Property businesses in the South West are leading the region’s economic recovery with increased marketing activity according to one of the region’s most established public relations agencies.
Residential and commercial property businesses throughout the South West are raising their profile and accelerating their activities as they complete deals and report sales on the highest level since the economic downturn hit in 2009.
Empica public relations, which has its headquarters in Long Ashton, Bristol, has seen a major increase in property clients through the summer with campaigns planned for greater public awareness throughout the Autumn.
The agency has been appointed by commercial agents Bruton Knowles, which has opened a new office in Bristol and increased staff in its Gloucester headquarters and has taken on publicising the Bath Riverside development for Crest Nicholson Regeneration, which is attracting buyers from throughout the UK.
Empica has also been appointed by Redcliffe Homes of Chipping Sodbury, which is seeing solid sales on quality new home developments in Pewsey, Cheltenham and Sherborne and is helping Oakhill Brewery Developments, which has started marketing a housing project near Shepton Mallet that has been on hold for the last few years.
Empica Managing Director Martin Powell said: “The summer is usually a quiet period for new business but this year it has been noticeable that so many property projects are gearing up for the Autumn and that has to be good news for the economy.
“We saw our property sector work dip markedly in 2009 as buyers disappeared from the residential market and the commercial sector found itself in very tough trading conditions. There are now real signs of an upturn.
“It is clear that some of the activity has been prompted by the Homes and Communities Agency set up by the Government to kick-start property activity. Certainly the residential Help To Buy scheme announced in March is now bearing fruit with buyers coming through. There are also funds being released to help land and regeneration projects.”
The new raft of clients are added to a strong portfolio of property clients serviced by Empica, including Colliers International, CJH Land, BNS Block Management and Crest Nicholson’s Harbourside development in Bristol, which have all been strong throughout the downturn.
Said Martin Powell: “Since 2009 we have seen a real increase in care and charity sector clients. Charities especially have had to step up promotional work in order to continue to keep funds rolling in when money is tight for everyone. The care sector has been steadily growing, reflecting the demographic changes in the country with more elderly people in the population.
“The health and leisure sector has also remained relatively robust with new restaurants opening in the area and significant investment in new hotels and health clubs.
“We have been providing public relations services in the region since 1989 and up until a few years ago the region’s economy was always underpinned by a strong property market. The summer of new clients is a strong indication that the region is in recovery.”
