The Business Exchange Swindon & Wiltshire Edition 37: June/July 2018 | Page 14

LEGAL
10 Minutes with Bower & Bailey
Solicitors, Simon Smith
Simon Smith is the managing partner of Bower & Bailey Solicitors
based in Regent Circus, Swindon. Simon set up the Swindon
office in1985 and two years ago was promoted to managing
partner of the whole firm which has further branches in Banbury,
Oxford and Witney.
Across the business Bower & Bailey employs 130 staff. In Swindon the branch has a 42-strong team, with a cumulative
service of over 450 years. A key part of Bower & Bailey’s business has always been the commercial property market and
over the last 33 years Simon and the team have built a strong reputation in this area. We met Simon to find out more
about the current market conditions in Swindon.
How would you describe the current
commercial property market in
Swindon?
We pride ourselves on being approachable and
having great local knowledge derived from our business
relationships and local knowledge.
The commercial property market is extremely diverse as
Swindon benefits from the plethora of pan-European,
local and global entities. There are small entrepreneurs in
Swindon based alongside large international corporate
organisations.
To what do you attribute this success?
There is a rich diversity in Swindon’s businesses which has
ensured the buoyancy of the commercial property market.
The strong infrastructure complements the market
whilst Swindon exudes economic magnetism. I predict
that Swindon will continue to grow and thrive as the
economy will be bolstered by the growth within the
property market and new housing developments on the
outskirts of the town in the near future.
I head up the commercial property department,
supported by Mary Cutts, another partner who plays a
key role in spearheading the Swindon Women in Property
Group.
Our clients are commercially astute and require
symbiotic relationships with their solicitors. Multi-million
pound deals have to be executed expeditiously in order to
ensure that time, reputation and money are safeguarded.
Our clients require salient advice and guidance on
the legal elements and components of a transaction in
order to ensure speed and diligence in effecting the legal
process.
How would you best describe
your clients?
Our clients are experts in their own chosen fields. They
seek our expertise in order to deal with their legal
transactions in a commercially astute fashion. Obviously
crucial elements of the decision making process are driven
by three key factors:
• Legal parameters and considerations
• Time sensitive transactions
• Financial constraints
There is nothing more pleasing than seeing the town
expand. I anticipate that this will have a knock on effect
on the local economy. Since I established the Swindon
office in 1985 we’ve experienced growth in all sectors.
However, this growth has been most marked in the
property and commercial property sectors.
“Swindon benefits
from the plethora of
pan-European, local
and global entities
based here.”
What are the current signs of business
expansion?
There are definitely more businesses seeking expansion
advice at the moment and the opening of the new
Carriage Works development, is a pioneering project, not
just for the town. It will provide an innovative place for
our local talent to grow and develop.
For more info:
www.bowerandbailey.co.uk
@bowerbailey
Local expert legal advice for you,
your business and your family
• Divorce and Children Matters
• Accident and Injury
Compensation
• Employment issues
• Commercial Property
• Company and Commercial • House Sales, Purchases,
Mortgages
• Consumer and Civil Disputes • Wills and Estates
14 Bower&Bailey_TBE_Swindon_59x210mm_Ad_v3.indd
THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE 2018
1
Cambridge House,
4 College Court, Regent Circus,
Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 1PJ
T: 01793 610466
F: 01793 511505
www.bowerandbailey.co.uk
06/11/2015 08:23