Julie’s efforts recognised with promotion

Wareing & Co has announced the promotion of a valued long-standing member of staff.

Julie Bevan, who has been with the firm for almost 20 years, has been promoted to office manager.

Julie joined the firm in 2004 and plays an integral part in the business, managing the accounts, overseeing the Wareing & Co website and supporting with enquiries.

She has recently increased her hours and now works full time for the firm.

Julie, who lives in Leamington and has three children, said she is thrilled with the promotion.

She said: “I really enjoy my role at Wareing & Co and I am very pleased to be recognised with this promotion.

“No two days are the same in my job and I love that there is always something different to do.

“I have three children, but as my youngest is now 15 it has given me the opportunity to increase my hours and take on more responsibilities.

“I look forward to continuing to support the growth of the business in my new role.”

Jonathan Blood, director at Wareing & Co, said: “Julie is an extremely valuable member of the team at Wareing & Co.

“She has been with the business for almost 20 years – a fantastic achievement – and this promotion is very well-deserved.”

Law firm moving to vibrant offices in Leamington Spa

An expanding law firm is set to relocate to new offices in Leamington Spa as part of its ambitious plans for growth.

Thomas Flavell & Sons Solicitors, a thriving law firm, are thrilled to announce their upcoming move to a dynamic and modern workspace at 19 Waterloo Place.

Currently operating from separate offices on Regent Grove and Smith Street in Leamington and Warwick respectively, Thomas Flavell & Sons Solicitors aims to centralise their operations by bringing their dedicated team under one roof.

The new premises will accommodate all existing staff and provide ample room for an additional 15 employees, further bolstering the firm’s ability to serve their growing client base.

The firm, whose services encompass residential and commercial property matters, family law, probate, and litigation, has enjoyed remarkable success in recent years. With the vision of expanding operations and attracting top talent, the firm sought an inviting and contemporary office space.

The upcoming move not only showcases the firm’s ambition and commitment to clients but also highlights their dedication to fostering a collaborative and forward-thinking work environment. The modern amenities and strategic location of the Waterloo Place premises will undoubtedly enhance the firm’s ability to provide exceptional legal services while attracting talented professionals who share their values and vision.

Jamie Connolly, Director and Head of Corporate at Thomas Flavell & Sons, is looking to introduce a fresh and vibrant work environment by embracing open office space, hot-desking, and collaborative breakout areas. This approach aims to foster a relaxed atmosphere, departing from the conventional setting typically associated with traditional offices.

He said: “We wanted our new office to be a real draw for both our staff and our clients instead of being a staid environment where our employees didn’t really want to be.

“It was important that we were in a thriving town centre like Leamington too – there are so many great businesses, cafes and bars that staff can enjoy while working here.

“We were also inspired by places like 1 Mill Street in Leamington which is showing what the future of office working can be like with its flexible approach to working. We want to try and emulate that to a certain extent at Waterloo Place.

“Wareing & Company showed us a few places during our search, and the property on Waterloo Place really stood out for us thanks to its great interior space and central location.

“We’re really looking forward to the move and we’re confident our current staff, as well as future employees, will enjoy being based there.”

The office is expected to open in early September after the fit-out of the interior is finished and will add to the firm’s three offices in Leicestershire.

Jonathan Blood, Director at Wareing & Company, added: “Leamington Spa continues to be a desirable town for businesses to relocate providing the office space is of the right quality – and this deal is a clear example of that.

“19 Waterloo Place provides Thomas Flavell Solicitors with office space that is not only in a great location in the town, but has enough flexibility and size that they can fulfil their vision of open office working and expanding the business too.

“We’re delighted the move has completed and we look forward to seeing the business grow even more from its new home when it opens in September.”

New Greek restaurant opens in Leamington after deal agreed

The owners of a successful Warwickshire pub chain have opened a new Greek restaurant in Leamington town centre after a delivery version of the business proved popular during lockdown.

Taverna Meraki is the latest venture of Matt & Alex Crowther, owners of Pug Pubs Limited which operates The Royal Pug, The Fat Pug, and coffee shop Procaffeinate in Leamington, The Black Pug in Warwick, and The Lazy Pug in Shipston.

The new restaurant started life as a takeaway business during lockdown, which saw many customers order its food again and again.

It found its permanent home on Regent Street at the 1,553 sq ft site of the former Café Rouge after Wareing & Company secured a deal.

Matt said: “I’d always had ambitions of opening some sort of Greek restaurant as I’d worked there for four years and loved the food.

“When we founded our first pub, The Fat Pug in 2012, we asked our friend from Greece, Yannis, to come over and work with us at the business, with the possible idea of starting a Greek restaurant at some point.

“Pug Pubs did very well, but when lockdown hit, we realised our pub offering did not translate well to delivery and we needed to come up with something new.

“This was the right time for us to finally start our Greek food idea, firstly as a delivery business. Customers loved the gyros, souvlaki and other authentic Greek dishes we served up. When lockdown was lifted, we toured the business around various food shows, with a similar response from customers.

“It was amazing to see how well it did, and many people asked us where they could go for a sit-down meal. That was when we realised we needed a permanent restaurant.”

Matt approached Bill Wareing, owner of Wareing & Company, who took them through various options in the area before narrowing it down to a few locations.

And when Matt visited the former Café Rouge on Regent Street – which has stood empty for around 18 months – the decision was simple for him.

“I just knew it was the one,” he added. “We wanted a building in the centre of Leamington, preferably with existing amenities and that didn’t require too much work. And Café Rouge ticked all the boxes.

“Bill’s knowledge of exactly which units offered what was incredibly useful, and meant the process of finding a suitable base was far easier than it might have been.”

Bill added: “This building is in a great central location in Leamington, being right next to the Royal Priors Shopping Centre and many other restaurants.

“This deal is yet another sign that Leamington’s food scene is continuing to grow despite the external pressures on the economy.

“Taverna Meraki is a fantastic new addition to the town centre and to the Pug Pubs brand.”

Leamington music shop to move to bigger premises after Wareing & Co completes deal

A popular music shop in Leamington is marking 36 years of trading with a move to bigger premises.

Presto Music, one of the UK’s premier sources of sheet music, classical and jazz recordings, musical instruments, accessories and music gifts, is relocating to new premises after Wareing & Co successfully completed the deal.

Presto Music opened in 1986 as a specialist classical recording retailer, loved by many and visited by thousands of customers. The store has seen a number of locations – its most recent, 7 Park Street, is where the business has grown into what it is today.

The current shop will close at 1pm on 20 October and, after the move, customers will be able to find the new store at 23 Regent Grove, CV32 4NN, from 24 October.

The new site is a 7,000 sq. ft purpose built location and will continue to stock the wide range of instruments and accessories, recordings, printed music and gifts that music lovers have enjoyed throughout the years, with an expanded range of next-step instruments, specifically curated for the advancing beginner and beyond. 

Phyllida Martignetti, Shop Manager of Presto Music, said: “We are so thrilled to be able to offer our very loyal customer base a new, vibrant store in the form of our Regent Grove location. The new store will bring with it expanded instrument ranges, such as Pearl flutes, Yanagisawa saxophones, Blackstar acoustic amplifiers, Faith guitars and several instruments from Conn Selmer, catering for all students and players up to a semi-professional standard, which is incredibly exciting, along with the reintroduction of our events, concerts and album launch series.”

The store will also house a multipurpose space for community focussed events and experiences such as: masterclasses, product launches, demonstrations, workshops, group music lessons and a performance area for album launch events and local concerts. The offices, where the editorial, content and customer experience teams operate, will also be located on the new premises.

The current rental scheme will also be available on a selection of string, woodwind and brass instruments: the perfect solution for those who want to make sure a new instrument is the right one before committing to a purchase.

The store will continue to offer a repair service, carried out by our two experienced instrument technicians working in store, particularly focused on the areas of brass and woodwind. 

Jonny Brading, Commercial Director of Presto Music, said: “Our vision is to offer an inclusive, enhanced musical environment for our customers, where they can visit and benefit from our newly created in-house team of instrument specialists. It’s an exciting time to bring something new to the music retail industry.”

Chris O’Reilly, CEO of Presto Music, said: “We believe passionately in the power of music to enrich lives, and are very excited by the opportunities our new expanded store will bring to the people of Warwickshire and indeed the whole Midlands area. We’ll be bringing world class musicians to Leamington Spa to launch their new albums and inspire the next generation.”

Bill Wareing, owner of Wareing & Co, said: “Presto Music has been a key fixture in Leamington for many years now, so it’s brilliant we’ve been able to secure a lease on a great new unit in Regent Grove which is only a short walk away from its former premises. We wish Presto Music every success in its new home.”

Opening hours: Monday to Friday: 9.30am to 5.30pm and Saturday: 9am to 5.30pm.