Leisure and Tourism

‘Beyond excellent day to day Estate Management support, I continue to receive the attention to detail and the personable approach which both ensure that our long standing association continues to develop’

- General Manager Licensed Property, Elizabeth Holdings Plc

“Diligent and professional service as always from Joanna and her team. I always feel in safe hands when using the guys at Howes Percival. Expert advice and friendly approach gives me confidence in all aspects of my business.”

- Managing Director, The Barsham Arms

“Howes Percival’s leisure and tourism sector specialists have looked after our portfolio of restaurants, bars and hotel for nearly 15 years, providing efficient, effective and valuable advice on property transactions, licensing, planning and litigation matters. We would have no hesitation in recommending them as leading legal specialists in the sector.”

- Director, Anglia Restaurants

“Joanna has been a breath of fresh air. I would most certainly use her again.”

- Director, Bossick Hotels

“30 years of excellent service to the people of Norwich and surrounding area” 

- Client

“Howes Percival advised us on the sale of our property with private equestrian facilities as well as the purchase of a large livery yard with various ancillary equestrian facilities. The purchase wasn’t a straightforward matter but Abi and the team were able to find solutions that worked well and provided us with excellent service throughout.”

- Nick and Imogen Budd, Manor Barn

"When Coronavirus hit we had a very real and urgent need for employment law advice. Howes Percival were quick, thorough, and right on point with support - exactly what we needed" 

- Robert King MBE, Owner, King Line Cottages

Howes Percival Leisure and Tourism acted for Craft Leisure in its acquisition of a holiday business, including legal due diligence, share purchase agreement, tax covenants & warranties, searches and title investigation of multiple properties, and preparing shareholder settlement agreements and other ancillary documents. The client commented:

“Richard Turner’s (corporate lawyer) calm, confident and professional manner was immensely reassuring. From the outset, it was clear that he knew what he was doing, understood the complexities of the deal and would ensure that our interests were protected.

Joanna Nicholls (property lawyer) is friendly, professional and conscientious. The registered titles had excessively complex rights and obligations, but she worked through them diligently - often working through the evenings to get the reports on title delivered in time.

A very professional, responsive and reassuring organisation, who give the impression that they genuinely have the best interests of their clients at heart. All members of the team were good at listening to our opinions, taking them on board and offering sound and imaginative advice based on our needs and expectations. We would certainly have no hesitation in recommending them to others, and using them for the next project.”

Our knowledgeable team is on hand to assist you in managing a broad range of business issues, including:

• Advice to directors
• Commercial contracts
• Commercial property acquisitions, disposals and development
• Construction
• Corporate finance and banking
• De-mergers and restructures
• Employment, staff management and tribunal claims
• Equestrian property and livery agreements
• Grazing licences
• Health and safety
• Insolvency and debt
• Intellectual Property, trade mark and protected rights
• International deals involving overseas buyers or sellers
• Landlord and tenant matters
• Licensing
• Planning
• Private equity and other investment based transactions
• Shareholder agreements
• Shareholder disputes and litigation
• Start-ups, acquisitions, disposals and mergers of businesses
• Supplier contracts

• The specialist leisure and tourism team assisted Bag Katering with its purchase of The Old Spring, a homely pub nestled in the De Freville area of Cambridge, just a short walk from the River Cam and its many boatyards, this being the second pub purchase for Bag Katering. Property, corporate, employment and licencing specialists advised the company in its acquisition of the leasehold interest and business elements.
   
• Acting for Bossick Enterprises Ltd and Bossick Hotels Ltd in relation to the acquisition of The George Hotel in Easingwold, North Yorkshire, which is an 18th century coaching inn, with 15 bedrooms, a bar and an AA rosette restaurant and courtyard.
   
• Acting on the sale of a well-established late night drinking establishment for in excess of £1 million, which has in the past hosted events with some famous singers/bands.
• Acting in relation to the management of our client’s extensive property portfolio of tenanted public houses, hotels and nightclubs. In the last year we have dealt with numerous matters, including granting new leases, licences to assign and surrenders, in addition to providing planning advice in relation to proposed redevelopments, litigation advice, debt recovery advice and support and advice in relation to general estate management.
• Acting for a client in managing its portfolio of restaurants, nightclubs and hotels. In the last year we have assisted with a sale of nightclub premises, providing litigation advice in respect of its hotel and restaurants and giving licencing support.
• Advising on landlord and tenant and freehold issues within a vast public house portfolio.
• Advising on a joint venture agreement and proposed lease for creation of a new outdoor children’s woodland adventure play park concept.
• Acting for a motorway services operator taking leases of various restaurant/fast food counters and hotel within a new motorway services area.
• Acting for rugby clubs in relation to their management and lettings, including the grant of leases and licences and advising in relation to planning, commercial contracts and employment.
• Advising on a successful planning appeal for Wymondham Rugby Football Club.
   
• Successfully securing a contentious variation to the premises licence for the Royal Norfolk Show following a hearing of the local authority’s Licensing sub-committee.
• Securing a high profile and controversial variation to the premises licence of a city centre restaurant to enable them to diversify their service offering.
• Advising on the acquisition of one of the largest providers of river trips, boating holidays and boat hire on the Norfolk Broads.
   
• Providing commercial advice to the organiser of the annual Southampton International Boat Show.
• Providing commercial advice the UK’s trade association for the leisure and small commercial marine industry.
• Providing commercial advice to the organiser of the Royal Norfolk Show which is one of the largest county agricultural shows in the UK.
• Advising The Pocket PubCo Limited on its acquisition of Saxmundham-based pub, The Poacher’s Pocket.
   
• Providing a full range of planning, property and licensing law advice in connection with the development of a bespoke high quality caravan park within the Norfolk Coast AONB and the North Norfolk Heritage Coast in Blakeney, Norfolk. This work involved the Howes Percival team advising across a number of different regulatory structures to deliver the result the client desired.
   
• Successful claim for local leisure company to recover six figure sum following solicitor’s negligence in failing to organise security for loan.
   

We work with a range of clients spanning the full breadth of the Leisure and Tourism industry, including:

• Abacus Hotels Limited

• Acorne Limited
• Anglia Leisure Limited
• Anglia Restaurants Limited
• Boost Trampoline Parks
• Bossick Hotels Limited and Bossick Enterprises Limited
• The British Racing Drivers' Club
• Curve Theatre
  
• Elizabeth Holdings
• Greene King
• Guards Polo Club
• Leicestershire County Cricket Club
• Moonfleet Marine Limited
• Norwich Cathedral
• Richardsons Leisure Limited
• Silverstone Circuit
• Turnstone Estates Limited