GVA has strategically positioned itself to achieve the coveted number one spot as the UK's largest specialist and multidisciplinary leisure property advisory team with authoritative reach into all industry sectors.
Already the UK's largest independent commercial property consultancy, GVA has spent the past 18 months strengthening and expanding its leisure advisory unit via an intensive recruitment and business acquisition programme.
Over this period GVA has established its hotel division and acquired leading niche specialists in Humberts Leisure and RGA. In doing so it has strengthened its reach in the leisure market by integrating the team into the firm's regional office network, including representation in Scotland and Wales. GVA now boasts over 75 leisure specialists.
As business requirements change, the timing of this move for GVA has been critical. John Anderson, Director and head of GVA Hotels and Leisure, comments: "The past year and a half has seen us significantly increase our market share. We now see ourselves as moving away from the pack to present a market leading advisory team for businesses investing in leisure property. GVA presents a truly unique offering in terms of its spread of disciplines and the depth of expertise it brings to bear in every leisure sector.
"The market has changed and with it business requirements. The timing of this move to lead the sector is no coincidence. Challenging economic conditions mean our clients are exploring more and more the possibilities of optimising value through effective and efficient asset management and business enhancement. The best way to achieve that is for us to offer the widest multidisciplinary service with the greatest depth of knowledge and capacity under one roof. We believe we've now achieved that.
"In an uncertain market, businesses require the best, holistic advice, from professionals who know their market in intellectual, technical and geographical terms, and who understand both the operational dynamic and the property perspective. This requires valuers and business consultants but also planners, building surveyors, property managers and facilities managers with direct leisure property experience. The GVA team has these vital skills in abundance, throughout the UK. Banks and administrators want to understand the businesses they're lending to or managing.
He adds: "We not only offer the largest team of specialists with the greatest breadth of specialist knowledge, but we also boast the furthest reach through our network of 10 regional offices outside London. Through our local team and our acquisition of RGA, we now have a significant presence in Scotland's leisure sector. The coming months will also see us expand our teams in Bristol and Cardiff to spread further into the South West region and Wales."
The newly structured hotels and leisure offer will operate through each of the GVA divisions and a number of leisure sector groupings each led by directors. Gavin Brent will head up urban leisure opportunities; Peter Constantine will run licensed property; James Williamson and Ian Thompson will lead hotel valuations and agency; John Mitchell will head up holiday property and water based leisure; Ben Allen will run the golf division; Martin Taylor will look after leisure planning; and Max and Richard Gaunt of GVA RGA will lead hotel and leisure business consultancy.
For further information on the newly formed GVA Leisure offer, contact John Anderson, Director, on 0113 280 8032 or email john.anderson@gva.co.uk.
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