THING OF THE WEEK

BLURRED LINES… The lines on an office agents’ map are different to those on yours and mine. In an attempt to capture the largest possible number of deals within a given period, agents have been known to alter geographical boundaries, which has the effect of fluffing up figures. The Manchester Office Agents forum has, in the past, included Alderley Park, which is very much in Cheshire, and Warrington in its quarterly round-up of the Greater Manchester office market. But that is nothing compared to the brazen behaviour exhibited by Avison Young this week in its Big Nine report. The quarterly round up of office activity in regional cities included a deal in Sunderland in Newcastle’s take-up count. We’re all for inter-city collaboration but surely the good folk at Sunderland City Council won’t have been too pleased about this, especially as they own the building concerned. What next, office deals in Salford counting towards Manchester’s total…

‘Little Park’ serves a large residential community. Credit: Google Earth

PARKED… Hands off! That is what a group of residents in Great Harwood said when they realised the patch of grass outside their homes was being sold by the local council. Locals were left feeling a little green around the gills when a for sale sign was hoisted over their mini oasis, which is enjoyed by people and dogs who live on Water Street, Beech Street, and Lime Street. A petition was started to save the area, known locally as Little Park, and Hyndburn Council has now parked the proposed sale to conduct a review.

Credit: via Cassidy Ashton

CASSIDY TASHTON… It is the time of year when you start to notice something different about your male colleagues. Something you can’t quite put your finger on. Is it a fresh haircut, have they lost weight? No, they are growing a diabolically patchy moustache. Sadly, not all of us are fortunate enough to be able to grow a Tom Selleck-style soup strainer but that shouldn’t dampen our enthusiasm, right?

Across the country, hundreds of thousands of men are taking part in Movember to raise awareness for men’s health. Each year the plan is simple, shine a light on diseases such as prostate and testicular cancer, and see if you can produce a more robust cookie duster than last year. The fellas at Preston-based architect and planning consultancy Cassidy + Ashton are among those taking part in 2026, and we can’t wait to see how Alban and the boys get on. You can throw them a few quid for their efforts here.