The Downtown Den Podcast

Meet the Partner with Glenville Walker

Welcome to Downtown Den. In today's Meet the Partner episode, we're joined by Anna Salisbury and Michael Smeaton from Glenville Walker's litigation team.

When your business hits a rough patch, or a property lease starts causing headaches, you need more than just legal advice – you need partners who'll stand by your side and turn complex problems into clear solutions.

Anna and Michael share their straight-talking insights on business recovery, helping you stay on the right side of your lease agreements, and why getting early guidance can make all the difference. These aren't just tips from solicitors sat behind desks – this is practical, commercially astute advice from people who genuinely understand the pressures you're facing.

Whether you're navigating a challenging recovery period or simply want to protect your business interests in property matters, this conversation will give you actionable guidance you can actually use.

Let's dive in.

MIPIM 2026 | In Conversation with... Liam Robinson

Downtown in Business invited the Leader of Liverpool City Council, Cllr Liam Robinson into the Downtown Den to chat all things MIPIM 2026 with DIB boss Frank McKenna.

In this discussion Liam shares why attending the premier global real estate and urban planning summit, is important to Liverpool and the wider city region.

Liam explains why it is important the the regions private and public sectors attend MIPIM 2026 with a unified approach and his hopes for a wider collaboration with other UK regions.

https://downtowninbusiness.com/mipim

Meet the MIPIM 2026 Sponsors | Sutcliffe

DIB boss, Frank McKenna caught up with Sean Keyes and William Baldwin from Sutcliffe to discuss the upcoming MIPIM 2026 property festival.

In this brief podcast, they discuss what MIPIM means to a company like Sutcliffe, what they are hoping to achieve in Cannes and share their advice on how best to get the most out of MIPIM 2026.

downtowninbusiness.com/mipim

Meet the MIPIM 2026 Sponsors | Krol Corlett

Simon Krol and Daniel Tebay from leading construction company, Krol Corlett, join Frank McKenna on the Downtown Den to discuss the upcoming MIPIM 2026 property festival.

First time MIPIM attendees Simon and Daniel, explain why they are attending MIPIM and what opportunities they hope to find on the international stage.

Visit the Downtown in Business MIPIM microsite. www.downtowninbusiness.com/mipim

Meet the MIPIM 2026 Sponsors | Liverpool Business Improvement District

The Chief Executive of the Liverpool Business Improvement District, Bill Addy, joins Frank McKenna on the Downtown Den to discuss the upcoming MIPIM 2026 property festival.

They explore why MIPIM remains a crucial platform for Liverpool, the opportunities it presents for investment and collaboration, and how the city is positioning itself on the international stage.

Meet the Partner with Glenville Walker

Understanding Shareholders Agreements from the Experts at Glenville Walker

As part of Downtown Den’s Meet the Partners, Frank McKenna caught up with Michael Smeaton and Anna Salisbury from Glenville Walker to get advice for our members about Shareholders Agreements and why we need them. Going into business with a partner can feel like the start of something brilliant. You're aligned on the vision, excited about the opportunity, and ready to build something together. But what happens when things don't go to plan? When one person wants out, or priorities shift, or you simply can't agree on the next step?

That's where shareholders agreements come in. They're often overlooked in those early, optimistic days, but they're one of the most important documents you'll put in place. Think of it as a relationship contract for business partners – setting out who gets what, what happens if someone leaves, and how you'll handle the tough conversations before they become real problems.

Today, we're breaking down what shareholders agreements actually are, why they matter to your business, and the issues we most commonly see when they're not in place – or when they haven't been thought through properly. Because getting this right from the start can save you from costly disputes down the line.

For more information and to find out how Glenville Walker can help you visit www.glenvillewalker.com.

Downtown Den Special | Briefing the Budget

Enjoy a recap of Liverpool Business Improvement District's budget reaction webnar from last November 2025.

On Budget Day (Wednesday 26 November 2025), Liverpool Business Improvement District hosted a special webinar with a panel of industry experts to provide immediate analysis and insight.

Liverpool Business Improvement District Chief Executive Bill Addy was joined by Katelyn Dutton from Sedulo, Steve Nolan from Liverpool John Moores University and DIB’s Frank McKenna.

As the Chancellor delivered her latest update, the panel provided the context of how it will affect you, your business and your staff.

Season 5. Episode 5. | Hospitality | Hyatt Regency & INNSiDE By Meliá

In this season of the Downtown Den podcast, we are joined by some of the leading personalities from across the hospitality sector.

In this episode DIB boss Frank McKenna chats with Sarah Matts from Hyatt Regency in Manchester and Annabel Lax from INNSiDE By Meliá Manchester.

In this episode Sarah & Annabel discuss their careers in hospitality, why the enjoy working in the sector and their ambitions and thoughts on the future of hospitality.

Find out more about Hyatt Regency Manchester.

Find out more about INNSiDE By Meliá Manchester.

This season of the Downtown Den podcast is sponsored by The Hospitality Hero.

Season 5. Episode 4. | Hospitality | Sefton Collection

In this season of the Downtown Den podcast, we are joined by some of the leading personalities from across the hospitality sector.

Next up, we have Conor O'Donovan CEO of the Sefton Collection.

In this captivating discussion with DIB boss Frank McKenna, Conor explains how he got involved in the industry, his highs and lows and what he learned from the experiences.

Conor also discussed the future of the Sefton Collection and his thoughts on where the industry is heading.

This season of the Downtown Den podcast is sponsored by The Hospitality Hero.

Season 5. Episode 3. | Hospitality | The Hospitality Hero

In this season of the Downtown Den podcast, we are joined by some of the leading personalities from across the hospitality sector.

Next up, we have Steven Hesketh the CEO of the Savvy Hotel Group and The Hospitality Hero.

In this fascinating discussion with DIB boss Frank McKenna, Steven shares his career journey from the beach hotels of Australia to the countryside hotels of North Wales and his involvement with one of the UK's fastest growing festivals DevaFest.

Steven also discusses the roles of Accommodation Bid's and how they can help the future of the hospitality industry.

This season of the Downtown Den podcast is sponsored by The Hospitality Hero.

To find out more about DevaFest visit: www.devafest.co.uk

For tickets for The Great Art of Hospitality Conference visit: www.tickettailor.com/events/downtowninbusiness/1895312