Brent's publicity machine

In today's Herald, the story that has so far been given less prominence than a pothole has suddenly grabbed the headlines, second only to the budget.

Quote :

HAS Plymouth Argyle owner James Brent bitten off more than he can chew?

The man who rescued the club from bankruptcy in 2011 and followed up with ambitious £150million plans to develop Higher Home Park, the Pavilions and the Civic Centre, is emphatic: “No.”

In an exclusive interview with The Herald, Mr Brent said: “We are totally committed to building in Plymouth.”

The Argyle chairman admitted that the club had haemorrhaged money during his first year in charge, but said it would break even in its second year, thanks to the work of staff and the board.

But he said there was no five-year plan to get Argyle into the Premiership, an ambition that crippled the club’s discredited former regime.

Four of Mr Brent’s hotel groups have been sold off this year, raising fears of a knock-on effect on his Plymouth businesses.

In a frank interview yesterday, Mr Brent said the sell-off was forced on him after his bankers, Lloyds, pulled out of the regional hotels business.

But he was adamant that the restructuring had left his remaining four-star hotels intact, making money and essentially debt-free. And he was clear: There is no link between the hotels and any of his Plymouth businesses.

Delays in building a promised new grandstand at Home Park have reinforced concerns among some fans and observers that Mr Brent may have over-reached in taking on three huge developments.

So, has he bitten off more than he can chew?

“The answer is ‘No’, because the various projects are sequentially phased so they will not be – and we never intended them to be – in construction at the same time,” Mr Brent said.

“Am I committed to Plymouth? Absolutely. Am I committed to building these three projects? Absolutely.

“But can I guarantee there will be no delays or hiccups? Absolutely not. We depend on third parties and these are very complex projects.”

The council handed over the Pavilions to Mr Brent, along with a £2million dowry in 2012. The deal freed the council of a £1.5million a year subsidy for the Pavilions.

Part of the deal is that he must provide a new ice arena at Higher Home Park before the old one can be demolished and development of the Pavilions can push ahead.

Mr Brent’s initial £83million Pavilions proposals have had to mark time because of delays at Higher Home Park.

Meanwhile, fans have voiced their concerns that the promised new grandstand has not yet materialised as part of a scheme that will see a new ice arena, ten-screen cinema, shops, restaurants and bars.

Mr Brent said the delays had come about in getting the “three stars to line up”. These are: construction costs, lettings and, finally, finance.

He is confident about getting the cash to build at Higher Home Park. “Investors are quite keen to come back into well run UK real estate,” he said. “They are nervous about retail, but they do like leisure parks.”

The complicated finance package will see the development funded by a big institution which will take it over once it is completed.

That requires, first, building costs to be brought in within a budget. Mr Brent admitted that some aspects of Higher Home Park were initially “over-specified”.

“We don’t need white oak doors, stainless steel railings and Emirates-quality seating,” he said.

Before the institutions will consider ploughing in the money Mr Brent also needs to get agreements to lease for 70 to 80 per cent of the development, a process he says is getting close to the finish line.

Meanwhile, Argyle is not selling season tickets for the grandstand and is getting fans to go to the Lyndhurst Stand instead.

“We are assuming the grandstand is not going to be there for next season,” he said.

HOTELS: WHY AKKERON BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN SOLD OR CLOSED

LAST week’s news that a fourth Brent hotel group had been sold or closed this year hid a complex web of international finance.

The Forestdale Hotels group, consisting of eight smaller companies, was bought by St James’ Hotel Properties.

James Brent said his hotel businesses had significant debts with Lloyds Bank, but these were being serviced.

At the end of last year Lloyds took a decision to pull out of financing regional hotels, and sold their debts to an American investment fund, Cerberus.

The American company – bizarrely named after the mythological three-headed dog which guards the entrance to Hell – sold on the debt to another company based in the Channel Islands.

The third company used the debt to acquire the assets.

Mr Brent may have had the last laugh.

He said: “We have ended up with our four-star hotels without any material debt. The remaining group does generate significant profits.

“They have taken over debt which is of greater value than the assets they took.

“And there is no liability for any of the debt to any other part of the group.”

He said the restructuring became inevitable as soon as Lloyds sold the debt on to the American fund.

Meanwhile, the exercise has resulted in no redundancies among hotel staff and few at the hotels head offices.

“The hotel group – like all regional hotel groups – has had a very challenging period since 2008,” Mr Brent said.

“A significant majority of independent regional hotel groups have already restructured and we were one of the last.”

THE CIVIC CENTRE: HOTEL PLAN TALKS CONTINUE

THE £50million vision to develop the Civic Centre is on course, Mr Brent said.

Talks are going ahead with one four-star hotel operator and others showing interest in his scheme to strip the listed building “to the core” and rebuild it.

“The hotel is still programmed to open in 2018,” he said.

The council will quit the building by the end of this year and it will remain empty for a year for preparatory work.

Some parts could happen sooner, including the planned restaurants and gym on the Royal Parade side of the building and the new home for Plymouth Arts Centre on the car park behind the Civic Centre.

Mr Brent said the project was separate from Higher Home Park and the Pavilions.

PLYMOUTH ARGYLE: HOW JAMES BRENT CAME TO OWN THE PILGRIMS

JAMES BRENT has no regrets about bailing out Argyle in 2011.

It came about almost by accident when then city council chief executive Barry Keel asked for advice.

“I said, ‘I don’t know anything about football,” Mr Brent recalled. Under pressure, he agreed to help, and when the administrator said he needed bidders in place or it was curtains for Argyle, Mr Brent reluctantly offered his name.

When he looked round his fellow bidders had taken a step backwards, leaving him holding a football club.

“Since then it has become very addictive,” he said. “The bit I love is that it is so tribal. It is not just about the sport – it’s about the passion and pride for your tribe.

“I am beginning to understand that and to enjoy it – and my children are beginning to understand that.”

Link

.......That requires, first, building costs to be brought in within a budget. Mr Brent admitted that some aspects of Higher Home Park were initially “over-specified”.

“We don’t need white oak doors, stainless steel railings and Emirates-quality seating,” he said........


So the pathetically inadequate mini-stand is going to have an even tackier look, with Pound Shop specifications, no doubt.  

Just fu(k off Brent, you Cnut.

This must be what the reluctant one told GC, in advance.

Time will tell.

I for one don't believe a word of it!! Hope this theme park never gets off the ground, got no interest on ice skating, bed for the night of friggin Nandos - rather wait till some one who wants to invigorate my club and build a stand that show some ambition, if not refurbish the 'old gal' and whack seats back in to Mayflower!!

So losing all those hotels in hunky dory. No quivering lip as most of his hotel portfolio heads off into the sunset. And oh it' quite funny really because the rest of the hotels end up debt free. What an incerdible world these people live in.

So evolution of the Grandstand goes something like this. Magnificent - not magnificent - not magnificent with prawn cocktail mini shelf and all the trimmings - less than not magnifcent with all the trimmings removed.

I suggest they replace the stainless steel handrail with a greasy pole.

Nothing's ever his fault. Citibank's 50 billion losses were just a "market correction" and Akkeron hotels have just been forced into admin because of some financial third parties.
I'm really not happy with his comments. As Bandy says, HHP is beginning to sound more and more crass. And as for "quality", forget it. If stainless steel hinges are a problem, god help the project. It's going to be so Plymouth. These sort of people should never ever have a say in what facility gets built in our towns and cities .
I'm sure he's going about screwing every last drop of blood from the council as we speak, and in that regard, all these delays are very handy in upping the pressure.
The one thing i do agree with is parts of the Civic Centre buiding plan. And I am into an "arts quarter" down that way should he actually get his finger out.  He couldn't have wished for a more prestigious popular site if done correctly. Pity he can't do something with Colin Campbell Court.  Of course, there is always the possibility that he's just sitting on these projects just like Oldway Manor. Something is afoot down that end of town given the new company buying up old retail properties and laughingly looking for retailing tennants that don't exist, while the Council are saying there are too many shops. It all looks like a big property pull from a strapped council. We shall see..

After months of duping his PASB and ignoring the AFT the fact that Brent now needed to say something says everything.

Talk is cheap Mr Brent. You keep saying lots of nice pretty words and telling us that everything is OK, but the reality is that you have not laid a fecking brick yet.

But then its always someone else's fault isn't it?

GOB wrote:

In today's Herald, the story that has so far been given less prominence than a pothole has suddenly grabbed the headlines, second only to the budget.

Quote :

HAS Plymouth Argyle owner James Brent bitten off more than he can chew?

The man who rescued the club from bankruptcy in 2011 and followed up with ambitious £150million plans to develop Higher Home Park, the Pavilions and the Civic Centre, is emphatic: “No.”

In an exclusive interview with The Herald, Mr Brent said: “We are totally committed to building in Plymouth.”

The Argyle chairman admitted that the club had haemorrhaged money during his first year in charge, but said it would break even in its second year, thanks to the work of staff and the board.

But he said there was no five-year plan to get Argyle into the Premiership, an ambition that crippled the club’s discredited former regime.

Four of Mr Brent’s hotel groups have been sold off this year, raising fears of a knock-on effect on his Plymouth businesses.

In a frank interview yesterday, Mr Brent said the sell-off was forced on him after his bankers, Lloyds, pulled out of the regional hotels business.

But he was adamant that the restructuring had left his remaining four-star hotels intact, making money and essentially debt-free. And he was clear: There is no link between the hotels and any of his Plymouth businesses.

Delays in building a promised new grandstand at Home Park have reinforced concerns among some fans and observers that Mr Brent may have over-reached in taking on three huge developments.

So, has he bitten off more than he can chew?

“The answer is ‘No’, because the various projects are sequentially phased so they will not be – and we never intended them to be – in construction at the same time,” Mr Brent said.

“Am I committed to Plymouth? Absolutely. Am I committed to building these three projects? Absolutely.

“But can I guarantee there will be no delays or hiccups? Absolutely not. We depend on third parties and these are very complex projects.”

The council handed over the Pavilions to Mr Brent, along with a £2million dowry in 2012. The deal freed the council of a £1.5million a year subsidy for the Pavilions.

Part of the deal is that he must provide a new ice arena at Higher Home Park before the old one can be demolished and development of the Pavilions can push ahead.

Mr Brent’s initial £83million Pavilions proposals have had to mark time because of delays at Higher Home Park.

Meanwhile, fans have voiced their concerns that the promised new grandstand has not yet materialised as part of a scheme that will see a new ice arena, ten-screen cinema, shops, restaurants and bars.

Mr Brent said the delays had come about in getting the “three stars to line up”. These are: construction costs, lettings and, finally, finance.

He is confident about getting the cash to build at Higher Home Park. “Investors are quite keen to come back into well run UK real estate,” he said. “They are nervous about retail, but they do like leisure parks.”

The complicated finance package will see the development funded by a big institution which will take it over once it is completed.

That requires, first, building costs to be brought in within a budget. Mr Brent admitted that some aspects of Higher Home Park were initially “over-specified”.

“We don’t need white oak doors, stainless steel railings and Emirates-quality seating,” he said.

Before the institutions will consider ploughing in the money Mr Brent also needs to get agreements to lease for 70 to 80 per cent of the development, a process he says is getting close to the finish line.

Meanwhile, Argyle is not selling season tickets for the grandstand and is getting fans to go to the Lyndhurst Stand instead.

“We are assuming the grandstand is not going to be there for next season,” he said.

HOTELS: WHY AKKERON BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN SOLD OR CLOSED

LAST week’s news that a fourth Brent hotel group had been sold or closed this year hid a complex web of international finance.

The Forestdale Hotels group, consisting of eight smaller companies, was bought by St James’ Hotel Properties.

James Brent said his hotel businesses had significant debts with Lloyds Bank, but these were being serviced.

At the end of last year Lloyds took a decision to pull out of financing regional hotels, and sold their debts to an American investment fund, Cerberus.

The American company – bizarrely named after the mythological three-headed dog which guards the entrance to Hell – sold on the debt to another company based in the Channel Islands.

The third company used the debt to acquire the assets.

Mr Brent may have had the last laugh.

He said: “We have ended up with our four-star hotels without any material debt. The remaining group does generate significant profits.

“They have taken over debt which is of greater value than the assets they took.

“And there is no liability for any of the debt to any other part of the group.”

He said the restructuring became inevitable as soon as Lloyds sold the debt on to the American fund.

Meanwhile, the exercise has resulted in no redundancies among hotel staff and few at the hotels head offices.

“The hotel group – like all regional hotel groups – has had a very challenging period since 2008,” Mr Brent said.

“A significant majority of independent regional hotel groups have already restructured and we were one of the last.”

THE CIVIC CENTRE: HOTEL PLAN TALKS CONTINUE

THE £50million vision to develop the Civic Centre is on course, Mr Brent said.

Talks are going ahead with one four-star hotel operator and others showing interest in his scheme to strip the listed building “to the core” and rebuild it.

“The hotel is still programmed to open in 2018,” he said.

The council will quit the building by the end of this year and it will remain empty for a year for preparatory work.

Some parts could happen sooner, including the planned restaurants and gym on the Royal Parade side of the building and the new home for Plymouth Arts Centre on the car park behind the Civic Centre.

Mr Brent said the project was separate from Higher Home Park and the Pavilions.

PLYMOUTH ARGYLE: HOW JAMES BRENT CAME TO OWN THE PILGRIMS

JAMES BRENT has no regrets about bailing out Argyle in 2011.

It came about almost by accident when then city council chief executive Barry Keel asked for advice.

“I said, ‘I don’t know anything about football,” Mr Brent recalled. Under pressure, he agreed to help, and when the administrator said he needed bidders in place or it was curtains for Argyle, Mr Brent reluctantly offered his name.

When he looked round his fellow bidders had taken a step backwards, leaving him holding a football club.

“Since then it has become very addictive,” he said. “The bit I love is that it is so tribal. It is not just about the sport – it’s about the passion and pride for your tribe.

“I am beginning to understand that and to enjoy it – and my children are beginning to understand that.”

Link

There's nothing new here. It's just a rehash of what has been said all along.

Move along. There's nothing to see.

As my dear old grandad use to say actions speak louder than words.

Wait for the Pres thumping his tub now, and I don't mean Lyndsay.

Winter Green wrote:

Nothing's ever his fault. Citibank's 50 billion losses were just a "market correction" and Akkeron hotels have just been forced into admin because of some financial third parties.
I'm really not happy with his comments. As Bandy says, HHP is beginning to sound more and more crass. And as for "quality", forget it. If stainless steel hinges are a problem, god help the project. It's going to be so Plymouth. These sort of people should never ever have a say in what facility gets built in our towns and cities .
I'm sure he's going about screwing every last drop of blood from the council as we speak, and in that regard, all these delays are very handy in upping the pressure.
The one thing i do agree with is parts of the Civic Centre buiding plan. And I am into an "arts quarter" down that way should he actually get his finger out.  He couldn't have wished for a more prestigious popular site if done correctly. Pity he can't do something with Colin Campbell Court.  Of course, there is always the possibility that he's just sitting on these projects just like Oldway Manor. Something is afoot down that end of town given the new company buying up old retail properties and laughingly looking for retailing tennants that don't exist, while the Council are saying there are too many shops. It all looks like a big property pull from a strapped council. We shall see..

Was Brent responsible for them losing 50 billion? Crikey, did not know that....

Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance.

Czarcasm wrote:

.......That requires, first, building costs to be brought in within a budget. Mr Brent admitted that some aspects of Higher Home Park were initially “over-specified”.

“We don’t need white oak doors, stainless steel railings and Emirates-quality seating,” he said........


So the pathetically inadequate mini-stand is going to have an even tackier look, with Pound Shop specifications, no doubt.  

Just fu(k off Brent, you Cnut.

Within the construction industry I think that would mean the plans are now going through a "value engineering" phase. Quite common and as JB has basically said the architects are now going through the plans looking for ways of using cheaper materials and fittings. That could be cheaper doors made of MDF instead of oak or cheaper cladding on the outside of the buildings. Or redesigning certain parts of the buildings to make installation of the utilities easier and cheaper.

Wouldn't it have been easier to have told the PASB all that?

So the "magnificent two-tiered stand" will be neither two-tiered nor magnificent meaning that the gilded cage which will choke our club won't actually be very gilded at all. Fantastic.

How could anybody have botched a plan so badly as not only to sell us the dream of an inadequate stand as part of an inadequate plan but then to have to further botch the inadequacy to get it built? If it ever is.

I don't like how in an example of how the project needs to cut costs, he uses examples of seats and comfort.

'We don't need Emirates seating'.

It kind of implies, where the project needs to cheapen up, it will be the football stand that will be the basic part.

A 3,800 flat pack, basic, elevated stand, on a high incline to give the impression it is bigger (and also for more building space behind) with cheap tacky seats.

Can't wait.

So does he actually own the pavilions, which is now, somehow, a registered charity. According to the article the £2m paid by the council was to prevent on going maintenance to the tune of £1.5m annually, so how does that work? I would love to be able to have the previous owner of my house pay for the maintenance.
Also I thought we were led to believe that the development was to offset the costs of running the club, when we were told that it was a necessity, yet the article states haemorraging in the first year and balanced books in the second.
Just fook off out of Plymouth you parasite

bodspafc wrote:

Winter Green wrote:

Nothing's ever his fault. Citibank's 50 billion losses were just a "market correction" and Akkeron hotels have just been forced into admin because of some financial third parties.

Was Brent responsible for them losing 50 billion? Crikey, did not know that....

Citigroup's demise was heavily due to property mortgages. Now who was actually head man of global real estate and lodgings for much of the bubble period. It wouldn't have been our Jimmy, would it ? He was not only one of the main players, it was actually his department that failed more than any other. Still, I guess there's always a rump of fools that don't think these matters are the responsibility of anyone. Of course, these hugely overpaid executives certainly claim responsibility when there's profits being produced out of a rabbit's hat.
Actually Oddbod Bodspafc, perhaps you could tell me one enterprise Brent has worked for since he left school that hasn't hit financial problems ? Even his present "self sustaining" PAFC model suddenly needs emergency funding from undesirable sources. The guy should be shooting grouse and nowhere near playing with other people's money.

He shouldn't be shooting grouse...it's illegal until the 12th August dear boy

Winter Green wrote:

bodspafc wrote:

Winter Green wrote:

Nothing's ever his fault. Citibank's 50 billion losses were just a "market correction" and Akkeron hotels have just been forced into admin because of some financial third parties.

Was Brent responsible for them losing 50 billion? Crikey, did not know that....

Citigroup's demise was heavily due to property mortgages. Now who was actually head man of global real estate and lodgings for much of the bubble period. It wouldn't have been our Jimmy, would it ? He was not only one of the main players, it was actually his department that failed more than any other. Still, I guess there's always a rump of fools that don't think these matters are the responsibility of anyone. Of course, these hugely overpaid executives certainly claim responsibility when there's profits being produced out of a rabbit's hat.
Actually Oddbod Bodspafc, perhaps you could tell me one enterprise Brent has worked for since he left school that hasn't hit financial problems ? Even his present "self sustaining" PAFC model suddenly needs emergency funding from undesirable sources. The guy should be shooting grouse and nowhere near playing with other people's money.

I'll just pick up your toys a minute.....Thanks for calling me a fool too.

My point was that you made it sound like it was him alone responsible for the loss where it clearly wasn't the case.

To be fair not all aspects of value engineering may impact the customers. It was explained to me once that architects do have a tendency to go over the top when designing their latest architectural masterpiece. A lot of savings may be made in areas that the customers wouldn't know anything about or even notice. The only people to notice may be the builders. When you drive into a new housing estate can you tell the difference between a timber framed house and a totally brick built one? Unlikely but one is much cheaper to build.

I wouldn't criticise JB too much for those comments. They may be examples that he thought fans would understand easily rather than quoting savings on building materials or processes. Save the criticism for when final plans are released.

He was on Spotlight at lunchtime and there will be more on Spotlight tonight.

In another time and place, people like him would be in jail for their reckless handling of community wealth. I di not say it was him alone, but he certainly was one of the main players, but you just carry on pretending it didn't happen.  
I don't think you're a fool, nor did I say so. I think your an apologist for such behaviour. Quite a different thing. I prefer fools.

Winter Green wrote:

In another time and place, people like him would be in jail for their reckless handling of community wealth. I di not say it was him alone, but he certainly was one of the main players, but you just carry on pretending it didn't happen.  
I don't think you're a fool, nor did I say so. I think your an apologist for such behaviour. Quite a different thing. I prefer fools.

I wasn't aware that I was pretending it didn't happen? Just trying to get some clarification. Ah well, at least I've learned that I'm a fool 'apologist' today from someone who doesn't even know me from reading a few lines on a forum.