the top floor.

With its sleek black kitchen, low sofas, a dining table, outdoor terrace, and turntable with stacks of classic rock and jazz vinyl records, the Private Office looks more like a billionaire’s pied-a-terre than a car showroom. The only hint that it’s a Rolls-Royce facility is a row of shelves along the back wall displaying samples of paint colors, threads, leathers, metals and a row of the famous “Spirit of Ecstasy” hood ornaments in different finishes.

The Rolls-Royce Phantom Syntopia.

Courtesy: Rolls-Royce

The New York Private Office is the company’s third worldwide, following Dubai, United Arab Emirates, which opened in 2022, and Shanghai in 2023. The company is about to open its fourth, in Seoul, Korea.

The idea, Brownridge says, is to bring the expertise and design capability of its Goodwood, U.K., factory to clients around the world. That’s especially important as client requests become more unusual and complex.

One Rolls-Royce client wanted a car inspired by flowers. The Rolls team created an extended-wheelbase Phantom with a headliner covered with more than 1 million embroidered roses. Another client who loves Hawaii and has a favorite rocking chair made of rare Koa wood wanted a Koa-themed Rolls. Since Koa wood is protected in Hawaii, only dead or naturally fallen Koa trees can be harvested. Rolls spent three years waiting and hunting for the right tree, then built a Koa Phantom, with the wood used on the dashboard, center console and doors. The company even made a matching picnic hamper and table. The whole package took more than 500 hours to create.

Interior of the custom Rolls-Royce Koa Phantom.

Courtesy: Rolls-Royce

“A lot of these clients would never, ever sell their cars,” Brownridge said. “It’s so personal and it means to much to them.”

To keep up with the surging demand for custom cars, Rolls-Royce is also expanding its Bespoke workshops in Goodwood. Brownridge said the goal isn’t to produce more cars, but to produce higher-value, more customized cars.

“As our commissions have become more sophisticated, our business has become more successful,” Brownridge said. “Our mission is really to create value for our shareholder, to create value for our retail partners, but most importantly, to create value for our clients. Because when you produce a masterpiece for them, it means so much more than just a motorcar. I often say that the fact that they have four wheels is almost a nice-to-have, because they really are a work of art.”

Brownridge said when customers are building their special Rolls-Royces, they not only visit the factory in Goodwood, but they also get to know the paint shop specialists, the woodworkers, the embroidery experts and other members of the team.

“Every single client that I’ve met, they all say, what makes Rolls Royce Special is that they feel that they are part of a family,” he said. “They’re not customers to us, they’re part of Rolls Royce. Many of our clients will come to Goodwood, and they will know the people that are making their cars. It’s not just the personal connection to the motorcar. It’s the personal connection to the whole team who are producing these magnificent things.”

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Money

SEGRO appoints former government official Corbridge as CIO

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24 mins ago

October 7, 2024

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Corbridge will oversee the group’s digital and technology strategy, reporting to chief financial officer Soumen Das.

The post SEGRO appoints former government official Corbridge as CIO appeared first on Property Week.

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Money

Transact teams up with Moneyinfo to enhance client document delivery

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45 mins ago

October 7, 2024

NewsAdmin

Transact teams up with Moneyinfo to enhance client document delivery

Adviser investment platform Transact has announced a new integration with fintech provider Moneyinfo to help streamline adviser-client communication.

The collaboration is part of Transact’s plan to integrate with technology providers to enhance efficiency and client engagement for the 2,000 adviser firms using the platform.

The integration with Moneyinfo simplifies document delivery, which is often a time-consuming process.

Through the integrated Moneyinfo portal and app, advisers can automatically deliver key client communication, including valuation reports and statements.

Removing this previously manual process will improve the operational efficiency of advisers, providing more time to focus on providing advice.

Plannr and Transact team up to ‘supercharge’ efficiency of advisers

Transact chief development officer Tom Dunbar said the platform’s overall strategy is to “make financial planning easier”.

“A key priority in doing this is to improve the technology ecosystem available to our adviser firms,” he added.

“By integrating with client portals like Moneyinfo we help advisers operate more efficiently and improve the client experience.”

Moneyinfo managing director Tessa Lee said the firm is “passionate about pushing the boundaries of technology” to benefit the wealth-management industry.

“Our collaboration with Transact is a direct response to what advisers have been asking for – greater efficiency and peace of mind,” she added.

“Through simplifying document delivery, this integration allows advisers to focus on their core business, knowing the technology is working behind the scenes to support them.”

In a statement, the companies said that, for adviser firms, the benefits of this integration go beyond time savings as the automation of documentation also provides a “seamless client experience”.

Advisers now have a choice in how they manage document distribution, with an option for Moneyinfo’s platform to handle everything from encrypted delivery to audit trails.

Chris Riley, MD at Seventy Financial Planning – a firm participating in the pilot – said: “It has transformed our processes and vastly improved the client experience. We no longer worry about chasing documents – it’s taken care of.”

Dunbar added: “We’re committed to empowering our clients with the tools they need to succeed in a competitive, fast-changing industry and working with like-minded firms like Moneyinfo helps us stay ahead of the curve, ensuring our adviser firms benefit from the latest innovations.”

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High street fashion chain launches closing down sale as shopping centre branch to shut for final time in weeks

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1 hour ago

October 7, 2024

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High street fashion chain launches closing down sale as shopping centre branch to shut for final time in weeks

HIGH street shoppers have been left at a loss as a major clothing store will close the doors of one of its stores for the final time.

The fashion chain with 345 branches across the UK has confirmed the closure in Kent.

The high street brand has announced a closing down sale offering shoppers 30 percent off everythingCredit: Getty

Fashion fanatics in Dorchester will still be able to head to their local Dorset storeCredit: Alamy

Locals of Dockside Outlet Centre in Catham have already spotted huge yellow sale posters in the windows of the Peacocks store, reported by Kent Online.

With 30 percent off “absolutely everything”, those planning on making their way to the clothing chain may want to move quickly as the site is set to shut soon.

The closing down sale will end on October 26 when the shop shuts.

Fans of the fashion retailer can still head to their nearest store which is under a mile away in Gillingham followed by Walderslade Co-Op in Medway.

Frequent visitors to Dockside Shopping Centre could turn to the neighbouring M&S Outlet, Roman Originals or Moss Bross that will continue to trade in the surrounding area.

Previously, the chain has been promoted by Louise Redknapp and Michael Owen acting as brand ambassadors.

Earlier this year, Peacocks announced it would close other high street stores in Hyde, Bury St Edmunds, Cornwall, Winchester amongst others.

The high street brand collapsed into administration in 2020.

After a spate of closures, the chain was rescued in April 2021 saving the remaining stores and 2,000 jobs.

The latest closures are not thought to be a result of financial decline or a precursor for further trouble.

New Beginning for The Body Shop

Over the years, Catham buyers have taken to review the store on Google with many complementing the staff, service and product quality.

One user wrote: “Brought some good quality clothes for my daughter today at very good prices.

“Had a really good experience all round.”

Another said: “Very good and a excellent selection of clothes.”

Someone else put: “Friendly staff. Got what I needed. Even used my blue light NHS card and received a discount.”

A fourth wrote: “Lovely staff and great purchase.”

Why are retailers closing stores?

RETAILERS have been feeling the squeeze since the pandemic, while shoppers are cutting back on spending due to the soaring cost of living crisis.

High energy costs and a move to shopping online after the pandemic are also taking a toll, and many high street shops have struggled to keep going.

The high street has seen a whole raft of closures over the past year, and more are coming.

The number of jobs lost in British retail dropped last year, but 120,000 people still lost their employment, figures have suggested.

Figures from the Centre for Retail Research revealed that 10,494 shops closed for the last time during 2023, and 119,405 jobs were lost in the sector.

It was fewer shops than had been lost for several years, and a reduction from 151,641 jobs lost in 2022.

The centre’s director, Professor Joshua Bamfield, said the improvement is “less bad” than good.

Although there were some big-name losses from the high street, including Wilko, many large companies had already gone bust before 2022, the centre said, such as Topshop owner Arcadia, Jessops and Debenhams.

“The cost-of-living crisis, inflation and increases in interest rates have led many consumers to tighten their belts, reducing retail spend,” Prof Bamfield said.

“Retailers themselves have suffered increasing energy and occupancy costs, staff shortages and falling demand that have made rebuilding profits after extensive store closures during the pandemic exceptionally difficult.”

Alongside Wilko, which employed around 12,000 people when it collapsed, 2023’s biggest failures included Paperchase, Cath Kidston, Planet Organic and Tile Giant.

The Centre for Retail Research said most stores were closed because companies were trying to reorganise and cut costs rather than the business failing.

However, experts have warned there will likely be more failures this year as consumers keep their belts tight and borrowing costs soar for businesses.

The Body Shop and Ted Baker are the biggest names to have already collapsed into administration this year.

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