Neville Catton is enjoying the sunshine in Stokes Croft when we catch up with him to talk about the Property team he has gathered around him in Bristol. The sun streams through the windows of Poco Café Bar as we sip lattes and he talks about how good it feels to be hosting a table tonight. “There’s only four of us going to the dinner,” he says “ the others are pretty jealous. But if we all went there wouldn’t be room for any clients!”
The BPAA describes itself as the collective, authoritative voice of the Bristol property market and there is a serious side to what it does. It’s a real force for change in the city, working to bring external investment into Bristol. Neville says “But tonight is the annual awards dinner and AGM and it will all be about who is there. The Carbon property team is hosting a table partly because we wanted to be seen to be there but also because we believe it’s important to put our money where our mouth is: to demonstrate our commitment and belief in the Bristol property market.”
He becomes animated as he goes on to describe the innovation and creativity in the local market, generated in part by Bristol being Green Capital 2015 but also by Bristol being a place that attracts people who want to do things differently and are ethically minded. The Carbon Bristol property team are developing a name for themselves in sustainable property development exactly because they are prepared to work in a way that really works for the businesses who are carving out the future.
“We had a whole discussion about what sustainable development means to us, “ Nev explains “ And we’ve realised it’s not just about using straw bales instead of bricks and mortar. It’s about innovation for the future. What we are seeing now in Bristol are the germs of the industrial revolution for the 21st Century. We are helping to create tomorrow’s world today. But on a really practical basis, this means bringing unused buildings back into use and lower fuel bills. These are benefits that everyone, not just eco warriors, can appreciate!”
So if you are going to the BPAA dinner tonight, watch out for Nev, Steffani, Kevin and Arwel! Rebecca and Anne, maybe you can go next year. Or maybe we’ll take two tables?