Property Focus: The Interview – Richard Garside

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

It will be a hard slog through the next year, with non-competitively priced properties failing to find buyers and tenants looking for substantial incentives to take on even short-term commitments. It is possible that a “double dip” may be felt, especially if no action is taken on bank financing of business.

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

Legislation rarely helps, but I would force the the banks to split, and seperately account for their retail and investrnent arms, and not be intimidated by their open  threats of relocating to other financial centres.

The banking sector, having demonstrated its reckless and incompetent style of management, needs to behave as what it is – an asset substantially owned by or at least bank rolled by the taxpayer and be forced to pass on the support received by them, to other businesses at achievable criteria and cost. 

How many business would delight in taking wild risks ain the knowledge that if it all went wrong, the taxpayer would pick up the bill!

Why do you think the North West is a good place to work?

Excellent communications, roads, rail and air, reasonable quality of life at attainable cost.

What is your favourite building in the North West and why?

St Walbugh’s Church spire in Preston is a daily reminder of the skill of architects and builders in area when power tools, tower cranes etc.  were unheard of.

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

Set up a mandatory fleet of school buses and forbid the delivering of all children to school by private car.

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

Trainee surveyor from leaving school, made tea, collected rents, drew plans etc

What do you most enjoy about your job?

Meeting people in all walks of life and problem solving.

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

None that hard work and hopefully some flair and determination could not overcome

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

When times are good and profits healthy, always remember that the business is cyclical and will change, so prepare accordingly.

And the worst?

“You can pull out, the road’s clear this way!”