Property Focus: The Interview – Jane Schofield

ON Property Focus Jane Schofield, managing director of Hotel la Tour which is currently building its first site in Birmingham, talks poor career advice and the skills of the Bullring’s designers.

If you are interested in taking part in ‘The Interview’, please email tamlyn.jones@thebusinessdesk.com and click through to see all our previous Property Focus Interviews.

1. What are your views on the current state of the commercial property and property development markets?

The market has been through a torrid two years with values dropping, and developments drying up through lack of funding and negative development profits. Fortunately, there are signs that things have at last become more stable, which should present opportunities for us as people decide to act once more.

2. What are the key challenges and pieces of legislation you think will most affect your sector over the coming months?

The increased costs of meeting ever-increasing demands in environmental standards will mean greater ingenuity is required in our building designs. But it is a process we will stay ahead of.

3. Why do you think the West Midlands is a good place to do business?

It has a diverse and vibrant economy which produces a wide range of demands for our hotel bedrooms, restaurant and conference space.

4. What is your favourite building/development in the West Midlands and why?

Without doubt, it’s the Bullring shopping centre in Birmingham. You have to admire the boldness of the architecture. It’s of particular interest to us as the design embraced a complex sloping site which has given it a lot of character.

5. If you could improve anything in the region, what would it be?

It would definitely benefit from stronger support for specialist manufacturing businesses, to make sure that diversity remains and allows the region to compete with overseas competitors.

6. What barriers have you faced during your career and how have you overcome them?

The biggest barrier has been getting finance for Hotel La Tour. We managed to overcome this by building relationships and proving our management credentials to our backers.

7. What was your first job and how did you enter your current line of work?

My first taste of working life was helping out in my parents’ newsagents shop. It was hard work but there were lots of sweets. From there I found my way into the hotel industry by studying qualifications in hotel management.

From then on, it was all about hard work and taking every opportunity that came my way – even the ones I knew weren’t perfect but would allow me to extend my skill base and add to my experience.

8. What do you most enjoy about your job?

The best part is being able to see the success of the team. It’s very rewarding to be able to challenge people and motivate them to achieve more.

9. What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

As a leader, you should always make sure any praise is directed at your team but you must act as a shield when bullets are being fired at them.

10. And the worst?

To this day I can’t understand why I was advised by my school careers teacher that I should take chemistry GCSE if I wanted to go into catering – I was never a Heston Blumenthal type of cook.

Anyway, I did what I was told but am fairly sure I could have done just as well without it.