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Inside and Outside the Regeneration Tent: Why We Need to Bridge the Divide

Neil Baines, Managing Director at Steven A Hunt & Associates highlights that at major property conferences, the real value often happens off the main stage. Fringe events—especially those run by Downtown in Business—bring together business, politics, and delivery specialists, creating the conversations where meaningful connections are made. That’s why the firm has chosen to renew its sponsorship with Downtown for MIPIM and UKREiiF in 2026, reflecting the need for better integration.

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A Week in America – 24 September 2025

Back in Britain for a couple of weeks, Martin readies himself for the Labour Party conference. But having witnessed President Trump’s carefully choreographed UK State Visit, he wonders if rowdy conferences and noisy mass membership parties have much of a future?

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The Academy Restaurant at Cheshire College

Hospitality is built on people. Skills, confidence, resilience, pride, those things aren’t just memorized in a lecture hall. They’re learned in the pressure of service, in front of real guests, with real standards and expectations. That’s the philosophy behind The Academy Restaurant at Cheshire College, South & West, Crewe campus

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PLAYING A PEAKY BLINDER!

A sense of gloom about the economic prospects is not shared by the West Midlands. That’s Jim’s conclusion having attended two great Downtown events in the last week.

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Finding Hospitality Heroes (Everywhere)

In this week’s blog, Steven reflects on a story from his Sales Manager, Jules, who returned from Cala d’Or with an experience that highlights the quiet power of true hospitality. Her room attendant, Monica, turned everyday service into something memorable through care, consistency, and pride in her craft.

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Hospitality Action

In this week’s blog, Steven Hesketh shines a light upon Hospitality Action. Hospitality Action are there for chefs, bartenders, housekeepers, porters, managers, across hotels, restaurants, pubs, cafés, schools, hospitals and event venues, whenever life gets tough.

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What’s next for the Business of Football?

In this week’s blog, Martin reflects on the future of the game as the Business of Football conference takes place in Liverpool on Friday 29th August. With the Premier League now a $12bn global powerhouse and half its clubs under US ownership, the tension between English football’s traditions and American-style franchise stability is sharper than ever.

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