MORE MUSINGS Southwold or bust

Simon Eades

Simon qualified as a chartered surveyor in 1980. He started his career in the commercial field, moving to private practice in 1983. In the mid-1990s he joined Great Yarmouth Borough Council and in 2006 moved to Waveney District Council (now East Suffolk Council). He retired in 2018.

More recollections and coincidences from Simon. 

In June 2006 when I started working at Lowestoft, I joined a new team which was responsible for all aspects of property management in the district, and I soon became involved with many council properties over the area. I imagine that over the 12 years I must have completed over 1,000 individual valuations. One of the differences between Great Yarmouth Borough Council and Waveney District Council [WDC] is the geography of the two districts. The former is based almost exclusively on the twin towns of Great Yarmouth and Gorleston and the latter had four other centres within the council boundary, all of which had council owned assets that required inspections at some time or another. 

Southwold was one of the towns I used to visit on a regular basis in my early years at WDC. There was a wide variety of council owned property associated with a seaside town. I seem to recall that my first visit was in the summer of 2006, shortly after I arrived at WDC and over the years, I visited the town many times. I had not been back there since I retired in 2018, but that changed recently following a present from my younger son to mark a significant birthday. 

He lived at home for part of the time while I was working at WDC, completing his university degree in Ipswich. When I opened the present, he reminded me that one year the WDC property team went to Southwold for a Christmas lunch. I said that was right and could I remember what we actually did on the trip? I told him that my recollection of that day trip to Southwold was that we went to have a Christmas lunch at one of the pubs and had a walk around the town. In addition to having the Christmas lunch, we also had a tour around the Adnams Brewery - I could not remember whether it was the brewery or the distillery. The birthday present was a distillery tour for two. 

In February my younger son and wife came to us for a week’s holiday and during the stay we went to Southwold to enjoy the distillery tour. The journey to Southwold from Norwich was familiar. We went on the road to Lowestoft and crossed the Norfolk/Suffolk border at Beccles crossing over the River Waveney. I thought I heard someone knock on the window shouting “Passport please.” After all I was going from Norfolk to Suffolk and I knew that a Norfolk boy had to be careful in Suffolk. I had to keep a close eye on my Norwich City coffee mug and be discrete in my comments about the football the previous Saturday! 

It was interesting crossing the River Waveney. I felt like I was going home. I have been back to Lowestoft and Beccles to umpire cricket matches, but this time I was in the passenger seat and was able to look at the surroundings and switch on my memory. After Beccles we turned right and took the road to Southwold going through Wrentham - and my eyes lit up. This was the village where there was a large vacant council owned site. My memory as to the final outcome is hazy, but there was considerable debate over the years as to the site density and the cost of construction and eventual development. 

We took the back road from Wrentham to Southwold. In 2006 on my first visit to Southwold I missed this turning in Wrentham and arrived late in Southwold. Not the best introduction when you are meeting the local district councillors for the first time! 

On this occasion, we found a car park close to the town centre and went for a walk. We had half an hour before we had to register for the distillery tour and found a coffee shop and had a sausage roll. We arrived on time at the Swan Hotel, registered for the tour, and joined six other people. 

It was an interesting tour. It was fascinating to hear how Adnams has diversified into making gin and other spirits following its earlier start in brewing. The equipment in the distillery was stunning and the confident and informative way that the tour guide led the group was impressive. Adnams’ efforts in using local suppliers to reduce their carbon footprint were commendable and of particular interest was the way in which Adnams recycle the beer to make liquor. The beer is sent through to the distillery and the resultant spirit is then matured in oak barrels. At the subsequent tasting session, we were able to taste this among the gins and other liquors. It retained the malty flavor of the beer but had a woody sweetness and it was a very interesting drink to end the tasting. I was glad I had had the sausage roll! 

I mentioned to the tour guide that this was my second distillery tour. She asked when I had come before. I said I did not remember the precise date, but it had to be at least 10 years ago. I commented that this tour was extremely interesting and she mentioned that they have developed over time. I said that I was interested in buying a bottle of their dry gin distilled for making low alcohol drinks. After the tour we went to the Adnams shop and bought a bottle to act as a reminder of the tour. We followed this with a cup of tea and I said I would like to go down memory lane and have another look at the town. 

Firstly, we drove towards the harbour as I wanted to see any changes since my last visit. There were familiar buildings but I could not remember my previous involvement with them. I suspect they were assets that I inspected for asset valuation purposes. 

We turned round and drove back to the town and went along the seafront. I knew that there were familiar properties, including the one I went to in summer 2006. I told my son that we were going to look at a seaside property and he pointed out the pier! I said no, it was the property opposite, and as we approached it the memories came flooding back [Ed – pun intended?]. 

Southwold Pier

terraced house

The property occupied a significant area of land approaching 9 acres. It was a leisure facility comprising a tea rooms, a model boat lake and a larger area of water. Over the years I went there many times to try and assist and persuade the tenants to meet their obligations. The overriding issue I seem to recall was that the tenants, as the business operators, had different views to that of the landlord as to the long-term maintenance of the asset. My recollection was that the negotiations were interesting but challenging and always time consuming – which was, perhaps, the best answer I could give to the question as to what I could remember! However, it was evident that since my last visit there had been considerable investment in the asset to make it more interesting, so clearly there seems to have been agreement on all sides. The facilities seem to be thriving. 

Southwold beach

The second property was a two-storey terrace house. I can recall difficulties in having to determine the value of the freehold interest. It had been part of the housing portfolio for some time and had been converted into three flats. I could recall that the 125-year leases for the two occupied flats were fairly recent and under the terms of the lease, WDC retained the external repairing responsibilities. When the third flat was placed on the market with a local agent the two remaining occupiers made an application to acquire the freeholds from WDC. The difficulty, as far as I could recall, was that the specific methodology for a case of this kind did not exist, but there were two established methods that were available if all parties were in agreement. 

The instruction that I received was to value the freehold interest reflecting the existence of the leases. An assumption was made as to the value of the vacant flat and I prepared a valuation of the freehold interest. I know that this figure would be divided into three and this would provide the basis of negotiations with the two long lessees. Once a figure was agreed then an adjustment could be made to the agreed purchase price of the vacant flat. 

My instruction was limited to providing the valuation and I was not involved with the negotiations, but seem to recall hearing that there was an eventual agreement. 

At this point we decided that we would return home. We followed the main road to the A12, passing Adnams’ delivery depot and drove home via a different route to Beccles and then along the A146 to Norwich. It had been a wonderful day. 

The following day the whole family decided to go to North Norfolk for a walk along the coast and passed a very large barn displaying the Adnams’ logo. We learnt the previous day that the barley used by Adnams comes from the Holkham Estate and to see the large barn was somewhat coinc