HAD & Co: The female-led architecture business building a better Manchester
Launched by school friends Saira Hussein and Nixie Edwards in Burnley, HAD & Co is one of the most successful female-led industry firms in Britain - branching out to Manchester in 2018 after a decade which saw them scoop over 40 award nominations.
Construction is a man’s world. Or so the old cliche goes.
The arena of hard hats, hi-vis and heavy lifting has historically been recognised as a no-fly zone for females – with men accounting for over 89% of people working in the industry today.
But as it turns out, Mancs don’t have to look far to find an example of a firm that’s bucking the trend.
HAD & Co Property Consultants is a proud member of the 11%; a female-led construction industry business sat right on the doorstep of the city centre.
Launched by school friends Saira Hussain and Nixie Edwards, originally from Burnley, HAD & Co has morphed into one of Britain’s most successful women-steered consultancies – opening up in Manchester in 2018 after an enormously successful first decade of experience which saw the duo scoop 40 + award nominations.
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Manchester certainly likes its innovators – and HAD & Co fits that description in more ways than one.
“Things move so much faster here,” Saira tells us.
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“In a small town like Burnley, the work is very different. In Manchester there’s more projects, more development, more investment, more funding and more support from councils.
“It’s been an incredible experience for us.”
It didn’t take long for HAD & Co to became a sought-after name in the local scene for advice and guidance surrounding interior design, planning and architecture.
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But just 18 months after they’d settled in, the doors to the office were hastily locked due to the onset of the pandemic.
The world of construction has, in many people’s eyes, been ‘one of the lucky ones’ during the pandemic.
For the most part, the maze of towering cranes that permanently populate Manchester have largely stayed put as work continued through lockdown.
But even in this industry, the constantly-changing rules have proven troublesome.
The closure of local restaurants and cafes under Tier 3 has kicked off a domino effect that’s rippled through to the building sector – pausing development work and leading to cancelled deals with suppliers.
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The damage to hospitality has penetrated so deep it has hurt the wider economy – and HAD has felt the impact.
“We’d just got things moving, then COVID hits,” Saira tells us.
“It’s been an enormous challenge for us and we’ve faced some difficulties – but we’ve found a way to navigate it.”
According to Saira, the secret to HAD’s survival has been cementing strong relationships in the city and securing lengthy contracts.
In the two years since moving to Manchester, HAD & Co has commenced work on heritage projects for historic venues like the Royal Exchange and signed long-term deals that have given the company the necessary robustness to stand firm in the face of COVID.
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HAD & Co has also enjoyed huge success in HMO planning applications – securing as many as seven during the pandemic alone.
But whilst 70% of HAD & Co’s work is commercial, the rest is focused on residential development and interior design – one of the few markets that enjoyed high spending in COVID.
2020 was a year where most of us spent more time indoors than ever before – making us intimately familiar with every single surface, corner, nook and cranny in the building – and it proved to be a waking realisation.
After weeks looking at the same four walls for 24 hours a day, homeowners came to the conclusion that there was a lot about their properties and workplaces they wanted to change.
Demand for loft conversions and extensions went through the roof. Literally in some instances.
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“We’ve had such high demand for designing people’s houses,” Saira explains.
“One side of being a female-led practice is that clients are more comfortable with you when it comes to interior design work.
“They feel like you have a better understanding and are open to dealing with you.
“On the residential side of things, that’s definitely a benefit.”
In their spare time, Saira and Nixies are ambassadors for women in construction, encouraging young women to follow in the footsteps of firms like HAD & Co whilst endorsing sustainable design and clean technology.
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But her day job is all about keeping the momentum of the business going .
“We’ve got around 30 projects on the go right now,” Saira tells us.
“Some of them are long-term, others are faster turnarounds.
“It’s a real mix and it’s all really exciting.”
It’s true that the future remains uncertain for businesses for as long as coronavirus is around.
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But if we can rely on one thing, it’s that the city skyline will continue to change.
There’s simply no stopping construction in Manchester. And HAD & Co’s fingerprints will be all over it. Right the way through 2021.
Learn more about the great work HAD & Co are doing in Manchester by visiting the company website.
Business
Manchester United named Premier League’s ‘most valuable’ club in Forbes’ 2023 ranking
Emily Sergeant
Manchester United has been named the most valuable club in the Premier League for 2023, according to an annual ranking by Forbes.
Every year, the business magazine is known for publishing a list of clubs within each sport that are considered to be of the most value, and ranks them from highest to lowest based off how much they’re worth – and, as you can imagine, the top 10 is usually made up of some of the most famous and well-known global franchises.
When it comes to football in 2023 though, according to Forbes, the “soccer pitch is filled with more green than ever”.
The world’s top 20 most valuable football teams have an average value of $2.89 billion in 2023, which is 14% higher than the year previous.
The soccer pitch is filled with more green than ever. Check out the methodology behind this year's list of the World's Most Valuable Soccer Teams: https://t.co/flo7x6Drx3pic.twitter.com/LXyc6UNBA5
With a current value of $6 billion, Manchester United has taken the number two spot on the global 2023 rankings, just behind Spanish superclub Real Madrid at $6.07 billion – making the Red Devils the most valuable club in the Premier League.
The rest of the top five is made up of Catalan giants Barcelona in third place with a value of $5.51 billion, fellow North West club Liverpool at number four with a value $5.29 billion, and rounded out by cross-town rivals Manchester City.
The Sky Blues have a current value of $4.99 billion, according to Forbes.
Top 10 Most Valuable Football Clubs 2023
Real Madrid – $6.07bn
Manchester United – $6bn
Barcelona – $5.51bn
Liverpool – $5.29bn
Manchester City – $4.99bn
Bayern Munich – $4.86bn
Paris St-Germain – $4.21bn
Chelsea – $3.1bn
Tottenham Hotspur – $2.8bn
Arsenal – $2.26bn
Manchester United named Premier League’s ‘most valuable’ club in Forbes’ 2023 ranking / Credit: Manchester United (via Facebook)
Other Premier League teams featuring in Forbes’ top 30 list of the most valuable for 2023 include London clubs West Ham and Crystal Palace, the North East’s Newcastle United, Midlands-based Aston Villa, rival Liverpool club Everton, and the recently-relegated Leicester City.
Manchester United has been named as the second most valuable football team in the world, despite what Forbes has called the ongoing “sale saga with seemingly no end in sight”.
United fans will know that the club’s controversial current owners, The Glazer family – who have owned the club since 2005 – are apparently asking for a world-record price to buy the team, which would mean a higher figure than the $6.05 billion that the US-based NFL team, Washington Commanders, sold for this past April.
The club has a current value of $6 billion / Credit: Manchester United (via Facebook)
At the moment, it’s thought that only two bidders – Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar, and Sir Jim Radcliffe’s Ineos Group – submitted final bids to buy Manchester United before the club’s dealine on 28 April.
However, Finnish businessman Thomas Zilliacus notably tweeted that his bid for the club was still on the table.
So, long story short, who knows? It still all remains to be seen.
Featured Image – Ash Donelon & Manchester United (via Facebook)
Business
Nespresso opens new ‘experiential’ Trafford Centre store with free tastings, masterclasses, and more
Emily Sergeant
Nespresso has opened a brand-new “experiential boutique” store inside the Trafford Centre, and it all looks very fancy.
Designed to engage both existing and new Nespresso customers through a range of “unique and personalised experiences”, the new Trafford Centre store means Greater Manchester‘s community of coffee lovers now get an unrivalled access to the beloved brand’s wide range of blends, machines, and accessories.
Shoppers will get to “immerse themselves in the world of Nespresso” through a sophisticated ‘Coffee as an Art’ tasting and masterclass area – with state-of-the-art coffee machines, and customised latte art workshops.
You can also create your own coffee recipes using digital tutorials and Nespresso machines at the interactive ‘Taste & Discover’ area, where specialists will be on hand to help you explore the full Nespresso range, and offer one-on-one coffee learning, tasting, and machine demonstrations so you can better understand your taste preferences.
There’s even a ‘Nespresso & You’ personalisation area so you can get your own travel mugs engraved with a name or personal message.
Nespresso opens new ‘experiential’ Trafford Centre store / Credit: Supplied
The new Trafford Centre store is also big on sustainability.
As Nespresso capsules are made of 80% recycled aluminium, making them infinitely recyclable, and the company co-founded the UK’s first industry-wide coffee capsule recycling scheme back in 2021, the brand’s sustainable ethics have been continued with throughout the design new store.
Not only is the new store run on 100% renewable energy and features a dedicated customer capsule return and recycling area, but tabletops are also made with used coffee grounds and 100% Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified wood, and there’s also an AR-powered ‘Circularity’ area showing how capsules are recycled and given a second life.
“Our boutiques are designed to encourage and support coffee exploration, creating an elevated experience for customers [and] the brand-new opening of our latest boutique at the Trafford Centre creates a new and innovative way for shoppers to enjoy and understand more about their coffee,” explained Luke Horwath – Head of Retail at Nespresso UK & ROI.
“The digital resources as well as our expertly trained staff will enable customers to learn about Nespresso blends, recipes, brewing methods, and our commitment to sustainability.”
Shoppers can experience free coffee tastings, masterclasses, and so much more / Credit: Supplied
And to top it all off, in a bid to properly celebrate the start of summer, the new Trafford Centre store is the only place in the UK where you can get yourself an exclusive first look and taste of Nespresso’s new Summer Iced range ahead of the collection’s official release on 30 May.
If you fancy seeing what the new Nespresso store is all about, it’s located on the Upper Regent Crescent next to the Trafford Centre’s New Orleans entrance.