Josh Summers
Head of Commercial Property
The Benyon Estate’s commercial portfolio plays an increasingly fundamental role in making De Beauvoir Town what it is today. One of our challenges and responsibilities for the estate is to restore and regenerate opportunities for job creation as well as work spaces that have been lost since the beginning of the 20th century. Every aspect of managing these spaces lies with Josh.
Commercial tenants on the estate tend to lean towards the creative industries but that’s not to the exclusion of everyone else: we are also home to independently-owned restaurants, delis, nurseries and car mechanics, among others. Josh looks after all these spaces that vary in size and nature from workshops of 150 sq ft to the the De Beauvoir Block – a collection of 33 premium office spaces. Other types of commercial space include shopfronts both large and small, light industrial units and spacious, newly refurbished offices.
It doesn’t end there. As nothing stands still, it’s also Josh’s responsibility to always be on the look-out for new opportunities and there are always developments in the pipeline. From planning permission through to fruition, Josh’s expertise and breadth of experience is brought in to help map out the spaces to best suit today’s De Beauvoir Town commercial tenant.
“The Benyon Estate knows that workspaces and commerce are vital to the success and future of De Beauvoir Town. But what’s interesting is that it’s not all about making the most money. Some of the spaces that are let are deliberately kept at below market value to help new businesses flourish. I like that aspect a lot.”
“We are also creating really stand-out office spaces which retain original features within highly contemporary working environments. It’s a lot more challenging to achieve than just building something more run-of-the-mill but it’s always rewarding to see the results.”
“I come from a small village near Ludlow in Shropshire and De Beauvoir Town reminds me very much of there,” adds Josh. “It has a wonderful village feel with a distinctive community spirit which, I think, is pretty unique to find in the middle of London.”