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Expanding Car Parks Operator Apex Parking Doubles In Size



Expanding car parks operator Apex Parking has doubled the size of its portfolio by acquiring 10 new properties.


The company has also rapidly grown its workforce with its headcount now standing at 44 after transferring in 21 staff from a previous operator in one day.


Apex Parking‘s newest locations are Pall Mall, Moorfields and Rumford Street in Liverpool, Chorlton Street in Manchester, The Core in Leeds, New Street, Royal Angus, Londonderry and Horsefair in Birmingham and High Street in Weston-super-Mare.


The company, which was founded in 2021, already operated 10 car parks in London, Liverpool, Manchester, Chester, Bristol, Stoke, Ipswich and Hounslow. The new acquisitions came about after National Car Parks (NCP), which was founded in 1931 and with a portfolio of 340 UK car parks, went into administration in March.


Landowner GreenPoint, a global real assets investment firm with more than $1 billion of equity under management, decided to move away from NCP and the administration process and find new operators for their 32 sites.


Working through their pan-European business management company partner Lysara, GreenPoint decided to split its portfolio between Apex Parking, which already ran three sites for them, and another operator.


Director Ben Sullivan said:

“We are particularly pleased to have been chosen as the as preferred management partner for these 10 car parks by GreenPoint."

“We believe their decision was very much influenced by the work we have done to turn around the existing three sites but also for the significant commercial support and insight we gave them post-NCP’s administration announcement."


“This expansion is another significant step in our journey and reflects the confidence our clients continue to place in our team. Strategically it has worked out very well for us, geographically complementing our existing sites and allowing us to both expand and move forward rapidly through economies of scale."

“We will be upgrading the car parks to the most modern standards, making the lighting better, changing bay markings, improving and reducing signage, increasing safety aspects and dealing with anti-social behaviour."

“The installation of new equipment, supplied by APT Skidata, is making the act of parking simpler and more pleasant – and we offer competitive prices, with discounts for subscribers and season tickets and also reward schemes."


“We would like to reassure drivers by pointing out that we will be honouring season tickets previously bought through NCP for our 10 new car parks, even though we are not obliged to do so by law and most likely will not be receiving any of those funds."

“As a responsible employer we are also dedicated to improving the facilities for our dedicated and hard-working staff. They are the face of our business, the people interacting with our customers and dealing with any issues.”

“Working with a landlord who understands our vision in terms of putting staff back into car parks is so refreshing, as is the appreciation that we need to invest to build a decent, sustainable business and it is the long-term revenues we are looking at, not making a quick buck and disappearing.”


Scott Parsons, chief executive of Lysara, said:

“Over the past few months, the team has worked at pace to transition 30 assets into a stronger operating structure, securing long-term income with Q-Park across 20 sites and retaining attractive operational upside across a further 10 sites with Apex."

“This is an important milestone for Lysara. The new arrangements strengthen the quality and resilience of the portfolio, refocus on the customer experience and preserve our flexibility to integrate new services, including EV charging, overtime.”


Apex Parking, founded in 2021, operates 20 car parks across England, including London, Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Chester, Bristol and Birmingham. Visit here for more details with Apex Parking.


Photo: Car park operator Apex Parking directors, from left, Iain Selbie, Guy Watson and Ben Sullivan have overseen a doubling of the size of the company with the acquisition of 10 new properties across the country

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  • Apr 10
  • 3 min read


Leafy Weybridge in Surrey continues to punch well above its weight in the office space market but a growing mismatch between supply and demand could prove crucial, says a regional commercial property specialist.


Charlie Nicholson, regional managing partner for property consultancy Vail Williams, says the town’s unique blend of high-quality, competitively priced office accommodation and exceptional connectivity continues to underpin office market demand.


The Weybridge office market has performed well amid evolving occupier requirements and ongoing workplace recalibration, helped by the combination of its lifestyle offer, top schools and good transport links to London, Heathrow and Gatwick.


Global occupiers such as Samsung and Sony have long-established operations in and around the town, cementing Weybridge’s role as a genuine hub-and-spoke location for international businesses.


Charlie said:

“However, we are seeing office outcomes in Weybridge become increasingly polarised. Buildings that have benefitted from investment continue to perform strongly; meanwhile older or less flexible stock has experienced slower rates of absorption. That’s why building specification and presentation matter more than ever.”

“There is also a clear shortage of modern, fitted Cat A+ and ‘oven-ready’ accommodation, particularly at the smaller end of the market. Suites within the 1,500 to 10,000 sq ft range are experiencing sustained levels of demand, but availability remains limited.”


Charlie, who has more than 20 years’ regional commercial property experience, added:

“Where landlords have invested in high-quality fitted office space in Weybridge, results have been encouraging. The multi-let buildings at The Heights demonstrate that when space is delivered in the right format conventional offices can and do let well here."

“This creates a clear opportunity for landlords and investors. Splitting larger floorplates and committing capital to Cat A+ refurbishments is making the difference between space sitting idle and space letting quickly.”


In 2025, there were 12 significant office lettings in Weybridge, totalling approximately 33,217 sq ft. This represented a significant increase in total square footage leased compared with 2024, reflecting ongoing occupier right-sizing trends but also a renewed transactional momentum.


Office demand remains centred on Weybridge’s established business park locations which benefit from strong access to the M25 and have a proven ability to attract major corporates. These locations have continued to anchor significant occupiers over the last 12 months, notably at The Heights Brooklands and Bourne Business Park.


Headline rents at The Heights are now moving into the early £40s per sq ft, with prime refurbished space typically achieving £38 to £40 per sq ft. Meanwhile the average net effective rents across wider Weybridge in 2025 sat closer to £30 per sq ft. This reinforces the town’s value proposition when compared with many outer London locations.


Charlie said:

“Looking ahead, at one end of the market, demand is emerging for bespoke, pre-let solutions from larger corporates with specific operational requirements."

“At the other end of the market, smaller and mid-sized occupiers continue to drive transactional activity, provided space is delivered in a format that supports immediate occupation and modern working practices."


“Also, flexible workspace providers have also responded to this demand by delivering amenity-rich environments that appeal to experience-led occupiers, helping to provide an incubator offering to start-ups alongside more established corporate occupiers in the area."


“From an office market investment perspective, Weybridge continues to offer long-term development and investment potential. The Local Plan identifies opportunities for intensification of office delivery across established commercial areas, including parts of The Heights campus."


“Not only this, as some older office buildings transition to residential use, those that remain are capable of profitable turnaround through refurbishment, reconfiguration or redevelopment, and are expected to attract sustained occupier and investor interest."


“For global occupiers, Weybridge provides a cost-effective gateway to UK and European markets, meanwhile, for landlords and investors, office demand will continue to flow, if capital is deployed intelligently and space is aligned with modern occupier expectations."


“Of course, Weybridge is not immune to wider economic pressures as we look ahead, but the office market here is underpinned by strong fundamentals – international appeal, excellent connectivity, a compelling lifestyle offer and consistent demand for high-quality space. Few locations within the Surrey office market combine these advantages so close to London.”


Vail Williams, based in Woking, has had a presence in Surrey since the late 1980s and over the years, we have played a pivotal role in some of the region’s major commercial and residential developments.

The firm’s full-service property advice includes commercial agency, investment and development advice, building consultancy, property valuation, planning, lease advisory, property asset management, business rates and occupier consultancy.


Photo: Hitting the Heights: Weybridge in Surrey continues to punch well above its weight in the office space market but a growing mismatch between supply and demand could prove crucial. Pictured is The Heights where rents are now moving into the early £40s per sq ft.


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