Chris da Costa ,
IN PROFILE
Chris da Costa ,
Landlord , Heywood House
We met Chris to find out more about his life , business , and what goes on behind the doors at Westbury ’ s Heywood House Business Centre .
Tell us more about your background and career before Heywood House
I ’ d always wanted to start my own business . It began at Primary School when a friend and I made pipes out of acorns and tobacco out of lavender . The venture was closed when the headmaster realised half his lavender bushes had disappeared !
Many years later , after a spell in investment banking , the entrepreneurial bug bit again , and I got involved in a powdered goat ’ s milk processing plant in Wales , and then , more successfully , co-founded a biopharmaceutical research company specialising in blood-sucking leeches . We created five patents which were eventually sold to the big pharma company , Merk of Germany .
Next was a management consultancy business specialising in commercial due diligence for private equity and corporates , particularly on acquisitions and market entry strategies . This company was sold to the accountants , EY . And that takes us up to Heywood House .
How did you come to own Heywood House ? We were looking to replicate what seemed to be a successful formula for working , when we moved our consultancy business out of London to rural Wiltshire – fresh air , lots of space , easy parking , and something different from the standard office block . Heywood House had all this and more . We bought it from the National Trust in 2005 .
How has the house changed since you became landlord ?
It ’ s changed a lot . When the National Trust acquired the house in the 1980s , small offices were in fashion ; we ’ ve opened up many rooms to their original grand sizes . We ’ ve updated the
28 www . tbeswindonandwilts . co . uk infrastructure , the technology , we ’ ve bought more land , so we now have 35 acres of grounds , a lake , a running track , Yoga , and more to come .
What have been the biggest investments ? Besides the programme of redecoration and refurbishment inside and the reinstatement and creation of gardens and grounds outside , the single biggest investment has been the Conservatory . It was built as a Palm House in the Victorian age by the philanthropist and owner of Heywood House , Henry Ludlow . When we arrived , it was freezing in the winter and boiling in the summer . We completely rebuilt the roof ; all the timber was replaced with wonderful Accoya wood ; we installed insulation , double-glazing , and utilities . A very sad leaky structure was transformed into an amazing space for our Members ’ Café , hot-desking and meetings .
What are the biggest challenges of being custodian of a property like Heywood ?
Do you know , I ’ ve really got to think about this , nothing immediately comes to mind . I guess in the early days , it was attracting new tenants to the site . We weren ’ t very good at marketing ; and still today we get comments like : “ I ’ ve always wondered what goes on there ”. But now , our office occupancy is over 90 %; our membership is increasing ; we are putting on more and more events . It ’ s fun .
Have you explored the building ’ s history ? I love history and there ’ s enough of it here to excite anyone even mildly interested in what happened in this house in the past . In short , this Jacobean Mansion was built around 1603 by Sir James Ley who became Lord High Treasurer of England to both King James I and then to King Charles I ; he was created the 1st Earl of Marlborough .
We have published a booklet of previous owners with most of their portraits hanging in the Mansion . Amongst the Owners over the last 400 years , we can number four Earls , two Barons , two Knights , several MPs , a Governor of Jamaica , a Governor of Bombay , and a High Court Judge .
Heywood House is listed Grade II *, being of “ National Importance ”.
Heywood House during World War 1 when it was a hospital .
Can you name-drop some famous residents / guests of Heywood over the years ?
Besides the Earls of Marlborough , Henry Danvers Earl of Danby whose murder of Henry Long inspired Shakespeare ’ s Romeo and Juliet ; Sir Walter Raleigh and his friend Sir James Long ; the Phipps family who also owned Leighton House in Westbury ; the Barons Ludlow ; the Lyon family who turned the house into a war hospital in 1917 ; Sidney Barnes , the steam roller magnate who in 1934 saved the house from becoming what could have been the most ancient accommodation to house chickens ! It then became a school in the 1960s until the National Trust converted it into offices in 1982 .
What is your vision for Heywood ? To continue to make Heywood House a place where our tenants ’ clients and guests will want to visit , and where our tenants ’ staff won ’ t want to leave . For it to be a place where our Members enjoy being here , whether it ’ s to work , or meet , or just relax .
What do you think is special about the business environment that you have created ?
I know this is a word that is often over-used , but Heywood House with its outbuildings and 35 acres of grounds is genuinely a unique space . Unlike other serviced offices , Heywood House is , in effect , a Business Club . You have to become a member to work here , whether it ’ s to take permanent office space , or hot-desk or co-work , or to use our Members Only Café . This is what our tenants want , particularly those in Security , Defence , Technology and Professional Services . They want to work and do business in a secure setting away from the public .
Yet , although we have done nothing to create this , the location of Heywood House has certainly helped to drive our business forward , being just a five-minute drive from Westbury mainline station , direct trains to London Paddington , and a couple of minutes from the main A350 . Also being close to Warminster , between Bristol and Andover , has also attracted the Security and Defence sectors . We have recently expanded our facilities for conferences , fire-side chats and industry days , and now have 5,000 square feet of space to meet this demand , plus break-out rooms and catering in support .
And lastly - what we think is a bit special - once you cross over the bridge and you ’ re on-site , with the lake and wildlife to the left , the topiary and woods ahead , the beautiful Mansion and Coach House before you … you feel refreshed and ready for work !
How does Heywood House engage with the community ?
As a policy , we are increasing the number and range of events open to all . Our weekend programme has included open-air theatre in our Victorian Coach Washing Pit ; partnering with Westbury Town Council to put on a music festival ; having guided tours for Historic Houses members ; and this year , our first literary festival partnering with Rotary to promote Young Speakers .
What are your passions outside of work ? Doing research into what other facilities we can bring to Heywood House , perhaps a Cinema Club , or a Gym . Some might define this as work , but I don ’ t .
What is next for Heywood House ? To be less of a “ hidden secret ”, to lift our heads above the parapet and become acknowledged as the Best Business Centre in the South West .
What have been your biggest learnings in life and business ?
At Business School in our twenties , the most popular subjects were Strategy , Capital Expenditure , and Marketing . HR was way down the list , both in terms of interest and importance in starting or running a business . The poor HR Lecturer had to compete with the sounds of shuffling , sighs and snores .
Later on , when I was a consultant advising companies on acquisitions , it gradually became apparent that some Boards of Directors were able to increase market share and develop their business even when they were producing products or services in a market that was declining . I was seeing how people , and the composition of groups of people , were able to increase profits and profitability , against all the odds .
Now , some years on , I still wish I had realised the obvious - earlier in my career : that the selection , motivation and complementary skills of a good team are of paramount importance in business . Just as people , friends and family are in life .
If there was one character in history you would like to meet , who would it be ?
Sir Walter Raleigh , who had associations with Heywood House because of his connections with Sir James Ley , the Founder as well as the Longs who were connected by marriage to the Leys and the Raleighs .