Citygrove is sponsoring Tytherington FC this season. Arlo, the son of our Construction Director Ben Robinson, is a keen team player. 

Investing in local communities matters, and grassroots sport is an excellent way to promote teamwork, boost confidence, and create opportunities for young people.

We’re proud to play a small part in Tytherington’s journey and look forward to supporting the team for the rest of the season.

Between the boats and the badges, MIPIM 2026 gave the Citygrove team exactly what we came for – interesting conversations with partners, investors, and industry colleagues about where the market is heading and what’s worth getting excited about.

There is something about bringing people together in the same place at the same time that no video call can replicate; MIPIM reminded us of that.

To everyone who made time for us – thank you. Let’s keep the conversation going.

Expo Real Munich – a major international real estate trade fair for networking, deal-making, and market insights.

Oktoberfest – a key Bavarian cultural event where many wear traditional attire.

A memorable opportunity for the Citygrove team to connect with industry friends and colleagues in Munich. 

We’re happy to share some fantastic news—Archie Sparks has been promoted to Associate Director.

Since joining us in April 2021, Archie has done a fantastic job juggling his daily responsibilities while completing his professional exams to become a chartered surveyor. His determination, commitment and professionalism make him a key member of our UK team.

Archie has been instrumental in the Wyvil Court development, where we’re working on plans for a 185-bedroom hotel. He’s always looking for new opportunities in hotel, co-living, and purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) projects.

We can’t wait to see Archie thrive and grow in his new role!

Diverse skills are crucial for fostering a dynamic and productive work environment. They encourage creativity, problem-solving, and decision-making, driving innovation and success. Additionally, a diverse skill set equips the workforce to adapt effectively in a rapidly evolving environment.

This month, the team attended a sales workshop to refine their skills and promote professional growth. JAWS provides insights into customer behaviour, refines communication strategies, and teaches negotiation and closing techniques. Participants learn from experienced instructors and connect with peers to achieve better career outcomes.

A big thank you to Peter Smith from JAWS, for his insightful guidance and support!

We are partnering with Wyvil Primary School for an inspiring mural project to create an uplifting atmosphere at Wyvil Court.

Alongside community engagement specialists Concilio and EPR Architects, we recently visited the school to talk to the students about the positive impact of architecture and murals on our community. We encouraged them to share their creative ideas, and a selection of these will be painted on one of the hotel’s walls, which faces the school playground. We can’t wait to see how this vibrant artwork reflects the lively spirit of the school and its community. It will make the area more welcoming and enjoyable for everyone.

“The workshops we hosted for the children over at the EPR Architect’s studio were really inspiring! The mural will be a cool part of the hotel’s design, really capturing Vauxhall’s lively vibe. ” – Tom Fuller, Development Director at Citygrove.”

After a year of on-site, we reached the full construction height of our Hanover project last December. We celebrated this milestone with our German colleagues by hosting a Richtfest, or ‘topping out’ ceremony. This event marked the completion of the building’s structural phase and provided an opportunity to thank the builders and the team involved in the project.

According to tradition, this celebration is thought to bring good luck to the building!

Mark has joined the ranks of marathon runners in the office by completing the Berlin Marathon in an impressive 3 hours and 21 minutes. Battling an injury that forced him to take several weeks off training, Mark decided to participate in the race just a day before it took place. His determination and effort have inspired us all.

Mark ran to support the charity Children with Cancer and hopes to continue raising money for this important cause.

Hats off to you, Mark— a phenomenal accomplishment!

Our hospitality project in Lübeck has officially opened its doors and is winning the hearts of both business and leisure travellers alike.

With 203 beds, the Premier Inn boasts a fantastic location in the heart of Lübeck, one of Northern Germany’s best-preserved ancient towns and a UNESCO World Heritage site. You’ll find the hotel just a stone’s throw from the railway station and a short walk from the city centre.

A big thank you goes out to our fantastic team, including Tief-und Gerüstbau GMBH & Cumming Group. And a special shout-out to Michael Cratzius and HGT Construction, who have done an exceptional job constructing the building. The team’s efforts were rewarded with a BREEAM Excellent accreditation, which we are very proud of.

Citygrove welcomes Ciaran Jordan, who joined the team last autumn. With a strong background in development and investment, Ciaran brings new ideas and goals that align with the company’s vision of leading innovative development projects while continuing to deliver exceptional work in the years ahead. He will help secure new development opportunities and assist with project implementation.

“I’m excited to join the Citygrove team”, said Ciaran. “I look forward to exploring European markets and expanding our UK portfolio.”

In June, our Chairman, Toby Baines, took part in the CBRE Pyrenees Challenge 2024, embarking on a formidable 620km cycling journey from Toulouse to Biarritz, with a total climb of 8300m over five days.

The bike ride was a powerful demonstration of support for Laureus Sport for Good and the Alzheimer’s Society, with the cyclists raising an impressive £100,000 for these important causes.

“Climbing Col du Tourmalet sits right alongside climbing Kilimanjaro and crossing the finishing line at the New York marathon. What a thrilling challenge!” – Toby Baines

A massive congratulations to our Team Personal Assistant Louisa, who on the 7th of April completed the Paris Marathon – a very impressive achievement for someone who had never run more than 5km!

Louisa spontaneously signed up after being encouraged by the team and started training through the winter, running home from the office and with group Friday lunch time runs, thanking the whole team for supporting her through her training with all their tips and advice. Well done Louisa and we are sure we will see her doing another one in the future.

In March, some of the team attended MIPIM in sunny Cannes, with Tom and Archie flying the flag for the UK, Mark and Sebastian represented our German interests and Ben showcasing the development management arm of the business.

There was a good atmosphere among attendees, with the general feedback being that the industry has reached the bottom of the cycle and investors are preparing to re-enter the markets following some time on the side lines. There seemed to be a core focus on the living sector, specifically PBSA and BTR, which are both areas that we are continuing to explore. 

Tom also represented us on a panel debate discussing the central London office market and where ‘the future of investment lies in aligning goals between investors and Occupiers.’ The conversation focussed on how occupiers are now prioritising quality workspaces that meet ESG requirements and whether the associated cost of this has project viability. He was joined by Ali Abbas (Art Invest), Elliot Prosser (JP Morgan), Jessica Pilz (Fiera Capital), Chante Bohitige (Estates Gazette) and Harriet De Freitas (Avison Young).

We look forward to attending MIPIM again in 2025!

Work has started on site with MBN on a 220-bed Premier Inn hotel in Hannover, opposite central station. A BREEAM ‘Excellent’ certificate is being sought and completion is expected in Q3 2025. We look forward to following the progress on site.

Despite the challenging financing market, Hanover has had a successful month. Citygrove has achieved a significant milestone by securing construction debt finance with Deutsche Kreditbank (DKB) for the first time.

Thanks to this success, we have signed a building contract with MBN GmbH to construct the Premier Inn Hanover. The completion date for the hotel is expected to be in late 2025. This will be the second project on which Citygrove and MBN have collaborated; the first being a successful partnership with Novum Niu Hotels in Düsseldorf earlier this year.

We are also proud to announce that we have achieved an ‘EXCELLENT’ design stage BREEAM accreditation. This demonstrates our commitment to sustainability and our dedication to developing exceptional projects.

A UNESCO World Heritage site and one of Northern Germany’s most well-preserved ancient towns, Lubeck is reaping the rewards of a sharp increase in domestic visitors following Covid. The City has redefined its vision for tourism by 2030 with an aim for guests to experience the rich culture of this medieval City in a way that is inclusive, sustainable, respects natural and local resources and strikes a balance in blending local life with tourism.

In support of the City’s strategy and reflecting our own ethos, the 200-bed hotel Citygrove currently has under construction is on track for BREAAM Excellence certification at our expense and exceeds local authority building requirements and the building specification issued by the occupier – Premier Inn. 

Covid created significant problems for us in finding a contractor because of build- cost inflation and the difficulty of securing bank finance. Our success in securing the project during challenging times is a compliment to the team. 

We celebrated the builders’ rite of topping out on our Lubeck project with the city Mayor and our team of consultants and contractors in early June. The disruption during the Covid-19 pandemic was particularly challenging, so we savoured the opportunity to celebrate and admire the progress on site. Consistently good weather and excellent coordination with HTG, our general contractors, were significant contributing factors to the smooth running of the building programme. 

Lubeck is situated on the German Baltic coast and counts a population of circa 220,000. Our project comprises a 200-bed Premier Inn Hotel due to open ahead of schedule in April 2025.

The Fred Whitton Challenge is an annual, one-day cycle event supporting charity. Starting in Grasmere, the ride takes in all of the Lakeland passes and is famed for being particularly grueling. On May 7, Ben Robinson, our Construction Director, did us proud and completed the brutal 112-mile ride climbing 4000m in just over 8 hours!

The building is on schedule to top out in mid-June, with the external brick façade due to commence in the following weeks

Development on The Lambeth Methodist Mission continues at a good pace. We have made solid progress on the Church structure and the hotel RC frame now stands 11 stories tall.