Linklaters & Alliance acted for retail group Daks Simpson on the sale of its store on London’s Piccadilly to Scottish Widows for more than £20m. Property partner James Knox led the team, assisted by Alan Gutteridge. The sale follows the granting of a lease last year by Daks to Waterstones, Europe’s largest bookstore. Waterstones was advised by Rowe & Maw, led by property partner Iain Christie. Property partner David Lewis from Freshfields advised Scottish Widows. David Ridsdale assisted.
Finers, led by property partner David Battiscombe, acted for Marylebone Warwick Balfour Group on its agreement to develop the former Lloyds TSB Bank building on Pall Mall. The grade II-listed building will be converted into a luxury hotel for Accor, the French hotel and leisure group. Construction partner James Harvey assisted. SJ Berwin & Co, led by head of property Bryan Pickup, advised the Crown Estate, the owners of the building. Jeff Elphee assisted him. Property partner Edward Benzecry from CMS Cameron McKenna advised Lloyds TSB. Stephenson Harwood, led by property partner Robert Newman and construction partner Steven Wait, advised Accor.
