Estates Gazette Property Podcasts

Chair: Tim Burke, editor 

Speaker: Derek Griffin, head of acquisitions, Whitbread

Premier Inn provides 12% of the UK’s hotel accommodation stock – the highest of any hotel operator in any market in the world. This extraordinary success has been delivered through a continual 20-year expansion programme underpinned by a unique business model and flexible property requirements.

This April, the company unveiled a new business strategy and five-year plan focused on the continued expansion of Premier Inn, but with greater emphasis on recycling capital from the company’s largely freehold estate to fund future bedroom expansion. Greater emphasis is also being placed on leasehold opportunities to drive estate growth.

During UKREiIF, Derek Griffin, Whitbread’s acquisition head, sat down with Tim Burke to discuss the principles of the new business strategy including how the company plans to go about recycling £1.5bn of property, where it is focusing its new growth, and the future for its popular hub by Premier Inn brand.

Chair: Tim Burke, editor 

Speaker: Guy Windsor-Lewis, CEO & founder, Locale

Operational drag is the silent killer of asset value. For owners and asset managers, the challenge is clear: how do you deliver more with less, while meeting the rising demands of a multi-generational workforce? This podcast, recorded at UKREiiF, takes you inside the engine room of the UK’s most innovative properties.

Partnering with Locale, we examine how digitising the occupier journey, from seamless access to on-demand amenities, removes the friction that hinders productivity. We look at the data-driven insights that allow managers to optimise every stage of a building’s life. If you want to understand how to align your operational strategy with the evolving needs of your tenants to create a truly resilient portfolio, this is the conversation for you.

Chair: Evelina Grecenko, senior reporter

Speakers: Huw Davies, partner head of ESG, Jones Hargreaves

Today, the most successful assets aren't just "green"; they are commercially resilient, high-performing spaces that occupiers actually want to inhabit. In this episode, recorded at UKREiiF, we sit down with Huw Davies, head of ESG at Jones Hargreaves, to challenge the traditional view of sustainability. Huw argues for a shift in language and mindset: moving away from the narrow lens of ESG toward the broader, more strategic framework of responsible investment.

We’ll explore why investors are no longer looking for minimal compliance, but for a clear return on their social and environmental capital. As occupiers demand more flexibility, better amenities and authentic placemaking, the buildings that thrive will be those that treat these demands as commercial opportunities rather than overhead costs. Reflecting on recent projects, from the heritage-sensitive retrofitting of York’s historic assets to the delivery of high-spec ESG-led refurbishments in Central London, Huw shares how Jones Hargreaves is bridging the gap between "doing good" and "doing business”. This is a conversation about how the buildings of tomorrow are being built on the responsible investment decisions of today.

Chair: Jess Harrold, legal & professional editor 

Speakers: 
Joanna Deffley, partner residential development, Shakespeare Martineau
James Scott, group director strategy & planning, Urban & Civic 

This episode explores the intricate mechanics and strategic rewards of large-scale developments delivered through complex, multi-partner frameworks. Join Joanna Deffley and James Scott, recorded at UKREiiF, as we unpack the blueprint for managing significant expansions that define regional growth. We’ll delve into the "multi-partner offering," examining the critical balance between contractual control regulations and the collaborative synergy required to deliver multi-tenure homes at scale.

The discussion highlights the shift toward infrastructure-led growth, where fully integrated green infrastructure and sustainable transit are woven into the masterplan from day one. From navigating the inherent risks of long-term projects to seizing the strategic opportunities of a shifting planning landscape, this conversation reveals how diverse partners can align to turn ambitious housing targets into thriving, future-proof communities.

Chair: Akanksha Soni, news editor

Speakers:   
Steven Calder, head of connected buildings 
Bob Allen RCDD, director – smart buildings, Block Solutions

For today’s occupiers, a building is only as good as its heartbeat: the digital connectivity that keeps their business alive. In this episode, we sit down with Elevate to explore how they are redefining the relationship between landlords, agents and occupiers. We move past the traditional "four-month wait" for fibre and look at how smart infrastructure, like London’s innovative rooftop wireless networks, is creating zero-risk connectivity through "Ground to Cloud" resiliency.
We’ll dive into the story of the Preconnect® model, a partnership-led approach that removes the headache of individual installations and learn more about the Wayleave agreements that enable landlords to offer "moving-in ready" connectivity, a powerful lever for occupancy and asset value.
Join us as we discuss why the future of the smart building isn't just about the hidden digital backbone or the cables in the walls, but the partnerships that ensure a tenant's first day in a new office is their most productive one. 

Chair: Tim Burke, editor

Speaker: Dan Westley, head of portfolio, UK, Vastint

In major urban regeneration, the "perfect" masterplan on day one is rarely the right one by the time the final phase completes. While location provides the foundation, it is strategic agility that ensures a development remains relevant across decades of shifting market cycles and evolving human behaviour.

In this episode, we sit down with Dan Westley, head of portfolio at Vastint UK, to discuss the delicate balance between long-term conviction and the flexibility to pivot. Drawing on Vastint’s major UK schemes, including Sugar House Island in London, Aire Park in Leeds and Cardiff Embankment, we’ll explore why successful regeneration is no longer about delivering static real estate, but about curating resilient places that can absorb change.

Chair: Tim Burke, editor

Speaker: Helen Collins, principal & managing director, Midlands, head of UK living and affordable housing, Avison Young

When the traditional blueprints for BTR and housing for sale no longer align with economic reality, the industry must look to new models and partnerships beyond the balance sheet. Today, the most valuable asset in a developer's toolkit isn’t just land or capital, it’s the ability to flex and pivot to find the opportunities among the challenges. 
 
In this episode, Helen Collins explores the move toward embedding partnership models. As project feasibility becomes a moving target, Avison Young is seeing a new trend: regional experts joining forces to breathe life into stalled opportunities. We discuss how these collaborative ecosystems are rewriting the rules of delivery, ensuring that vital housing projects move from the drawing board to the community.

Speakers:

Tim Burke (chair) | Editor, Estates Gazette

Clive Chalkley | Partner, Gowling WLG

Luke Tillison | Managing partner, head of transactional, BTG Eddisons

Gavin Lacey | CEO, CHPK

 

Editor Tim Burke talks to some of this year’s judges to find out what makes a standout entry, and how they like to approach the judging process.

Speakers:

Tim Burke (chair) | Editor Estates Gazette

Kellie Hatton | National head of real estate, Shakespeare Martineau

Sam Wallis | CEO, GIA

Bruce Evans | Chief commercial officer, RentGuarantor

 

Editor Tim Burke sits down with some of the judges from our category sponsors to discuss this year's awards

Speaker: Steve Coulson CEO and founder, Kitt 
Chair: Tim Burke, editor, Estates Gazette

While capital continues to chase a narrow pool of prime trophy assets, the industry may be looking for value in the wrong place. This episode explores the "missing middle", the vast majority of the UK office market consisting of smaller, operationally under-managed buildings that represent the sector's biggest untapped opportunity.

We discuss why the future of UK offices isn’t in new developments, but in the strategic transformation of existing stock. Join us as we break down why the modern arbitrage is purely operational and how investment-grade managed space has officially arrived as the next evolution of the office model.