If I Knew Then: Kevin Conibear

Established in 1820, Fleurets is a business property valuer and surveyor specialising in pubs, hotels, restaurants and business properties. It has since developed into a nationwide network of offices, providing national coverage with the benefits of local knowledge, providing agency, valuation and advisory services to the specialist leisure and hospitality sector.

Based in Fleurets’ Bristol office, Kevin joined the company in 2010, having been established in the sector since 2005 and a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors since 2006. In March he was appointed head of retail leisure and restaurants.

How did you start at Fleurets?

I started out at King Sturge in Exeter in 2005. In 2010, my now-wife was at the University of Bristol, so we took the plunge and I moved up, where I subsequently joined Fleurets.

If you knew then what you know now, what mistakes might you have avoided?

You have to look on mistakes as missed opportunities. Looking back at the recessionary years, there were some unbelievable opportunities and in hindsight considering what some of the properties have become, I wish we had been a bit more bullish with our bidding.

What advice would you have given yourself when starting out?

Trust your instincts. Most of the time these tend to be right, despite how confidently you may be told otherwise.

If you knew then what you know now, would you still be sitting there?

Definitely. A number of people I started out with have left the profession to pursue other careers, but the licensed property sector is so diverse and full of personalities that no two days are ever the same.

What do you know now that you didn’t know then?

You are learning everyday. The innovative concepts that our clients continually launch are fascinating. Pubs and restaurants have merged into one category, and growth in the casual dining scene has been prolific in recent years. Those innovative new concepts have joined established brands to create diverse urban leisure circuits, where things like shipping container spaces stand alongside more traditional properties.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received so far?

The power of silence. I remember the first day of my first surveying job, my boss told me that sometimes silence is all that is required. Let them talk and they will reason or convince themselves of the direction they want to go. It is then your job to guide and advise them on that journey.

What is your business highlight?

In Bristol, it has to be King Street. I’ve let five of the bars and restaurants in the area, which has become a beer lover’s paradise. At the time of my initial involvement, there were only really three venues trading and since then it has become a nationally renowned craft beer circuit.

What is your business low point?

Losing a deal. The worst are when I am acting for a family business. These people have invested their heart and soul into the business and often all their finances. If a deal collapses, that is hard to take.

What keeps you awake?

The leisure industry is not 9-5pm. Most of our clients are active at night, so the work phone springs into life then, although I am told I need to work on that!

What’s changed from when you started out?

The strength of the leisure industry. We read a lot of negative news reports about the number of pub closures, but look at the town and city centre markets. Bars and restaurants are now an integral part of everyone’s social life, and habits are changing. Centres now have a diverse retail and leisure offering day and night.

What’s still on your to-do list?

My wife and I love travelling, so there are plenty of countries and cuisines we want to sample.

What’s next for Fleurets?

To remain the leading firm of Chartered Surveyors who specialise in the leisure industry. Across the UK we are involved in some of the highest profile individual and portfolio transactions and want to grow alongside our clients. Within Bristol, I love working with emerging start-up companies, playing a very small part in their success stories.

Read more: Sector spotlight: Real estate