LISTEN Derek Griffin, head of acquisitions at Whitbread, speaks with Estates Gazette reporter Shifali Gorka about how the branded budget hotel sector has evolved in the last decade, why Premier Inn has become such a household name, and what the future holds for affordable travel. Derek talks about what’s driving Premier Inn’s rapid expansion across the country despite the increasing cost pressures in this tougher economy, and why the real estate industry needs to understand the wider social and economic impact of the hotel sector. A must-listen for anyone who wants to learn about where the budget hotel sector stands today and what the future holds.

What happens when an industry veteran, a NextGen co-chair and Estates Gazette’s news editor sit down to talk honestly about diversity, leadership and the changing face of property? Marking Real Estate Balance’s 10th anniversary, Sue Brown, managing director at Real Estates Balance and NextGen committee co-chair Kevin Boakye lift the lid on gender parity, social mobility, the fax era, access to the sector and why inclusion isn’t a "nice to have"; it’s the industry’s biggest competitiveness challenge for the decade ahead.

Stephen White, partner at Daniel Watney, joins Estates Gazette to unpack the upcoming business rates changes and their implications for the office sector. From who stands to gain or lose, to how landlords and occupiers can best prepare, this conversation explores the complexities of the upcoming changes and offers some strategies to prepare you for it.