Christmas shopping is a dream when you live in the heart of Cardiff at luxury residential development Hayes Apartments.

Residents have everything the city has to offer literally on their doorstep so they can visit Cardiff’s desirable retail offering within a matter of moments, making their Christmas shopping as stress free as possible. Hayes Apartments is located above St David’s, one of Europe’s premier shopping destinations, with designer brands and high street stores in one destination, the perfect place to shop this Christmas.

Louise Franklin of Hayes Apartments said: “Christmas shopping is an exciting part of the festive season and with a new home at Hayes Apartments, it has never been more convenient for our residents to visit their favourite high street stores and designer brands, whether it’s after work for late night shopping or during the weekend. The best part is that when they’ve bought all their presents, they don’t have far to go to take their shopping home; there’s no queuing for traffic or carrying heavy bags. They can go straight up to their luxury city abode with a short stroll taking them through the scheme’s beautifully tranquil seasonal gardens up on the rooftops.

“But it’s not just the shops that Hayes Apartments is fantastically located for; residents can celebrate the festive season with a meal at any of the city’s bustling restaurants, a mulled wine after work in the cosmopolitan Mill Lane café quarter, take in a show at St David’s Hall or go ice-skating at Cardiff’s Winter Wonderland which are all just around the corner.”

There is currently a choice of apartments available within the scheme, including studio, one and two-bedroom homes with one or two bathrooms and options for balconies, Juliet balconies or terraces. Each apartment benefits either from views across the city or over the private and tranquil courtyard gardens for the exclusive use of residents.

Visit Hayes Apartments now to get a taste of the lifestyle you could experience with a new home in the heart of Cardiff city centre. A selection of apartments are ready to move into straight away from as little as £118,995 so you celebrate a new year with a brand new home.

Call into the Hayes Apartments marketing suite on the upper level of Grand Arcade within St David’s. Or, for more information, call the sales hotline 07590 965461 or visit www.hayes-apartments.co.uk.

Hayes Apartments has unveiled its newest show apartments, which aim to give buyers a true feel of what life at the new development is like. 

The luxury scheme, set above St David’s shopping centre, is proving popular with buyers looking for a lively and exciting location in the heart of Cardiff city centre which still offers some peace and tranquillity away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The apartments are literally minutes away from some of Cardiff’s best shops, bars and restaurants, but offer a quiet haven high in the sky above the city with stunning private residents’ courtyard gardens.

One of the new show apartments, a luxury two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment, has been designed by John Lewis, including modern furniture and fittings from the store, which is part of St David’s, the shopping centre the apartments sit above. This show apartment is the only home left for sale in the popular Block 4 phase of the development, which is made up of 71 apartments, making it the largest block on the scheme. Many of its apartments have views over the most spectacular of the development’s four courtyard gardens.

The second show apartment is a two-bedroom home in the newly released Block 7 phase and aims to give potential buyers an idea of how they can create their own, unique home at the development. Using everyday furniture of generous proportions, the design has deliberately been kept stylish and minimalistic so that buyers can visualise their own possessions and fittings in the apartment, creating their own personal stamp on the home.

Louise Franklin, sales manager at Hayes Apartments, said: “The development is proving so popular that as soon as we create a new show apartment someone snaps it up and we need to design a new one! It’s a good problem to have though and we are delighted with how sales are going. These new show apartments give two different views on designing the apartments – one is very luxurious with glossy fittings and the other is very sleek and minimalistic – so there is something to suit most tastes. Show apartment viewings can be arranged through our sales office in St David’s, next to Mothercare, and I’d urge anyone interested to make an appointment for a personal tour.

“There is an enormous amount of interest in Hayes Apartments because it offers something different. It’s not your typical city centre development. It offers the best of both worlds because of the courtyard gardens, which are very quiet and relaxing. And, of course, many of our apartments have spectacular views across the city that you can’t find anywhere else.”

Prices at Hayes Apartments range from £99,995 for a studio apartment, from £122,995 for a one-bedroom apartment and £182,000 for a two-bedroom apartment. For more information, visit www.hayes-apartments.co.uk, call 029 2066 6693 or pop into the marketing suite which is located on the upper level of the Grand Arcade within St David’s shopping centre, Cardiff.

Poppies have been placed at a special sculpture in The Cube to commemorate Remembrance Day. The sculpture is of Gerda, a 98-year old Jewish woman in Birmingham, who lost members of her family in the holocaust during World War II.

Neil Edginton, director of The Cube, said: “It seemed fitting to make one of our ‘the lovely people’ sculptures a focus for Remembrance Day. We encouraged people to come and place poppies by Gerda’s sculpture which is situated outside the famous Adee Phelan Salon inside The Cube and easily accessible to those who pass through the building.

“It is a privilege to be able to show this mark of respect and we are delighted to have been part of this special day.”

Representatives from the Royal British Legion also visited The Cube as part of their commemorations. They were Ron Singer, president of the Jewish ex-servicemen’s association, who took a Jewish shield to add to the poppies around the statue and Private Ashford Brown, a student military nurse, who is a volunteer helping with the Poppy Appeal.

The newest pinnacle of city centre living, The Cube, has announced that it has only five of its 122 buy-to-let properties still remaining. The Cube will now be focussing on marketing the buy-to-live properties.

The news follows huge interest in the building since the beginning of the year, with the first phase of new apartments selling out within weeks and the second phase, launched in June, resulting in back-to-back viewings. As the rental market continues to perform strongly in Birmingham, it’s no surprise that the iconic scheme has generated interest from investors and drawn impressive rental rates from tenants.

Neil Edginton, director at The Cube, comments: “We’re thrilled with the response we’ve had to the apartments with only five buy-to-let properties now left. The Cube has already built a reputation for being a unique place to live in the heart of Birmingham city centre and is becoming the standard for city living. You only get one chance to live next door to David Beckhams hairdresser and with the hotel, spa and Marco Pierre White restaurant due to open in December, our apartments have huge buy-to-let potential. Demand in the city is high and our current landlords have experienced significant demand for their properties.

“Our purchasers have commented that in some instances, it has taken only a matter of hours to let their apartments, so our message to potential investors is to get in touch now before they are all sold out!”

Mark Evans at Knight Frank adds: “The Cube has generated a lot of interest from both owner occupiers and investors, more so than any other Birmingham scheme in Birmingham. Now we’re at the end of the summer period, we expect interest to pick up even further, so we don’t expect these five apartments to be on the market for long.”

One buy-to-let purchaser who is already benefiting from his apartment at The Cube is Chris Morris from Warwickshire, who teamed up with three colleagues in 2006 to buy three one-bed apartments.

Chris concludes: “It’s good to see that the rental market is picking up and our apartments at The Cube are really standing out, offering tenants so much more than just a city centre location. There’s a lot going on here and I believe that residents who are renting at The Cube are planning to be here for the long term.

“All in all, I couldn’t be happier with the apartments and it’s great to have The Cube management team offering day-to-day support along with our letting agent.”

In addition to the luxury apartments, residents at The Cube also have access to a 24-hour concierge service and fully automated car park. Adee’s Phelan’s exclusive Birmingham salon will open at the end of September, whilst construction for the Marco Pierre White restaurant is currently underway, as is Hotel Indigo’s boutique hotel and spa. There is also a Private Members Club and Bar – a luxurious venue offering members unrivalled entertainment, relaxation and an open-air terrace overlooking the canal. Residents at The Cube will benefit from the exclusive offers to these facilities, including complimentary membership to the Marco Pierre White VIP club.

Investors in the buy-to-let properties are also able to take advantage of the on-site management team at The Cube which can help with any tenants’ needs or requests.

For more information on the apartments at The Cube contact Sue Donaghy or Mark Evans at Knight Frank on 0121 200 2220 or visit www.thecube.co.uk

With Birmingham home to more than 42,000 businesses*, the city centre is a pinnacle of bustling corporate and retail activity, as thousands of employees commute in to the city every day. Yet whilst a city centre location comes with many benefits, such as access to local amenities, there can be issues for employees around inconvenient public transport or lack of suitable and affordable parking.

Travel Club Elite is a leading local travel agency which has been based in Birmingham city centre for more than 26 years, and whose managing director, Colin Matthews, has recognised the benefits of taking out a parking lease at city centre mixed-use scheme, The Cube.

Colin comments: “In the years we have been based in the city centre, parking has increasingly become an issue for us, as we want parking facilities in a good location that are also clean, safe and offer good value for money.

“Over the past three years, Travel Club Elite has also doubled its staff numbers and turnover, and so we are always looking for options to make commuting into the city centre easier and more cost-effective. A city centre location is vital to our business, as this guarantees we are able to attract the best employees, and so it’s important for us to have convenient and accessible car parking facilities on hand.

“Therefore, after the launch of The Cube’s car park last year, we looked into car parking leases available to see how they compared to our current agreement.” comments Colin.

The Cube’s car parking facilities are clean and modern, and the fully-automated system parks the cars by using the UK’s first stacking system. This means ultimate security as once the car is driven in, it is inaccessible until returned to its owner.

Colin explains: “Older car parks are often dirty, insecure and the spaces are not big enough to accommodate the size of modern cars. The Cube’s automated parking system takes away the hassle of having to manoeuvre around a busy car park, and it’s reassuring to know your car is completely secure.

“I recently attended a business meeting which ran over into dinner and a couple of glasses of wine. I knew I could leave my car parked for the night in total security, with no worries about penalty charges or vandalism.”

Neil Edginton, director at The Cube, comments: “When we were initially developing ideas for the car park, we were keen create something revolutionary but also functional and affordable. We knew we had the ideal location for city centre parking, but would need to offer something unique in order to attract commuters.

“Our automated stacking system offers clean, convenient and completely secure parking from just £4 a day with a monthly pass. The Cube’s car park is just a few minutes’ walk from many surrounding businesses and so is often the most handy option for many of our neighbours.”

Colin adds: “An added benefit of holding a parking lease at The Cube is being able to use the facilities in the evening or over the weekend. Plus, the pleasant walk along the canal side to my office every morning is a great way to start the day.”

Long and short term licences are now available to anyone interested in using The Cube car park. For further information on The Cube please visit www.thecube.co.uk or call 0121 654 9400. For further information on Travel Club Elite please visit www.travelclubelite.com

* According to Marketing Birmingham’s Business Facts www.tinyurl.com/43ska5v

Acclaimed as the Midlands’ next landmark destination, the mixed-use scheme not only offers potential tenants high-spec apartments with stunning views across the city, but also places them at the hub of Birmingham’s newest leisure and retail offering with top name restaurants, retail space, a boutique hotel, offices and a members spa and gym, all planned to open within the next year.

Chris explains: “When details about The Cube were first announced, it was clear that this was going to be a fantastic new location in the centre of Birmingham. Everyone was talking about the unique design by Ken Shuttleworth and following the success of the Mailbox next door, I knew that this was the right place to be making my first commercial venture into the buy-to-let market.

“The Cube has obvious appeal for tenants in the city, as it’s so much more than just residential apartments and my colleagues and I were all very excited about the scheme and its potential.”

Chris and his colleagues bought three one bedroom apartments in the dedicated buy-to-let side of the building. The scheme’s twisting geometry means that each apartment has a different style and is designed to maximise living space with large picture windows and hidden sliding doors.

Impressive specification means that all apartments includes a designer kitchen by Poggenpohl, appliances by Bosch and bathroom fittings by Villeroy & Bosch and Grohe and after receiving his keys, Chris set on preparing the apartments for their new tenants by calling in the expertise of interior design company Changing Space.

“When we saw the apartments for the first time they certainly lived up to our expectations,” Chris continues. “They all feature beautiful views and the use of space has been cleverly thought out to make it as flexible as possible. We wanted to make sure that the inside of each apartment matched up to the impressive design of The Cube as a whole and the high spec kitchens and bathrooms so we decided to offer them as fully furnished, so that tenants can simply walk into their dream apartment.

“In just a few weeks the interior design was agreed and installed and we’re really pleased with the final result.”

By February, Chris was able to put the apartments on the market, choosing letting agency, Arcade, to manage his properties. All three apartments attracted immediate interest from prospective tenants and were soon bringing in impressive city centre rental prices.

Chris concludes: “It’s good to see that the rental market is picking up and our apartments at The Cube are really standing out, offering tenants so much more than just a city centre apartment.

“There’s a lot going on here, with the announcement of the Marco Pierre White restaurant and the most recent news that Adee Phelan will be opening a hair salon here. Only time will tell, but I believe that residents who are renting at The Cube are planning to be here for the long term.

“All in all, I couldn’t be happier with the apartments and it’s great to have The Cube management team offering day-to-day support along with our letting agent.”

Neil Edginton, director at The Cube, comments: “The Cube offers a unique way of living in Birmingham city centre and our buy-to-let properties offer people another opportunity to live in this iconic building. Soon they will have access to a private club and spa, exclusive retail outlets, waterside cafes, the boutique hotel and of course, most notably the Marco Pierre White restaurant.

“The buy-to-let market was always of equal importance to us as the owner occupier buyers, which is why we decided to dedicate a wing to these residents. We’re delighted that our buy-to-let investors have been successful in securing impressive rental prices with many letting agents already having a waiting list for apartments at The Cube. And with such high specification and design in each property we wouldn’t expect any less.

“As residents move in and more lettings are announced, there is a real buzz at The Cube and we’re confident that over the coming years it will become an even more sort after destination for city centre tenants.”

The Cube has nine floors of residential apartments from studio properties to two bedroom duplexes. Properties in the East Wing are designed for owner occupiers whilst the West Wing is being sold exclusively as buy-to-let units.

Details about the second phase of apartments for sale are due to be announced soon.

For more information contact Sue Donaghy or Mark Evans at Knight Frank on 0121 200 2220 or visit www.thecube.co.uk

Notes to editors
Comprising exceptional apartments, Cat A offices, exclusive shops, water side café bars, a boutique hotel and spa, Birmingham’s first panoramic rooftop restaurant and a state-of-the-art, fully automated car park, The Cube is an inspirational mixed scheme in an extraordinary location.

The Cube was awarded the Institute of Civil Engineer Award 2011.

The scheme has also been shortlisted for the BCO Awards, BCI Awards and the Engineering Excellence Awards 2011.

For media information, please call:

Kate Dawson on 0121 713 3978 or email kate.dawson@europe.mccann.com

Christine Arthur on 0121 713 3770 or email christine.arthur@europe.mccann.com

Celebrity hairdresser Adee Phelan, star of Channel 4’s The Salon, is set to launch an exclusive hair salon in The Cube this Autumn.

Adee Phelan, who originally hails from Birmingham, has exciting plans for the 5,000 sq ft salon, which will feature 30 hair-styling stations, photographic studio and hair clinic – topped off with relaxing canal side views.

Adee will take a hands-on role in the launch and development of the salon, and even plans to set up home in The Cube, having snapped up one of its exclusive, residential apartments.

Neil Edginton, director at The Cube, comments: “Attracting a leading name such as Adee Phelan to The Cube is a real coup and his salon will add yet more style to our already diverse leisure offering. Adee’s roots are in Birmingham and it’s fantastic to welcome home!”

Adee’s salon will sit alongside The Cube’s health club and urban spa and will be run by Sanguine Hospitality’s four-star Hotel Indigo, along with the Marco Pierre White rooftop restaurant – with all elements opening later this year.

Adee Phelan adds: “I was born and bred in Kings Heath and love running a salon in London’s Covent Garden, but I’ve always been looking for the right opportunity to come back to the city. My aim is to bring a high profile salon – and clients – traditionally found in London to Birmingham for the first time.

“The new salon fits in well with the rest of The Cube development as somewhere people can come to relax and be pampered. It will lead the way for leisure in the entire city. I, for one, will be literally eating, sleeping and living here.”

For more information visit www.thecube.co.uk

The best of Brazil is coming to Birmingham as authentic Brazilian restaurant, Rodizio Rico, opens its first eatery outside of London at The Cube in Birmingham early next year.

Representing all that’s good about Brazil, Rodizio Rico will bring a carnival atmosphere and Brazilian vivacity right into the heart of the city in a 7350 square foot restaurant opening out onto Birmingham’s picturesque canal side.

Diners will be waited on by experienced passadors, who will continually pass from table to table slicing all you can eat succulent Churrascaria barbecued meats from Rodizio (rotating) skewers. Cooked to order, the varied menu includes a variety of traditional cuts and authentic specialities, as well as a wide range of Brazilian hot dishes and exotic salads all freshly made to time-honoured recipes.

Offering an unrivalled authentic Brazilian experience, Rodizio Rico promises to open out the seventh level of Birmingham’s newest icon with bright, colourful designs and Latin American entertainment. Plans and designs for the 250 seat restaurant are already well underway. Fit-out will start at the end of August with the restaurant expected to open in early 2012.

Neil Edginton, director at The Cube, comments: “We’re delighted that The Cube has attracted another London operator to Birmingham, continuing the city’s inward investment programme. Rodizio Rico offers a unique restaurant experience that adds to our growing leisure plans and shows that there really is something for everyone at The Cube. The canal side unit has proved extremely popular, with many businesses now competing for space, but Rodizio Rico offers something a bit different with the quality and authenticity that we were looking to bring into the building.

“There’s a real buzz here at the moment and this announcement is just the first of a number of exciting announcements in relation to our leisure space. Anticipation in the city is high and The Cube is quickly becoming the vibrant landmark destination that we set out to create.”

Mike Nayla, owner of Rodizio Rico, explains: “Birmingham is very well known for its restaurant offering and we’ve been keen to open an outlet here for some time. It’s a big step for us to move outside of London, but when we heard about The Cube it seemed the ideal location for us.

“As an iconic building there is a real sense of exclusivity here and the canal side positioning provides a beautiful backdrop that we can utilise to an even further extent in the summer months.

“Rodizio Rico offers truly different dining experience and we are looking forward to bringing something different to the eclectic restaurant scene in the city as Birmingham’s only authentic Brazilian ‘churrascaria de rodizio’.”

For more information visit www.thecube.co.uk or www.rodiziorico.com

As homebuyers rush to book viewings to see The Cube’s new apartments and construction work gets underway at the landmark’s restaurant and boutique hotel, Sam Tibbetts is one of a select few Birmingham residents who is watching the city’s newest destination building come to life from a front seat view.

Having recently moved into a one bedroom apartment at The Cube, the 29-year-old associate lawyer bought his apartment off-plan in 2006.
Sam explains: “When The Cube was first announced, it created a huge buzz in and around Birmingham. I was already considering buying a place to live in the city centre to be closer to work, but I wasn’t interested in investing in an apartment that was just part of a block of flats.

“I wanted to be somewhere that was at the centre of everything and had a certain atmosphere about it, so when I heard The Cube was going to be a mixed-used building, with a restaurant, retail space, hotel, offices, spa, gym and residential apartments, it sounded like the perfect location.”

Sam quickly bought a one bedroom apartment off-plan which he moved into in February of this year. Looking down on the glittering jewellery-box inspired courtyard at The Cube, Sam’s apartment is one of 244 residential units at The Cube. Designed to maximise living space, his apartment includes large picture windows, hidden sliding doors and a terrace area that looks out into the open space of The Cube. Impressive specification means that the apartment has a designer kitchen by Poggenpohl, appliances by Bosch and bathroom fittings by Villeroy & Bosch and Grohe.

Sam also has access to a 24-hour concierge service and The Cube’s much talked about fully automated underground car park.

Sam continues: “There’s a real sense of exclusivity living in a building designed by Ken Shuttleworth and I was pleased to hear about the Marco Pierre White restaurant and Hotel Indigo hotel and spa coming to The Cube. I’m hoping I’ll be able to book a table for opening night at the restaurant! The building is really coming to life as residents and businesses move in; now is a very exciting time to be living here.”

Since announcing the first phase of new apartments to come to market since 2006, The Cube has received more than 900 enquiries and 45 viewings in just a few weeks, with back to back slots being booked to keep up with demand.

Neil Edginton, director at The Cube, comments: “We’re thrilled to be bringing these new apartments to the market and at the same time welcoming residents like Sam into the building. The Cube offers a truly unique way of living and now stands tall on the architectural world stage as a prestigious location to live, apartments with specifications and views unlike anything Birmingham has ever seen before.

“With less than 100 apartments remaining in a city of more than one million people, as you would expect, demand is high. You don’t get many chances to buy into a scheme like The Cube and now is a really exciting time as the building continues to gain momentum and validate its place as a landmark destination in the city centre. This new phase of apartments will give new purchasers the opportunity to buy into this fascinating project and interest has been understandably strong.”

The Cube has nine floors of residential apartments compromising various size properties. Properties in the East Wing are designed for owner occupiers whilst the West Wing is being sold exclusively as buy-to-let units.

As well as enjoying life in the thriving Westside district of the city, residents at The Cube will be neighbours to exclusive shops, waterside café bars, Hotel Indigo’s boutique hotel and spa and Birmingham’s first rooftop restaurant by Marco Pierre White. Plus, they will have access to The Cube’s state-of-the-art, fully automated underground car park, which offers secure, 24-hour parking on a season pass basis to any member of the public.
Prices start from £115,000 for studio apartments, £140,000 for one bedroom apartments and £230,000 for two bedroom apartments. Duplexes are also expected to be released soon with only two remaining.

For more information contact Sue Donaghy or Mark Evans at Knight Frank on 0121 200 2220 or visit www.thecube.co.uk

The iconic building has teamed up with Castle Fine Art Galleries in the International Convention Centre to provide a series of bespoke art packages available exclusively for The Cube’s residents.

The long standing gallery, which is part of Washington Green Fine Art Group, has carefully selected key pieces for each package. Residents can choose from five themes: figurative, cityscape, contemporary, icons and landscape, or choose a specific ‘new homebuyers’ package which features ten pieces from The Cube’s showroom apartment and includes details on the artists and additional information on how art can complement the home.

Buyers simply select the number of pieces they want from the package and enjoy an exclusive discount available to homeowners at The Cube allowing them to customise their new home for a fantastic price.

Neil Edginton, director at The Cube, comments: “The Cube has already built a reputation for being a unique place to live in the heart of Birmingham city centre with high spec apartments, featuring designer fixtures and fittings to complement their iconic location. These bespoke art packages are another exclusive offering for our residents to help to make their apartment their own and we’re delighted to be partnering with Castle Fine Art, which is Birmingham’s most well-established and respected independent gallery.”

Beth McCarthy, manager at Castle Fine Art, adds: “We are thrilled to be able to offer residents of The Cube our bespoke art packages for their homes. The Cube has made a real artistic and architectural statement in the West district of Birmingham and with our art we hope to help residents do the same in their homes. Not only does art offer a great long-term investment opportunity, hanging art on your walls is also the epitome of self expression and style. With the collections we can offer residents, they can be sure that the art in their home is not only reflective of their personality but of the stylish building they live in.”

Designed to appeal to the most discerning of buyers, right in the heart of the city centre, The Cube has nine floors of residential apartments compromising various size properties from two bedroom duplexes to one bedroom properties. Featuring breathtaking views, all the residential units are designed to maximise living space with large picture windows, hidden sliding doors, and double heighted ceilings in all duplex apartments.

New to the market are fifteen stunning properties, including sublime studios and spacious one and two bed apartments. Properties in the East Wing are designed for exclusively for owner occupiers whilst the West Wing is open to buy-to-let investors.

For more information contact Sue Donaghy or Mark Evans at Knight Frank on 0121 200 2220 or visit www.thecube.co.uk

Castle Fine Art is part of the Washington Green Fine Art Group and offers a range of art from across the group including fine paintings, drawings and original graphics by some of the great names in art history (Picasso, Chagall, Lowry, Warhol) together with a stunning collection of original paintings and limited editions by some of the world’s best contemporary artists. For more information visit castlefineart.com