How do cities keep hold of and attract big-brand occupiers post-pandemic? This was the big question being hotly discussed and debated at MIPIM last week as part of a session exploring what urban hubs can do, and what support they need from government, to keep the big names within their city limits.
The answers to these questions are complex but some overarching themes emerged around what it is that these big brands are looking for, with concentration of talent and access to the city “experience” topping the list.
Jessica Bowles, director of strategy at Bruntwood, said the desire for the UK city experience was particularly sought after by overseas brands and occupiers. “We see a lot of interest from big brands at our schemes in Manchester [which are] looking for a second location in Europe or a second location in the UK. They come here for the talent pool because people here all tend to live close to the city centre, so there is a real buzz,” she said.
“You can land in a UK city like Manchester where you can create connections, get to know other businesses and become part of a community really quickly. Some of the large organisations that come here find that level of connectivity very attractive.
She added: “And we must remember that the UK isn’t actually very big. If you are an occupier coming from the States, the distance between London and Manchester or Manchester and the other regional cities is actually very small.”
Selling point
Michael Beaven, global automation leader at Arup, agreed that the buzz and connectivity of regional UK cities is not only something to be celebrated as a base-level vibe. It can be a real selling point.
“One of the big draws of being in a city is to identify with the place,” he said. “And not only to identify with that place but to be proud to be part of it. You cannot be intimately part of a city’s fabric if you are 20 miles outside it and commuting in.”
It is this point, being an integral part of a city, that applies to the occupiers as much as to the people living and working within the urban hub. While the latter create the buzz, the former is attracted by it and wants to be part of the hubbub.
Katrina Kostic Samen, head of workplace, strategy and design at KKS Savills, said: “We are working with a large fashion house at the moment and the city experience is vital. This brand has a huge online presence but they want bricks and mortar too. They want a temple, a place that represents their brand. But crucially it needs to be in a place where they can attract the best talent and they know that cities draw in the best talent by far.
“A lot of fashion houses also have buyers and they come several times a year for the seasons, and they want to come somewhere vibrant. They won’t travel to spend time out in the middle of nowhere. They want to be in the city centre. It is all about the experience.”
Regions rule
Kostic Samen made it clear that, in her mind, it has to be the city attracting the brand, not the building or space. “As far as architecture and design goes, you have to attract the names to the city first or there would be nothing for us to design.”
So if it is buzz and high-octane energy these big brands are looking for, does that mean the UK’s regional cities need to compete with London? Absolutely not, said Bruntwood’s Bowles.
“In many ways, our regional cities don’t need to compete with London, they are their own magnet. And we have seen the dial really shift on this over the past five to 10 years. I agree that cities need to focus on areas they specialise in, but that should not be so narrow that you can’t do interesting things there.
She added: “Somewhere like Manchester, Leeds or Liverpool, they all have quite a broad economic base even though they focus on their specialisms, and you can create good-quality jobs with enough depth that means people can move from job to job and between those cities. It gives people plenty of opportunity to make a life outside of London.”
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