Internet Addiction

You’re trying to source some data for a report you need to get out urgently.

You click your web browser which opens to your default page, say BBC news and before you get the chance to Google whatever it is you wanted to lookup, a headline catches your eye…

Click headline… read report… follow link…read report… Google subject… Watch YouTube video… send link to friends… show colleague…discuss…

An hour later you suddenly notice the time and panic because you still haven’t finished that report!

And how about the “live feeds”? During the last two Tests, how many cricket fans could deny having a quick look every now and then to check the score, only to sit staring at the page waiting for the next update, just in case another wicket has gone down…

“I speak as an addictive personality; I think one saves an awful lot of time not having the internet”.

Wise words perhaps then from Richard Ingrams, editor of the Oldie magazine and one of the most prominent "digital deniers" when speaking on BBC 4’s Today programme, today.

So whilst most of us cannot imagine life without the internet, perhaps this just underlines his belief that the internet is indeed just "another addiction".

Epoc Update

Seems our blogs have become a bit like buses… You wait ages and then two come along at once!

Well without wishing to sound like that irritating announcement on the underground, we are pleased to say that a good service is operating here at Epoc, it’s just that we’ve been ultra busy of late.

Up to our eyes designing a private members club at the moment. 12,000 square feet of everything a child could ever dream of. From a simulated golf range to a music studio; swimming pool and technology lab…. Somewhere to cook and somewhere to chill, a real state of the art complex that in total comprises some 12 different play and leisure areas.

In addition, we have recently completed the business strategy, graphic and environmental identity for a health and leisure complex as well as developing a design concept and brand strategy for a new ice cream operation.

With our major retail clients embarking on a roll-out of store upgrades, Delroy has been clocking up the miles on the road, from Falkirk to Clacton-on-Sea and St Helens to Gloucester, so guess it’s just as well he hasn’t had to rely on those buses!

Empty shops become art galleries

This is a brilliant scheme that provides a “win-win” situation for both Landlords and Artists, as well as being a great way to introduce life back into some of our bleak and often deserted high streets.

Firstly from a Landlords perspective it enables them to bring what would otherwise be a dead unit back into use. The premises will benefit from being occupied thereby mitigating repairing liabilities. In areas of particularly high vacancy rates it distinguishes their property from other vacant units increasing visibility through stimulating window displays and encouraging potential occupiers into the property. Furthermore, if managed through a registered Charity the Landlord is able to alleviate their business rates liability.

From the artist’s point of view, these properties provide a great opportunity to show and promote their work to a wider audience, without the usual and often excessive costs and constraints associated with commercial art galleries. These schemes also allow artists to come together, so stimulating ideas to create exciting and innovative collections of work.

Finally, anything that helps to improve and promote the local high street environment should definitely be encouraged. Hopefully blogs like this will spread the word and increase awareness of such projects. The concept would no doubt benefit from the support of organisations such as the Association of Town Centre Managers who actively work with both private and public sector stakeholders are well placed to promote this initiative.

So, given all the potential benefits of this scheme it is my hope that that more property owners will set aside any pre-conceived misgivings and look to support this scheme.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-13842044

47 Beak Street, Carnaby , London W1F 9SE

To much acclaim Suka opened its doors on Thursday 14^th April. Although we are bound to be ever so slightly biased, it must be said that the store looked absolutely amazing!

It seems hard to believe that it was 8 months ago that Alex and Yolanda first approached Epoc with their concept for a new independent specialist sports boutique, stocking the most advanced gentlemen's sporting brands.

Aimed at people for whom sport is a lifestyle - aspiring athletes, professional sportsmen or the super-motivated - triathletes, cyclists, yogis, runners, sprinters, swimmers, the opening evening was certainly well supported by a variety of svelte athletic looking individuals in stark contrast to those of us who looked like we’d be more at home in the pub next door!

But judging by the hugely positive feedback following the opening, the Suka concept has proved to be exceptionally well received by everyone who has visited the store.

So with their boundless energy, enthusiasm and passion for sport, the future of Suka is looking very positive. It’s been a real pleasure working with Alex and Yolanda and we are extremely proud to have played our part in making their dream a reality.

47 Beak Street, Carnaby , London W1F 9SE

No cracks here mate!

Decorators on site last week repainting the floor to produce a much brighter feel to the store.

Display units all fabricated by TEK Contractors bespoke to our designs ready to fit.

They also constructed the amazing feature “pod” for the window display, which was something of a challenge to install involving 6 guys and a lot of huffing and puffing!

Sign Specialists adding final graphics this morning. It’s all been a bit hectic but everything geared up for the store opening today.

Suka Sport

Now for those of you that, perhaps understandably, think Epoc is solely a design, branding and implementation agency, here’s news for you…

We just brought a shop!

Well to be absolutely precise, we have just negotiated the leasehold acquisition of a prime retail unit for one of our Clients!

Located on Beak Street within the world famous Carnaby Street Estate owned by Shaftesbury plc, the property is to be the new flagship store for Suka Sport Ltd, a bespoke sports boutique focussed on Running, Cycling, Swimming and Yoga and offering the best brands available globally together with expert advice and service.

Epoc were initially appointed on the creation of the Suka Sport brand, new identity and collateral, environmental design, through to project managing the store fit-out.

The only thing missing was the shop unit…

So the advantage of having a Chartered Surveyor within our team, we were able to work with our Clients to formulate a property acquisition strategy, undertake the property search in order to locate a unit meeting this strategy and ultimately negotiate the acquisition of the premises upon the best available terms.

Whilst we are not about to reinvent ourselves as Commercial Property Agents, our capacity to provide a complete and integrated brand, design and property solution has greatly benefitted our Clients and enabled them to focus on the operational aspect of their business venture.

The store is due to open mid April and we’ll be posting regular updates as the scheme progresses.

Geordie Man buys coat

A Newcastle man has caused uproar in the shopping centres of the north-east by purchasing a ‘coat’.
The man, who wishes to remain nameless, asked at several male clothing retail outlets for something to wear over his t-shirt.
“At first we thought he meant a jumper,” said Kevin Blackwell, a Newcastle-based retailer. “But we don’t sell many of those.”
“Then he insisted that what he actually wanted was a ‘coat’. I couldn’t believe it, I mean, I got him to repeat it several times before I actually believed him.”
Geordie buys coat
Blackwell continued, “We thought he was taking the piss, as no-one in Newcastle has bought a coat since 1973, and Coaty McCoaterson is STILL living that down.”
The man, a 35 year old accountant, explained his quest. “It was a bit cold, like. I really didn’t see the big deal.”
“I thought about buying an insulating fat suit like a lot of others up here, but I didn’t see the point of the extra expense.”
He finally tracked down a clothing store willing to sell him a coat after following the A1 South for almost 50 miles until he reached Harrogate.

Lest we forget...

Preparing to set off to the office this morning, I struggled, fingers and thumbs, as I tried so carefully to secure my poppy in situ for fear that the gusting winds and rain would cause this to become dislodged.

Today, of course, is Armistice Day. As I would expect of many, I could not envisage venturing out on this day without this most reverent symbol of respect for those that made the ultimate sacrifice in defence of the freedom that nowadays we seem to take for granted.

As I strode toward Highgate station it was to my sadness and surprise that I became aware of the number of people I passed absent of this traditional mark of remembrance.

Such was my astonishment that I took it upon myself to study my fellow passengers and see just how many were wearing a poppy and if indeed there was any consistency amongst those with poppy and those without.

Naturally, perhaps, I assumed that the more elderly folk would adhere to this tradition, but no, the first of my older generation, a well to do gent in dark overcoat and hat, was bereft of poppy and the first person I spotted with a poppy was a young girl of Asian background.

Scouring the commuters seated in my carriage and standing around me, a mixture of young and middle aged men and women of various ethnicities, not a poppy was to be seen. Then as a space appeared in my line of vision I finally spotted a man, maybe in his late 30’s, attired in suit and tie, with poppy pinned to his lapel.

After leaving the tube and taking the short walk to the office I failed to spot a single person with a poppy; passing an aged, archetypal city type in his luxurious camel coat, surely this man… but no…

Now maybe I am doing some of these people a disservice, maybe, like me, they were concerned that they would lose their poppy and instead had this hidden inside their briefcase or bag or had it pinned to their inner clothing, but surely the point of the poppy is to wear this on display.

As we approached 11.00GMT when a bugler from the Scots Guards was to mark the start of the two-minute silence by playing the Last Post, I wondered if London would indeed fall silent in remembrance. Will iPods be switched off? Will laptops be sent to sleep? Will the telephones in our office cease to ring? I recall a time some years ago when I sought to end a telephone call explaining that we were approaching 11:00 and the gruff response I received. Clearly for some business will always come first!

Perhaps it is different now that the threat is not as demonstrable as it was following the First and Second World Wars. Opinions have changed and questions are raised as to whether we should even be fighting the war in Afghanistan.

But at this time when it seems that almost every day news reports tell of another member of the armed forces lost in Afghanistan, surely the poignancy of this day cannot be lost on the nation?

As I stepped outside my office to observe the silence, the traffic continued to flow past, people went about their business and so I was simply left to stand silent in my own private contemplation.

Lest we forget… Sadly I fear many already have...