About Us
Victoria Oates BSc (Hons) MRICS
Director of Oates Commercial, Victoria Oates BSc (Hons) MRICS, brings 25 years of industry experience to this new exciting business venture helping her leisure property clients continue to secure the right agreements and bring more wins to the industry.
She began her career at EA Shaw in Covent Garden, a true general practice surveying firm specialising in anything Covent Garden and W1; retail, offices, restaurants and residential services. This provided the basis of her knowledge in this area and laid the groundwork for the services she conducts today. During her seven years with the company, Victoria qualified as a Chartered Surveyor.
From there, she moved on to a role with Jackson Criss for a short period, carrying out a significant amount of due diligence on shopping centre purchases, before securing a position at Shelley Sandzer where she would go on to excel for the next 18 years.
Victoria has spent her recent career specialising in the licensed leisure sector, including working with restaurants, bars, cafes and quick-service restaurants. Oates Commercial Limited supports businesses across high streets, shopping centres and out-of-town leisure schemes.
In 2018, Victoria was privileged to be elected Chairman of the Restaurant Property Advisors Society (RPAS) and has been recently re-elected to continue her role.
Victoria is an expert in conducting rent reviews, lease renewals, restructuring advice and third-party work. Most recently, she has acted on behalf of The Ivy on Broadwick Street, Soho, proudly securing a win for her client at third party.
It’s always interesting to know more about who you’re working with, so outside of work, Victoria is the owner of Molly, a 16”3’ Irish Sport Horse and two fox red labradors Ginger and Red. She enjoys making her own damson and sloe gin and can sometimes be found in a field (trying to) shoot clay pigeons.
Henry Wilson BSc (Hons) MRICS
Henry Wilson began his career at Shelley Sandzer in 2008, working alongside Victoria in the Professional Services Team, cutting his teeth on rent reviews and lease renewals. Keen to broaden his knowledge and services, Henry has also worked on the leasing side focussing mainly on shopping centres and leisure schemes.
Henry has also enjoyed a stint working at Distrkt in their leasing team and operated as acquisition agent for Beefy Boys (which saw them expand from 1 site in Hereford to 5 sites, including sites in Bath and Cheltenham)
Henry is proud to have worked on notable projects such as the inception of Trinity Leeds, Princesshay Exeter and numerous other Land Sec schemes.
What he loves most about this industry is the variety of the work and helping some of the leading restaurant brands in the country.
In addition to working alongside Victoria on all types of professional work, Henry also manages his family’s dairy farm.
When he’s not working, he’s likely to be found on the farm running about after his daughter and two dogs. He also says “I have recently got into my fitness as my age now prevents me playing team sports these days. Running half marathons was never something that I would enjoy, but that is what I now find myself doing!”
James Bailey BSc (Hons) MRICS
Acting as a consultant to Oates Commercial James brings over 25 years of experience providing advice to both landlords and tenants in the commercial property sector.
James started his career in the Professional Services team at GL Hearn providing lease renewal, rent review and rating advice to national retailers such as Somerfield, Asda, T&S stores and Dixons.
Having qualified as a Member of the RICS at GL Hearn, James went on to hone his skills over the next 19 years at Jackson Criss. Working in the firm’s Professional Services team, James provided rent review, lease renewal and lease restructuring advice including the preparation of Expert Witness reports for 3 rd Party referrals (Arbitration/Independent Expert) and due diligence for large asset purchases.
During his time at Jackson Criss, James represented Vapiano UK, Pizza Hut UK, HMV, Allsports as well as numerous institutional landlords and property companies throughout the UK.
After a relatively short stint client-side working at The ArchCo, one of the UK’s largest suppliers of occupational space to SMEs, James has returned to private practice consultancy.
James and Victoria first worked together at Jackson Criss over 20 years ago, where shut in a room together for several weeks at a time they carried out due diligence on shopping centre purchases – and still talk to one another !
Outside of work James can be found ruining a good walk by taking his golf clubs or attempting to stay fit with runs along the Thames towpath.
James Bailey BSc (Hons) MRICS
Consultant – Oates Commercial Ltd