Pigeon & EA Festival: a partnership for East Anglia

An Interview with Patrick Cooper, Director, Pigeon Capital Partners, and Joanne Ooi, Founder, EA Festival

Why did you sponsor EA Festival?

Patrick Cooper [PC]: I attended the Festival in 2021 and was very impressed with its variety and thought-provoking content. The talks were fascinating and the entire event was very well organised.

The festival is like a culture magazine come to life, especially with the audience interaction. It gives those that attend a totally refreshing opportunity to delve into subjects that they may not have covered before.

This makes the festival a standout and, given that it is on our doorstep, a very enriching opportunity that we believe our investors and partners in the region will enjoy enormously.

What is the value alignment between Pigeon and EA Festival?

PC: Pigeon is very committed to the East Anglia region and knows that the success of the region is built on the communities that thrive within it. The work of the festival and the events that they promote and partner with, provide wider access to culture and acknowledge the talent in the region which needs to be showcased.

Joanne Ooi [JO]: Pigeon’s investments strengthen the regional economy and that’s actually one of the core missions of EA Festival. By creating high-quality cultural events, we provide a showcase for regional and local talent that builds the market for culture and cultural services and, moreover, increases demand for tourism, hospitality, retail, transportation, etc., in East Anglia. In this sense, our missions mesh nicely.

Can art and culture be significant drivers of value creation and economic development in the region?

PC: They definitely need to go hand in hand, the region is seeing dramatic changes. From the worldwide acclaim of new and global technology /pharma businesses in and around Cambridge, the extension of major arterial roads to the new free port status of the areas near our ports, there is a lot going on. It is critical that those newly attracted to the area can have good access to culture and the arts in and around where they work and live.

JO: To follow on from Patrick, culture makes an area much more appealing. Look at what culture has done for Aldeburgh and its surrounding area since its Music Festival was founded decades ago. Moreover, culture can makes regional economies more sustainable, not just for artists, but for residents. Rather than traveling great distances, people can be entertained, diverted and edified in their own backyard. If you live in, say, Cambridge, London’s attractions don’t exert the same siren call. I hope that EA Festival can plant the seed of a flourishing cultural scene where we live.

How do you see the development of East Anglia in the next ten years?

PC: The Pigeon management team have all lived in the Eastern Region for most of their lives. Therefore, we are very keen to create sustainable communities where people want to live, work and play, and are aware of our responsibility to leave an enduring legacy for the region.

Excitingly, Pigeon are in a great position to understand how the new industries of the future plan to grow in the area, especially those in the technology, energy storage and long-term healthcare arenas. All of them are growing significantly in the region and we are always working on ways to provide the correct premises for these businesses.

In terms of Pigeon’s potential investments, what geographical areas and real estate categories do you have your eye on?

PC: Even before Brexit and then COVID, there was a growing requirement for more industry and logistics warehouses. As the trend for online shopping grows, this is going to continue for some time and therefore we see the lack of supply of commercial buildings in the area as a trend that will continue for some time. We hope to continue to find the properties to own, renovate or build with our co-investors in this space.

New categories that we are involved with include the creation of Battery Energy Storage sites (BESS) that are capable of storing the power generated from renewable sources to meet demand from the National Grid.

Biodiversity Net Gain is a topic which we will all hear a lot more about as the government seeks to implement a structure that forces anyone developing land to set aside areas that will measurably create or improve positive biodiverse habitats on site or nearby. Pigeon believe we have a big part to play in making sure developments deliver on this and that landowners can take advantage of the opportunities that it will provide. 

Learn more about Pigeon Investment Management here.