ESPRESSO BRIEFINGS Espresso Briefings celebrate 10 years

Andrew Ewbank

Andrew is Senior Business Development Manager, Real Estate, Facilities and Infrastructure Management at Avison Young, winning and developing new contracts across the public and private sectors, specifically in property and facilities management. He set up the Espresso Briefings CPD series back in March 2015 and has been a staunch supporter of ACES throughout this time. He briefly left in March 2022 and spent 2 years in the rooftop solar industry, before returning to Avison Young in June 2024.

Avison Young’s public sector CPD sessions, supported and partnered by ACES, reach a landmark decade and celebrate with an anniversary event in London.

Avison Young has been hosting its Espresso Briefings for CPD series for 10 years. The free 1-hour training presentations prepared for public sector estates professionals launched in March 2015. Since then, we have delivered over 60 sessions in London, around the regions, and online.

A close-up shot of several decorated cupcakes on a tiered stand.

In early April 2025, at our London Gresham Street office, we hosted the landmark 10-year session, titled ‘Keeping the promise: has the Elizabeth Line delivered for places?’. This was a revisit of a presentation we hosted back in 2018 on the forecast real estate opportunities presented by Crossrail (the working title), and as the Elizabeth Line celebrates its third birthday in May, we explored if and how any or all these predictions have delivered.

The Espresso Briefings for CPD developed out of Avison Young’s commitment to and leadership within surveying and planning services for the public sector, coupled with our relationship with ACES and annual sponsorship of the national conferences [Ed – see flyer for more information about ACES National Conference]. The briefings proved popular from the off (and were well timed with the office move into Gresham Street in Feb 2015). At each session, an Avison Young specialist hosts a topic and often invites a client to support a case study.

Their success is down to several factors: the sessions supplement practical surveyor learning, together with a well-located London office, a delicious free breakfast, and exclusive networking across London Borough property professionals. Ultimately, there’s a committed team which organises and delivers an engaging programme. The success in London led to requests by ACES members for Espresso Briefings in the regions, and we have hosted them in our Bristol, Birmingham and Manchester offices.

The series has also provided a constant backdrop to many of our big company moments, including the day that GVA was officially acquired by Avison Young, with an immediate name change. Due to the start time of the event clashing with the embargo to the trade press, clients entered an event hosted by GVA and left as Avison Young (with a branded cupcake to take home).

One of the most significant Espresso Briefings was a session on Dilapidations, scheduled to be delivered on Friday 20th March 2020. We had a full house of 80 delegates booked to attend. However on the Wednesday evening, a mandate came from the top to pause all events due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Not to be beaten, the event was quickly remarketed to be presented online, via Zoom. Although networking and breakfast were sacrificed, this had the advantage of being able to go national all of a sudden, for the first time. The ACES regional memberships quickly facilitated an invitation, and the first Avison Young online seminar was broadcast, with further online events reaching an average of 250 people per event.

A big thank you to the many ACES members who have either presented, attended or helped to facilitate the success of this event series, and long may it continue [Ed – a prominent ACES member has called it chivvying or nagging – no names]. We look forward to welcoming you to our new London office at The Met Building, on Percy Street, W1. To ensure you are on our mailing list, please email Andrew.ewbank@avisonyoung.com.

Testimonials

“Over the past ten years, Espresso Briefings have been a great source of up-to-date information and networking opportunities. The range of speakers has been engaging, sharing knowledge from a range of perspectives. Now we are back having events in person it is a real benefit to catch up with old connections and make new ones.”

Philippa Bancroft FRICS, Senior Manager, Greater London Authority

“As a regular attendee over the past ten years at the Espresso Briefings, the City of London Corporation has found the Briefings highly relevant, engaging, and informative, providing an excellent range of presentations in the local government property sector. The Briefings have consistently provided invaluable insight and information helping us navigate multiple challenges across the property sector in London local government.”

Michael Gwyther-Jones B.Sc. (Hons), B.Arch. (Dist.), MPA, RIBA, ARB, Head of New Developments & Special Projects, City of London Corporation

“The Espressos have been a backbone of ACES engagement with Avison Young over the last ten years. Members get huge value from them, and we were sad when they went online during the pandemic. That said, the move from London to national through webinar format also had its benefits. Here is a toast to the next ten years.”

Neil Webster, ACES

“The Espresso Briefings offer invaluable insights into relevant and current topics for the practising property professional, with the added benefit that they are free and provide excellent networking opportunities. ACES is proud to support these Briefings, and as a member of ACES, I have regularly attended and find they offer very good value.”

Neil McManus BSc (Hons) MRICS, Development Contributions Manager, Suffolk County Council and past ACES President

Topics

2017 event

Topics to date have included:

• Proactive site assembly for development (first ever session delivered by Virginia Blackman on 27 March 2015)

• Private rented sector funding and delivery

• Responsible property investment

• Understanding the new RICS Code of Measurement Standard

• Section 106 viability

• Market outlook(s)

• Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards

• Future of town centres

• Rating revaluation (2017)

• Joint venture partnerships

• Managing property data

• Fire safety management

• Neighbourly matters - Party Wall and Rights of Light

• Real estate procurement

• Futureproofing commercial property

• Estate renewal

• The New London Plan and its effect on the outer London boroughs

• Social value

• Waste management

• Lease advisory legal update

• Rights of Light

• Industrial intensification

• 5G and the new Telecoms Code

• Dilapidations

• The post-Coronavirus development pipeline

• Service charges: what you need to know (post Covid-19)

• Town centres: short, medium and long term opportunities (post Covid-19)

• Cost containment (post Covid-19)

• Viability update: new RICS guidance

• Council finances

• Affordable workspace

• Navigating relationships and climate conscious leases

• Green industrial revolution

• COP 28: From global commitments to impacting you locally

• The Non-Domestic Rating Act 2023

• Strategies for success in public/private sector collaboration

• Road to net zero

• Estate regeneration