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Helical

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FY2012 Annual Report · Helical
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Helical Bar plc

Registered Office 
11-15 Farm Street 
London, W1J 5RS

Tel: 020 7629 0113 
Fax: 020 7408 1666

email: info@helical.co.uk

www.helical.co.uk

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Helical Bar plc

report & accounts

2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
fi nancial highlights

fi nancial calendar

Underlying profi t before tax, property 
write downs and investment gains1 

£8.6m

2011: £2.9m

Final proposed dividend per share

3.40p

2011: 3.15p

Year ended 31 March 2012 

Annual General Meeting to be held 24 July 2012

Final ordinary dividend payable  

26 July 2012

Half year ending 30 September 2012 

Year ending 31 March 2013 

 Results and interim ordinary dividend announced November 2012 
Interim ordinary dividend payable December 2012

 Results and fi nal dividend announced May 2013
Final ordinary dividend payable July 2013

Diluted EPRA earnings/(loss) 
per share2

3.4p

2011: (6.4p)

Diluted EPRA net asset value 
per share3

250p

2011: 253p

IFRS net assets

£253.7m

2011: £255.4m

Portfolio valuation4

£572.6m

2011: £532.2m

1  Pre-tax profi t as adjusted for property write-downs and net gain on sale and revaluation of        investment properties.
2 Calculated in accordance with IAS33 and the best practice recommendations of EPRA.
3 Calculated in accordance with the best practice recommendations of EPRA.
4 Includes the Group’s share of properties held in joint ventures and the surplus on directors’ valuation of trading and development stock.

 Front cover: Barts Square, London EC1

helical bar plc 2012

advisors

Registrars 

Bankers 

Joint stockbrokers 

Auditors 

Merchant bankers 

Solicitors 

Capita Registrars
The Registry
34 Beckenham Road
Beckenham
Kent BR3 4TU

Aareal Bank AG
Allied Irish Bank 
Barclays Bank plc
Clydesdale Bank
HSBC plc
Nationwide
The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc 

JP Morgan Cazenove Limited
10 Aldermanbury
London EC2V 7RF

Oriel Securities Limited
150 Cheapside
London EC2V 6ET

Grant Thornton UK LLP
Grant Thornton House
Melton Street
Euston Square
London NW1 2EP

Lazard Ltd
50 Stratton Street
London W1J 8LL

Ashurst 
Clifford Chance
Lawrence Graham
Linklaters
Lovells
Mishcon de Reya
Nabarro
Norton Rose
Semple Fraser
Wragge & Co

109

fi nancial calendar/ advisors helical bar plc 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
contents

directors’ report – annual review

chairman’s statement
chief executive’s statement
strategy and performance

02  helical at a glance
04 
05 
06 
11  business review
12  events during the year
14  development programme

investment portfolio overview
investment portfolio statistics

24 
25 
28  principal investment properties
32  fi nancial review
36 

corporate responsibility

directors’ report – governance

41 
45 

46 
47 

49 

corporate governance review
 letter from the chairman of the 
nominations committee
report of the nominations committee
 the board of directors and senior 
management
 letter from the chairman of the 
remuneration committee

50  directors’ remuneration report
57 
58 

report of the audit committee
report of the directors

fi nancial statements

61 
62 
63 

64 
66 

report of independent auditor
consolidated income statement 
 consolidated statement of 
comprehensive income
 group and company balance sheets
 group and company cash fl ow 
statements

67 

 group and company statements of 
changes in equity

68  notes to the fi nancial statements
99 

ten year review

investor information

101  appendix I – property portfolio
104  appendix II – risk register
107  investor information
108  glossary of terms
109  fi nancial calendar
109  advisors

contents helical bar plc 2012

2012

01

40

60

100

helical at a glance

02

Helical Bar is a property 
development and investment 
company. 
Our aim is to make excellent returns 
for our shareholders (which include 
the management team who own 
16% of the company) through a wide 
variety of high margin activities. 
While our core areas include London 
offi ce and mixed use development, 
we are able to deploy capital to 
whichever part of the property market 
we believe offers the best returns 
at different points in the cycle.

Central London development

Key projects
Barts Square, London EC1
200 Aldersgate, London EC1
Mitre Square, London EC3

West London development

Key projects
White City, London W12
Hammersmith, London W6
Fulham Wharf, London SW6

Retail development

Key projects
Parkgate, Shirley
Tyseley, Birmingham
Europa Centralna, Poland

directors report - review helical bar plc 2012

9.3

-1.7

3.4

9.9

3.9

36.7

4.7

13.0

20.8

Trading and development 
portfolio (Helical’s share)

Project type 

Book  
value 
£m 

Fair  
value 
£m 

  Surplus   Equity
 (from 
fair 

over  
book  
value 
£m 

value)   Equity
%

£m 

London offi ce  

2.6 

8.6 

Provincial offi ce 

10.3 

10.4 

Industrial  

6.2 

6.2 

In town retail   

10.0 

11.3 

Out of town retail  

3.6 

3.6 

6.0 

0.1 

  – 

1.3 

– 

8.6 

-1.6 

3.1 

9.2 

3.6 

Retirement villages  

60.1 

73.9 

13.8 

34.1 

Change of use 

Mixed use  

Poland  

Total 

4.4 

4.6 

42.0 

6.4 

15.1 

42.8 

2.0 

10.5 

0.8 

4.4 

12.1 

19.3 

143.8 

178.3 

34.5 

92.8 

100.0

Note: the table above includes the Group’s share of development properties held 
in joint ventures.

3.2 acres

Barts Square site

1.5m sq ft

Size of mixed use scheme at White City

Oct 2012

Expected completion date of Europa Centralna construction

      
 
 
     
 
 
 
     
 
 
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
Our portfolio – how we invest our capital

Overall portfolio split

Investment portfolio

Trading and development 
portfolio

03

  Investment  

  Trading and development  

73%

27%

  London offi ces  

  In town retail  

  Out of town retail  

  Industrial  

  Other  

30%

57%

4%

4%

5%

  Retirement village  

  Poland  

  Mixed use  

  In town retail  

  London offi ce  

  Other  

37%

21%

13%

10%

9%

10%

London investment

Key properties
Chiswick, London W4
Battersea, London SW8
Hammersmith, London W6
Shepherds Building, London W14

Retail investment

Key properties
The Morgan Quarter, Cardiff
Clyde Shopping Centre, Clydebank
Corby Town Centre, Corby

Retirement villages

Key projects
Bramshott Place, Liphook
Durrants Village, Faygate
Maudslay Park, Great Alne
St Loye’s College, Exeter

1%

Vacancy rate at Shepherds Building

2.0m sq ft

Of retail investment space

744 units

In our retirement village programme

directors report - review helical bar plc 2012

Oct 2012

chairman’s statement

04

Helical Bar plc returned to profi tability in the year to 31 March 2012 
and is poised to continue its upwards progress, with a number of 
exciting development schemes approaching realisation, backed up by 
sound fi nances and an investment portfolio generating a signifi cant 
surplus over costs. This has been achieved against a background 
of signifi cant economic uncertainty and I am confi dent that the Group 
is well prepared for the strong headwinds approaching from Europe. 
Michael Slade reports fully on the results for the year and the 
prospects for the Group in his Chief Executive’s Statement. 
As Chairman of the Nominations Committee, I have 
reported in detail on page 45 of this Annual Report 
regarding the present and proposed future constitution 
of your Board of Directors. Most importantly, I have 
asked Michael Slade to consider continuing in his 
current position as Chief Executive for a further fi ve 
years and am pleased that he has indicated his 
willingness and enthusiasm to do so. 

As Nigel will not be regarded as independent, the 
Committee determined that it is essential that the 
Board be strengthened by the appointment of two 
new independent non-executive directors. After an 
extensive search using external consultants, and 
having interviewed a number of strong candidates, 
I am pleased that we have identifi ed two excellent 
individuals in Richard Gillingwater, who will become 
the Board’s Senior Independent Director, and will 
serve on all the Board’s committees, and Richard 
Grant, who will become the Chairman of the Audit 
Committee and will serve on the other two 
committees. Both individuals will be appointed to the 
Board immediately following the AGM. 

In June 2011, Duncan Walker was promoted to the Board 
as an executive director and Michael O’Donnell was 
appointed as an independent non-executive director. 
Having been on the Board of Helical for almost 19 years, 
I intend to step down at the conclusion of this year’s 
Annual General Meeting (“AGM”). My fellow long-
serving non-executive directors, Antony Beevor and 
Wilf Weeks will also step down at the same time. I would 
very much like to thank them for their substantial 
contribution to your Company for many years and 
particularly to Antony for his masterful management 
of the Audit Committee. 

Nigel McNair Scott, Finance Director, has been on the 
Board of the Company since 1985 and has also indicated 
that he wishes to step down as Finance Director from 
the conclusion of  the AGM. I am, however, pleased 
that Nigel has accepted the request of the Nominations 
Committee to continue his close involvement with the 
Group and be appointed Chairman following my 
retirement. Tim Murphy, who joined the Group in 1994 
and has worked alongside Nigel since then, will be 
promoted to Finance Director immediately following 
the AGM. 

directors report - review helical bar plc 2012

It has been a privilege to serve on this exceptional 
Company’s Board for almost 19 years and to be 
Chairman for seven years. I shall be sad to relinquish 
my association with such a dynamic and successful 
team of people after so long. However, I believe that 
the Group, the executives and the portfolio of 
investment properties and developments are poised 
for a successful future which should be enhanced 
by a refreshed Board and a new Chairman.

Giles Weaver, 
Chairman

20 June 2012

chief executive’s 
statement

In the year to 31 March 2012 we continued the process of 
rebalancing our portfolio between income producing investment 
assets and non-income producing development sites. In the 
economic environment we fi nd ourselves in today, we believe this 
will help deliver long term shareholder value through combining 
the twin drivers of an investment portfolio generating signifi cant 
cash surpluses and a London centric development programme. 
Applied together, these portfolios offer defensive qualities much 
needed in this uncertain world, whilst providing the potential 
to deliver outperformance in the future. 

05

Strategy 
Our prime objective is to maximise returns for shareholders through 
income returns, development and trading profi ts and capital growth. 
Our strategy for achieving this is to: 

•   Maintain and expand our investment portfolio, providing a blend of high 
yielding retail, offi ce and industrial property which offers considerable 
opportunity to increase income and enhance capital values through 
proactive asset management and skilful stock selection;

•   Have circa 75% of our gross property assets in the investment portfolio 
creating positive net cash fl ow for the business which exceeds our net 
fi nancing costs, administration costs and dividends; 

•   Carry out London based redevelopments, whether new build or 

refurbishments, creating value through land assembly, planning and 
implementation in the offi ce, residential, mixed use and retail sectors;

•   Carry out pre-let regional foodstore and retail developments;

•   Maximise returns by minimising the use of equity in development 

situations; and,

•   Reduce exposure to non-core assets i.e. non-UK assets and 

retirement villages. 

Progress
During the year we made signifi cant progress in each of these key strategic 
areas. We have sold £50m of investment assets and £26m of development 
sites, recovered £16m of cash through the sale of 50 per cent of our retail 
development at Gliwice in Poland and re-cycled these proceeds in over 
£100m of investment assets, increasing our annualised net rental income 
from £23m to circa £26m. We have also obtained over 850,000 sq ft of 
planning permissions at our offi ce development at Mitre Square, our 
foodstore scheme at Fulham Wharf, our retail schemes at Shirley and 
Tyseley and our industrial scheme at Stockport and for over 850 residential 
units at Fulham Wharf, Shirley and our retirement villages at Great Alne, 
Milton and Exeter. More recently, we have submitted a planning application 
for our major mixed use scheme at Barts Square and intend to submit a 
planning application in respect of our scheme at White City later this summer.

The impact of this activity is clearly illustrated in the annual results for the 
year to 31 March 2012, with a 29% increase in the Group’s share of net 
rental income to £22.9m (2011: £17.8m), a development profi t of £0.7m 
(2011: loss of £16.6m), a net gain on the sale and revaluation of the 
investment portfolio of £3.3m (2011: £7.5m) and a pre-tax profi t of £7.4m 
(2011: loss of £6.3m). EPRA earnings per share were 3.4p (2011: loss of 
6.4p). This return to profi tability encourages us to propose an increased 
fi nal dividend of 3.40p (2011: 3.15p) per share, up 8% on 2011, taking 
the total dividend to 5.15p (2011: 4.90p). Our property portfolio delivered 
an ungeared total return of 5.6% (2011: 2.7%). EPRA net asset value per 
share fell marginally to 250p (2011: 253p).

Future
We live in a world where the news from Europe is dominating the 
headlines with daily warnings of the potential consequences of the impact 
of a collapsing Eurozone economy. Whatever the end result, there will be 
repercussions on the UK economy and our focus is on ensuring that the 
Group is well placed to ride out the storm that seems to be gathering. 

We have performed strongly over the year and the continued effort to 
address the imbalance in our business by increasing the Group’s weighting 
towards income producing properties has been vindicated by Helical’s 
return to profi tability. Our ability to outperform our peers in the future will 
depend upon the strength of our development pipeline and it is that part 
of the business that offers the greatest opportunity for growth. We are 
increasingly redirecting our hard earned equity to London and the South-
East, markets which currently represent 47% of our portfolio. The next 
few years are all about Central London and happily that is where we hold 
our most exciting assets. The prospects for substantial profi ts in respect 
of our London and retail developments provide cause for optimism for 
the future performance of the Group.

Michael Slade, 
Chief Executive

20 June 2012

directors report- review helical bar plc 2012

strategy and 
performance

Investment strategy
The investment portfolio, which is mainly let 
and income producing, has two main purposes:

06

•   To provide a steady income stream to cover overheads, dividends and 

interest;

•   To produce above average capital growth over the cycle to contribute 

to growth in the Group’s net asset value.

We seek to achieve these aims through careful, disciplined stock picking, 
generally of multi-let London offi ces, shopping centres, industrial estates 
and mixed portfolios. Our key aim is to be confi dent that there is 
sustainable demand from occupiers for all of our assets. 

We frequently reposition our properties through signifi cant refurbishment 
or extensions. We work closely with our tenants to maintain maximum 
occupancy and these relationships often lead to opportunities to increase 
value through re-gearing leases or moving tenants within a building as 
they expand or contract. Finally, at certain points in the cycle we may buy 
entirely vacant buildings (such as the Morgans, Cardiff or Shepherds 
Building, London W14) with a view to carrying out a major refurbishment, 
where we are confi dent that the occupational market is strong enough to 
allow the whole building to be let quickly.

Development strategy
We employ a wide variety of approaches in our 
development activities. The principal aim is to 
be ‘equity lean’ to maximise our share of 
profi ts by leveraging our capital employed and 
managing the risks inherent in the 
development process given the size of our 
balance sheet. A summary of the alternative 
ways of participating in development schemes 
is as follows:

•   Participate in profi t share situations where no equity is required. We will 

minimise our ongoing fee to maximise our profi t share so that our 
interests are completely aligned with our partners e.g. Fulham Wharf 
and 200 Aldersgate.  

•   Reduce up front equity required by entering into conditional contracts 
or options e.g. Mitre Square, where we have entered into conditional 
contracts, and Helical Retail.

•   Co-investment alongside a larger partner where we have a minority 
stake e.g. Barts Square, where we will receive a “waterfall” above a 
hurdle which skews super profi t towards Helical; and White City, where 
our equity contribution entitles us to an enhanced profi t share. 

•   Traditional forward funding. This requires the institution to want the 
cost overrun risk to be covered by the developer in return for a 
commensurate profi t participation.

Our portfolio by equity invested

  Scotland 7%

  Wales 12%

  South East 20%

  London 27%

  Midlands 23%

  North 2%

  Poland 6%

  Other 3%

47%

of Helical’s equity is 
deployed in London 
and the South East

directors report - review helical bar plc 2012

strategy and 

performance

How is directors’ remuneration 
linked to the Group’s strategy?
The Group’s executive remuneration policy 
is designed to ensure that Executive Directors 
and senior management are provided with 
appropriate incentives to encourage enhanced 
performance and are, in a fair and responsible 
manner, rewarded for their individual 
contributions to the success of the Group.

The remuneration packages of individual directors are structured so that 
the performance related elements form a signifi cant proportion of the total 
and are designed to align their interests with those of the shareholders.

Share incentives are designed so that they recognise the long-term 
growth of the Group. The performance periods are longer term, 
being three to fi ve years, and participants receive shares in Helical 
if performance criteria are met. Share incentive schemes are also 
designed to encourage long term investment in Helical by the directors.

Further details of the remuneration of directors can be found in the 
directors’ remuneration report on page 50.

How is corporate and social 
responsibility linked to this 
strategy?
Helical recognises that our business activities 
impact on the environment and the wider 
communities in which we operate.  

We are aware of the infl uence we can exert through the implementation 
of responsible environmental and social practices via our partners, 
contractors and suppliers.

An endorsement of Helical’s commitment to managing environment and 
social impacts is our continued listing in the FTSE4Good Index. The 
FTSE4Good Index measures the performance of companies that meet 
globally recognised corporate responsibility standards and facilitates 
investment in those companies. Maintaining listed status on this Index 
remains a key priority for Helical, and informs our evolving approach to 
Corporate Responsibility.

Further details of the Group’s impact on the environment and the wider 
communities can be found in the Corporate Responsibility Report on 
page 36.

07

What is our risk strategy?
Risk is an integral part of any Group’s 
business activities and Helical’s ability to 
identify, assess, monitor and manage each 
risk to which it is exposed is fundamental 
to its fi nancial stability, current and future 
fi nancial performance and reputation.

Risk management starts at Board level where the Directors set 
the overall risk appetite of the Group and the individual risk policies. 
These risk policies are the framework used by Helical’s management 
to run the business. 

Part of the management’s role is to act within these policies and 
to report to the Board on how these policies are being operated.

The Group’s risk appetite and specifi c risk policies are continually 
assessed by the Board to ensure that they are appropriate and consistent 
with the Group’s overall strategy and the external market conditions.

The effectiveness of the Group’s risk management strategy is reviewed 
annually by the Directors.

The principal risks faced by the Group are:

Strategic risk
The main strategic risks the Group face are that its strategy is inconsistent 
with market conditions and it has an inappropriate capital structure. 

Financial risks
The Group is vulnerable to a number of fi nancial risks due to the way in 
which it is funded. The Group has a signifi cant level of cash and debt and 
as such is subject to the following fi nancial risks:

Risk 
Interest rate risk
The Group’s profi ts are impacted   High proportion of debt
by increases in interest rates 

How the risk is managed

is either at fi xed interest rates 
or capped interest rates

Liquidity risk
The Group doesn’t have the  
ability to access cash as required 

The Group has signifi cant undrawn
committed bank facilities and cash

Short and long-term cash  
forecasts are frequently monitored  
by management

Loan covenants are continually  
monitored

Credit risks
Helical’s ability to borrow reduces   Helical borrows from a number
due to a deterioration in its  
relationships with lenders 

of institutions and has good
relationships with its bankers

Tenant failures impact on the  
Group’s profi tability 

Ensure that no tenant provides
 a disproportionate share of rental 
income

directors report- review helical bar plc 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
strategy and performance

 The Morgan Quarter
220,000 sq ft of prime 
retail space in the centre 
of Cardiff.

08

Development risk
The Group derives a signifi cant part of its results from development 
activity. Development profi ts are more likely to be subject to fl uctuation 
due to external factors as they are more opportunistic in nature. Development 
risks include: changes in planning legislation, diffi culty in managing 
current developments and a scarcity in future development opportunities.

Helical has an experienced development team with an excellent 
track record and a well established network of joint venture partners, 
contractors and professional advisors. Helical has no set formula for 
managing its developments and delivers development projects using 
our own capital, bringing in joint venture partners and forward funding 
development projects. 

People risk
Our employees are vital to the success of our business. The retention 
and incentivisation of our staff is of great importance to Helical and 
executive remuneration packages are designed to attract, motivate and 
retain directors of the calibre necessary to maintain the Group’s position 
as a market leader and to reward them for enhancing shareholder value 
and returns. We evaluate the training needs of each employee in line with 
business objectives.

Further details on Helical’s risk management can be found in Appendix II 
on pages 104 to 106.

directors report - review helical bar plc 2012

 
 
09

Performance 
A property company’s share price should refl ect 
growth in net assets per share. Our Group’s main 
objective is to maximise growth in assets from 
increases in investment portfolio values and 
from retained earnings from other property 
related activities.

Key performance indicators and benchmarks
We incentivise management to outperform the Group’s competitors by setting 
the right levels for performance indicators against which rewards are 
measured. We also design our remuneration packages to align management’s 
interests with shareholders’ aspirations. Key to this is the monitoring and 
reporting against identifi able performance targets and benchmarks. For a 
number of years we have reported on these, the most important of which are:

Investment Property Databank
The Investment Property Databank (“IPD”) produces a number of 
independent benchmarks of property returns which are regarded as 
the main industry indices. 

IPD has compared the ungeared performance of Helical’s total property 
portfolio against that of portfolios within IPD for the last 20 years. The 
Group’s annual performance target is to exceed the top quartile of the 
IPD database. Helical’s ungeared performance for the year to 31 March 
2012 was 5.6% (2011: 2.7%) compared to the IPD median benchmark of 
6.4% (2011: 11.7%) and upper quartile benchmark of 6.9% (2011: 12.1%).

As referred to in the Chairman’s Statement, the year to 31 March 2012 
was a period during which the Group continued to transform its property 
holdings and this has had an impact on performance in the year. 

However, over fi ve, ten and twenty years the Group’s property portfolio 
continued to outperform the IPD benchmark.

Net asset value
Net asset value per share represents the share of net assets attributable 
to each ordinary share. Whilst the basic and diluted net asset per share 
calculations provide a guide to performance the property industry prefers 
to use an adjusted diluted net asset per share. The adjustments 
necessary to arrive at this fi gure are shown in note 32 to these accounts.

Management is incentivised to exceed 15% p.a. growth in net asset value 
per share. The adjusted diluted net asset value per share, excluding trading 
stock surplus, at 31 March 2012 was 221p (2011: 225p).

Including the surplus on valuation of trading and development stock, the 
diluted EPRA net asset value per share at 31 March 2012 was 250p (2011: 
253p). Diluted EPRA triple net asset value per share was 246p (2011: 246p).

Other key performance indicators include:
•   a surplus of net rental income over fi nance costs, overheads 

and dividends;

•   staff retention and average length of service; and
•  inclusion in the FTSE4Good Index.

Total Shareholder Return
Total Shareholder Return (“TSR”) measures the return to shareholders 
from share price movements and dividend income and is used to 
compare returns between companies listed on the London Stock 
Exchange. Helical’s TSR for the year to 31 March 2012 was -28.4% 
(2011: –19.3%) compared to the median of the listed real estate sector of 
-3.4% (2011: 12.6%).

However, over fi ve, ten, fi fteen, twenty and twenty-fi ve years Helical’s TSR 
has outperformed the Listed Real Estate Sector Index as shown below.

Helical Bar portfolio unleveraged returns to March 2012

Helical 

IPD 

Helical’s Percentile Rank 

1 yr 
%pa 

5.6 

6.4 

53 

2 yrs 
%pa 

4.1 

9.0 

88 

3 yrs 
%pa 

5.5 

11.7 

91 

5 yrs 
%pa 

1.6 

-1.1 

8 

10 yrs 
%pa 

10.5 

6.7 

4 

20 yrs
%pa

14.6

8.7

1

Source: Investment Property Databank. 
Helical’s trading & development portfolio (25% of gross assets as measured by IPD) is shown in IPD at the lower of book cost or fair value and uplifts are only included on the sale of an asset.

 Total Gross Shareholder Return

                                                                                                           Performance measured over

Total Returns   

Helical Bar plc 

UK Equity Market 

Listed Real Estate Sector Index 

Direct Property - monthly data 

1 year 
%pa 

-28.4% 

1.4% 

-3.4% 

6.6% 

3 years 
%pa 

-11.4% 

18.8% 

19.4% 

11.2% 

5 years 
%pa 

-13.7% 

1.8% 

-14.7% 

-1.8% 

10 years 
%pa 

15 years 
%pa 

20 years 
%pa 

25 years
%pa

3.3% 

5.2% 

2.5% 

6.5% 

9.8% 

5.7% 

3.7% 

8.2% 

17.0% 

11.7%

8.5% 

7.3% 

8.4% 

8.4%

5.0%

8.8%

1 

2 

3 

4 

1  Growth over 1 year, 3 years etc to 31/03/12 
2  Growth in FTSE All-Share Return Index over 1 year, 3 years etc to 31/03/12 
3  Growth in FTSE 350 Real Estate Super Sector Return Index over 1 year, 3 years, 5 years and 10 years to 31/03/12. For data prior to 30 September 1999 FTSE All Share Real Estate Sector Index has been used. 
4  Growth in Total Return of IPD UK Monthly Index (All Property) over 1 year, 3 years etc to 31/03/12 
  Source: New Bridge Street

directors report- review helical bar plc 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The next few years are all about Central 
London and happily that is where we 
hold our most exciting assets.

10

business review

12  events during the year
14  development programme

central london
west london
retail
retirement villages

24  investment portfolio overview

portfolio statistics
retail
central london offi ces

11

200 Aldersgate, London EC1

Helical is acting as a development 
manager for this 370,000 sq ft 
scheme.

business review helical bar plc 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
events during the year

12

In June planning consent for a 
new building of 273,000 sq ft NIA 
of offi ces and 3,000 sq ft of retail/
restaurant was formally granted 
at Mitre Square, London EC3.

Planning consent was granted 
for a 100,000 sq ft supermarket 
and 463 residential units on 
behalf of Sainsbury’s at Fulham 
Wharf, London SW6.

Planning permissions 
850,000 sq ft of planning permissions
We have obtained over 850,000 sq ft of planning permissions for commercial or 
mixed use at:

Sales
During the year we sold £50m of investment properties 
realising a small loss below their March 2011 values. 
Properties sold included:

• Mitre Square, London EC3 (offi ce)
• Fulham Wharf, London SW6 (foodstore/residential)
• Parkgate, Shirley, West Midlands (foodstore/retail/residential)
• Tyseley, Birmingham (foodstore/retail) 
• Stockport, Greater Manchester (industrial)

and permission for residential or retirement village use at:

• Great Alne, Warwickshire
• Milton, Cambridge
• Exeter

Planning applications

In February 2012, we submitted a planning application for a new urban mixed use 
quarter at Barts Square, London EC1, integrating this historic location into a high 
quality offi ce, residential and retail scheme.

• Westgate, Aldridge
• Hawtin Park, Blackwood
• Queens Walk, East Grinstead
• Waterfront Business Park, Fleet
• Abbot Works, Hailsham
• Southwark Street, London
• Motherwell Food Park, Motherwell
• Standard Industrial Estate, Woolwich

Additionally we have sold £26m of development sites including 
retirement village units at our scheme at Bramshott Place, 
Liphook and the remaining units at our industrial scheme in 
Southall. We have also recovered £16m of cash through the 
sale of 50% of our retail development in Europa Centralna, 
Poland.

business review helical bar plc 2012

In October we acquired 700,000 sq ft 
of retail space in Corby Town 
Centre at an 8.0% net initial yield. 

Acquisitions
During the year we purchased more than £100m of investment assets acquiring:

• Corby Town Centre for £70m in October 2011
• Town Square, Basildon for £11m in June 2011
• The Powerhouse, Chiswick for £4m in November 2011
• Broadway House, Hammersmith for £14m in February 2012

13

We acquired Broadway House, 
Hammersmith in February for 
£14.1m refl ecting a net initial 
yield of 5.7% and a targeted 
reversionary yield of 8.7%.

Financing
During the year, the Group entered into a number of new bank 
facilities totalling £130m, which were used to refi nance existing 
assets and fund its purchase of new investment properties. 
The principal new facility was a fi ve year £100m revolving 
credit facility with The Royal Bank of Scotland plc.

The Group also entered into new investment facilities with 
Barclays enabling it to acquire properties in Newmarket and 
Hammersmith and, since the year end, refi nanced its 
investment at Shepherds Building, Shepherds Bush in a new 
three year facility.

HSBC provided a development facility enabling our retirement 
village at Durrants Village to be built out. In addition, new 
investment facilities were agreed with Nationwide and 
Clydesdale Bank during the year.

business review helical bar plc 2012

development 
programme

We employ a wide variety of approaches in our 
development activities. The principal aim is to be 
‘equity lean’ to maximise our share of profi ts by 
leveraging our capital employed and managing 
the risks inherent in the development process 
given the size of our balance sheet.

14

Profi ts from the Group’s development programme 
of £5.2m (2011: losses of £1.7m) were offset by 
provisions of £4.5m (2011: £14.9m) made against 
the carrying value of development stock. Profi ts 
of £2.1m were generated at our retirement village 
scheme at Bramshott Place, Liphook, and our 
offi ce development in Crawley (£0.5m) and 
development management fees received in 
respect of Fulham Wharf, 200 Aldersgate and 
Barts Square, totalling £2.1m. However, we wrote 
down a number of sites to their net realisable 
values and these provisions, totalling £4.5m, 
reduced the net development profi ts to £0.7m. 

By equity – Helical’s share

21%

poland

6%

other

9%

london 
offi ces

13%

mixed use

37%

retirement 
villages

14%

retail

200 Aldersgate

Barts Square

Mitre Square

White City

Hammersmith

Fulham Wharf

West London

Central London

business review helical bar plc 2012

development programme 
central london

The focus of the Group 
over the last year has 
been on those schemes 
recently completed or 
under construction, 
letting up vacant space 
and progressing a small 
number of major schemes 
for the future.

14%

15

200 Aldersgate, 
London EC1

Originally developed in the late 1980’s, this 
370,000 sq ft offi ce building had remained 
vacant since Clifford Chance left for Canary 
Wharf in 2005. In 2010, we were appointed 
under an asset and development management 
agreement by the owners of the building to 
advise on a refurbishment and re-letting 
programme. We have refreshed and re-clad 
parts of the building, creating a “vertical village” 
for offi ce users. 

Having completed the works in November 
2010 the building was launched in January 
2011 and since then we have completed 
twelve offi ce lettings totalling 112,000 sq ft. 

In addition we have let 35,000 sq ft of 
basement to Virgin Active who have 
opened a new fl agship Classic Club gym. 
The remaining space continues to attract 
interest from potential tenants and we are 
optimistic that there will be further letting 
success in 2012.

Upon the completion of a successful letting 
programme and subsequent sale of the 
building by the current owners, we will receive 
a development management profi t share to 
supplement the annual fee that we currently 
receive.

business review helical bar plc 2012

Central London

A 273,000 sq ft offi ce 
scheme with planning 
permission

16

business review helical bar plc 2012

development programme 
central london

17

Mitre Square, 
London EC3

At Mitre Square, London EC3 we have 
signed agreements to purchase two 
adjoining sites from the City of London 
and SFL2 Limited (previously Ansbacher). 
The S.106 agreement which enabled the 
planning permission to be issued was 
signed last June. In addition we have 
been working with the City to obtain 
a Section 237 TCPA 1990 to overcome 
any injunctable rights to light. We now 
intend to proceed with the demolition 
of the existing buildings to facilitate the 
construction of a new building comprising 
offi ces of 273,000 sq ft NIA and 3,000 sq ft 
of retail/restaurant use. This construction 
will not commence until a substantial 
pre-let is agreed or a forward funding 
is obtained.

business review helical bar plc 2012

property development 
development programme 
central london
central london 

18

Barts Square, 
London EC1

In joint venture with The Baupost Group LLC 
(Baupost 66.7%, Helical 33.3%) we own the 
freehold interest in land and buildings at 
Bartholomew Close, Little Britain and Montague 
Street, a 3.2 acre site adjacent to the new 
Barts Hospital and just south of Smithfi eld 
Market. The current buildings comprise 
420,000 sq ft let to the NHS for circa £3.5m 
per annum on a number of short term leases 
that expire between 2014 and 2016. In February 
2012 we submitted a planning application for 
a new urban mixed use quarter integrating this 
historic location into a high quality offi ce, 
residential and retail scheme. The proposed 
scheme seeks to retain some of the existing 
buildings and complement them with a 
sympathetic redevelopment of the site which 
will comprise circa 226,000 sq ft NIA of offi ces, 
202,000 sq ft NIA of residential comprising 
216 apartments and 24,000 sq ft of retail/
restaurant use. We are hopeful that planning 
permission will be obtained by the end of 
2012. We estimate a total development value 
of circa £460m.

business review helical bar plc 2012

A 3.2 acre site in 
the heart of the City

19

business review helical bar plc 2012

development programme 
west london

20

King Street,
Hammersmith, London W6

We have a development agreement with the 
London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham, in 
partnership with residential specialist Grainger 
plc, for the regeneration of the west end of King 
Street, Hammersmith. We submitted a planning 
application in November 2010 for new council 
offi ces, a foodstore and restaurants around a 
new public square, 300 new homes and a new 
public footbridge across the Great West Road, 
re-connecting Hammersmith Town Centre to the 
River Thames and Furnival Gardens. A resolution 
to grant planning consent was obtained in 
November 2011, but its referral to the Mayor 
was withdrawn pending further discussions 
with the Greater London Authority.

business review helical bar plc 2012

White City, 
London W12

At White City we intend submitting an outline 
planning application in July 2012 for a residential 
led mixed use scheme immediately adjacent to 
White City underground station. The Eric Parry 
designed master plan comprises c. 1.25 million 
sq ft of residential, 200,000 sq ft of commercial 
and 70,000 sq ft of retail/leisure/community 
uses. The landscaping proposals include the 
creation of a new bridge link from Wood Lane 
opening out into an urban square surrounded 
by local retailers and cafes. A large publically 
accessible garden square will also be created 
together with private communal courtyard 
gardens for the residents. Assuming planning 
consent is granted by the end of 2012, we hope 
to be in a position to make a start on site at the 
end of 2013. 

development programme 

21

Fulham Wharf, 
London SW6

The Hub,
Pacifi c Quay, Glasgow

At Fulham Wharf we secured, on behalf of 
landowner Sainsbury’s, planning permission for 
a new 100,000 sq ft foodstore, together with 
463 residential units (590,000 sq ft) and 11,000 
sq ft of restaurant/retail/community use at Sands 
End in Fulham. Helical has received a fee of 
£1.5m for obtaining planning permission and 
will receive a profi t share on the sale of the site, 
which is expected to be completed in June 
2012. This profi t share will be paid when 
Sainsbury’s receive their monies from the 
sale of the site.

The Hub, Pacifi c Quay, Glasgow was completed 
in 2009. This 60,000 sq ft building offers fl exible 
offi ce space with an onsite cafe and events area.  
Located in the midst of a media hotbed with 
BBC Scotland and STV as neighbours, this 
scheme has been partly let to The Digital Design 
Studio, the commercial arm of Glasgow School 
of Art, Shed Media and other high-tech, 
media-orientated tenants.  We continue to make 
progress, albeit slowly, in letting the building.

Industrial development

We have now sold virtually all of our industrial 
developments. Sales of £3.3m have been 
achieved for the remaining units at Southall 
during the year. Since the year end we have 
conditionally exchanged to sell all the land at 
Stockport for £4.5m with completion due over 
the course of this fi nancial year. This sale follows 
completion of all infrastructure works and a 
revised planning consent for a car dealership. 
Following the sale of Stockport, our only 
remaining industrial development is at Hailsham 
where we hope to sell the remaining units by the 
end of the year.

business review helical bar plc 2012

development programme 
retail

22

Parkgate 
Shirley, West Midlands

Tyseley
Birmingham

Europa Centralna 
Gliwice

At Parkgate, Shirley we are due to commence 
the construction of an 85,000 sq ft Asda 
supermarket, 72,000 sq ft of retail and circa 
135 apartments and townhouses. The £70m 
project is expected to complete in spring 2014.

Cortonwood 

A planning application is to be submitted in 
summer 2012 for a 96,000 sq ft A1 retail park. 
If successful, construction could commence 
in autumn 2013.

Leisure Plaza 
Milton Keynes

At Leisure Plaza, Milton Keynes, we have 
planning consent for 113,000 sq ft of retail 
together with the existing 65,000 sq ft ice rink. 
We are working with the various interested 
parties in this development to bring it forward 
with a view to starting construction later 
this year.

Outline planning consent has recently been 
granted for a 70,000 sq ft foodstore and 
78,000 sq ft of open A1 retail units as part of 
the regeneration of Tyseley. Discussions are in 
hand with a number of potential tenants and 
we are working towards a start on site 
in early 2013. 

Park Handlowy Mlyn
Wroclaw

Wroclaw is a large city in West Poland, some 
100km from the German border and 470km 
south of Warsaw. This 9,600 sq m (103,000 
sq ft) out of town retail development was 
completed in December 2008 and is fully let to 
a number of domestic and international retailers 
including T K Maxx, Media Expert, Makro, 
Deichmann, Smyk, Komfort and others. 

During the year we sold 50% of this scheme 
to clients of Standard Life and recovered over 
£16m of capital through the payment of loans. 
The agreement for sale provides that we will sell 
the remaining ownership two years after 
completion of the development to the same 
clients of Standard Life. The scheme is being 
developed on land to the south of Gliwice at the 
intersection of the A4 and A1 motorways. This 
highly visible site has unparalleled accessibility 
and will be a major regional shopping destination. 
The retail park and shopping centre, comprising 
approximately 66,000 sq m (720,000 sq ft) of 
retail space, will incorporate three distinct parts, 
being a foodstore, DIY and household goods 
and fashion. The scheme is now over 70% pre-let 
to Tesco, Castorama, H & M, Media Saturn, 
Jula and others. Construction commenced in 
October 2011 and is expected to complete 
by October 2012.

Other retail projects

Helical Retail, our joint venture with Oswin 
Developments, is actively pursuing a large 
number of potential foodstore sites around the 
UK and is working closely with the major food 
retailers to satisfy their location specifi c 
requirements.

business review helical bar plc 2012

development programme  
retirement villages

23

A retirement village is a private 
residential community in 
which active over-55s are 
able to live independently in 
retirement. Residents have 
typically down-sized from a 
larger family home into a 
cottage or apartment with no 
maintenance or security issues.

With access to a central 
clubhouse containing a bar and 
restaurant facilities and health 
and fi tness rooms and 
surrounded by maintained 
grounds, this retirement option 
is proving increasingly popular.

Bramshott Place
Liphook, Hampshire

Durrants Village
Faygate, Horsham, West Sussex

St Loye’s College 
Exeter

The original Bramshott Place Village was an 
Elizabethan mansion built in 1580, although now 
only the original Grade II listed Tudor Gatehouse 
remains, which we have fully restored. The land 
and buildings were derelict when Helical acquired 
them in 2001. Changing planning from its 
previously designated employment use to a 
retirement village took several years but was 
eventually achieved in 2006.

The development of 151 cottages and apartments, 
and the new clubhouse, started in late 2007 and 
has proceeded in phases as units are sold. To 
date, we have sold 90 units with reservations on 
a further 18 units. Construction of the fi nal phase 
of 55 units will complete in September 2012.

Durrants Village, a 30 acre site, had operated as 
a sawmill with outside storage for many years. 
We were granted planning permission, at appeal, 
in May 2009 following a public inquiry where the 
Inspector allowed a development comprising a 
retirement village of 148 units, eight affordable 
housing units, a 50 bed residential care home 
and a central facilities clubhouse building. 
Demolition has been completed and the fi rst 
phase started in May 2012 for the construction 
of a retirement village and clubhouse. Following 
changes to the scheme the development will be 
for 171 units and we have reservations on fi ve 
units in Phase One with reservations on a further 
eight units in future phases.

This 19 acre site was acquired in 2007 from 
the St Loye’s Foundation, a long established 
rehabilitation college in the city of Exeter. 
Resolution to grant planning permission was 
obtained in October 2009 for a retirement village 
of 206 units, a 50 bed residential care home, 
an affordable extra-care block of 50 units and a 
central facilities clubhouse building. Demolition, 
site clearance and archaeological survey work 
have been completed. In 2011 we received 
planning consent for 63 open market housing 
units on part of the site and expect to complete 
the sale of this part in Summer 2012. Construction 
of a retirement village and clubhouse in phases 
on the remainder of the site is expected to 
commence in late 2012/early 2013.

Ely Road 
Milton, Cambridge

This 21 acre site was acquired from EDF in 2006 
and was previously used as a training centre and 
depot. Located within the Green Belt, planning 
permission had been obtained for a retirement 
village of 101 units and a central facilities 
clubhouse building. In 2011 we received 
consent for 89 open market housing units and 
have agreed to sell the whole site with 
completion due in Summer 2012. 

Maudslay Park
Great Alne, Warwickshire

This is a Green Belt site which has 320,000 sq ft 
of built footprint and benefi ts from Major 
Development Site planning policy. Measuring 
82 acres this site received outline planning 
permission in April 2011 for a retirement village 
of 132 units plus 47 extra care units. Demolition 
and enabling works will commence in late
2012 with construction to follow in 2013.

business review helical bar plc 2012

investment portfolio 
overview

One of our main objectives is to have 
75% of our group’s property assets in the 
investment portfolio creating positive 
net cash fl ow for the business.

24

4%

industrial

3%

retirement 
village

30%

london 
offi ces

2%

other

61%

retail

Clyde 
Shopping Centre
Clydebank

Idlewells 
Shopping Centre
Sutton-in-Ashfi eld

The Powerhouse
Chiswick

Shepherds Building 
Shepherds Bush

Corby Town Centre
Corby

Broadway House
Hammersmith

The Morgan
Quarter
Cardiff

The Guineas 
Shopping Centre
Newmarket

Silverthorne Road 
Battersea

United Kingdom

Central London

business review helical bar plc 2012

investment portfolio statistics

The following statistics all refer to Helical’s share of the investment portfolio.

Investment (Helical’s share)

London offi ce  

Provincial offi ce 

Industrial 

In town retail   

Out of town retail 

Retirement village 

Total 

Note: Barts Square is held as an investment.

Portfolio Yields

Industrial 

London Offi ces 

South East offi ces 

Retail 

Other  

Total 

Valuation Movements, Portfolio Weightings and Changes to Rental Values

Sector 

London Offi ces 

South East Offi ces 

Total Offi ces  

In town retail   

Out of town retail 

Total retail 

Industrial 

Other  

Total 

Note: Including sales, purchases and capex.

25

Value 
£m 

113.6 

7.8 

20.3 

213.6 

14.1 

5.0 

Equity 
£m 

44.4 

2.7 

6.5 

84.7 

6.4 

5.0 

Equity
%

29.7

1.8

4.3

56.6

4.3

3.3

374.4 

149.7 

100.0

Portfolio 
weighting 
% 

Initial   Reversionary 
Yield 
Yield 
% 
% 

Yield on 
letting 
voids 
% 

Equivalent
Yield 
(AiA)
%

5.4 

30.3 

2.0 

60.8 

1.5 

100.0 

8.3 

5.6 

8.3 

7.5 

– 

7.1 

9.5 

8.1 

8.5 

8.3 

– 

8.0 

9.3 

7.5 

8.3 

7.3 

– 

7.9 

8.9

7.6

8.6

7.7

–

7.8

Valuation 
Increase/ 
(Decrease)  Weighting 
% 

% 

ERV 
Change 
Mar 11 to 
Mar 12 % 

ERV  
Change 
Mar 10 to 
Mar 11 %

3.2 

2.5 

3.2 

0.0 

-2.4 

-0.2 

-3.3 

12.6 

0.7 

30.3 

2.0 

32.3 

57.0 

3.8 

60.8 

5.4 

1.5 

2.8 

0.8 

2.5 

1.0 

-2.0 

0.8 

-0.9 

1.6

0.0

1.4

2.7

2.4

2.6

-5.4

100.0 

1.2 

1.3

business review helical bar plc 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
portfolio statistics
investment portfolio

Capital Values, Vacancy Rates and Unexpired Lease Terms

26

South East offi ces 

London offi ces 

Retail 

Industrial 

Total 

Lease expiries and tenant break options:

Percentage of rent roll 

Number of leases 

Average rent per lease  

53% of Helical’s net rent roll has greater than 5 years to expiry.

Rank 

Tenant 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

Endemol 

TK Maxx 

Barts and The London NHS Trust 

Quotient Bioresearch 

Asda  

Argos 

Metropolis Group   

Urban Outfi tters 

Hitchcock & King   

10 

Fox International    

Total 

Top 10 tenants account for 26.5% of the rent roll.

business review helical bar plc 2012

  Capital value 
psf 
£ 

Vacancy 
 rate 
% 

Average
unexpired
lease term
Years

208 

 200 

134 

55 

142 

2012 

7.7% 

79 

2013 

8.1% 

65 

2014 

13.9% 

100 

0.0 

16.4 

5.6 

14.0 

8.8 

2015 

5.3% 

48 

17.7

4.8

8.2

5.3

7.3

2016

12.0%

62

£26,200 

£33,800 

£37,500 

£29,900 

£52,500

Rent 

Leases 

% of 
Rent Roll

£1,526,923 

£1,160,000 

£1,138,980 

£664,792 

£637,438 

£453,750 

£400,000 

£400,000 

£397,500 

£374,031 

23 

2 

7 

7 

2 

4 

1 

1 

1 

3 

5.65

4.29

4.21

2.46

2.36

1.68

1.48

1.48

1.47

1.38

£7,153,414 

26.46

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Asset Management 
During the year £2.0m of rent was lost at lease end (7.6% of rent roll). A 
further £0.6m (2.1% rent roll) was lost through administrations (net of rent 
from regearing leases as tenants in administration were acquired). £1.8m 
of leases were renewed (6.5% rent roll) with a further £2.3m (8.6% rent 
roll) added through new letting and fi xed uplifts. The net rental reduction 
was £0.2m. Of the rent lost, £0.4m was attributable to Barts Square and 
£0.7m to 200 Great Dover Street, both of which were anticipated and 
facilitate refurbishments / redevelopments. Excluding these anticipated 
losses, net rental gain was £0.9m. 

Our material exposures to tenant administrations have been Peacocks / 
Bon Marche, Priceless Shoes, Shoon, Game and Clintons. 

Including units which have been let or are under offer since March 2012, 
we have lost £0.4m of rent from administrations. Total rent at risk from 
administration was £1.5m. Of this total we have retained/re-let or have 
under offer 63% of rent at risk from administration. 

Sales
We have continued to make good progress in selling non-income 
producing assets or assets where we perceive there to be limited further 
asset management upside. 

Since March 2011 we have completed on sales of £83.2m of property, of 
which £14.2m was non-income producing. Wood Lane (£10.1m) was sold 
to Aviva, our Joint Venture partner in our White City development, and will 
contribute to our development site. 61 Southwark Street was sold for 
£19.4m, the Union portfolio was sold for £18.4m and Woking (part of the 
F3 portfolio) was sold for £8.25m, together with a number of other smaller 
sales. 

Of the non-income producing sales, £10.3m consists of units at our 
retirement village at Bramshott Place, Liphook and £3.3m of units at 
Southall (the entirety of our remaining interest). 

Since the year end, we have exchanged or completed on £20.8m of 
sales (£13.8m non-income producing). A further £12.9m is under offer 
(all non-income producing). 

Acquisitions 
We have continued to acquire income producing properties throughout 
the year, some with longer term redevelopment or refurbishment potential. 

The acquisition of Barts Square, EC1, was completed in joint venture with 
Baupost (Helical 33.3% interest) for £55m. A planning application for a 
major mixed use development has been submitted. 

27

Vacant possession will be attained between 2014 and 2016. In the 
meantime we are receiving a net yield of circa 5.5%. 

Offi ce investments were acquired in Chiswick (£3.7m, 10% NIY) on a 25 
year RPI linked sale and leaseback transaction, Botleigh Grange for £2.4m 
from the administrators and King Street, Hammersmith. In Hammersmith, 
we acquired a part vacant offi ce building with retail on the ground fl oor 
from the receivers for £14.1m. This is currently being refurbished and we 
hope to achieve a running yield in excess of 8% upon letting. 

We also acquired a retail parade in Basildon and Corby Town Centre for a 
total of £81.3m, both yielding 8% where we intend to continue letting 
vacant space and implement minor refurbishments where necessary. 

Total gross annual rental income (before joint venture shares) arising from 
these acquisitions is circa £12m. 

There was a valuation increase of 0.7% in the year to 31 March 2012 
including capex, sales and purchases which compares to the IPD monthly 
index of 0.7% over the same period.

Future Investment Acquisitions
Following our recent acquisitions in the retail sector, especially Corby for 
circa £70m last October, we are now concentrating on London for future 
purchases. We are targeting multi-let offi ces with low rents (£20/£30 psf) 
in the ‘villages’ such as Southwark, Clerkenwell and Hammersmith. Our 
preference is for buildings in need of refurbishment and active 
management, often with some vacancies. 

An example of the sort of assets we are keen to purchase is illustrated by 
our acquisition in January of Broadway House, King Street in 
Hammersmith, which we acquired from receivers for £14.1m, 5.7% IY. 
This building is partly retail, let at low rents (£105–125 psf Zone A) to Café 
Nero, Thomas Cook, Dolland & Aitchison and others. There is also 23,270 
sq ft of offi ces, 50% let at £24.50 psf and 50% vacant and being 
refurbished. Once the vacant offi ces are let at circa £30 psf, the building 
will be 52% retail income and 48% offi ce income and the yield on cost will 
be circa 8% (including capex). 

business review helical bar plc 2012

principal investment properties

retail

28

Corby Town Centre
Corby 

We acquired this centre in October 2011. It 
comprises in excess of 700,000 sq ft of retail 
space including Oasis Retail Park, Willow Place 
(2007 new build shopping centre) and 
Corporation Street. This asset was acquired for 
8.0% NIY (triple net). Since acquisition we have 
sold Deene House for £1.5m (4.98% NIY). 
Despite administrations, upon conclusion of 
leases in solicitors’ hands, net rental income will 
be in excess of that at acquisition. This is due to 
a combination of new lettings (8 in solicitors’ 
hands), service charge and rates mitigation and 
by taking operation of the car park in-house, 
eliminating substantial costs. Further, circa 
£400,000 of works has been instructed which 
will increase NOI by circa £100,000, by reducing 
costs and enabling lettings. 

business review helical bar plc 2012

The Morgan Quarter 
Cardiff 

A prime retail asset on the Hayes opposite St 
David’s 2, let to Urban Outfi tters, Joules, Fred 
Perry, Molton Brown and TK Maxx. With current 
contracted rent of £3.1m versus ERV of 
£4.23m, we see many opportunities for asset 
management initiatives and further rental growth 
over the medium term, following capital growth 
of 30% for the asset since the opening of St 
Davids 2 in September 2009. Since the year 
end, we have completed a new letting to Jack
Wills and set a new rental level of £172 Zone A. 

 
 The Guineas
Tenants include Marks and 
Spencer and Argos at this 
142,000 sq ft regional 
shopping centre.

 Idlewells Shopping Centre
Bought at an initial yield of 8.5% 
in early 2011, vacancy rates are 
low at 1%.

 Clyde Shopping Centre
acquired in 2010, this 627,000 
sq ft out-of-town shopping has 
tenants which include Asda, 
BHS and Argos.

29

The Guineas, 
Newmarket

Idlewells Shopping Centre, 
Sutton-in-Ashfi eld

Clyde Shopping Centre, 
Clydebank

In 2010 we acquired this regional shopping 
centre for £17.75m at an initial yield of circa 8%. 
Tenants include Marks and Spencer and Argos. 
Currently the centre is 91% let with zone A rents 
between £30 and £50 per sq ft.

This 185,000 sq ft shopping centre was 
purchased from LaSalle Investment 
Management at an initial yield of 8.5%. Tenants 
include: New Look, Superdrug and Argos. Since 
acquisition we have renewed a number of 
leases and its current vacancy rate is 1%.

Since acquiring this property in January 2010, 
net income has increased from £5.85m to 
£6.02m with a further £374,000 of income 
contracted through expiry of rent free periods. 
There is £206,000 of rent in solicitors’ hands. 

Despite some tenant insolvencies, letting has 
remained strong. We lost four tenants through 
administrations but have subsequently re-let or 
put under offer all four units at a total rent of 
£273,000 compared with rents prior to 
administration of £261,000. 

There were no tenant breaks or lease expiries 
exercised by tenants in the year 2011 to 2012 
and the void rate now stands at only 3% of 
fl oor area. 

business review helical bar plc 2012

 
 
 
 
30

Shepherds Building, 
London W14 

This is a 151,000 sq ft refurbished offi ce just 
south of Shepherds Bush Green and Westfi eld 
shopping centre. The building is let on 64 
leases, mainly to media related tenants, 
at an average rent of £23.50 psf. 

Ongoing tenant demand is strong with recent 
lettings at £25 to £30 psf depending on size, 
giving good prospects for rental growth over 
the next three to fi ve years. There is only one 
unit of 860 sq ft vacant at present. 

property investments 
central london offi ces

31

Broadway House, 
London W14

Acquired in 2012, this 40,000 sq ft offi ce building 
with retail units on the ground fl oor was acquired 
from Joint Fixed Receivers for £14.1 million, 
refl ecting a net initial yield of 5.7% and a targeted 
reversionary yield of 8.7%.  This building is partly 
retail, let at low rents (£105-125 psf Zone A) to 
Café Nero, Thomas Cook, Dolland & Aitchison 
and others. There is also 23,270 sq ft of offi ces, 
50% let at £24.50 psf and 50% vacant and 
being refurbished. Once the vacant offi ces are 
let at circa £30 psf, the building will be 52% 
retail income and 48% offi ce income and the 
yield on cost will be circa 8% (including capex).

Silverthorne Road, Battersea, 
London SW8 

Acquired with vacant possession in 2005 we 
subsequently fully refurbished this offi ce and 
TV studio complex to create a multi let TV 
production and media offi ce hub of approximately 
56,000 sq ft.

In 2007 we secured planning consent for 
a further 50,000 sq ft of raised fl oor, air 
conditioned offi ce accommodation over fi ve 
fl oors which was developed out during 2008 
and concluded in early 2009. The site is 
currently 70% let by fl oor area. 

Levels of interest and the lettings currently 
in negotiation suggest that the low total 
occupational cost of circa £40 psf including 
rent, rates and service charge is making the 
building increasingly attractive to those occupiers 
no longer able to afford more central locations.

business review helical bar plc 2012

fi nancial review

32

Review of the Year
In the year to 31 March 2012 we made good progress towards the 
Group’s stated target balance between the income producing investment 
portfolio and development stock of 75:25. Sales of over £50m of 
investment assets, where our asset management initiatives were 
completed, added to the sale of over £26m of trading properties and 
development sites. These, together with the recovery of £16m of cash 
through the sale of a 50% interest in our largest Polish retail development, 
provided funds for the acquisition of over £100m of new investment 
assets. This net new investment of over £52m, including capital 
expenditure, and the uplift in values at the year-end of £4m, took Helical’s 
interest in its investment portfolio to £394m, including its share of assets 
held in joint ventures, up from £338m. The impact of this increase in 
investment assets is seen in the Income Statement where net rents, 
including assets held in joint venture, increased from £17.8m to £22.9m, 
a 29% increase.

Deepening economic concerns over the Eurozone and its potential 
impact on the UK led to decreased valuations for a number of 
development sites held by the Group and this has been refl ected in a 
write-down of £4.5m (2011: £14.9m). However, this was more than offset 
by profi ts made on the remainder of our development portfolio and the 
Group posted its fi rst net development profi t since 2008 of £0.7m (2011: 
loss £16.6m).

Administration costs, before performance related awards, increased by 
6%. Net fi nance costs rose from £6.3m to £7.8m, refl ecting the increase in 
the size of the investment portfolio. The downward trend in interest rates 
between April 2011 and March 2012 gave rise to a small loss when 
comparing the fair value of the Group’s derivative fi nancial instruments to 
their book value, but as a result of the cancellation of a number of these 
instruments during the year, the remaining fair value liability on the Group’s 
balance sheet is now just £3m. During the year the Group was exposed to 
exchange rate movements on its share of the assets and liabilities relating 
to Poland and fl uctuating rates generated a loss of £1.1m.

The net result for the year was a pre-tax profi t of £7.4m compared to a 
£6.3m loss in the previous year. This profi t resulted in a diluted EPRA 
earnings per share of 3.4p (2011: loss of 6.4p) which allows the Group 
to fund a total dividend of 5.15p (2011: 4.90p), of which 3.40p is 
recommended to shareholders as a fi nal dividend, payable on 26 July 2012.

The total comprehensive income of £4m added 3.43p to the diluted 
EPRA net assets per share. However, the dividend paid in the year of 
4.90p reduced this to 250p.

During the year, the Group entered into a number of new bank facilities 
totalling £130m, which were used to refi nance existing assets and fund 
its purchase of new investment properties. The principal new facility was 
a fi ve year £100m revolving credit facility with The Royal Bank of Scotland 
plc which was used to refi nance its recent acquisition of Corby Town 
Centre, consolidate a number of other facilities with the bank and provide 
capacity for future acquisitions. The Group also entered into new 
investment facilities with Barclays enabling it to acquire properties in 
Newmarket and Hammersmith and, since the year end, refi nanced its 
investment at Shepherds Building, Shepherds Bush in a new three year 
facility. HSBC provided a development facility enabling our retirement 
village at Durrants Village to be built out. In addition, new investment 
facilities were agreed with Nationwide and Clydesdale Bank during the 
year. Despite the perception that bank fi nance is diffi cult to obtain, we 
continue to receive strong support from our banks. 

The Group faces the future with a sound fi nancial base, having increased 
its income stream by replacing low growth assets with higher yielding 
retail properties, refi nanced maturing debt with longer term bank facilities 
and reduced its exposure to any future interest rate rises by entering into 
new hedging instruments, taking advantage of current low interest rates. 
In addition, and with the backing of the major property lending banks, the 
Group has access to a number of new bank facilities which, when added 
to its cash balances, provides a level of liquidity and resources to enable 
it to deal with the current economic uncertainties and to continue to 
rebalance its portfolio.

Net rental income
The Group’s share of net rental income increased to £22.9m (2011: £17.8m) 
including its share of net rental income of joint ventures. Head rents 
payable to freeholders increased following the acquisition of Newmarket 
on a long leasehold interest. Property overheads increased to £5.5m 
(2011: £5.3m). Tenant bad debts remain low at 2% of gross rental 
income.

Net rental income 

Gross rental income – In company 

– In joint ventures 

Total gross rental income 

Rents payable 

Property overheads 

Net rental income 

fi nancial review helical bar plc 2012

2012 
£000 

23,058 

 6,645 

29,703 

(1,266) 

(5,501) 

2011 
£000 

2010
£000

18,590 

18,881

5,531 

1,103

24,121 

19,984

(1,024) 

(5,320) 

(143)

(4,978)

22,936 

17,777 

14,863

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Development profi ts
Total net development profi ts of £0.7m (2011: loss of £16.6m) 
were generated after deducting write-offs and provisions of £4.5m 
(2011: £14.9m). 

Development profi ts were generated at the retirement village scheme at 
Bramshott Place, Liphook, at our mixed use scheme at Fulham Wharf, 
London SW6, at our offi ce development at Tilgate, Crawley and in 
Poland. In addition, we recognised the remaining profi t in respect of our 
development management role at Riverbank House, London EC4 and 
fees for our development management roles at 200 Aldersgate Street, 
London EC1 and Barts Square. However, during the year we wrote down 
our remaining sites at Southall, Stockport and Wolverhampton, all of 
which have subsequently been sold at their written down value. We have 
also written down to net realisable value our retirement village site at 
Exeter and our partially let offi ce development at The Hub, Glasgow. 

Share of results of joint ventures
These joint ventures include our share of the investment properties 
at Clyde Shopping Centre, Clydebank and Barts Square and our 
development schemes at Europa Centralna Gliwice Poland, Shirley 
Town Centre West Midlands, Leisure Plaza Milton Keynes and King 
Street Hammersmith. During the year the Group’s share of results 
from joint venture partners was £2.5m (2011: £2.9m) mainly due to 
the Group’s share of net rental income and the net revaluation surplus 
from its investment in the Clyde Shopping Centre and Barts Square.

Gain on sale and revaluation of investment properties 
During the year the Group sold investment properties with book values of 
£50.8m (2011: £27.9m) on which it made a loss of £0.4m (2011: gain of 
£4.8m). The properties sold included 61 Southwark Street, Aldridge, 
Hawtin Park, East Grinstead, Fleet, Hailsham, Motherwell and Woolwich. 
The revaluation surplus for the year was £3.7m (2011: £2.7m).

33

Finance costs, fi nance income and derivative fi nancial 
instruments
Interest payable on bank loans including our share of loans on assets 
held in joint ventures but before capitalised interest, increased from 
£12.9m to £13.9m due to a higher level of average debt during the year 
more than offsetting the lower average cost of debt. Capitalised interest 
reduced from £4.2m to £3.3m refl ecting the lower level of development 
stock held during the year. As a consequence of these two movements, 
total fi nance costs increased by £1.9m. Finance income earned on cash 
deposits reduced marginally to £0.6m (2011:£0.7m).

Derivative fi nancial instruments have been valued on a mark to market 
basis and a charge of £0.3m (2011: credit of £1.8m) has been 
recognised in the Income Statement.

Taxation 
The deferred tax asset is principally derived from tax losses which the 
Group believe will be utilised against profi ts in the foreseeable future. 

Net fi nance costs 

Interest payable on bank loans – In company 

Other interest payable and fi nance arrangement costs 

– In joint ventures 

Interest capitalised 

Finance costs  

Interest receivable 

2012 
£000 

10,808 

2,223 

901 

2011 
£000 

9,690 

1,693 

1,481 

(3,300) 

(4,179) 

10,632 

(583) 

8,685 

(652) 

2010
£000

10,956

490

1,568

(3,196)

9,818

(1,039)

fi nancial review helical bar plc 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
fi nancial review 

Dividends
The Board is recommending to shareholders at the Annual General Meeting on 24 July 2012 a fi nal dividend of 3.40p per share to be paid on 
26 July 2012 to shareholders on the register on 29 June 2012. This fi nal dividend, amounting to £3,972,753 has not been included as a liability 
at 31 March 2012, in accordance with IFRS. 

34

During the year the Group paid the 2011 fi nal dividend of 3.15p per share and an interim dividend for 2012 of 1.75p per share. 

Dividends 

1st interim 

2nd interim 

Prior period fi nal 

Total 

2012 
pence 

1.75 

– 

3.15 

4.90 

2011 
pence 

1.75 

– 

0.25 

2.00 

2010
pence

1.75

2.75

2.75

7.25

Earnings per share
Earnings and diluted earnings per share in the year to 31 March 2012 were both 6.50p (2011: loss per share of 3.6p) per share. Diluted EPRA earnings 
per share increased to 3.4p (2011: loss per share 6.4p).

Earnings per share 

Earnings/(loss) per share 

Diluted earnings/(loss) per share 

Diluted EPRA earnings/(loss) per share 

2012 
pence 

6.5 

6.5 

3.4 

2011 
pence 

(3.6) 

(3.6) 

(6.4) 

2010
pence

9.1

9.1

(0.1)

Earnings per share calculations are based on the weighted average number of shares held in the year. This is a different basis to the net asset value per 
share calculations which are based on the number of shares at 31 March 2012. 

Investment portfolio
During the year investment properties with a book value of £51m were sold. New properties of £100m were acquired (including offi ces in Hammersmith 
and Chiswick and shopping centres in Corby and Basildon). In addition, around £2m of capital expenditure was spent on refurbishing various offi ce, 
industrial and retail buildings. At 31 March 2012 there was a revaluation surplus, net of joint venture share, of £3.7m (2011: £2.7m) on the investment 
portfolio.

Investment portfolio 

Valuation at 1 April 

Additions at cost 

Disposals 

Joint venture partners share of revaluation 

Revaluation 

Valuation at 31 March 

fi nancial review helical bar plc 2012

2012 
£000 

2011 
£000 

2010
£000

271,876 

219,901 

241,287

102,750 

77,864 

4,192

(50,768) 

(27,902) 

(40,438)

(646) 

3,664 

(657) 

1,756

2,670 

13,104

326,876 

271,876 

219,901

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Net asset values 
Equity shareholders’ funds, on which the net asset value per share is calculated, have decreased by £1.7m. This has led to a small decrease in 
adjusted diluted net assets per share to 217p (2011: 218p). Taking into account the surplus on the directors’ valuation of trading and development 
stock of £34.5m (2011: £32.4m), the diluted EPRA net assets per share decreased by 1% to 250p (2011: 253p).

Net asset values per ordinary share 

Diluted  

Adjusted diluted  

Diluted EPRA   

Diluted EPRA triple NAV  

2012 
pence 

2011 
pence 

2010
pence

35

217 

221 

250 

246 

218 

225 

253 

246 

228

241

272

259

The net asset value per share calculations are included in Note 32 of this statement.

Debt and fi nancial risk
Net debt held by the Group has increased during the year from £206.1m to £227.8m. Including the Group’s share of net debt of its joint ventures the 
Group’s share of total net debt has increased from £241.3m to £264.2m. 

Net debt and gearing 

Net debt – Company 

Net debt – Including joint ventures 

Gearing – Company  

Gearing – Including joint ventures 

2012 

2011 

2010

£227.8m 

£206.1m 

£203.0m

£264.2m 

£241.3m 

£228.8m

90% 

104% 

81% 

94% 

84%

94%

The fair value of the Group’s investment, trading and development portfolio at 31 March 2012 was £459.7m (2011: £451.9m). Including the Group’s 
share of the property portfolio held in joint ventures the fair value of the total portfolio was £572.6m (2011: £532.2m). With the Group’s share of total 
net debt of £264.2m (2011: £241.3m) the ratio of net debt to the value of the Group’s share of the property portfolio was 46% (2011: 45%).

The Group seeks to manage fi nancial risk by ensuring that there is suffi cient fi nancial liquidity to meet foreseeable needs and to invest surplus cash 
safely and profi tably. The Group has over £65m (2011: £95m) of cash and agreed, undrawn, committed bank facilities as well as £16m (2011: £59m) 
of uncharged property on which it could borrow funds.

At 31 March 2012 the Group had £120.3m (2011: £75.3m) of fi xed rate debt with an average effective interest rate of 4.80% (2011: 5.77%) and an average 
length of 1.9 years (2011: 2.3 years), and £142.9m of fl oating rate debt with an average effective interest rate of 3.47% (2011: 2.97%). In addition, the Group 
had £125m of interest rate caps at an average of 4.7% (2011: £91m at 4.9%). The average maturity of the Group’s debt was 2.7 years (2011: 2.1 years).

As at 20 June 2012, Helical’s average interest rate was 4.10%.

Nigel McNair Scott
Finance Director

20 June 2012

fi nancial review helical bar plc 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
corporate responsibility

Introduction
Helical recognises that our business activities impact on the environment 
and the wider communities in which we operate. As our business involves 
working with joint venture partners and outsourcing partners, our direct 
impacts as a business are relatively small. However, we are aware of the 
infl uence we can exert through the implementation of responsible 
environmental and social practices via our partners, contractors and 
suppliers.

36

An endorsement of Helical’s commitment to managing environment and 
social impacts is our continued listing in the FTSE4Good Index. The 
FTSE4Good Index measures the performance of companies that meet 
globally recognised corporate responsibility standards and facilitates 
investment in those companies. Maintaining listed status on this Index 
remains a key priority for Helical, and informs our evolving approach to 
Corporate Responsibility. 

Managing Corporate Responsibility
Each year we review and update our environmental management system, 
which has been in place since 2003 and the updated environmental 
management system, available on the Group’s website, is embedded 
within the operations for Helical. Key elements of the system include:

•   ‘Environment’ and ‘Corporate Responsibility’ policies which set out 
Helical’s high-level commitment across a number of impacts areas. 
These are reviewed at Board level annually and are implemented by 
our senior management team. 

•   Annual (and rolling) performance targets to enable us to focus our 

efforts throughout the year on measurable, yet achievable performance 
goals. This year we have continued to report on energy and water 
consumption at our large managed multi-let assets and head offi ce, 
and measured our performance against quantitative targets set in 
2011. In addition, we have measured the proportion of waste at our 
managed assets as well as within our developments.

•   Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to help us monitor progress towards 
these targets and to ensure that we are able to report in line with investor 
disclosure requirements, notably FTSE4Good. Although, it should be 
acknowledged that our particular business model with regard to buying 
and selling of assets means that absolute performance measures can 
be diffi cult to compare year on year, hence this year we are also 
reporting selected intensity KPIs.

•   A checklist to assist us in applying minimum sustainability requirements 
across our development activities. In collaboration with our consultants, 
we developed a sustainability project management checklist to ensure 
that sustainability issues are incorporated into all decisions throughout 
the development lifecycle. This has been expanded this year to include 
a Contractor’s Checklist to ensure that individual contractors address 
our corporate goals at the construction stage. 

•   Effective use of internal evaluation and review through quarterly 

meetings of key Helical personnel, external corporate responsibility 
advisors and principal managing agents to ensure effective delivery 
of the objectives and targets.

corporate responsibility helical bar plc 2012

The management system we have developed has been designed 
specifi cally to refl ect the fl exibility of Helical’s business model. It also 
refl ects the key role that our partners play in delivering enhanced 
sustainability outcomes in all our business ventures, be they developments 
such as the ongoing refurbishment project at Broadway House, 
Hammersmith, or in the management of individual multi-let assets 
such as at Shepherds Building or Silverthorne Road, Battersea. 

Review of progress in the year to 31st March 2012 
We manage our environmental and social impacts because there are 
business benefi ts in doing so. These benefi ts include increased ability to 
secure planning consent, improved marketability of assets to prospective 
tenants, reduced operating costs of assets, mitigating the risk of future 
legislation and regulation, and enhanced corporate reputation.

Below we outline our progress in relation to the each of our Corporate 
Responsibility impact areas. 

Environment
Our high-level corporate commitment to environmental issues is outlined 
in the Group’s Environmental Policy which can be found on the company 
website. The Policy details our commitments across a range of impact 
areas and our development and property management activities. In 
2011–12, Helical set itself 21 targets to guide the Environmental element 
of its Corporate Responsibility programme over the following 12 months. 
These targets addressed a range of impacts arising from our development 
and property management activities, including resource use and waste 
production, pollution, biodiversity, tenant engagement, fl ood risk and 
sustainable design and construction. A full list of these targets can be 
found on the Helical website. The performance against the key targets 
is summarised below.

•   At out Head offi ce at Farm St, we comfortably achieved our targets of 
a 2% reduction in water use and energy, with a signifi cant reduction in 
water use of 78% and a reduction of 22% gas use and 7% electricity 
use. This refl ects an ongoing effi ciency and internal awareness of how 
we use and manage our offi ces.

•   At our managed multi-let offi ces, we continue to improve energy and 

water effi ciency through the implementation of low and no cost measures. 
The specifi c target for 2011 was to achieve a 5% improvement against 
the 2010 baseline. A review of the data in the table below shows that 
performance is variable across the portfolio with the properties generally 
showing an overall increase in consumption. This refl ects increasing 
occupancy and changes to the portfolio structure. An additional 
performance measure of average utilisation of kWh/sqm for electricity 
and gas is provided for the portfolio this year and shows a general trend 
of a year on year decrease. An equivalent assessment is made of 
average water consumption which shows a very pleasing downward 
trend to below 0.5 m3/m2. For the fi rst time this year we have also 
included reporting of our managed shopping centres.

•   We continue to offer recycling facilities at all our managed assets. 

The success of our approach was particularly demonstrated at Corby 
Shopping Centre where our managing agents Ashdown Phillips were 
awarded a Shining Star of the Year award in the National Recycling 
Stars Awards for 2011. At our other managed assets we comfortably 
exceeded our ongoing target of a recycling rate of at least 35%.

•   One ongoing target is to proactively engage with our tenants to 

•   There was limited activity throughout 2011–12 with regard to construction 

encourage improvements in effi ciency of use of the buildings. A tenants 
engagement poster has been designed for use within each of the 
principal managed assets and is displayed in public areas to help 
achieve this aim. Following from this, individual property managers 
have engaged with the larger tenants to try and see if there are ways in 
which effi ciencies can be made. The success of this holistic approach 
to environmental management was demonstrated by Clyde Shopping 
Centre which won a Green Apple award in November 2011 for the ‘Big 
Steps – Smaller Footprints’ initiative. Through a combination of regular 
communication with tenants and staff, promoting good practice with 
regard to recycling and energy use and encouraging eco friendly groups 
to use the centre to promote the message achieved signifi cant reductions 
in both electricity consumption and waste disposed to landfi ll.

Head Offi ce and Multilet offi ces

projects. The ongoing refurbishment of Broadway House at 
Hammersmith was the only project on site and the corporate objective 
of achieving a minimum of 50% waste recycling was achieved.

In addition, the Group has maintained its registration with CRC and has 
purchased 5,198 carbon allowances for the year 2011–12 based on the 
reported emissions of the portfolio as a whole.

37

Below we present our utility consumption performance for multi-let 
buildings under management as well as our head offi ce (where data 
availability permits). 

Electricity   Electricity  Electricity  Electricity 
2011–12 
2008–09 
kWh 
kWh 

2010–11 
kWh 

2009–10 
kWh 

Gas  
2008–09 
kWh 

Gas  
2009–10 
kWh 

Gas  
2010–11 
kWh 

Gas 
2011–12
kWh

11–15 Farm Street, London W1 

209,439 

161,822 

134,531 

125,101 

66,929 

78,659 

45,904 

35,753

80 Silverthorne Road, Battersea, London SW8 

2,226,416  2,398,007  2,250,701  2,236,552  1,194,606  1,331,818  1,255,766  1,378,455

82 Silverthorne Road, Battersea, London SW8 

– 

– 

– 

305,171 

– 

– 

– 

222,501

61 Southwark St, London SE1 (sold 2011-12) 

900,553 

906,531 

992,777 

– 

567,217 

567,370 

525,614 

–

Shepherds Building, London W14 

3,376,730  3,367,740  3,397,545  3,380,916 

No gas 

No gas 

No gas 

No gas

The Hub, Glasgow 

– 

– 

328,436 

374,277 

– 

– 

392,587 

513,019

Net lettable area sq ft (sq metres) 

274,000 
(25,455) 

325,000 
(30,193) 

385,000 
(35,767) 

318,000 
(29,542)  

123,000 
(11,427) 

174,000 
(16,165 ) 

234,000 
 (21,739) 

167,000
(15,514)

Average utilisation kWh/sq m 

255 

221 

195 

213 

154 

117 

100 

136

11–15 Farm Street, London W1 

80 Silverthorne Road, Battersea, London SW8 

82 Silverthorne Road, Battersea, London SW8  

61 Southwark St, London SE1 

Shepherds Building, London W14 (sold 2011-12) 

The Hub, Glasgow 

Net lettable area sq ft (sq metres) 

Average utilisation m3/sq m 

Water  
2008–09 
m3 

Water 
2009–10 
m3 

Water 
2010–11 
m3 

Water 
2011–12
m3

3,857 

5,366 

– 

3,772 

9,092 

2,800 

4,703 

– 

6,706 

6,989 

2,479 

5,017 

– 

4,506 

8,494 

538

4,480

423

–

6,724

– 

Not  
available 

Not 
available 

Not
available

274,000  
(25,455) 

325,000 
 (30,193) 

325,000 
 (30,193) 

258,000 
(23,968)

0.72 

0.61 

0.60 

0.49

corporate responsibility helical bar plc 2012

 
  
 
  
 
  
    
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
corporate responsibility 

Shopping Centres

38

The Guineas Shopping Centre, Newmarket   

Idlewells Shopping Centre, Sutton-in-Ashfi eld  

Notes:
•  No gas’ refers to assets where gas is not used on site
•  ‘–’ refers to assets that were under construction at time of data reporting
•  Not available’ refers to data not available at time of reporting e.g. inaccessible water meters

  Electricity  
2011–12 
kWh 

Gas 

Water 
2011–12   2011–12
kWh

kWh 

56,231 

356,845 

168

397,985 

2,058 

1,377

Going forward for 2012–13, the suitability of the targets will be reviewed against the performance for 2011–12 and revised accordingly to remain 
challenging yet achievable.

Employees
As at 31 March 2012, we employed a team of 28 people in UK, 36% of 
whom are women. We continue to enforce our equal opportunities, 
harassment and sexual discrimination policies. We also continue to 
monitor compliance with our whistle blowing policy. There have been no 
incidents to report against this policy to date.

Communities
Helical takes a strong interest in community issues. Community 
engagement is an on-going concern throughout the development 
process, from planning until development completion and operation. 
The following examples demonstrate how community engagement has 
benefi ted the communities that we work with over the past year. 

High levels of staff retention remains a key feature of our business. One 
person left during the reporting year, who was replaced, and one member 
of staff was employed on a temporary contract to provide maternity leave 
cover. We retain a highly skilled and experienced team and the table 
below shows a breakdown of our staff by length of service.

Total number  
of staff 

Average length of
service (years)

Directors and management 

Finance 

Administration 

10 

8 

10 

14

9

7

Our staff retention levels not only refl ect competitive remuneration and 
benefi ts packages but also our commitment to enhancing the 
professional and personal skills of our team. During 2011 we provided an 
average of 12.39 hours of training per employee, an increase on last year. 
As in previous years, we continue to evaluate training needs in line with 
business objectives.

•   We have made a number of in-kind contributions through our Clyde 
Shopping Centre in Clydebank. The shopping centre provides either 
a unit or outdoor space for a wide variety of charities and community 
groups which enables these groups to promote their activities and 
raise money. Charities supported in this way included British Heart 
Foundation, Help for Heroes, National Association for the Blind, British 
Legion Poppy Appeal and various local community groups such as the 
local fi re, police and prison service. The local charity of the year for 
several years now has been Lakelands Hospice which runs a hospice 
on the Oakley Vale Estate for which various initiatives are facilitated by 
the shopping centre throughout the year. In addition, the centre 
manager is Chair of Governors at Lodge Park Technology College and 
provides a considerable amount of his time in this role.

•   At our Newmarket shopping centre we jointly sponsored ‘Horse about 
Newmarket’, a community art event, featuring life size acrylic horses, 
which were creatively designed and painted by local artists, companies 
and schools. The equine works of art were displayed to the general 
public at various locations throughout the town during the summer of 
2011 and subsequently we purchased one of the horses which is on 
display within the centre. All profi ts generated were shared between 
Racing Welfare and St Nicholas Hospice. In addition, the shopping 
centre worked closely with the Newmarket Retailers Association to 
promote the “Strictly Come Newmarket Competition” with a remit of 
bringing new business to town and not something already existing. As 
a result, 7 new businesses opened in Newmarket of which The 
Guineas Shopping Centre has 3.

corporate responsibility helical bar plc 2012

 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
 
Health & Safety
Helical’s Health & Safety policy aims to develop a corporate culture that 
is committed to the prevention of injuries and ill health to its employees 
or others that may be affected by its activities. The Board of Directors 
and senior staff are responsible for implementing this policy and ensure 
that health and safety considerations are always given priority in planning 
and in day-to-day activities. Our Health & Safety Policy was reviewed 
and updated in January 2012 to refl ect the latest legislative and 
regulatory developments. There has been one reportable RIDDOR 
incident within the portfolio during 2011–12 which was a minor slip 
incident in our Idlewells Shopping Centre. Our Health & Safety policy 
can be found on the Group’s website. 

Suppliers
Fair treatment of suppliers remains a key priority for Helical, particularly 
in challenging market conditions where smaller suppliers in particular 
may rely on our payments for balanced cash fl ow. The company’s policy 
is to settle all agreed liabilities within the terms established with suppliers. 

39

•   Idlewells Shopping Centre, Sutton-in-Ashfi eld has taken the lead role in 
producing a bid for a share of £1 million funding from the Government 
to assist town centre improvements under the Mary Portas town centre 
pilot scheme. The shopping centre is working with local community 
groups including Sutton Town Centre Group, Sutton Centre Community 
College, the District Council and a large number of other retail 
businesses and organisations within the town centre. The initiative 
involved the production of a YouTube video and a detailed proposal of 
how the money would be used locally to deliver long term sustainable 
benefi ts for the town. Other initiatives include a ‘charity giving tree’ 
within the centre, encouraging customers and retailers to donate gifts 
– three days before Christmas these were delivered to a local hospice 
for distribution to both residents and out-patients

•   Silverthorne Road, Battersea undertakes a number of community 

initiatives including hosting occasional events and exhibitions and has 
an on-going arrangement with Wandsworth Council in support of the 
proposed Nine Elms Development which includes Battersea Power 
Station, the new US Embassy and other commercial, entertainment 
and residential developments. It also offers free space to a local charity 
for meetings of their management and the people they support and 
actively supports seasonal charitable projects and donates recycled 
items for the benefi t of the British Heart Foundation.

We continue to make corporate donations to charity. We contributed 
£21,742 to charitable causes during 2011–12 which includes donations 
to: Land Aid, Save The Children, Round Square (educational charity) and 
the Winchester Cathedral Trust.

corporate responsibility helical bar plc 2012

governance

41   corporate governance review
45  letter from the chairman of the nominations committee
46  report of the nominations committee
47  the board of directors and senior management
49  letter from the chairman of the remuneration committee
50  directors’ remuneration report
57  report of the audit committee
58  report of the directors

40

governance helical bar plc 2012

corporate governance review

At Helical we believe that Corporate Governance is of fundamental 
importance in delivering, for shareholders, long-term success through the 
effective, entrepreneurial and prudent management of the Company. The 
Board of Helical is collectively responsible for providing the entrepreneurial 
leadership of the Company within a framework of controls and reporting 
structures which assist in pursuing its strategic aims and business objectives. 

The UK Corporate Governance Code (the “Code”)
The Board is accountable to the Group’s shareholders for good corporate 
governance. 

We believe in applying the highest principles of corporate governance 
and, except where stated below, have complied throughout the year with 
the principles as set out in the section of the UK Corporate Governance 
Code (“Code”) headed “The Main Principles of the Code”. The Group also 
takes into account the corporate governance guidelines of institutional 
shareholders and their representative bodies.

–  Appointment of Chairman

 Following the retirement of the current Chairman, Giles Weaver, at this 
year’s AGM the Nominations Committee is intending to appoint current 
Finance Director Nigel McNair Scott as Chairman of the Company, 
subject to his being re-appointed a director at the AGM. The Code 
requires that a new chairman should satisfy, on appointment, the 
independence criteria set out in provision B.1.1 and Nigel will not 
satisfy this Code provision on appointment. The Committee has 
engaged in an extensive consultation process with shareholders and 
representative bodies, explaining its reasons for the proposed 
appointment and has received indications that there will be 
considerable support for Nigel’s re-election at the AGM and his 
appointment as Chairman at the conclusion of the AGM. In proposing 
this appointment, the Committee is conscious of non-compliance with 
the Code and has sought to strengthen shareholder protections by the 
appointment of two new, independent, non-executive directors, 
Richard Gillingwater and Richard Grant. Richard Gillingwater, who has 
an exceptional record of service on the Boards of many of the UK’s 
listed companies, details of which are noted in his biography on page 
47, will become the Senior Independent Director. Richard Grant is the 
Finance Director of Cadogan Estates Limited and a former partner 
of PwC. He will be the Chairman of the Audit Committee. In his role as 
Senior Independent Director, Richard Gillingwater will take on the 
responsibility for liaising with shareholders and their representative 
bodies regarding the governance of the Company and will also be 
responsible for undertaking the annual directors’ evaluation process. He 
will hold meetings of the independent non-executive directors separately 
from the rest of the Board to ensure that any issues may be discussed 
without the presence of a non-independent director. The Committee 
believes this will provide shareholders with suffi cient comfort that the 
governance of the Company and the review of its Board procedures 
and processes are not compromised by a perceived lack of 
independence. 

– Composition of the Board

 The Code requires a Board to have an appropriate balance of skills, 
experience, independence and knowledge of the Company to enable 
it to discharge its duties and responsibilities effectively. Helical operates 
with a strong management team of senior decision-makers backed up 
by fi nance and other support staff. Given its size the Board does not 
consider it appropriate to operate both a main board and a separate 
executive committee, a structure commonly seen in larger companies. 
However, despite its size, the Group is keen to promote exceptional 
talent to Board level at the earliest opportunity to expose such individuals 
to the broader issues facing the business, encourage their long term 
commitment to the Group and to provide for future succession. It is for 
these reasons that Helical’s Board of six executive directors’ is larger 
than those of other comparable listed real estate companies.

 Provision B.1.2 of the Code notes that companies such as Helical, 
which are below the FTSE350, are required to have at least two 
independent non-executive directors. The Board has determined, 
however, that in Helical’s case a total of four independent non-
executive directors is appropriate to balance the current executive 
team, to provide the experience and advice that the executive team 
seeks and to ensure the interests of shareholders and other 
stakeholders are adequately protected. In the year to 31 March 2012, 
the team of non-executive directors included Antony Beevor, who was 
appointed to the Board in April 2000 and has, therefore, served as a 
non-executive director for 12 years. In the view of the Board, Antony 
provides a robustly independent approach to his position as a 
non-executive and to his roles as Senior Independent Director and 
Chairman of the Audit Committee. However, Antony is stepping down 
at this year’s AGM and will be succeeded as Senior Independent 
Director by Richard Gillingwater and as Chairman of the Audit 
Committee by Richard Grant.

 In the Board’s view, the composition of the Board will continue to 
have an appropriate balance of skills, experience, independence 
and knowledge of the Company as required by the Code.

–  Notice of Annual General Meeting

 The code recommends that the Notice of AGM and related papers be 
sent to shareholders at least 20 workings days before the meeting. For 
the 2011 AGM the Notice and related papers were sent out 17 working 
days before the AGM. 

Chairman and Chief Executive
The Chairman and the Chief Executive collectively are responsible for the 
leadership of the Company. The Chairman’s primary responsibility is for 
leading the Board and ensuring its effectiveness, whilst the Chief Executive 
is responsible for running the Company’s business. The division of 
responsibilities is clearly established at Helical, is set out in writing and is 
approved by the Board. Following the proposed changes to the Board, 
the Chairman of Helical will be Nigel McNair Scott and the Chief 
Executive will continue to be Michael Slade.

41

corporate governance review helical bar plc 2012
helical bar plc 2012

 
 
 
 
 
corporate governance review 

42

Board responsibilities
The main purpose of the Board of Helical Bar plc is to create and deliver 
the long term success of the Group and returns for its shareholders. The 
Board is collectively responsible for providing the entrepreneurial leadership 
of the Group within a framework of controls and reporting structures which 
assist the Group in pursuing its strategic aims and business objectives. The 
Board sets the Group’s strategic aims, ensures that the necessary fi nancial 
and human resources are in place for the Group to meet its objectives and 
reviews management performance. The Board sets the Group’s values and 
standards and ensures that the Group’s obligations to its shareholders and 
others are understood and met.

All directors take decisions objectively in the interests of the Group. 
As part of their roles as members of the Board, non-executive directors 
constructively challenge and help develop proposals on strategy and the 
risk appetite of the Group. Non-executive directors scrutinise the 
performance of management in meeting agreed goals and objectives and 
monitor the reporting of performance. They satisfy themselves on the 
integrity of fi nancial information and that fi nancial controls and systems 
of risk management are robust and defensible. They are responsible for 
determining appropriate levels of remuneration of executive directors and 
have a prime role in appointing and, where necessary, removing executive 
directors, and in succession planning. In addition to Boardroom discussions, 
the Chairman contacts other non-executive directors by telephone and, if 
appropriate, will hold meetings with the non executive directors without the 
executive directors present.

The Board has a schedule of matters specifi cally reserved to it for 
decision. The Board controls the business but delegates day-to-day 
responsibility to the executive management. However, there are a number 
of matters which are required to be or, in the interests of the Group, 
should only be, decided by the Board of Directors as a whole. A 
summary of the decisions reserved for the Board is set out below:

Schedule of matters reserved for the Board:

•   Strategy and management – responsibility for the overall management 

of the Group; approval of the Group’s long-term objectives and 
commercial strategy; approval of annual administration budgets; 
oversight of the Group’s operations; extension of the Group’s activities 
into new business areas; any decision to cease to operate all or any 
material part of the Group’s business.

•   Structure and capital – changes to the Group’s capital structure; major 
changes to the Group’s corporate structure; changes to the Group’s 
management and control structure; changes to the Group’s listing or 
plc status.

•   Financial reporting and controls – approval of interim and preliminary 
announcements; approval of annual report and accounts, including 
the corporate governance statement and the directors’ remuneration 
report; approval of dividend policy; approval of signifi cant changes in 
accounting policies or practices; approval of treasury policies.

•   Internal controls – ensuring maintenance of a sound system of control 

and risk management.

corporate governance review helical bar plc 2012

•   Communication – approval of resolutions and documentations to be 
put to shareholders in general meeting; approval of press releases 
concerning matters decided by the Board.

•   Board membership and other appointments to senior management.

•   Both appointment and removal of the Company Secretary.

•   Corporate governance matters including directors’ performance 

evaluations.

•   Approval of policies including code of conduct incorporating 

whistle-blowing procedures; share dealing code; health and safety 
policy; environmental and corporate social responsibility policy; 
implementation of procedures required by the Bribery Act 2010 
and equal opportunity policy.

Members of the Board
The current members of the Board comprise a Chairman, six executive 
directors and four non-executive directors. The Chairman is Giles Weaver. 
The executive directors are Michael Slade (Chief Executive), Nigel McNair 
Scott (Finance Director), Gerald Kaye, Matthew Bonning-Snook, Jack Pitman 
and Duncan Walker. The non-executive directors are Antony Beevor (Senior 
Independent Director), Andrew Gulliford, Wilf Weeks and Michael O’Donnell. 

Giles Weaver, Antony Beevor and Wilf Weeks will not be offering 
themselves for re-election at the 2012 Annual General Meeting having 
served on the Board for 18, 12 and 7 years respectively. Nigel McNair 
Scott will offer himself for re-election as a director and if re-elected, will be 
appointed Chairman of the Company and Chairman of the Nominations 
Committee. He will not be a member of the Audit or Remuneration 
Committees. Immediately following the AGM Tim Murphy, currently 
the Deputy Finance Director and Company Secretary, will be appointed 
Finance Director, and Richard Gillingwater and Richard Grant will be 
appointed to the Board as non-executive directors. Richard Gillingwater 
will become the Senior Independent Director and a member of the 
Nominations, Audit and Remuneration Committees. Richard Grant 
will become Chairman of the Audit Committee and a member of the 
Nominations and Remuneration Committees. 

Further details, including biographies and shareholdings in the Company, 
can be found on pages 47 and 48.

 
Attendance at Board and Committee meetings during the year
In addition to ad hoc meetings arranged to discuss particular transactions 
and events and the 2011 AGM, the full Board met on six occasions 
during the year under review. The attendance record of the directors at 
these meetings and at meetings of the Board’s committees is shown in 
the table below.

Full 

Audit Remuneration  Nominations
Board  Commitee  Committee  Committee

Giles Weaver 

Michael Slade 

Nigel McNair Scott 

Gerald Kaye 

6/6 

6/6 

6/6 

6/6 

Matthew Bonning – Snook  6/6 

Jack Pitman 

Duncan Walker 

Antony Beevor 

Wilf Weeks 

Andrew Gulliford 

Michael O’Donnell 

6/6 

4/4 

6/6 

5/6 

6/6 

4/4 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

3/3 

2/3 

3/3 

1/1 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

n/a 

4/4 

3/4 

4/4 

2/2 

4/4

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

4/4

3/4

4/4

1/1

Annual evaluation of the Board and its Committees
The annual evaluation process involves each director submitting an 
appraisal in respect of the performance of the main Board, of each 
member of the Board and in respect of each Board Committee of which 
they are a member. The non-executive directors, led by the Senior 
Independent Director, are responsible for the performance evaluation 
of the Chairman, taking into account views of executive directors. Each 
director completes an evaluation of the Chairman’s performance and 
provides this evaluation to the Senior Independent Director.

During the year the Board undertook a formal evaluation of its own 
performance and that of its Committees and individual directors in the 
period and the Chairman reported the results of that evaluation process to 
the Board. The most signifi cant issue arising from the evaluation process 
concerned the succession of the current Chief Executive, Michael Slade. 
In the light of this issue being raised the Chairman engaged in a review of 
the business needs of the Company with regard to the composition of the 
Board. The Chief Executive, Michael Slade, was asked to continue his 
tenure on the Board for the next fi ve years and, as referred to in the Letter 
from the Chairman of the Nominations Committee on page 45, he 
confi rmed his willingness and enthusiasm to continue leading the 
Company for that period. The Senior Independent Director reported that 
there were no matters arising from the evaluation of the Chairman that 
necessitated any action or required a meeting to be held without the 
Chairman present.

Directors – information and professional development
The Board is supplied in a timely manner with information in a form and of 
a quality appropriate to enable it to discharge its duties and its directors 
are free to seek any further information they consider necessary. Under 
the direction of the Chairman, the Company Secretary’s responsibilities 
include ensuring good information fl ows within the Board and its 
Committees and between senior management and non-executive 
directors, as well as facilitating induction and assisting with professional 
development as required. The Company Secretary is responsible for 
advising the Board through the Chairman on all governance matters.

The Board ensures that directors, especially non-executive directors, 
have access to independent professional advice at the Group’s expense 
where they judge it necessary to discharge their responsibilities as 
directors. Training is available for new directors and other directors as 
necessary. All directors have access to the advice and services of the 
Company Secretary, who is responsible to the Board for ensuring that 
board procedures are complied with.

Committees of the Board
The report of the Chairman of the Remuneration Committee and the 
report of the Chairman of the Audit Committee are found on pages 49 
and 57 respectively of this Annual Report. The report of the Nomination 
Committee can be found on page 45. 

43

Relations with shareholders
The Group values the views of its shareholders and recognises their interest 
in the Group’s strategy and performance, Board membership and quality of 
management. It therefore holds regular meetings with, and presentations 
to, its institutional shareholders to discuss its results and objectives. The 
Group also regularly meets, with the help of its brokers, institutions that do 
not currently hold shares in the Group to inform them of its objectives. 
Michael Slade, as Chief Executive, attends most of these meetings and is 
usually accompanied by one of the other executive directors. 

Since the end of the fi nancial year under review, Andrew Gulliford as 
Chairman of the Remuneration Committee, has engaged with principal 
shareholders (holding more than 3% of the Company’s shares) and 
shareholder representative bodies, to seek their approval for a new, 
codifi ed, Performance Related Cash Bonus Scheme as detailed on page 53. 

The Chairman, Giles Weaver, has also engaged with principal 
shareholders and shareholder representative bodies since the year end, 
regarding the proposed changes to the Board due to become effective 
on the date of the Annual General Meeting. 

The AGM is used to communicate with private investors and they are 
encouraged to participate. The Chairman, Senior Independent Director 
and members of the Audit, Remuneration and Nominations Committees 
are available to answer questions. Separate resolutions are proposed on 
each issue so that they can be given proper consideration and there is a 
resolution to consider the annual report and accounts. The Group counts 
all proxy votes and will indicate the level of proxies lodged on each 
resolution, after it has been dealt with by a show of hands.

The Group communicates with all shareholders through the issue of 
regular press releases and through its website at www.helical.co.uk.
The Group receives regular reports from sector analysts and its investor 
relations advisors on how it is viewed by its shareholders.

corporate governance review helical bar plc 2012

 
 
Going Concern
The directors have reviewed the current and projected fi nancial position 
of the Group making reasonable assumptions about future trading 
performance.

The key areas of sensitivity are:

•  Timing and value of property sales
•  Availability of loan fi nance and related cash fl ows
•   Future property valuations and its impact of covenants and potential 

loan repayments:

•  Committed future expenditure
•  Future rental income and bad debts
•  Payment timings and value of trade receivables

The forecast cashfl ows have been sensitised to eliminate those cash 
infl ows which are less certain and to take account of a further 
deterioration of property valuations. From their review the directors 
believe that the Group has adequate resources to continue to be 
operational as a going concern for the foreseeable future.

Internal control and risk management
The Board is responsible for maintaining a sound system of internal 
control to safeguard shareholders’ investment and the Group’s assets. 
Such a system is designed to manage, but cannot eliminate, the risk of 
failure to achieve business objectives. There are inherent limitations in 
any control system and, accordingly, even the most effective system can 
provide only reasonable, and not absolute, assurance against material 
misstatement or loss.

The key features of the Group’s system of internal control are as follows:

•   clearly defi ned organisational responsibilities and limits of authority. 

The day-to-day involvement of the executive directors in the running 
of the business ensures that these responsibilities and limits are 
adhered to;

•  fi nancial controls and review procedures;
•   fi nancial information systems including cash fl ow, profi t and capital 

expenditure forecasts. The Board receives regular and comprehensive 
reports on the day-to-day running of the business;

44

•   an Audit Committee which meets with the auditors and deals with any 

signifi cant internal control matter. In the year under review the 
Committee met with the Auditors on two occasions.

The Board is responsible for the management of the Group’s risk profi le. 
An analysis of the Group’s risk strategy can be found on page 7.

Internal audit
The Board reviewed its position during the year to 31 March 2012 and 
reaffi rmed its stance that in view of the relatively small size of the Group 
it does not consider that an Internal Audit function would provide any 
signifi cant additional assistance in maintaining a system of internal controls.

Charitable and Political Donations
The Company continues to support charitable causes and in the year to 
31 March 2012, made charitable donations of £21,742. Further details 
are provided in the Corporate Responsibility Report on page 39. The 
Company’s policy with regard to political donations is to ensure that 
shareholder approval is sought before making any such payments. No 
shareholder approval has been sought and, accordingly, the Company 
made no political donations in the year to 31 March 2012. 

corporate governance review helical bar plc 2012

letter from the chairman of 
the nominations committee

45

Dear shareholder,

In accordance with the UK Corporate Governance Code, the role of the 
Committee, and my primary responsibility as its Chairman, is to ensure that 
the Company is headed by an effective Board which is collectively responsible 
for the long-term success of the Company. This is best achieved through 
the provision of entrepreneurial leadership and a talented executive team, 
supported by committees with an appropriate balance of skills, experience, 
independence and knowledge of the company to be able to constructively 
challenge and assist the executive team in achieving its objectives. In the 
year to 31 March 2012, the Committee comprised Antony Beevor, Andrew 
Gulliford, Wilf Weeks, Michael O’Donnell (from June 2011) and me.

During the year, the main focus of the Committee was succession planning, 
both for the executive team and the non-executive directors. In early 
2011 the Committee identifi ed a need for an additional independent 
non-executive director and appointed search fi rm, Hanson Green, to 
assist in this process. After considering a number of candidates, the 
Committee recommended to the Board the appointment of Michael 
O’Donnell, who was appointed to the Board on 24 June 2011. At the 
same time the Committee also recommended to the Board the promotion 
of Duncan Walker who joined the Company in August 2007. Duncan has 
primary responsibility for the Company’s retail investments.

The results of the annual Board evaluation process held during the year 
identifi ed a number of other succession issues. The Company’s Chief 
Executive, Michael Slade, joined the Board in 1985 and turned this previously 
small engineering company into a highly successful real estate company. 
He has led the Company for over 25 years and is the Company’s largest 
shareholder. I have asked Michael to consider continuing in his current 
position of Chief Executive for the next fi ve years and am pleased that he 
has indicated his willingness and enthusiasm to do so. The Company’s 
Finance Director, Nigel McNair Scott, has been in charge of the fi nances 
since 1987 and has informed the Committee that he intends to retire as 
Finance Director at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting. In addition, 
I have been on the Board for nearly 19 years, the last seven as Chairman. 
Antony Beevor, Chairman of the Audit Committee, has been on the Board 
for 12 years. Both Antony and I are considered to be non-independent under 
Corporate Governance best practice and we both believe it is appropriate 
that we stand down from the Board. Wilf Weeks has also indicated his 
wish to retire from the Board. The consequence of these changes is that 
we are looking to make a number of new appointments to the Board 
immediately after the Annual General Meeting. 

Tim Murphy, who joined the Company in 1994, will be promoted to 
Finance Director at the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting and 
will retain his role as Company Secretary until a suitable successor is 
appointed. The executive team will, therefore, comprise Michael Slade, 
Tim Murphy, Gerald Kaye, Matthew Bonning-Snook, Jack Pitman and 
Duncan Walker. 

In the knowledge of the proposed changes, the Committee has undertaken 
a review of the balance of the Board and set out a number of objectives 
in its search for new non-executive directors. In the light of my imminent 
retirement, the main concern of the Committee has been to ensure that 
the long term succession issue of who is to replace Michael Slade as Chief 
Executive is handled by a Chairman with a good understanding of the 
Company. I am pleased that Nigel McNair Scott has accepted the request 
of the Committee to continue his involvement with the Company and to 
act as Chairman following my retirement. Conscious that this appointment 
may not be seen to be in accordance with best practice under the UK 
Corporate Governance Code, we have engaged in an extensive consultation 
process with shareholders and representative bodies and have received 
indications that there will be considerable support for Nigel’s re-election 
at the AGM and his appointment as Chairman at its conclusion.

Since Nigel will not be regarded as independent, the Committee determined 
that it is essential that the Board be strengthened by the appointment of 
two new independent directors. The Committee appointed search fi rm 
Norman Broadbent to assist in this process. Their brief was to provide a 
list of potential candidates to satisfy two perceived gaps in the ongoing 
non-executive team. The fi rst was for a director with City experience who 
could become the Senior Independent Director and provide a signifi cant 
level of leadership and support for the rest of the non-executive team. 
The second was for a director who has recent and relevant fi nancial 
experience to replace Antony Beevor as Chairman of the Audit Committee. 
In considering potential candidates, the Committee, conscious of the 
recommendations of Lord Davies, asked Norman Broadbent to ensure 
that women candidates were identifi ed and included in their search. 

After an extensive search, and having interviewed a number of strong 
candidates, I am pleased that we have identifi ed two excellent individuals 
in Richard Gillingwater, who will become the Board’s Senior Independent 
Director, and will serve on all the Board’s committees, and Richard Grant, 
who will serve as the Chairman of the Audit Committee and as a member 
of the other two committees. Further details of these two new directors 
appear on page 47. Both of these appointments will become effective 
immediately after the Annual General Meeting and at that point the 
non-executive team of directors will comprise Nigel McNair Scott 
(Chairman), Richard Gillingwater (Senior Independent Director), Andy 
Gulliford (Chairman of the Remuneration Committee), Richard Grant 
(Chairman of the Audit Committee) and Michael O’Donnell. 

I am extremely grateful to the two continuing non-executive directors, 
Andy Gulliford and Michael O’Donnell, who have been instrumental in 
the process of appointing these new directors. 

With regard to my retiring colleagues, Antony and Wilf, I would very much 
like to thank them for their substantial contribution to your Company for 
many years and particularly to Antony for his masterful management of 
the Audit Committee. 

Annual General Meeting 
At the Annual General Meeting to be held on 24 July 2012 the following 
resolutions relating to the appointment of directors are being proposed: 

•   The re-election of Nigel McNair Scott as a director who will 

subsequently be appointed non-executive Chairman;

•   The re-election, as executive directors, of Michael Slade, Gerald Kaye, 

Matthew Bonning-Snook, Jack Pitman and Duncan Walker; and,

•   The re-election, as independent non-executive directors, of Andy 

Gulliford and Michael O’Donnell. 

I trust that shareholders will support the Committee and vote in favour of 
these resolutions. 

It has been a privilege to serve on this exceptional Company’s Board for 
19 years and to be Chairman for seven years. I shall be sad to relinquish 
my association with such a dynamic and successful team of people after 
so long. However, I believe that the Company, the executives and the 
portfolio of investment properties and developments are poised for a 
successful future. This success should be further enhanced by a 
refreshed Board and a new Chairman.

Giles Weaver
Chairman of the Nominations Committee

20 June 2012 

letter from the chairman of the nominations committee helical bar plc 2012

report of the nominations 
committee 

Shareholder consultation
On appointment as the new Chairman of the Company, Nigel McNair 
Scott will not be regarded as independent by shareholders and their 
representative bodies. In the light of this, the current Chairman, Giles 
Weaver, has conducted an extensive consultation exercise with the 
Company’s largest investors and representative bodies, to explain the 
rationale behind this appointment. Whilst concern has been expressed by 
some shareholders that such an appointment is not in accordance with 
the UK Corporate Governance Code, the Committee is confi dent that 
Nigel McNair Scott is the most appropriate candidate for the role. This 
role will specifi cally require him to ensure that the long term succession 
issue of who replaces Michael Slade as Chief Executive is handled in the 
best interests of shareholders. In discharging this task, he will be assisted 
by four independent non-executive directors, from whom the next 
Chairman of the Company is expected to be identifi ed. 

Directors’ re-election
The Committee has been informed that Giles Weaver (Chairman), 
Antony Beevor and Wilf Weeks will not be offering themselves for 
re-election at the 2012 Annual General Meeting, to be held on 24 July 
2012. Nigel McNair Scott will offer himself for re-election and, if re-
elected, be appointed non-executive Chairman of the Company. The 
Board continues to believe that the requirements of Code Provision B.7.I 
of the UK Corporate Governance Code, issued in June 2010, should be 
fulfi lled. This provision requires all directors of FTSE350 companies to 
be subject to annual re-election by shareholders. Whilst the Company 
is no longer in the FTSE350 the Board has chosen to comply with this 
provision as it accepts that shareholders should annually have the right 
to vote on each director’s re-election to the board. The Nominations 
Committee confi rms to shareholders that, following the annual formal 
performance evaluation, these directors continue to be effective and 
demonstrate commitment to their roles.

Biographical details of the directors are given on page 47.

The nominations committee 
The Nominations Committee is chaired by Giles Weaver. The other 
members of the Committee during the year under review were Antony 
Beevor, Andrew Gulliford, Wilf Weeks and Michael O’Donnell (on his 
appointment to the Board). None of the Committee members has any 
personal or fi nancial interest in the matters to be decided (other than 
as shareholders), potential confl icts of interest arising from cross-
directorships nor any day-to-day involvement in running the business. 
At the 2012 AGM, Giles Weaver, Antony Beevor and Wilf Weeks will 
retire from the Committee (and the Board). Immediately following the 
2012 AGM Nigel McNair Scott will be appointed Chairman of the 
Committee and Richard Gillingwater and Richard Grant will be appointed 
to the Committee. 

Board appointments
Appointments to the Board and its Committees are made on merit and 
against objective criteria. Care is taken to ensure that appointees have 
enough time available to devote to the job. The Nominations Committee 
controls the process for Board appointments and makes 
recommendations to the Board.

46

The terms of reference of the Nominations Committee are available by 
request and are included on the Group’s website at www.helical.co.uk.

Advisors to the Committee
During the year under review the Committee appointed search 
consultants Hanson Green and Norman Broadbent to assist in identifying 
candidates for appointment to the Board as non-executive directors. 

The work of the Nominations Committee in the year
The Committee met four times during the period and a record of 
attendance at these meetings is shown above. Including the matters 
referred to in the Letter from the Chairman of the Nominations Committee 
on page 45, the Committee considered the following matters during 
the year:

•  The results of the annual directors’ evaluation process;

•  The promotion of Duncan Walker to executive director in June 2011;

•   The appointment of Hanson Green and the subsequent appointment 
of Michael O’Donnell as an independent non-executive director in 
June 2011;

•   The re-election of directors at the 2011 Annual General Meeting; 

•   The appointment of Norman Broadbent to assist in identifying 
candidates for appointment as independent directors; and,

•   The preparation of a job specifi cation for the appointment of a 

new Chairman of the Company.

report of the nominations committee helical bar plc 2012

 
the board of directors and 
senior management

Chairman 
Giles Weaver, FCA, was appointed to the Board as a non-executive 
director in 1993 and was appointed Chairman following the 2005 AGM. 
He is Chairman of the Nominations Committee. A past Chairman of Murray 
Johnstone Ltd, he is Chairman of Tamar European Industrial Fund Limited 
and a director of Aberdeen Asset Management plc and IRP Property 
Investments Limited as well as being Chairman or a director of a number 
of investment companies. Giles is to retire at the 2012 AGM. Aged 66.

Non-executive directors
Antony Beevor, MBE, BA, was appointed to the Board as a non-
executive director in 2000. He is the Senior Independent Director 
and Chairman of the Audit Committee. He is also a member of the 
Remuneration and Nominations Committees. A former Head of 
Corporate Finance at Hambros Bank and former Chairman of Croda 
International Plc, he is a Deputy Chairman of the Takeover Panel. 
Antony is to retire at the 2012 AGM. Aged 72.

Executive directors
Chief Executive
Michael Slade, BSc (Est Man) FRICS FSVA, joined the Board as an 
executive director in 1984 and was appointed Chief Executive in 1986. 
He is President of Land Aid, the property industry charity, Chairman of 
the Property Forum, a Fellow of the College of Estate Management, 
Fellow of Wellington College, a Trustee of Purley Park and Sherborne 
School Foundation and Vice Admiral of the Marie Rose Trust. Aged 65.

Finance Director 
Nigel McNair Scott, MA FCA FCT, joined the Board as a non-executive 
director in 1985 and was subsequently appointed Finance Director in 
1987. He is Chairman of Reaction Engines Limited, a former Chairman 
of Avocet Mining plc and a former director of Johnson Matthey plc and 
Govett Strategic Investment Trust. Aged 66.

Director
Gerald Kaye, BSc (Est Man) FRICS, was appointed to the Board as an 
executive director in 1994 and is responsible for the Group’s development 
activities. He has been responsible for completing over 4 million sq ft of 
offi ces, retail, leisure and industrial developments. Gerald is the Past 
President of the British Council for Offi ces and a trustee of The Prince’s 
Regeneration Trust. He is a former director of London & Edinburgh Trust 
Plc and former Chief Executive of SPP. LET. EUROPE NV. Aged 54.

Director
Matthew Bonning-Snook, BSc (Urb Est Surveying) MRICS, was 
appointed to the Board as an executive director in 2007. Prior to joining 
Helical in 1995 he worked for Richard Ellis (now CBRE), and oversees 
many of Helical’s offi ce and mixed use developments. Aged 44.

Director
Jack Pitman, MA (Cantab) MRICS, was appointed to the Board as an 
executive director in 2007. Before joining the Group in 2001 he was a 
director of Chester Properties Ltd. He is responsible for the Group’s 
retirement village portfolio and its investment activities. Aged 43.

Director
Duncan Walker, MA (Hons) (Oxon), PG Dip Surveying, joined the Group 
in 2007 and oversees a portfolio of investments and developments. In 
particular, he is responsible for the recent acquisition of Helical’s shopping 
centres. Prior to joining Helical, Duncan led Edinburgh House Estate’s 
investment team. Aged 33.

Andrew Gulliford, BSc (Est.Man), FRICS, was appointed to the Board as 
a non-executive director in 2006. He is Chairman of the Remuneration 
Committee and a member of the Audit and Nominations Committees. 
A former Deputy Senior Partner of Cushman & Wakefi eld Healey & Baker, 
he is a non-executive director of McKay Securities PLC, IRP Property 
Investments Limited and various other companies. Aged 65.

Wilf Weeks, OBE, was appointed to the Board as a non-executive 
director in 2005. He is a member of the Audit, Remuneration and 
Nominations Committees. Founder and Chairman of GJW Government 
Relations, he is a former Chairman of European Public Affairs at Weber 
Shandwick. Wilf is to retire at the 2012 AGM. Aged 64.

47

Michael O’Donnell was appointed to the board in June 2011. He is a 
former Managing Director of LGV Capital (formerly Legal & General 
Ventures), a private equity fi rm where he was responsible for a number 
of successful investments in fast growing businesses, often with a 
signifi cant property element. In 2009 he established Ebbtide Partners, 
a consultant to, and investor in, private companies. He is a member of 
the Nominations, Audit and Remuneration Committees. Aged 45.

New non-executive directors (to be appointed 
after the 2012 AGM)
Richard Gillingwater, CBE, is the Dean of Cass Business School, 
Chairman of CDC Group, a member of the Advisory Boards of TheCityUK 
and of the Association of Corporate Treasurers; and a non-executive 
director of Scottish and Southern Energy and Hiscox Ltd. He was 
previously Chairman of the Shareholder Executive and Joint Head of 
Global Corporate Finance at BZW and a non-executive director of P&O, 
Debenhams,Tomkins Plc, Qinetiq Group and Kidde plc. Richard will be 
the Senior Independent Director on his appointment and will be a 
member of the Nominations, Audit and Remuneration Committees. 
Aged 55.

Richard Grant, BA (Oxon), ACA is the Finance Director at Cadogan 
Estates Limited and former corporate fi nance partner at PwC, whom he 
joined in 1975. Richard will become the Chairman of the Audit Committee 
and a member of the Nominations and Remuneration Committees. 
Aged 58.

Deputy Finance Director and Company Secretary 
Tim Murphy, BA (Hons) FCA, joined the Group as Company Secretary 
in 1994 and became Deputy Finance Director in 2011. Prior to joining 
Helical, he worked for accountants Grant Thornton and KPMG. Tim will 
become Finance Director immediately following the 2012 AGM. Aged 52.

the board of directors and senior management helical bar plc 2012

the board of directors and senior management

Directors and their interests
The current directors and their interests, all of which were benefi cial, in the ordinary shares of the Company are listed below. Other than in respect of 
the award of shares under the terms of the Company’s Share Incentive Plan on 31 May 2012, there have been no changes in the directors’ interests in 
the period from 31 March 2012 to 20 June 2012.

Chairman  

Giles Weaver 

Executive Directors 

Michael Slade 

Nigel McNair Scott 

Gerald Kaye 

Matthew Bonning-Snook 

48

Jack Pitman 

Duncan Walker 

Non-Executive Directors 

Antony Beevor  

Andrew Gulliford 

Wilf Weeks 

Michael O’Donnell 

Total directors’ interests 

Issued share capital 

Percentage of issued share capital 

Age 

Date of  
appointment 

Title 

Committees 

Shares held  
at 31.3.12 

Shares held 
at 31.3.11

66 

September 1993 

Chairman  

N(C)  

96,250 

132,313

65 

66 

54 

44 

43 

33 

72 

65 

64 

45 

August 1985 

Chief Executive 

November 1985 

Finance Director 

September 1994 

Executive Director 

June 2007 

June 2007 

June 2011 

Executive Director 

Executive Director 

Executive Director 

April 2000 

Non-executive director 

S,N,A(C),R 

March 2006 

Non-executive director 

N, A, R(C) 

April 2005 

June 2011 

Non-executive director 

N, A, R 

Non-executive director 

N, A, R 

13,427,494 

13,623,760

2,710,132 

2,706,398

1,530,589 

1,526,855

280,260 

445,053 

11,480 

19,569 

14,328 

7,213 

46,000 

276,533

441,319

n/a

19,569

14,328

7,213

n/a

18,588,368 

18,748,288

118,137,522 

118,137,522

15.73% 

15.87%

S – Senior independent Director, N – Nominations Committee, N(C) – Chairman of the Nominations Committee, A – Audit Committee, A(C) – Chairman 
of the Audit Committee, R – Remuneration Committee, R(C) – Chairman of the Remuneration Committee

Senior management
John Inwood, BSc (Hons) MRICS, joined the Group from Cushman and Wakefi eld in 1995 and is the Head of Asset Management. Aged 46. 

Tom Anderson, BSc (Hons) MRICS, joined the Group in 2009 from Allsops where he worked in the National Investment Team. Aged 33.

Oliver Rippier, BA (Hons) MSc Real Estate MRICS, formerly employed by Jones Lang LaSalle and Lloyds Banking Group, joined as a 
property analyst and development executive in 2010. Aged 30.

Alastair Oastler, BSc (Hons) FCA, joined the Group as Financial Controller in 2007 having previously worked for Invensys plc and 
Compagnie Financiere Richemont SA. Aged 35.

the board of directors and senior management helical bar plc 2012

   
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
letter from the chairman of the 
remuneration committee 

approval for a codifi cation of the scheme, with appropriate shareholder 
protections, at the 2012 AGM. Further details and the main terms of 
the proposed scheme are detailed below;

•   The provision of long-term incentives through the Performance Share 
Plan (“PSP”), which was approved by shareholders in 2004, should 
continue in its present form until expiry in 2013/14; and

•   The Committee reviewed the awards made in accordance with the 
terms of the PSP in 2008 and considered the performance of the 
Company during the three year performance period to 31 March 2011 
and the Committee resolved in July 2011 to make a further award of 
shares under the terms of the PSP.

The results of these decisions are outlined in further detail in this report, 
together with additional information on the remuneration paid and 
payable to the directors of the Group and the short term and long term 
incentive schemes. 

Annual General Meeting 
At the Annual General Meeting to be held on 24 July 2012 the following 
resolutions relating to remuneration are being proposed: 

49

•   The approval of the Directors Remuneration Report for the year ended 

31 March 2012. 

•  The approval of the Helical Bar Annual Bonus Scheme 2012.

•  The renewal of the Helical Bar 2002 Approved Share incentive Plan.

I trust that shareholders will support the Committee and vote in favour 
of these resolutions. 

Andrew Gulliford
Chairman of the Remuneration Committee

20 June 2012

Dear Shareholder,

The year to 31 March 2012 has been one of analysis and scrutiny for 
remuneration committees with the implementation of the provisions of 
the UK Corporate Governance Code and considerable debate between 
politicians and in the media about the appropriate level of remuneration 
for the executive directors of listed companies. This debate is likely to 
continue in the coming year following the recent consultation by the 
Department for Business, Innovation & Skills on executive remuneration 
and its expected proposals to signifi cantly increase levels of disclosure of 
incentive targets and strengthen the shareholder vote from 2013 onwards. 
It is with this background that I present this remuneration report.

Remuneration policy
Helical’s approach to the remuneration of its executive directors is to 
provide a basic remuneration package below the median level of its 
peers within the listed real estate sector combined with an incentive 
based bonus and share scheme structure aligned with the interests of 
its shareholders. Remuneration within the real estate sector is monitored 
and reviewed regularly to ensure that the Group’s positioning of its 
remuneration remains in line with these objectives. In addition to this 
external view, the Committee also monitors the remuneration levels of 
senior management below Board level and the remuneration of other 
employees to ensure that these are taken into account in determining the 
remuneration of executive directors and considers environmental, social, 
governance and risk issues.

Remuneration issues dealt with during the year
The Committee has considered a number of matters during the fi nancial 
year under review and the following decisions were taken:

•   Executive directors basic salaries were reviewed in July 2011 and 
increases awarded to Gerald Kaye, Matthew Bonning-Snook and 
Jack Pitman;

•   The basic salary of Nigel McNair Scott was reduced in August 2011 

due to his external commitments;

•   The salaries payable to non-executive directors were reviewed in July 
2011 and increases awarded to Giles Weaver, as Chairman, Antony 
Beevor, as Chairman of the Audit Committee and Andy Gulliford, as 
Chairman of the Remuneration Committee, 

•   The Executive Bonus Scheme, established to provide bonuses for the 

Chief Executive and the Finance Director, was reviewed and a 
resolution to renew the Scheme for a further fi ve years was approved 
by shareholders at the 2011 AGM;

•   The Annual Performance Related Cash Bonus Scheme, for all other 

executive directors, was reviewed in the light of shareholder feedback. 
Following extensive consultation with major investors and 
representative bodies, the Committee determined to seek shareholder 

letter from the chairman of the remuneration committee helical bar plc 2012

 
directors’ remuneration report 

50

The Board recognises that directors’ remuneration is of legitimate 
concern to shareholders and is committed to following current best 
practice. This report has been prepared in accordance with the 
Companies Act 2006 and Schedule 8 of the Large and Medium Sized 
Companies and Groups (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008, the 
Listing and Disclosure and Transparency Rules of the Financial Services 
Authority, and the principles and provisions of the UK Corporate 
Governance Code as they relate to Directors’ remuneration. It has been 
approved by the Board and will be submitted to shareholders for approval 
at the Group’s Annual General Meeting to be held on 24 July 2012. Grant 
Thornton UK LLP has audited the disclosures of directors’ remuneration 
and share awards on pages 54 to 56. 

The remuneration committee (“Committee”)
The Committee is chaired by Andrew Gulliford. The other members of the 
Committee during the year under review were Antony Beevor, Wilf Weeks 
and Michael O’Donnell (on his appointment to the Board). None of the 
Committee has any personal or fi nancial interest in the matters to be 
decided (other than as shareholders), potential confl icts of interest arising 
from cross-directorships nor any day-to-day involvement in running the 
business. At the 2012 AGM, Antony Beevor and Wilf Weeks will retire 
from the Committee (and the Board) and immediately following the 
2012 AGM, Richard Gillingwater and Richard Grant will be appointed
to the Committee. 

The Committee has responsibility for determining and agreeing with 
the Board the framework or broad policy for the remuneration of the 
Chairman, Chief Executive and the executive directors and, subject 
to proposals submitted by the Chief Executive, shall recommend 
and monitor the level and structure of remuneration for such other 
members of the senior management as report directly to the Board. 
The remuneration of non-executive directors shall be a matter for the 
Chairman and the executive directors to be decided at a meeting of 
the Board.

In determining such policy, the Committee shall take into account all 
factors which it deems necessary. The objective of the remuneration 
policy shall be to ensure that executive directors and senior management 
are provided with appropriate incentives to encourage enhanced 
performance and are, in a fair and responsible manner, rewarded for 
their individual contributions to the success of the Group. Within the 
terms of the agreed policy, the Committee shall determine, for the 
executive directors:

•   the total individual remuneration packages of each executive director 
including, where appropriate, basic salaries, bonuses, share awards, 
pensions and other benefi ts;

•  targets for any performance related remuneration schemes; and,

•   service agreements incorporating termination payments and 

compensation commitments.

In determining such packages and arrangements the Committee gives 
due regard to the recommendations of the UK Corporate Governance 
Code and the UK Listing Authority’s Listing Rules.

The terms of reference of the Remuneration Committee are available on 
request and are included on the Group’s website at www.helical.co.uk.

Advisors to the Committee
The Committee consults the Chief Executive and Finance Director about 
its proposals and has access to professional advice from remuneration 
consultants, New Bridge Street, to help it determine appropriate 
remuneration arrangements. Terms of reference for New Bridge Street, 
which provided no other services to the Company, are available from the 
Company Secretary on request. 

The executive directors’ remuneration packages
There are three main elements to the executive directors’ remuneration 
packages:

•  basic annual salary and benefi ts-in-kind;

•   annual cash bonus payments, both performance related payments and 
those made in accordance with the terms of the Executive Bonus Plan; 
and,

•   share awards, being the Performance Share Plan and the all-employee 

Share Incentive Plan. 

Balance of fi xed versus variable pay
In line with its policy, the Committee seeks to ensure that the balance of 
remuneration provides a basic salary below the median, and performance 
related bonuses and share awards that reward outperformance of the 
Group’s peer group. In the year to 31 March 2012 the balance of fi xed 
versus variable pay on an actual basis for the executive directors 
compared to the maximum payable was as follows:

Actual 
£ 

Share  
of total  Maximum 
£ 

% 

Share
of total
%

Basic salaries and  
benefi ts in-kind 

2,013,000 

90  2,013,000 

Annual cash bonus  

220,000 

10  5,000,000 

Executive Bonus Plan 

Share awards 

– 

– 

0  2,000,000 

0  3,760,000 

16

39 

16

29

2,233,000 

100  12,773,000 

100

Note: Share awards refl ect the market value of shares that vested (actual) or could have 
vested (maximum) during the year in accordance with the terms of the Group’s 
Performance Share Plan.

directors’ remuneration report helical bar plc 2012

 
  
 
 
 
  
 
Executive directors’ basic annual salary and benefi ts-in-kind
The basic package of salary and benefi ts is designed to match the 
experience and responsibilities of each director and is reviewed annually 
to ensure that it is consistent and appropriate to their responsibilities 
and expectations. The Group does not provide any separate pension 
provision for Executive Directors and expects individuals to provide for 
their retirement through their basic salaries and incentive payments. 
Basic salary levels were last reviewed in July 2011. Executive directors’ 
current basic annual salaries, together with salaries for the prior year, 
are as follows:

Non-executive directors salaries
Salaries payable to non-executive directors were reviewed in the year and 
increases awarded to Giles Weaver, Antony Beevor and Andrew Gulliford, 
effective from 1 July 2011. The salaries payable to Giles Weaver and 
Antony Beevor were last increased in April 2007. The salary payable 
to Andrew Gulliford was last increased in February 2010 following 
his appointment as Chairman of the Remuneration Committee. 
Non-executive directors’ current annual salaries, together with salaries 
for the prior year, are as follows:

Giles Weaver 

Antony Beevor 

Andrew Gulliford 

Wilf Weeks  

Michael O’Donnell 

1 April 2011 
£ 

1 April 2012
£

75,000 

42,500 

42,500 

35,000 

35,000* 

90,000

50,000

50,000

35,000

35,000

51

*  From appointment on 24 June 2011

The Board have resolved that with effect from 1 July 2012, the salaries 
payable to non-executive directors will comprise a basic £40,000 plus 
an additional £10,000 for the Chairmen of the Audit and Remuneration 
Committees and the Senior Independent Director. 

Chairman
Following consultation with the Company’s major investors and 
representative bodies, it is proposed that Nigel McNair Scott, if re-elected 
at the 2012 AGM, will become Chairman of the Company following the 
retirement of Giles Weaver. His continuing involvement in the Company’s 
affairs will principally concern dealing with the issue of succession 
as well as providing guidance and advice on the Company’s strategy. 
Accordingly, his day to day involvement in the Company’s affairs will 
exceed those of his predecessor and in recognition of this, the Board 
have resolved to pay him an annual salary of £150,000 pa. 

Michael Slade 

Nigel McNair Scott 

Gerald Kaye 

Matthew Bonning-Snook 

Jack Pitman 

Duncan Walker 

1 April 2011  
£ 

1 April 2012
£

500,000 

335,000 

325,000 

275,000 

275,000 

175,000 

500,000

235,000

375,000

300,000

300,000

250,000

The salaries of Matthew Bonning-Snook and Jack Pitman were increased 
by circa 9% on 1 July 2011 to refl ect infl ationary rises since their last 
increase on 1 July 2009 while the salary of Gerald Kaye was increased 
by circa 15% to refl ect both an infl ationary rise over that period and 
additional responsibilities undertaken. The salary of Nigel McNair Scott 
was reduced to £235,000 on 1 August 2011 to refl ect his reduced 
responsibilities following his appointment as High Sheriff of Hampshire for 
2011/12. The salary of Duncan Walker was increased to £250,000 as 
from 1 April 2012 to refl ect his appointment to the Board of the Company.

Going forward, the Committee has resolved that the basic salaries of 
executive directors should be reviewed annually and increased to refl ect 
an appropriate level of salary infl ation. Accordingly, the basic salary levels 
of Gerald Kaye, Matthew Bonning-Snook and Jack Pitman will be 
increased by 3% from 1 July 2012. Mr Slade has advised the Committee 
that he will not be taking an infl ationary increase this year, thereby 
retaining his current salary level. Nigel McNair Scott is to become 
non-executive Chairman and will not receive an increase and Duncan 
Walker is not eligible for this year’s infl ationary increase given the increase 
in his basic salary he received following his appointment to the Board. 

Benefi ts-in-kind provided to executive directors comprise the provision 
of a company car or car allowance and health insurance.

directors’ remuneration report helical bar plc 2012

 
 
 
 
directors’ remuneration report 

Annual cash bonus payments 
Executive Bonus Plan
During the year Shareholders approved the renewal of the existing 
Executive Bonus Plan, previously approved in 2006. The renewed plan 
(“2011 Plan”) contains the same features and performance targets as 
its predecessor and is designed to align the motivations of the Chief 
Executive and Finance Director with the interests of shareholders and 
to link their remuneration to the performance of the Group’s property 
portfolio. Michael Slade and Nigel McNair Scott were eligible for Executive 
Bonus Plan bonuses during the year. No Executive Plan Bonuses have 
been paid in respect of the year to 31 March 2012 (2011: nil).

The Committee may, at its discretion, award bonuses in respect of a 
fi nancial year subject to performance conditions, the aim of which is to 
link the size of bonuses paid to the fi nancial growth of the Group over 
that fi nancial year. No bonus will be payable unless the following 
conditions are satisfi ed:

•   Increase in net asset value; net asset value at the end of the fi nancial 
year exceeds net asset value at the beginning of the fi nancial year;

52

•   Absolute performance of the portfolio – ungeared total return; the 

percentage increase in the total return on property assets of the Group 
over the fi nancial year (the “Performance Period”) is greater than the 
percentage increase achieved by the portfolio ranked nearest to 
threequarters up the performance table (taken in ascending order of 
return) (the “Upper Quartile”) of the portfolios of all quarterly valued 
funds measured by the Investment Property Databank at the beginning 
of the relevant Performance Period and compounded monthly during 
the Performance Period (the “IPD Total Return Benchmark”); and,

•   Performance of the net asset value per share; the percentage increase 

in net asset value per share for the Performance Period must be 
greater than the percentage increase achieved by the Upper Quartile of 
the portfolios of all quarterly valued funds measured by the Investment 
Property Databank at the beginning of the relevant Performance Period 
and compounded monthly during the Performance Period (the “IPD 
Capital Growth Benchmark”).

The Committee will recommend the size of the bonus payable by 
reference to the same sliding scale based on the amount by which the 
increase in net asset value per share exceeds the increase in the Upper 
Quartile of the IPD Capital Growth Benchmark, subject to a £2m cap. The 
total amount of the bonuses payable in any one year shall be determined 
by: 

•   Calculating the difference between the percentage increase in net 

asset value per share for the Performance Period and the percentage 
increase in the Upper Quartile of the IPD Capital Growth Benchmark 
over the same period (the “Difference”); and,

•   Calculating the sum of the amounts payable in relation to each 1% 

of the Difference on the following basis:

  Amount of Difference 

Less than 1%  

1% to less than 2%  

% of base net asset
value payable

0.01

0.02

And thereafter for every additional 1% 

An increment of 0.01

For example: From 4% to less than 5% 

0.05

If the net asset value at the end of a fi nancial year is less than the net 
asset value at the beginning of that year, the bonus payable for any 
subsequent year will be calculated by reference to the highest net asset 
value in the preceding year.

The total amount payable under the 2011 Plan in any one year is limited 
to £2m (2010: £2m). An individual employee’s participation in the 2011 
Plan is limited so that the bonus which may be paid to him under the 
2011 Plan will not exceed £1.5m per annum. There is a further limit that 
payments under the 2011 Plan in any year may not exceed 20% of the 
Group’s pre-tax profi ts plus any payments under the 2011 Plan. Among 
other constraints the Committee could restrict the bonuses if payment 
would affect the fi nancial or trading position of the Group.

Following feedback received during the investor consultation in respect 
of the codifi cation of the bonus arrangement set out below, the 
Committee agreed that future participants in this scheme who do not 
have a minimum shareholding in the company of 2 times salary should 
receive up to one third of any bonus in deferred shares.

Performance related cash bonus scheme
For executive directors other than the Chief Executive and Finance 
Director, the Group operated a performance related cash bonus scheme 
during the year. Under the terms of this scheme, the Committee 
establishes the objectives which must be met for performance related 
cash bonuses to be paid. The calculations of the performance related 
cash bonuses payable to each participant are directly related to the 
profi ts generated by the participants. In each case these profi ts are 
recognised in the accounts of the year in which the bonus is accrued and 
these profi ts will have been received by the time the bonuses are paid. 
Any losses on other projects are deducted from the profi ts, as are all 
costs directly attributable to the generation of the profi ts, including all 
fi nance costs and an apportionment of central overheads. The net profi ts 
generated by each participant are available as a bonus pool and bonus 
payments are made based on individual performance. Bonuses are 
calculated in a range of 0 to 10% of the bonus pool with appropriate 
percentages depending on the level of equity contributed to each 
property and risks assumed. Gerald Kaye, Matthew Bonning-Snook, 
Jack Pitman and Duncan Walker were eligible for performance related 
cash bonuses in the period under review. The maximum amount payable 
in respect of the year was a total of £5m. Payment of these performance 
related cash bonuses is at the discretion of the Committee. In the year 
under review, performance related cash bonuses were paid to Matthew 
Bonning-Snook (£105,000) and Duncan Walker (£115,000).

directors’ remuneration report helical bar plc 2012

 
 
Proposed Helical Bar Annual Bonus Scheme 2012
The performance related cash bonus scheme referred to above has been 
reviewed by the Committee and, following an extensive consultation 
exercise with the Company’s largest investors and representative bodies, 
approval is being sought at the 2012 AGM for a codifi cation of the scheme 
which will be renamed the Helical Bar Annual Bonus Scheme 2012. This 
scheme, if approved by shareholders, will provide annual cash bonuses, 
based on the performance of the Group’s property portfolio and is aligned 
with shareholders through a profi t sharing model, with appropriate hurdles 
and shareholder protections (including deferral and clawback). While full 
details of the proposed scheme are set out in the Notice of AGM, the main 
features of the plan will, subject to shareholder consent, be as follows:

•  The proposed scheme will be introduced from 1 April 2012.

•   The initial scheme participants will be Gerald Kaye, Matthew Bonning-

Snook, Jack Pitman and Duncan Walker. It is not intended that either the 
Chief Executive or Finance Director participate in the Scheme given their 
participation in the Executive Bonus Plan.

•   All current and future property assets will be allocated to one of two pools 
namely an “Investment Pool” and a “Development Pool” (“Profi t Pools”). 

•   Investment assets will be included at valuation as at 31 March 2012 with 
subsequent valuation movements increasing or decreasing the size of 
the relevant Profi t Pool (as is currently the case under the existing bonus 
arrangement). Development assets will also be included at valuation as 
at 31 March 2012 with subsequent valuation movements increasing or 
decreasing the size of the Profi t Pool. Any opening surpluses or defi cits in 
the value of the trading and development assets as at 31 March 2012 will 
only be included in the Profi t Pools once they are realised.

•   Net rents and profi ts/losses on the sale of property assets will be 

allocated to the relevant Profi t Pools.

•   Profi ts in the two Profi t Pools will be eligible for the award of bonuses 

once they are suffi cient to exceed the recovery of all related fi nance costs, 
a charge for the use of the Company’s equity at a rate equivalent to the 
Company’s weighted average cost of debt plus a margin (reviewed 
regularly to refl ect any changes in the cost of debt and the risk profi le of 
the Company’s activities), the Group’s total administrative costs (excluding 
performance related remuneration) and any unallocated losses from the 
previous three fi nancial years.

Shareholder Protections 
•   Consistent with the existing arrangement, no more than 10% of profi ts 

will be available to participants for distribution (“Bonus Award Pool”) at the 
end of the relevant fi nancial year. Pool allocations between participants 
will be based on a set formula agreed at the start of the fi nancial year.

•   The distribution of the Bonus Award Pools to participants will be 

restricted in any fi nancial year to the lower of 70% of the balance of the 
Bonus Award Pool and 300% of salary (except in years fi ve and ten as 
noted below). Any excess will be deferred and carried forward to the 
subsequent year to form part of the Bonus Award Pool for the 
subsequent year(s).

53

•   Two thirds of any payment will be made in cash after the relevant fi nancial 
year end and one third will be deferred for three years into Helical Bar plc 
shares.

•   In addition to any annual payments, at the end of the fi fth and tenth years 
of operating the scheme, any Bonus Award Pool not paid out will be 
distributed to participants in the form of deferred shares for 3 years, 
subject to an individual limit of 300% of salary each time.

•   No payments will be made where the Company has not generated a profi t 

(amounts will be deferred until a profi t is generated). In addition, the 
Remuneration Committee will retain discretion to increase the deferred 
share amount (up to 100% of the payment) or not to make a payment at 
all (with any amounts reverting back to the Company rather than remaining 
in the Bonus Award Pool) where it is considered appropriate to do so.

•   Net losses will be carried forward in Profi t Pools for offset against future 
net profi ts. Carry forward of losses will be for a minimum of three years, 
subject to extension at the request of the Remuneration Committee 

•   The scheme will operate a clawback provision whereby amounts 

deferred, amounts held in Bonus Award Pools or the net of tax amounts 
paid may be recovered in the event of a misstatement of results, an error 
being made in assessing the calculation of Bonus Award Pools or in the 
event of gross misconduct.

•   The share of any increase in value of the Company (measured as the 

increase in net asset value plus cash returned as dividends) that could 
accrue to all executives through the Group’s long and short-term 
incentive and bonus plans at maximum vesting/payouts will continue to 
be no more than 20%.

Other matters
•   Shareholder approval for the Plan will be sought for 10 years from 1 April 
2012 although the Remuneration Committee will review the operation of 
the Plan after 5 years. 

•   Awards may be satisfi ed through shares purchased in the market or by 
new issue or Treasury Shares. Where new issue or treasury shares are 
used, the ABI’s 5% in 10 year dilution limit will apply.

•   Bad leavers will lose their entitlement to future distributions of Bonus 

Award Pools or unvested deferred shares. Good leavers (e.g. retirement 
with the Company’s agreement, redundancy or any other reason at the 
discretion of the Committee) would cease to accrue future amounts into 
future Bonus Award Pools although would continue to receive deferred 
share awards and any remaining amounts held in the Bonus Award Pools 
for a period of 3 years from cessation.

•   On a change of control of the Company, any amounts accrued over the 
fi nancial year up to the relevant date, and any amounts held within the 
Bonus Award Pools, and any deferred shares would be distributed.

A detailed summary of the arrangements is set out in the Notice of AGM.

directors’ remuneration report helical bar plc 2012

directors’ remuneration report 

Performance Share plan
The Performance Share Plan (“PSP”), which was approved by shareholders 
in 2004 and is the Company’s primary long-term incentive arrangement, 
rewards participants for net asset value growth and performance relative 
to an industry comparator over a three year period. The Plan is designed 
to encourage long term performance and participants are required to 
retain shares acquired for at least two years after vesting. The main 
features of the plan are as follows:

•   Awards will normally vest no earlier than the third anniversary of their 
grant to the extent that the applicable performance conditions (see 
below) have been satisfi ed and the participant is still employed by the 
Group. Once exercisable, awards will remain capable of exercise for a 
period of normally no more than six months.

•   No award may be granted to an individual in any fi nancial year over 

shares worth more than 3 times salary.

54

•   There are two performance conditions, one based on absolute growth 
in the Group’s net asset value per share and the other based on the 
gross (ungeared) total property return per share relative to other 
property funds as determined by IPD but excluding those funds worth 
less than £50m at the start of the three year period. Performance will 
be measured over the three years following grant.

  o   For the growth in net asset value, the “fully diluted triple net” net 

asset value as at the start of the fi nancial year in which a grant takes 
place will be compared to the value three years later (having added 
back dividends):

Annual compound increase after three years  % of award vesting

15% p.a. or more 

66.7

Between 7.5% p.a. and 15% p.a. 

7.5% p.a.  

Below 7.5% p.a. 

 Pro rata between 
6.7 and 66.7

6.7

Zero

 If UK infl ation (RPI) is higher than 3% per annum over the three year 
period then the required compound increases will be raised by the 
excess over the 3% per annum average.

  o  For the Total property return v IPD property funds condition:

Ranking after three years  

% of award vesting

Upper quartile or above  

33.3

Between median and upper quartile  

Median  

Less than median 

 Pro rata between 
3.3 and 33.3

3.3

Zero

Provided the net value per share (having added back dividends) increases 
over the three year period.

Share awards will lapse where the gross return falls below the IPD 
median and where the growth in triple net asset value is below 7.5% per 
annum over the three year period.

During the year the performance conditions relating to the fi fth award, 
granted on 14 July 2008, were considered. The three year performance 
period to 31 March 2011 showed that the net asset value per share, 
calculated in accordance with the terms of the PSP, had reduced by 
7.6% p.a.

During this three year period the total return of Helical’s property portfolio, 
as determined by IPD, was 1.4% compared to the upper quartile of the 
IPD Benchmark which showed a return of 1.0%. Therefore, although the 
IPD comparison performance criteria had been met, no shares could vest 
as the net asset value per share had fallen.

Subsequent to the year end the performance conditions relating to 
the sixth award, granted on 9 July 2009, were considered and it was 
determined that no shares would vest in respect of this award. 
Further details will be included in the 2013 Annual Report.

Awards made to directors under the terms of the PSP which have not yet vested are as follows:

Director 

Michael Slade 

Nigel McNair Scott 

Gerald Kaye 

Matthew Bonning-Snook 

Jack Pitman 

Duncan Walker 

Shares 
awarded 
13.07.10 
at 276.10p 

Shares 
awarded 
05.07.11 
at 259.25p 

Shares 
awarded 
31.05.12 
at 167.50p 

543,281 

363,998 

353,132 

298,804 

298,804 

152,118 

578,592 

387,656 

433,944 

347,155 

347,155 

202,507 

895,512 

420,895 

671,641 

537,313 

537,313 

447,761 

Total 
shares 
awarded 

Total
expected
value
£

2,017,395 

1,652,000

1,172,549 

887,000

1,458,717 

1,239,000

1,183,272 

1,183,272 

802,386 

991,044

991,044

742,527

It is currently expected that no shares will vest in respect of the share awards made on 13 July 2010 and that 33% of the shares awarded on 5 July 
2011 and 40% of the shares awarded on 31 May 2012 will vest.

directors’ remuneration report helical bar plc 2012

 
  
   
  
 
   
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Helical Bar 2002 Approved Share Incentive Plan
On 24 July 2002 the shareholders approved the Helical Bar 2002 Approved Share Incentive Plan (the “Plan”). Under the terms of this Plan employees 
of the Group are given up to £3,000 of free shares in any tax year. Participants in the Plan may purchase additional shares up to a value of £1,500 
which is matched in a ratio of 2:1 by the Group. Provided participants remain employed by the Group for a minimum of three years they will retain the 
free and matching shares.

Shares allocated to, or purchased on behalf of, the directors under the rules of the Plan were as follows:

Michael Slade  

Nigel McNair Scott  

Gerald Kaye  

Matthew Bonning-Snook  

Jack Pitman  

Duncan Walker 

14 June 2011 
at 254.6p 

 30 November 2011 
at 169.0p 

31 May 2012
at 167.5p

1,917 

1,917  

1,917  

1,917  

1,917  

1,917 

1,818 

1,818 

1,818 

1,811 

1,818 

1,520 

3,425

3,425

3,425

3,420

3,425

3,425

55

Shares held by the Trustees of the Plan at 31 March 2012 were 390,624 (2011: 315,624).

A resolution to renew this Plan will be proposed at the 2012 AGM.

Share options
The Helical Bar 2010 Approved Share Option Scheme is an Inland Revenue approved scheme. Under the terms of this scheme options up to a 
maximum value of £30,000 per individual may be granted. This scheme was approved by shareholders at the 2010 Annual General Meeting and 
34,713 options were granted during the year to senior employees below Board level.

Share ownership guidelines
Participants will not normally be permitted to sell shares received through the PSP, other than to meet taxation (and national insurance contributions) 
liabilities, until they own shares to the value of 2 x salary for directors and 1 x salary for other executives. In addition, and whilst it is not a condition of 
their award, directors are encouraged to retain the shares received on the vesting of share awards, net of any requirements to pay personal taxes. To 
date, all shares received by the executive directors under the terms of the group’s Performance Share Plan and Share Incentive Plan have been 
retained, net of taxes paid, thereby increasing the management’s shareholding in Helical.

Alignment with shareholder interests
The Remuneration Committee has analysed the potential gains that may be made by executives (directors and those below Board level) through the 
PSP and other incentive arrangements currently in place. It has concluded that the share of the increase in the value of the Group (measured as the 
increase in the net asset value plus cash returned as dividends to shareholders) that could accrue to all executives through the Group’s long and 
short-term incentive and bonus plans at the point at which the maximum awards vest might be of the order of 20%. At this point, in absolute terms, the 
Group will have increased its triple net asset value by at least 15% per annum with the Group’s relative performance placing it in the top quartile of IPD, 
over the three year period.

directors’ remuneration report helical bar plc 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
directors’ remuneration report 

Information subject to audit: Remuneration of directors

Directors’ Remuneration
Remuneration in respect of the directors was as follows:

Salaries and bonuses   

Chairman 

 Giles Weaver 

Non-executive directors   

 Antony Beevor 

  Wilf Weeks 

 Andrew Gulliford 
 Michael O’Donnell* 

Executive directors 
 Michael Slade 
 Nigel McNair Scott 
 Gerald Kaye 

  Matthew Bonning-Snook 

 Jack Pitman 
 Duncan Walker* 

fees 
£000 

86 

48 
35 
48 
27 

500 
268 
362 
294 
294 
131 

56

Salary/  Benefi ts- 

Cash 
In-kind  bonuses 
£000 

£000 

2012 
Total 
£000 

Salary/  Benefi ts- 
In-kind 
£000 

fees 
£000 

Cash 
bonuses 
£000 

2011 
2011
2012 
Total  Pensions  Pensions
£000
£000 
£000 

– 

– 
– 
– 
– 

41 
36 
36 
20 
21 
10 

– 

– 
– 
– 
– 

– 
– 
– 
105 
– 
115 

220 

86 

48 
35 
48 
27 

541 
304 
398 
419 
315 
256 

75 

42 
35 
42 
– 

500 
335 
325 
275 
275 
– 

– 

– 
– 
– 
– 

38 
32 
36 
21 
24 
– 

2,477 

1,904 

151 

– 

– 
– 
– 
– 

– 
– 
542 
– 
– 
– 

542 

75 

42 
35 
42 
– 

538 
367 
903 
296 
299 
– 

2,597 

– 

– 
– 
– 
– 

– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

– 

–

–
–
–
–

–
–
–
–
–
–

–

Total 

2,093 

164 

* Appointed to the Board on 24 June 2011
Michael Slade was the highest paid director during the year with a total remuneration of £541,000 (2011: Gerald Kaye £903,000).

Information not subject to audit
Other Remuneration Matters
Service contracts 
The service contracts of Michael Slade and Nigel McNair Scott operate 
from 1 April 2007, those of Gerald Kaye, Matthew Bonning-Snook and 
Jack Pitman from 1 March 2010, and that of Duncan Walker from 24 June 
2011. No service contract provides for more than a one year notice period. 
On termination of employment each director is entitled to a payment in 
lieu of notice of basic salary and other contractual entitlements i.e. 
provision of car and health insurance. The Group may make payments in 
lieu of notice as one lump sum or in instalments, at its own discretion. 
If the Group chooses to pay in instalments the director is obliged to seek 
alternative income over the relevant period and to disclose the amount to 
the Group. Instalment payments will be reduced by any alternative income.

Non-Executive Directors 
Non-executive directors are appointed by a Letter of Appointment and 
their remuneration is determined by the Board. The appointment 
of non-executive directors is terminable on three months’ notice. 
Non-executive directors do not participate in any of the Group’s bonus 
or share award schemes.

Total shareholder return 
The performance criteria of the Helical Bar 2010 Approved Share Option 
Scheme requires the Group to exceed certain targets of total shareholder 
return. The total shareholder return for a holding in the Group’s shares in 
the fi ve years to 31 March 2012 compared to a holding in a broad equity 
index is shown in the graph opposite.

directors’ remuneration report helical bar plc 2012

Total shareholder return 
Source: Thomson Reuters 

125 

)
£
(
e
u
a
V

l

75 

25 
31-Mar-07 

31-Mar-08 

31-Mar-09 

31-Mar-10 

31-Mar-11 

31-Mar-12 

Helical Bar 

FTSE 350 Super-sector Real Estate Index

This graph looks at the value, by 31 March 2012, of £100 invested in Helical Bar on 31 March 2007 compared 
with the value of £100 invested in the FTSE 350 Super-sector Real Estate Index. The other points plotted are the 
values at intervening financial year-ends. 

Share price
The market price of the ordinary shares at 31 March 2012 was189.5p 
(2011: 270.8p). This market price varied between 163.5p and 275.4p 
during the year.

Andrew Gulliford
Chairman of the Remuneration Committee

20 June 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
report of the audit committee

The audit committee 
The Audit Committee is chaired by Antony Beevor. The other members 
of the Committee during the year under review were Andrew Gulliford, 
Wilf Weeks and Michael O’Donnell (on his appointment to the Board). 
None of the Committee members has any personal or fi nancial interest 
in the matters to be decided (other than as shareholders), potential 
confl icts of interest arising from cross-directorships nor any day-to-day 
involvement in running the business. At the 2012 AGM, Antony Beevor 
and Wilf Weeks will retire from the Committee (and the Board) and 
immediately following the 2012 AGM, Richard Grant will be appointed 
Chairman and Richard Gillingwater will be appointed to the Committee. 

The Committee endorses the principles set out in the FRC Guidance on 
Audit Committees. The Board has formal and transparent arrangements 
for considering how it applies the Group’s fi nancial reporting and internal 
control principles and for maintaining an appropriate relationship with 
its auditors. Whilst all directors have a duty to act in the interests of the 
Group, the Committee has a particular role, acting independently from 
the executive, to ensure that the interests of shareholders are properly 
protected in relation to fi nancial reporting and internal control. 
Appointments to the Committee are made by the Board on the 
recommendation of the Nominations Committee in consultation with 
the Audit Committee Chairman.

The terms of reference of the Audit Committee are available by request 
and are included on the Group’s website at www.helical.co.uk.

The work of the audit committee in the year
The Committee met three times during the year and a record of 
attendance at these meetings is shown on page 43. It is common 
practice at Helical for Audit Committee meetings to be attended by 
all Board members who are available, whether or not they are members 
of the Committee so that their contribution to the matters discussed 
may be obtained.

Matters formally reviewed and discussed by the Committee during the 
year included:

•   The Group’s compliance with the UK Corporate Governance Code 

including its whistle-blowing policies;

•   The adoption of a policy and procedures to ensure compliance 

with the Bribery Act 2010;

•   Review of the group’s policies on equal opportunities and health 

& safety;

•   Review of the group’s environmental management systems;

•   Review of the group’s internal controls;

•   The group’s principal risks;

•   IT risk and business continuity planning;

•   The fi nancial statements of the Group and the Preliminary 

Announcement of the annual results to 31 March 2011 and the 
Interim Statement on the half year results to 30 September 2011; 

•   The re-appointment of the Group’s external auditors; and,

•   The external auditors independence and the provision of non-audit 

services by the external auditors.

The Audit Committee met the external auditors on two occasions to 
discuss matters arising from the annual and interim audits.

Audit independence
A policy of reviewing audit independence has been adopted whereby 
non-audit services undertaken by the auditors are approved prior to work 
being carried out. The audit committee considers the external auditors to 
be independent and has satisfi ed itself of the effectiveness of the external 
auditors.

The Group’s policy on awarding non-audit work to its auditors is designed 
to ensure that the Group receives the most appropriate advice without 
compromising the independence of the auditors. Whilst no fee caps or 
limits have been set by the Committee, the level of fees would be a factor 
in considering whether the auditors’ independence could be affected by 
the award of non-audit work.

Annual General Meeting 
At the Annual General Meeting to be held on 24 July 2012 the following 
resolutions relating to the auditors are being proposed: 

•   The re-appointment of Grant Thornton UK LLP as Independent 

Auditor; and, 

•   To authorise the Directors to set the remuneration of the Independent 

57

Auditor.

I trust that shareholders will support the Committee and vote in favour 
of these resolutions. 

Antony Beevor
Chairman of the Audit Committee

20 June 2012

report of the audit committee helical bar plc 2012

report of the directors

Principal activities
The principal activity of the Company is that of a holding company and 
the principal activities of the subsidiaries are property investment, trading 
and development.

Results 
The results for the year are set out in the consolidated income statement on 
page 62 and consolidated statement of comprehensive income on page 63. 

Dividends
An interim dividend of 1.75p (2011: 1.75p) was paid on 22 December 
2011 to shareholders on the shareholder register on 2 December 2011. 
A fi nal dividend of 3.40p (2011: 3.15p) per share is recommended for 
approval at the Annual General Meeting on 24 July 2012. The total 
ordinary dividend paid in the year of 4.90p (2011: 2.00p) per share 
amounts to £5,707,000 (2010: £2,122,000).

Corporate governance review
The Group’s Corporate Governance Policies, compliance with the UK 
Corporate Governance Code and Going Concern statement are set out 
on pages 41 to 44 of the Corporate Governance Review.

58

Employees and charitable and political donations
The Group’s policies on employment and details of its policies regarding 
charitable and political donations are included in the Corporate 
Governance Review on page 44.

Re-appointment of directors
The directors listed on page 47 constituted the Board for the year, 
save that Michael O’Donnell and Duncan Walker were appointed on 
24 June 2011. At the 2012 Annual General Meeting, Giles Weaver 
(Chairman), Antony Beevor (Senior independent Director and Chairman 
of the Audit Committee) and Wilf Weeks will step down from the Board. 
The remaining directors currently serving will offer themselves for 
re-election at the AGM. Immediately following the AGM Nigel McNair 
Scott, if re-elected, will be appointed non-executive Chairman of the 
Company. Tim Murphy, currently the Deputy Finance Director, will be 
appointed to the Board as Finance Director and Richard Gillingwater 
and Richard Grant will be appointed as non-executive directors. 
Richard Gillingwater will be appointed Senior Independent Director and 
Richard Grant will be appointed as Chairman of the Audit Committee. 

Details of directors’ remuneration and their interests in share awards 
are set out in the Directors’ Remuneration Report on pages 50 to 56. 

Directors’ liability insurance and indemnity
The Company has arranged insurance cover in respect of legal action 
against its directors. To the extent permitted by UK Law, the Company 
also indemnifi es the directors against claims made against them as a 
consequence of the execution of their duties as directors of the Company. 

Post balance sheet events
There were no reportable events after the balance sheet date of 
31 March 2012. 

report of the directors’ helical bar plc 2012

Share Capital
At 1 April 2011, 31 March 2012 and 20 June 2012 there were 
118,137,522 ordinary 1p shares in issue. 

Substantial Shareholdings
At 12 June 2012, the shareholders listed below had notifi ed the Company 
of a disclosable interest of 3% or more in the nominal value of the 
ordinary share capital of the Group:

Michael Slade – Chief Executive  

Aberdeen Asset Managers  

Baillie Gifford 

BlackRock  

Artemis Investment Management  

Investec Asset Management 

Dimensional Fund Advisors 

Number of  
ordinary shares 
at 12 June 2012  

13,430,919 

11,588,920  

9,828,259 

5,829,835  

5,215,911  

4,831,212 

4,181,157  

Legal & General Investment Management  

4,119,565 

%

11.4

9.8

8.3

4.9

4.4

4.1

3.5

3.5

PGGM Investments  

4,034,863  

3.4 

Amendment of articles of association
The Company’s articles of association can be amended only by a special 
resolution of the members, requiring a majority of not less than 75% of 
such members voting in person or by proxy.

Takeovers Directive
Where not provided elsewhere in this Report of the Directors, the 
following provides the additional information required for shareholders as 
a result of the implementation of the Takeovers Directive into English law.

The Company’s share capital consists of both ordinary shares and 
deferred shares. Each class of shares rank pari passu between 
themselves. Details of the Company’s share capital can be found in note 
27 to the fi nancial statements. There are no restrictions on the transfer of 
the ordinary shares in the Company other than certain restrictions which 
may from time to time be imposed by laws and regulations (for example: 
insider trading laws) and pursuant to the Listing Rules of the Financial 
Services Authority whereby certain employees of the Group require the 
approval of the Company to deal in the ordinary shares.

On a show of hands at a general meeting of the Company, every holder 
of ordinary shares present in person and entitled to vote shall have one 
vote and on a poll every member present in person or by proxy and 
entitled to vote shall have one vote for every ordinary share held. The 
Notice of the Annual General Meeting specifi es deadlines for exercising 
voting rights and appointing a proxy or proxies to vote in relation to 
resolutions to be passed at the meeting. The rules governing the 
appointment and replacement of Directors and changes to the articles 
of association accord with usual English company law provisions.

Subject to the Company’s memorandum of association, the articles of 
association, any statute or subordinate legislation for the time being in 
force concerning companies and affecting the Company, and directions 
given by special resolution, the business of the Group shall be managed 
by the Directors, who may exercise all the powers of the Group.

 
 
 
Annual general meeting
The Annual General Meeting of the Company will be held on 24 July 2012 
at 11.30 a.m. at The Connaught, Carlos Place, Mayfair, London W1K 
2AL. The notice of meeting and the resolutions to be proposed at that 
meeting are set out in the enclosed circular and can be found on the 
Group’s website at www.helical.co.uk.

Auditors
Grant Thornton UK LLP have expressed their willingness to continue in 
offi ce. In accordance with section 489(4) of the Companies Act 2006, 
resolutions to reappoint Grant Thornton UK LLP and to authorise the 
directors to determine their remuneration will be proposed at the Annual 
General Meeting.

By order of the Board
Tim Murphy
Company Secretary

20 June 2012

Statement of directors’ responsibilities
The directors are responsible for preparing the Annual Report and the 
fi nancial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.

Company law requires the directors to prepare fi nancial statements for 
each fi nancial year. Under that law the directors have to prepare fi nancial 
statements in accordance with International Financial Reporting 
Standards as adopted by the European Union (IFRSs).

Under company law the directors must not approve the fi nancial 
statements unless they are satisfi ed that they give a true and fair view of 
the state of affairs of the Group and Company and of the profi t or loss of 
the Group for that period.

In preparing these fi nancial statements, the directors are required to:

•   select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

•   make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

•   state whether applicable IFRSs have been followed, subject to any 

material departures disclosed and explained in the fi nancial statements;

•   prepare the fi nancial statements on the going concern basis unless it is 

inappropriate to presume that the Group will continue in business.

59

The directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records 
that are suffi cient to show and explain the Group’s transactions and 
disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the fi nancial position of the 
Group and enable them to ensure that the fi nancial statements comply 
with the Companies Act 2006 and article 4 of the IAS Regulations. They 
are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Group and hence 
for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and 
other irregularities.

The directors confi rm that:

•   in so far as the directors are aware there is no relevant audit 
information of which the Group’s auditors are unaware; and,

•   the directors have taken all steps that they ought to have taken to 
make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to 
establish that the auditors are aware of that information.

We, the directors listed below, confi rm that to the best of our knowledge:

•   the fi nancial statements, prepared in accordance with the applicable 
set of accounting standards, give a true and fair view of the assets, 
liabilities, fi nancial position and profi t or loss of the group and the 
undertakings included in the consolidation taken as a whole; and,

•   the annual report includes a fair review of the development and 

performance of the business and the position of the group and the 
undertakings included in the consolidation taken as a whole, together 
with a description of the principal risks and uncertainties that they face.

The directors are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate 
and fi nancial information included on the Group’s website. Legislation in the 
United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of fi nancial 
statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions. 

On behalf of the Board
Michael Slade  
Chief Executive  

20 June 2012

Nigel McNair Scott
Finance Director

report of the directors’ helical bar plc 2012

 
 
index to fi nancial 
statements

61   report of independent auditor
62  consolidated income statement 
63  consolidated statement of comprehensive income
64  group and company balance sheets
66  group and company cash fl ow statements
67  group and company statements of changes in equity
68  notes to the fi nancial statements
99  ten year review

60

fi nancial statements helical bar plc 2012

report of independent auditor

Independent auditor’s report to 
the members of Helical Bar plc
We have audited the fi nancial statements of Helical Bar plc for the 
year ended 31 March 2012 which comprise the consolidated income 
statement, the consolidated statement of comprehensive income, the 
group and company balance sheets, the group and company cash fl ow 
statements, the group and parent company statements of changes in 
equity and the related notes. The fi nancial reporting framework that has 
been applied in their preparation is applicable law and International 
Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) as adopted by the European Union 
and, as regards the parent company fi nancial statements, as applied in 
accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act 2006.

This report is made solely to the company’s members, as a body, in 
accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. 
Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the 
company’s members those matters we are required to state to them 
in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent 
permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone 
other than the company and the company’s members as a body, for 
our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Respective responsibilities of directors and auditor
As explained more fully in the statement of directors’ responsibilities set 
out on page 59, the directors are responsible for the preparation of the 
fi nancial statements and for being satisfi ed that they give a true and fair 
view. Our responsibility is to audit and express an opinion on the fi nancial 
statements in accordance with applicable law and International Standards 
on Auditing (UK and Ireland). Those standards require us to comply with 
the Auditing Practices Board’s (APB’s) Ethical Standards for Auditors.

Scope of the audit of the fi nancial statements
A description of the scope of an audit of fi nancial statements is provided 
on the APB’s website atwww.frc.org.uk/apb/scope/private.cfm.

Opinion on fi nancial statements
In our opinion:

•   the fi nancial statements give a true and fair view of the state of the 
group’s and of the company’s affairs as at 31 March 2012 and of 
the group’s profi t for the year then ended;

•   the group fi nancial statements have been properly prepared in 
accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the European Union;

•   the company fi nancial statements have been properly prepared in 
accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the European Union and as 
applied in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act 2006; 
and

•   the fi nancial statements have been prepared in accordance with the 
requirements of the Companies Act 2006 and, as regards the group 
fi nancial statements, Article 4 of the IAS Regulation.

Separate opinion in relation to IFRSs as issued by the IASB
As explained in Note 1 to the group fi nancial statements, the group in 
addition to complying with its legal obligation to apply IFRSs as adopted 
by the European Union, has also applied IFRSs as issued by the 
International Accounting Standards Board (IASB).

In our opinion the group fi nancial statements comply with IFRSs as issued 
by the IASB.

Opinion on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006
In our opinion:

•   the part of the Directors’ Remuneration Report to be audited has been 

properly prepared in accordance with the Companies Act 2006;

•   the information given in the Directors’ Report for the fi nancial year for 
which the fi nancial statements are prepared is consistent with the 
fi nancial statements; and

•   the information given in the Corporate Governance Statement set out 

on pages 41 to 44 with respect to internal control and risk 
management systems in relation to fi nancial reporting processes and 
about share capital structures is consistent with the fi nancial statements.

Matters on which we are required to report by exception
We have nothing to report in respect of the following:

Under the Companies Act 2006 we are required to report to you if, 
in our opinion:

•   adequate accounting records have not been kept by the parent 

company, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received 
from branches not visited by us; or

•   the parent company fi nancial statements and the part of the Directors’ 
Remuneration Report to be audited are not in agreement with the 
accounting records and returns; or

61

•   certain disclosures of directors’ remuneration specifi ed by law are not 

made; or

•   we have not received all the information and explanations we require 

for our audit; or

•   a Corporate Governance Statement has not been prepared by the company.

Under the Listing Rules, we are required to review:

•   the directors’ statement, set out on page 44 in relation to going concern;

•    the part of the Corporate Governance Statement relating to the 

company’s compliance with the nine provisions of the UK Corporate 
Governance Code specifi ed for our review; and

•    certain elements of the report to the shareholders by the Board on 

directors’ remuneration.

Charles Hutton-Potts B.Sc., FCA
Senior Statutory Auditor
for and on behalf of Grant Thornton UK LLP
Statutory Auditor, Chartered Accountants
London

20 June 2012

fi nancial statements helical bar plc 2012

consolidated income statement 

  Year ended   Year ended 
31.3.11
£000

31.3.12 
£000 

Note 

52,968 

119,059

17,876 

14,187

2 

3 

4 

5 

20 

6 

18 

7 

9 

9 

34 

10 

655 

– 

2,472 

113 

21,116 

3,288 

– 

24,404 

(7,800) 

16,604 

(8,409) 

583 

(306) 

(1,064) 

7,408 

158 

7,566 

(9) 

7,575 

7,566 

(16,642)

(367)

2,886

(358)

(294)

7,512

(1,817)

5,401

(7,050)

(1,649)

(6,992)

652

1,776

(67)

(6,280)

2,391

(3,889)

(2)

(3,887)

(3,889)

(3.6p)

(3.6p)

14 

14  

6.5p 

6.5p 

For the year ended 31 March 2012

Revenue 

Net rental income  

Development property profi t/(loss) 

Trading property loss 

Share of results of joint ventures 

Other operating income/(expense) 

Gross profi t/(loss) before net gain on sale and revaluation of investment properties 

Net gain on sale and revaluation of investment properties 

Impairment of available-for-sale assets 

Gross profi t   

Administrative expenses 

Operating profi t/(loss) 

Finance costs  

Finance income 

Change in fair value of derivative fi nancial instruments 

Foreign exchange losses 

Profi t/(loss) before tax 

Taxation on profi t/(loss) on ordinary activities  

Profi t/(loss) after tax 

62

– attributable to non-controlling interests  

– attributable to equity shareholders  

Profi t/(loss) for the year  

Basic earnings/(loss) per share  

Diluted earnings/(loss) per share  

fi nancial statements helical bar plc 2012

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
consolidated statement of 
comprehensive income

For the year ended 31 March 2012

  Year ended   Year ended
31.3.11
£000

31.3.12 
£000  

Note 

Profi t/(loss) for the year  

Other comprehensive income 

Impairment of available-for-sale investments  

Associated deferred tax on the impairment    

Exchange difference on retranslation of net investments in foreign operations 

Total comprehensive income/(expense) for the year 

– attributable to equity shareholders 

– attributable to non-controlling interests 

Total comprehensive income/(expense) for the year 

18 

18 

7,566 

(3,889)

(3,521) 

(12,169)

– 

(39) 

4,006 

4,015 

(9) 

3,222

(14)

(12,850)

(12,848)

(2)

4,006 

(12,850)

63

fi nancial statements helical bar plc 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
group and company balance 
sheets

As at 31 March 2012

Non-current assets 

Investment properties held for sale 

Investment properties  

Owner occupied property, plant and equipment  

Available-for-sale investments 

Investment in subsidiaries 

Investment in joint ventures    

Derivative fi nancial instruments 

Goodwill  

Deferred tax asset 

Total non–current assets   

Current assets 

Land, developments and trading properties   

Available-for-sale investments  

Trade and other receivables   

64

Corporation tax receivable 

Cash and cash equivalents    

Total assets   

Current liabilities 

Trade and other payables 

Borrowings 

Non-current liabilities 

Borrowings 

Derivative fi nancial instruments 

Total liabilities 

Net assets 

fi nancial statements helical bar plc 2012

Group 
31.3.12  
£000  

Group   Company 
31.3.12  
£000  

31.3.11 
£000  

Company 
31.3.11 
£000

Note  

15 

15 

17  

18 

19 

20 

34 

– 

– 

19,350 

19,350 

326,876 

252,526 

– 

– 

– 

–

–

–

1,251 

1,497 

1,107 

1,336

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

–

31,173 

30,994

40,592 

36,064 

629 

– 

793 

14 

11 

9,050 

8,879 

165 

340 

– 

463 

165

715

–

717

378,398 

299,773 

378,398 

319,123 

33,248 

33,248 

33,927

33,927

21 

18 

22 

99,741 

147,542 

7,003 

10,505 

101 

– 

1,125

–

23,076 

35,783 

324,673 

375,751

1,178 

1,069 

1,250 

23  

35,411 

31,327 

26,355 

1,069

22,243

166,409 

226,226 

352,379 

400,188

544,807 

545,349 

385,627 

434,115

24 

25 

25 

34 

(24,807) 

(45,224) 

(146,865) 

(168,911)

(59,203) 

(37,500) 

(5,546) 

(4,500)

(84,010) 

(82,724) 

(152,411) 

(173,411)

(203,992) 

(199,917) 

(3,075) 

(7,311) 

(207,067) 

(207,228) 

– 

(837) 

(837) 

(9,910)

(3,373)

(13,283)

(291,077) 

(289,952) 

(153,248) 

(186,694)

253,730 

255,397 

232,379 

247,421

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
group and company balance 
sheets continued

As at 31 March 2012

Equity 

Called-up share capital  

Share premium account  

Revaluation reserve 

Capital redemption reserve    

Other reserves 

Retained earnings 

Group 
31.3.12  
£000  

Group   Company 
31.3.12  
£000  

31.3.11 
£000  

Company 
31.3.11 
£000

1,447 

1,447 

1,447 

98,678 

98,678 

98,678 

2,612 

7,478 

291 

3,495 

7,478 

291 

– 

7,478 

1,987 

1,447

98,678

–

7,478

1,987

143,111 

143,886 

122,789 

137,831

Equity attributable to equity holders of the parent 

253,617 

255,275 

232,379 

247,421

Non-controlling interests 

Total equity   

113 

122 

– 

–

253,730 

255,397 

232,379 

247,421

The fi nancial statements were approved by the Board of Directors on 20 June 2012.

Michael Slade 
Director  

Nigel McNair Scott 
Director

65

fi nancial statements helical bar plc 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
group and company cash fl ow 
statements

For the year to 31 March 2012

Cash fl ows from operating activities 
Profi t/(loss) before tax 
Depreciation    
Revaluation gain on investment properties    
Loss/(gain) on sales of investment properties 
Net fi nancing costs/(income)  
Impairment of available-for-sale assets 
Impairment of investments 
Change in value of derivative fi nancial instruments 
Share based payment charge/(credit) 
Share of results of joint ventures 
Fair value adjustment for disposal of interest in subsidiary 
Foreign exchange movement  
Other non-cash items 
Cash infl ow/(outfl ow) from operations before changes in working capital 
Change in trade and other receivables 
Change in land, developments and trading properties 
Change in trade and other payables 
Cash infl ow/(outfl ow) generated from operations 
Finance costs  
Finance income 
Tax paid 

66

Cash fl ows from operating activities 
Cash fl ows from investing activities 
Purchase of investment property 
Sale of investment property   
Proceeds from sale of derivative fi nancial instruments 
Cost of acquiring derivative fi nancial instruments 
Cost of cancelling interest rate swap 
Investment in joint ventures 
Return of investment in joint ventures 
Dividends from joint ventures  
Sale of plant and equipment   
Purchase of leasehold improvements, plant and equipment  
Net cash (used in)/generated from investing activities 
Cash fl ows from fi nancing activities 
Issue of shares 
Borrowings drawn down 
Borrowings repaid 
Equity dividends paid 
Net cash generated from/(used in) fi nancing activities 
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 
Exchange losses on cash and cash equivalents 
Cash and cash equivalents at 1 April  
Cash and cash equivalents at 31 March  

fi nancial statements helical bar plc 2012

Group 
31.3.12  
£000  

Group   Company 
31.3.12  
£000  

31.3.11 
£000  

Company 
31.3.11 
£000

7,408 
309 
(3,664) 
376 
7,826 
– 
– 
306 
35 
(2,472) 
(4,278) 
896 
7 
6,749 
12,503 
19,691 
(19,617) 
19,326 
(13,119) 
623 
– 
(12,496) 
6,830 

(102,750) 
50,434 
– 
(1,276) 
(3,102) 
– 
2,098 
500 
7 
(63) 
(54,152) 

– 
206,637 
(149,502) 
(5,707) 
51,428 
4,106 
(22) 
31,327 
35,411 

(6,280) 
328 
(2,670) 
(4,842) 
6,340 
1,817 
– 
(1,776) 
(196) 
(2,886) 
– 
228 
2 
(9,935) 
2,822 
38,867 
5,079 
36,833 
(11,264) 
465 
(68) 
(10,867) 
25,966 

(77,864) 
32,810 
568 
(744) 
(71) 
(9,520) 
1,970 
756 
2 
(189) 
(52,282) 

27,958 
56,536 
(61,523) 
(5,031) 
17,940 
(8,376) 
(97) 
39,800 
31,327 

(2,697) 
260 
– 
– 
(2,098) 
– 
– 
1,604 
– 
– 
– 
(838) 
7 
(3,762) 
51,118 
1,024 
(28,653) 
19,727 
(4,624) 
6,580 
– 
1,956 
21,683 

– 
– 
– 
(1,276) 
(2,489) 
– 
– 
– 
7 
(31) 
(3,803) 

– 
6,450 
(14,500) 
(5,707) 
(13,757) 
4,123 
(11) 
22,243 
26,355 

17,627
284
–
–
(2,929)
1,817
5,295
1,287
–
–
–
2
–
23,383
(23,042)
(157)
(16,542)
(16,358)
(2,066)
5,237
(68)
3,103
(13,255)

–
–
568
(552)
–
–
–
756
2
(146)
628

27,958
6,850
(20,163)
(5,031)
9,614
(3,013)
(2)
25,258
22,243

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
group and company statements 
of changes in equity

For the year to 31 March 2012

Group 

At 31 March 2010 
Total comprehensive expense 
Revaluation surplus 
Realised on disposals 
Performance share plan 
Issue of shares 
Dividends paid 
At 31 March 2011 
Total comprehensive income 
Revaluation surplus 
Realised on disposals 
Performance share plan 
Dividends paid 
At 31 March 2012 

Share 
capital 
£000 

Share  Revaluation 
reserve 
£000  

premium 
£000  

Capital 
redemption 
reserve 
£000 

Other 
reserves 
£000  

Retained 
earnings 
£000  

Non- 
controlling 
interests 
£000 

1,339 
– 
– 
– 
– 
108 
– 
1,447 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
1,447 

70,828 
– 
– 
– 
– 
27,850 
– 
98,678 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
98,678 

– 
– 
2,670 
825 
– 
– 
– 
3,495 
– 
3,664 
(4,547) 
– 
– 
2,612 

7,478 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
7,478 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
7,478 

291 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
291 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
291 

162,547 
(12,848) 
(2,670) 
(825) 
(196) 
– 
(2,122) 
143,886 
4,015 
(3,664) 
4,547 
35 
(5,708) 
143,111 

124 
(2) 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
122 
(9) 
– 
– 
– 
– 
113 

Total
£000

242,607
(12,850)
–
–
(196)
27,958
(2,122)
255,397
4,006
–
–
35
(5,708)
253,730

For a breakdown of Total comprehensive income/expense see the Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income on page 63.

Included within changes in equity are net transactions with owners of £5,673,000 (2011: £25,640,000) made up of: the performance share plan charge of £35,000 (2011: credit of 
£196,000), issue of shares of £nil (2011: £27,958,000), dividends paid of £5,708,000 (2011: £2,122,000). 

The adjustment to retained earnings of £35,000 adds back the share–based payments charge (2011: credit of £196,000), in accordance with IFRS 2 Share–Based Payments.

Company 

At 31 March 2010 
Total comprehensive income  
Issue of shares 
Dividends 
At 31 March 2011 
Total comprehensive income 
Dividends 
At 31 March 2012  

Share 
capital 
£000 

1,339 
– 
108 
– 
1,447 
– 
– 
1,447 

Share  Revaluation 
reserve 
£000  

premium 
£000  

Capital 
redemption 
reserve 
£000 

Other 
reserves 
£000  

70,828 
– 
27,850 
– 
98,678 
– 
– 
98,678 

– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 
– 

7,478 
– 
– 
– 
7,478 
– 
– 
7,478 

1,987 
– 
– 
– 
1,987 
– 
– 
1,987 

Retained 
earnings 
£000  

152,831 
(12,878) 
– 
(2,122) 
137,831 
(9,334) 
(5,708) 
122,789 

Total
£000

234,463
(12,878)
27,958
(2,122)
247,421
(9,334)
(5,708)
232,379

67

Total comprehensive income includes the loss after tax of £9,334,000 (2011: £4,592,000), the loss on fair value movements on available–for–sale investments of £nil (2011: £11,508,000), 
and the deferred tax credit on these fair value movements of £nil (2011: £3,222,000). 

Included within changes in equity are net transactions with owners of £5,708,000 (2011: £25,836,000) made up of: the issue of shares of £nil (2011: £27,958,000) and dividends paid of 
£5,708,000 (2011: £2,122,000) .

Notes:
Share capital – represents the nominal value of issued share capital.
Share premium – represents the excess of value of shares issued over their nominal value.
Revaluation reserve – represents the surplus of fair value of investment properties over their historic cost.
Capital redemption reserve – represents amounts paid to purchase issued shares for cancellation at their nominal value.
Retained earnings – represents the accumulated retained earnings of the Group.

fi nancial statements helical bar plc 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
notes to the fi nancial 
statements

1. Basis of preparation
These fi nancial statements have been prepared in accordance with applicable International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”), including 
International Financial Reporting Interpretations Committee (“IFRIC”) interpretations as adopted by the European Union and as issued by the 
International Accounting Standards Board (“IASB”).

The directors have taken advantage of the exemption offered by Section 408 of the Companies Act 2006 not to present a separate income statement 
for the parent company.

The fi nancial statements have been prepared in Sterling (rounded to the nearest thousand) under the historical cost convention as modifi ed by the 
revaluation of investment properties, available-for-sale investments and derivative fi nancial instruments. The measurement bases and principal 
accounting policies of the Group are set out in note 35. These accounting policies are consistent with those applied in the year to 31 March 2011, as 
amended to refl ect any new Standards, Amendments to Standards and interpretations which are mandatory for the year ended 31 March 2012.

Status of Adoption of Signifi cant New or Amended IFRS Standards or Interpretations 

IAS 24 (revised): Related Party disclosures;
IFRIC 17 Distributions of Non–cash Assets to Owners;
IFRIC 18 Transfer of Assets from Customers;
Disclosures – Transfer of Financial Assets – Amendments to IFRS 7; and
Improvements to IFRSs issued May 2010.

There has been no material impact as a result of adopting the above.

The following standards, interpretations and amendments have been issued but are not yet effective. They will be adopted at the point they are 
effective:

IAS 1 (amended): Presentation of items of other comprehensive income (effective 1 July 2012);
IAS 19 (revised): Employee benefi ts (effective 1 January 2013); 
IAS 27 (revised): Separate fi nancial statements (effective 1 January 2013);
IAS 28 (revised): Associates and joint ventures (effective 1 January 2013);
Deferred Tax: Recovery of Underlying Assets – Amendments to IAS 12;
Income Taxes (effective 1 January 2012);
IFRS 7 (amended): Disclosures – transfer of fi nancial assets (effective 1 January 2013);
IFRS 9: Financial Instruments: Classifi cation and measurement;
Mandatory effective date and transition disclosures – amendments to IFRS 9 and IFRS 7 (effective 1 January 2015);
IFRS 10: Consolidated fi nancial statements (effective 1 January 2013);
IFRS 11: Joint arrangements (effective 1 January 2013);
IFRS 12: Disclosures in interests in other entities (effective 1 January 2013); and
IFRS 13: Fair value measurement (effective 1 January 2013);

68

The Directors do not expect that the adoption of these Standards and Interpretations in future periods will have a material impact on the fi nancial 
statements of the Group. 

notes to the fi nancial statements helical bar plc 2012

2. Segmental information
IFRS 8 requires the identifi cation of the Group’s operating segments which are defi ned as being discrete components of the Group’s operations whose 
results are regularly reviewed by the Chief Operating Decision Maker (being the Chief Executive) to allocate resources to those segments and to assess 
their performance. The Group divides its business into the following segments:

•   Investment properties, which are owned or leased by the Group for long-term income and for capital appreciation, and Trading properties which are 

owned or leased with the intention to sell; and,

•   Development properties, which include sites, developments in the course of construction, completed developments available for sale and pre-sold 

developments.

Revenue 

Rental income  

Development property income 

Trading property sales  

Other revenue 

Total revenue  

Investment 
and trading  Developments 
Year ended 
Year ended 
31.3.12 
31.3.12 
£000 
£000 

Total 
Year ended 
31.3.12 
£000  

Investment 
and trading  Developments 
Year ended 
Year ended 
31.3.11 
31.3.11 
£000 
£000 

21,391 

– 

10,131 

31,522 

1,667 

19,666 

– 

21,333 

16,988 

– 

15,915 

32,903 

23,058 

19,666 

10,131 

52,855 

113 

52,968 

Total
Year ended
31.3.11
£000

18,590

84,311

15,915

1,602 

84,311 

– 

85,913 

118,816

243

119,059

All revenue is from external sales and is attributable to continuing operations. There were no inter-segmental sales.

Revenue for the year comprises revenue from construction contracts of £1,735,000 (2011: £22,978,000), revenue from the sale of goods of 
£25,652,000 (2011: £75,824,000), revenue from services of £2,523,000 (2011: £1,667,000), and rental income of £23,058,000 (2011: £18,590,000).

All revenues are within the UK other than rental income from development properties in Poland of £1,052,000 (2011: £958,000) and £2,965,000 (2011: 
£23,011,000) of development income derived from the Group’s operations in Poland.

69

notes to the fi nancial statements helical bar plc 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
notes to the fi nancial statements

Profi t/(loss) before tax 

Net rental income 

Development property profi t/(loss ) 

Trading property loss 

Share of results of joint ventures   

Gain on sale and revaluation of investment properties 

Impairment of available-for-sale investments 

Other operating income/(expense) 

Gross profi t 

Administrative expenses 

Finance income 

Finance costs 

Foreign exchange losses 

Profi t/(loss) before tax 

Investment 
and trading  Developments 
Year ended 
Year ended 
31.3.12 
31.3.12 
£000 
£000 

Total 
Year ended 
31.3.12 
£000  

Investment 
and trading  Developments 
Year ended 
Year ended 
31.3.11 
31.3.11 
£000 
£000 

Total
Year ended
31.3.11
£000

16,740 

1,136 

17,876 

13,776 

411 

14,187

– 

– 

2,616 

3,288 

655 

– 

(144) 

– 

655 

– 

2,472 

3,288 

 (367) 

2,905 

7,512 

– 

(19) 

– 

– 

(16,642) 

(16,642)

22,644 

1,647 

24,291 

23,826 

(16,250) 

– 

113 

24,404 

(7,800) 

583 

(8,715) 

(1,064) 

7,408 

(367)

2,886

7,512

7,576

(1,817)

(358)

5,401

(7,050)

652

(5,216)

(67)

(6,280)

Balance sheet 

Investment properties held for sale 

Investment properties 

Land, development and  trading properties 

Investment in joint ventures 

70

Other assets 

Total assets 

Liabilities 

Net assets 

31.3.12 
£000 

– 

326,876 

2,638 

31,919 

31.3.12 
£000 

– 

– 

97,103 

8,673 

31.3.12 
£000  

– 

31.3.11 
£000 

19,350 

326,876 

252,526 

31.3.11 
£000 

– 

– 

99,741 

40,592 

10,288 

31,401 

137,254 

4,663 

31.3.11
£000

19,350

252,526

147,542

36,064

361,433 

105,776 

467,209 

313,565 

141,917 

455,482

77,598 

544,807 

(291,077) 

253,730 

89,867

545,349

(289,952)

255,397

All non-current assets are derived from the Group’s UK operations except for Helical’s share of a held for sale investment held at £4,792,000 which is 
derived from the Group’s Polish operations.

notes to the fi nancial statements helical bar plc 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3. Net rental income

Gross rental income 

Rents payable 

Property overheads 

Net rental income 

Net rental income attributable to profi t share partner 

Group share of net rental income 

   Year ended 
31.3.12 
£000  

 Year ended
31.3.11
£000 

23,058 

18,590

(418) 

(24)

(3,938) 

(3,662)

18,702 

14,904

(826) 

(717)

17,876 

14,187

Property overheads include lettings costs, vacancy costs and bad debt provisions.

The amounts above include gross rental income from investment properties of £21,106,000 (2011: £16,729,000) and net rental income of 
£16,490,000 (2011: £13,526,000).

4. Development property profi t/(loss)

Development property income 

Cost of sales   

Sales expenses 

Provision against book values 

Development property profi t/(loss) 

  Year ended 
31.3.12 
£000  

Year ended
31.3.11
£000 

19,666 

84,311

(13,935) 

(85,041)

(565) 

(999)

(4,511) 

(14,913)

71

655 

(16,642)

In accordance with IAS27, development property income includes a £4.3m gain resulting from the sale of 50% of a fully owned subsidiary (see note 20).

5. Trading property loss

Trading property sales 

Cost of sales   

Sales expenses 

Trading property loss 

  Year ended 
31.3.12 
£000  

Year ended
31.3.11
£000 

10,131 

15,915

(10,131) 

(16,181)

– 

– 

(101)

(367)

notes to the fi nancial statements helical bar plc 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
notes to the fi nancial statements

6. Net gain on sale and revaluation of investment properties
  Year ended 
31.3.12 
£000  

Year ended
31.3.11
£000 

Net proceeds from the sale of investment properties  

Book value (note 15) 

Tenants incentives on sold investment properties 

(Loss)/gain on sale of investment properties  

Revaluation surplus on investment properties 

Gain on sale and revaluation of investment properties 

7. Administrative expenses

Administrative expenses 

Operating profi t/(loss) is stated after the following items that are contained within administrative expenses: 

Depreciation   

   – owner occupied property, plant and equipment 

Share-based payments charge/(credit) 

Auditors’ remuneration:

72

Audit fees 

   – audit of parent company and consolidated fi nancial statements 

   – audit of company’s subsidiaries 

   – interim audit of consolidated fi nancial statements 

   – internal controls review 

Non–audit fees

  – PSP review 

50,427 

32,810

(50,768) 

(27,902)

(35) 

(376) 

3,664 

3,288 

(66)

4,842

2,670

7,512

  Year ended 
31.3.12 
£000  

Year ended
31.3.11
£000 

(7,800) 

(7,050)

309 

35 

145 

57 

40 

16 

– 

328

(196)

140

51

41

–

3

notes to the fi nancial statements helical bar plc 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
8. Staff costs

Staff costs during the year: 

  – salaries and other remuneration 

  – social security costs  

  – other pension costs  

  Year ended 
31.3.12 
£000  

Year ended
31.3.11
£000 

4,615 

4,199

657 

136 

625

120

5,408 

4,944

Details of the remuneration of Directors amounting to £2,482,000 (2011: £2,597,000) are included in the Directors’ Remuneration Report on pages 50 
to 56. The amount of the share-based payments charge relating to share awards made to Directors is £29,000 (2011: credit of £165,000).

Other pension costs relate to payments to individual pension plans.

The average number of employees (management and administration) of the Group during the year was 36 (2011: 34) of which 27 are UK staff and 9 
are based in Poland.

Of the staff costs of £5,408,000 (2011: £4,944,000), £5,007,000 is included within administrative expenses (2011: £4,544,000) and £401,000 is 
included within development costs (2011: £400,000).

9. Finance costs and fi nance income

Interest payable on bank loans and overdrafts  

Other interest payable and similar charges 

Interest capitalised  

Finance costs  

Interest receivable and similar income  

Finance income 

  Year ended 
31.3.12 
£000  

Year ended
31.3.11
£000 

73

(10,808) 

(901) 

3,300 

(8,409) 

583 

583 

(9,690)

(1,481)

4,179

(6,992)

652

652

On projects where specifi c third party loans have been arranged, interest has been capitalised at the rate for the individual loan. The weighted average 
capitalised interest rate of such loans was 3.35% (2011: 2.43%). Where general fi nance has been used to fund the acquisition and construction of 
properties the rate used was a weighted average of the fi nancing costs for the applicable borrowings of 4.64% (2011: 4.93%).

notes to the fi nancial statements helical bar plc 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
notes to the fi nancial statements

10. Taxation on profi t on ordinary activities

The tax credit is based on the loss/profi t for the year and represents: 

United Kingdom corporation tax at 24%/26% 

  – Group corporation tax 

  – adjustment in respect of prior periods 

  – overseas tax 

Current tax (charge)/credit 

Deferred tax at 24%

  – capital allowances  

  – tax losses  

  – other temporary differences 

Deferred tax credit 

Tax credit on profi t/(loss) on ordinary activities  

Factors affecting the tax credit for the period: 
The tax assessed for the period is lower than the standard rate of corporation tax in the UK (24%). 
The differences are explained below:

Profi t/(loss) on ordinary activities before tax   

Profi t/(loss) on ordinary activities multiplied by standard rate of corporation tax in the UK of 24%/26% 

74

Effect of: 

  – expenses not deductible for tax purposes 

  – income not subject to UK corporation tax 

  – capital allowances not refl ected through deferred tax 

  – tax relief on share awards  

  – tax losses utilised 

  – operating profi t of joint ventures 

  – prior year adjustment 

  – revaluation surplus not recognised through deferred tax  

  – chargeable gain in excess of loss on investment property 

  – overseas tax 

  – effect of change in rate of corporation tax 

  – other temporary differences 

Total tax credit for the period  

  Year ended 
31.3.12 
£000  

Year ended
31.3.11
£000 

– 

153 

(163) 

(10) 

348 

1,045 

(1,225) 

168 

158 

–

–

(97)

(97)

442

1,823

223

2,488

2,391

  Year ended 
31.3.12 
£000  

Year ended
31.3.11
£000 

7,408 

(1,778) 

(6,280)

1,633

(506) 

(1,281)

1,695 

475 

(23) 

(1,442) 

580 

153 

880 

(82) 

(163) 

– 

369 

158 

469

553

(123)

(212)

751

–

694

(538)

(97)

(568)

1,110

2,391

Note: all deferred tax balances have been calculated at the rate of corporation tax for the year to 31 March 2013 of 24%. Accordingly, the tax reconciliation also uses this rate of corporation tax.

Factors that may affect future tax charges
The tax charge is expected to be less than the full rate in future years, primarily due to the Group continuing to claim allowances in respect of eligible 
expenditure on investment properties and unrealised capital losses at 31 March 2012 of £10m.

notes to the fi nancial statements helical bar plc 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
11. Deferred tax
Deferred tax provided for in the fi nancial statements is set out below:

Capital allowances 

Tax losses 

Other temporary differences   

Deferred tax asset 

Group  
31.3.12 
£000  

Group 
31.3.11 
£000  

Company 
31.3.12 
£000  

Company 
31.3.11
£000

(2,467) 

(2,815) 

10,572 

945 

9,050 

9,527 

2,167 

8,879 

– 

– 

463 

463 

(29)

–

746

717

Other temporary differences represent deferred tax assets arising from the recognition of the fair value of derivative fi nancial instruments and future tax 
relief available to the Group from capital allowances and when share awards vest.

If upon sale of the investment properties the Group retained all the capital allowances, the deferred tax provision in respect of capital allowances of 
£2.5m (2011: £2.8m) would be released and further capital allowances of £7.7m (2011: £10.6m) would be available to reduce future tax liabilities.

12. Dividends paid and payable

Attributable to equity share capital 

Ordinary 

  – interim paid of 1.75p (2011: 1.75p) per share 

  – prior period fi nal paid of 3.15p (2011: 0.25p) per share   

Total dividends paid and payable in year – 4.90p (2011: 2.00p) per share   

  Year ended 
31.3.12 
£000  

Year ended
31.3.11
£000 

2,044 

3,663 

5,707 

1,857

265

2,122

75

An interim dividend of 1.75p was paid on 22 December 2011 to shareholders on the register on 2 December 2011. The fi nal dividend, if approved at 
the AGM on 24 July 2012, will be paid on 26 July 2012 to shareholders on the register on 29 June 2012. This fi nal dividend, amounting to £3,973,000, 
has not been included as a liability as at 31 March 2012, in accordance with IFRS.

13. Parent company
The Company has taken advantage of Section 408 of the Companies Act 2006 and has not included its own income statement in the fi nancial 
statements. The loss for the year of the Company was £9,334,000 (2011: £4,592,000).

notes to the fi nancial statements helical bar plc 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
notes to the fi nancial statements

14. Earnings per share
The calculation of the basic earnings per share is based on the earnings attributable to ordinary shareholders divided by the weighted average number 
of shares in issue during the year. This is a different basis to the net asset per share calculations which are based on the number of shares at the year 
end. Shares held by the ESOP, which has waived its entitlement to receive dividends, are treated as cancelled for the purposes of this calculation.

The calculation of diluted earnings per share is based on the basic earnings per share, adjusted to allow for the issue of shares on the assumed 
exercise of all dilutive options.

The earnings per share are calculated in accordance with IAS 33, Earnings per Share and the best practice recommendations of the European Public 
Real Estate Association (“EPRA”).

Reconciliations of the earnings and weighted average number of shares used in the calculations are set out below.

Ordinary shares in issue 

Weighting adjustment 

Weighted average ordinary shares in issue for calculation of basic earnings/(loss) per share 

Weighted average ordinary shares issued on exercise of share options 

Weighted average ordinary shares to be issued under performance share plan 

  Year ended 
31.3.12 
£000  

Year ended
31.3.11
£000 

118,138 

118,138

(1,292) 

(8,700)

116,846 

109,438

34 

63 

–

–

Weighted average ordinary shares in issue for calculation of diluted and diluted EPRA earnings/(loss) per share 

116,943 

109,438

Earnings/(loss) used for calculation of basic and diluted earnings per share 

7,575 

(3,887)

Basic earnings/(loss) per share 

Diluted earnings/(loss) per share 

76

Earnings/(loss) used for calculation of basic and diluted earnings per share 

Net gain on sale and revaluation of investment properties 

Share of net gain on revaluation of investment properties in the results of joint ventures 

Tax on profi t on disposal of investment properties 

Trading property loss 

Fair value movement on derivative fi nancial instruments 

Share of fair value movements on derivative fi nancial instruments in the results of joint ventures 

Impairment of available-for-sale investment   

Deferred tax   

Earnings/(loss) used for calculation of diluted EPRA earnings per share 

6.5p 

(3.6p)

6.5p 

(3.6p)

7,575 

(3,288) 

(581) 

(90) 

– 

306 

409 

– 

(323) 

4,008 

(3,887)

(7,512)

(583)

1,162

367

(1,776)

162

1,817

3,241

(7,009)

Diluted EPRA earnings/(loss) per share 

3.4p 

(6.4p)

In accordance with IAS 33 no dilutive weighting adjustments have been made for share awards in existence during the year to 31 March 2011 as a loss 
was made during that year making the adjustments anti-dilutive. Accordingly, the basic and diluted losses per share for that year are the same.

The earnings/(loss) used for calculation of diluted EPRA earnings per share includes net rental income and development property profi ts/losses but 
excludes trading property losses.

notes to the fi nancial statements helical bar plc 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
15. Investment properties

Group 

Fair value at 1 April  

Property acquisitions 

Disposals  

Revaluation surplus/(defi cit)   

Revaluation surplus/(defi cit) attributable to profi t share partner 

Freehold   Leasehold 
31.3.12 
£000 

31.3.12 
£000  

Total  
31.3.12 
£000 

Freehold  
31.3.11 
£000  

Leasehold 
31.3.11 
£000 

Total 
31.3.11
£000

232,326 

102,238 

39,550 

271,876 

212,651 

7,250 

219,901

512 

102,750 

44,877 

32,987 

77,864

(47,158) 

(3,610) 

(50,768) 

(27,902) 

– 

(27,902)

5,516 

(646) 

(1,852) 

– 

3,664 

(646) 

3,357 

(657) 

(687) 

– 

2,670

(657)

Fair value at 31 March 

292,276 

34,600 

326,876 

232,326 

39,550 

271,876

Within Investment Properties held at 31 March 2011 was one property which was classifi ed as being held for sale per IFRS 5. This property was being 
marketed for sale at 31 March 2011 and was sold on 17 May 2011. At 31 March 2011 the value of this property was £19,350,000. 

A disposal of the investment property portfolio at its stated fair value would crystallise a net payment of £791,000 (2011: £1,062,000) due to the 
Group’s joint venture partners in respect of their share of the revaluation surplus.

Interest capitalised during the year in respect of the refurbishment of investment properties amounted to £nil (2011: £nil). 

Interest capitalised in respect of the refurbishment of investment properties is included in investment properties to the extent of £5,767,000 (2011: 
£5,767,000).

Investment properties with a total fair value of £326,875,000 were held as security against borrowings.

Properties are stated at market value as at 31 March 2012, valued by professionally qualifi ed external valuers except for investment properties valued 
by the Directors. The valuations have been prepared in accordance with the Valuation Standards (6th edition) published by the Royal Institution of 
Chartered Surveyors (“the Standards”). In their valuation reports, the valuers have noted, in accordance with Guidance Note 5 of the Standards, that 
the primary source of evidence for valuations is recent, comparable market transactions on arms length terms. The Directors have valued £5,001,000 
(1.5%) of the investment portfolio on a discounted cashfl ow basis representing the present value of future income receivable upon the disposal by 
residents of units in the Group’s retirement village portfolio.

The investment properties have been valued at 31 March 2012 as follows:

Cushman & Wakefi eld LLP 

Drivers Jonas Deloitte 

Directors’ valuation 

The historical cost of investment property is £321,970,000 (2011: £264,947,000).

77

31.3.12 
£000 

31.3.11
£000

321,875 

261,975

– 

5,001 

5,500

4,401

326,876 

271,876

notes to the fi nancial statements helical bar plc 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
notes to the fi nancial statements

16. Operating lease arrangements
The Group earns rental income by leasing its investment properties to tenants under non-cancellable operating leases. At the balance sheet date the 
Group had contracted with tenants to receive the following future minimum lease payments:

Not later than one year 

Later than one year but not more than fi ve years 

More than fi ve years 

The Company has no operating lease arrangements.

Group 
 31.03.12 
£000 

 Group
 31.03.11
£000

24,253 

68,716 

72,166 

17,881

47,581

54,615

165,135 

120,077

17. Owner occupied property, plant and equipment – Group

Short 
leasehold  

Plant and 
 improvements   equipment 
31.3.12 
£000 

31.3.12 
£000 

Cost at 1 April  

Additions at cost 

Disposals 

78

Cost at 31 March  

Depreciation at 1 April  

Provision for the year 

Eliminated on disposals  

Depreciation at 31 March  

Net book amount at 31 March  

2,071 

– 

– 

2,071 

897 

199 

– 

1,096 

975 

727 

63 

(104) 

686 

404 

110 

(104) 

410 

276 

Short 
leasehold  
Total  improvements  
31.3.11 
£000 

31.3.12 
£000 

2,798 

2,071 

63 

(104) 

2,757 

1,301 

309 

(104) 

1,506 

1,251 

– 

– 

2,071 

708 

189 

– 

897 

1,174 

Plant and 
equipment  
31.3.11 
£000 

670 

189 

(132) 

727 

395 

139 

(130) 

404 

323 

Total
31.3.11
£000

2,741

189

(132)

2,798

1,103

328

(130)

1,301

1,497

Plant and equipment include vehicles, fi xtures and fi ttings and other offi ce equipment.

All short leasehold improvements, plant and equipment relate to the Company except for plant and equipment with a net book value of £144,000 as at 
31 March 2012 (2011: £161,000).

notes to the fi nancial statements helical bar plc 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
18. Available–for–sale investments

  Non-current  Non-current 
31.3.11 
£000 

31.3.12 
£000 

Current 
31.3.12 
£000 

At 1 April 

Interest receivable 

Impairment in the year 

Fair value adjustments 

At 31 March   

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

13,325 

10,505 

– 

– 

(13,325) 

(3,521) 

– 

– 

19 

7,003 

10,505

Current
31.3.11
£000

10,959

207

–

(661)

Included within current available-for-sale investments is an amount lent to a company promoting a mainly residential mixed–use development and an 
investment of 20% of the equity of this company.

The loan and the equity are classed as available-for-sale investments and are held at fair value. The Group has determined its fair value by considering 
both the loan and the equity element separately. The loan element is valued at the fair value of the expected consideration to be received including 
anticipated future costs of recovering this loan. This amount has been impaired in the year due to a revision in the expected receipt. The equity element 
is given a nil value with the Group valuing the underlying company on a break up basis at £nil as it is believed that this is the most probable outcome. 
This nil valuation is derived because the Group believe that the value of the property and any other of the company’s assets, after the repayment of the 
loan payable to the Group, would be required to repay the outstanding creditors leaving negligible value to the shareholders.

Of the movement in the fair value of the loan and equity and the associated deferred tax movement, £19,000 of other fair value movement has been 
recognised in the Income Statement and the impairment of £3,521,000 has been recognised in Other Comprehensive Income.

During the year to 31 March 2011, the Group impaired its investment in Quotient Biosciences Group Ltd, a private bioscience company, due to the 
deterioration of its trading conditions. Of the impairment of £13,325,000, £1,817,000, representing the cost of our investment, was written off  through 
the Income Statement as Impairment of available-for-sale investments and the remaining £11,508,000 was written off in Other Comprehensive Income. 
In the year to 31 March 2012 the Group sold its investment for nominal consideration.

Movements in the Statement of Comprehensive Income comprise:

Fair value movements of available-for-sale investments 

Impairment movements of available-for-sale investments 

Deferred tax on fair value movements 

Deferred tax on impairments  

19. Investment in subsidiaries

At 1 April  

Acquired during year 

Impairment in the carrying value of investments 

At 31 March   

 2012 
£000 

– 

 2011
£000

(661)

(3,521) 

(11,508)

(3,521) 

(12,169)

79

– 

– 

– 

–

3,222

3,222

Group 
31.3.12 
£000 

Group 
31.3.11 
£000 

Company 
31.3.12 
£000  

Company
31.3.11
£000

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

30,994 

31,822

179 

– 

5

(833)

31,173 

30,994

notes to the fi nancial statements helical bar plc 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
notes to the fi nancial statements

The Company’s principal subsidiary undertakings, all of which have been consolidated, are:

Name of undertaking  

Baylight Developments Ltd* 
Dencora (Docklands) Ltd 
Dencora (Fordham) Ltd 
Downtown Space Properties LLP 
Harbour Developments (Bracknell) Ltd  
HB Sawston No. 3 Ltd 
Helical (Aldridge) Ltd 
Helical (Ashford) Ltd 
Helical Bar Developments (South East) Ltd 
Helical Bar (East Grinstead) Ltd 
Helical Bar (Great Dover Street) Ltd 
Helical Bar (Hawtin Park No. 3) Ltd  
Helical Bar (Mitre Square) Ltd  
Helical Bar Services Ltd  
Helical Bar (Wales) Ltd*  
Helical Bar (White City) Ltd 
Helical (Basildon Retail) LP* 
Helical (Battersea) Ltd 
Helical (Bramshott Place) Ltd 
Helical (Broadway) Ltd 
Helical (Cardiff) Ltd 
Helical (Corby) Ltd* 
Helical (Corby Investments) Ltd 
Helical (Crownhill) Ltd 
Helical (East Kilbride) Ltd 
Helical (Exeter) Ltd 
Helical (Faygate) Ltd 
Helical (Fleet) No. 2 Ltd* 
Helical (Glasgow) Ltd 
Helical (Hailsham) Ltd  
Helical (Hedge End) Ltd 
Helical (Liphook) Ltd  
Helical (Merlin Park) Ltd  
Helical (Milton) Ltd 
Helical (Motherwell) Ltd  
Helical Retail Ltd  
Helical Retail (RBS) Ltd*  
Helical (Sevenoaks) Ltd  
Helical (Southall) Ltd 
Helical (Stockport) Ltd  
Helical (Telford) Ltd 
Helical (Winterhill) Ltd 
Helical Wroclaw Sp. z.o.o.* 
Metropolis Property Ltd 
Newmarket LP* 
Prescot Street Investments Ltd 
61 Southwark Street Ltd*  
Sutton-in-Ashfi eld LP* 

80

Nature of business 

Percentage of ordinary share capital held

Investment  
Investment 
Investment 
Development 
Development  
Investment  
Investment 
Investment 
Development 
Investment 
Investment 
Investment 
Development  
Management Services  
Investment  
Development 
Investment 
Investment 
Development 
Investment 
Investment 
Investment 
Investment 
Investment 
Investment 
Development 
Development 
Investment  
Investment/Trading 
Development 
Trading 
Development (Jersey)  
Investment 
Development 
Investment 
Development 
Development 
Investment  
Development 
Development 
Development 
Investment 
Development (Poland) 
Investment 
Investment 
Investment 
Investment 
Investment 

100%
100%
100%
70%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%

All principal subsidiary undertakings operate in the United Kingdom other than Helical Wroclaw Sp. z.o.o. and, unless otherwise indicated, are 
incorporated and registered in England and Wales. In line with s410(2) of the Companies Act 2006 a full list of all subsidiaries is lodged with the Annual 
Return at Companies House.

*Ordinary capital is held by a subsidiary undertaking.

Investments in subsidiaries have been impaired based on a review of their fair value at the balance sheet date. A review of the fair value of the 
investments is undertaken periodically. The fair value of the investment in subsidiaries is based on the value of the subsidiaries underlying assets.

notes to the fi nancial statements helical bar plc 2012

 
20. Investment in joint ventures
Investment 

& trading  Development 
31.3.12 
£000 

31.3.12 
£000 

Investment 

Total 
31.3.12 
£000 

& trading  Development 
31.3.11 
£000 

31.3.11 
£000 

Group
31.3.11
£000

Summarised statements of consolidated income 

Revenue 

Net rental income 

Gain on revaluation of investment properties  

Other operating (expense)/income 

Net fi nance costs 

Profi t before tax 

Tax 

Profi t after tax  

Summarised balance sheets 

Investment properties 

Other non-current assets 

Land, development and trading properties 

Held for sale investments 

Other current assets 

Current liabilities 

Non-current liabilities 

Net assets 

6,584 

4,866 

581 

(52) 

(2,794) 

2,601 

15 

2,616 

67,187 

28 

– 

– 

5,750 

339 

194 

– 

(230) 

(108) 

(144) 

– 

(144) 

– 

– 

6,923 

5,060 

581 

(282) 

(2,902) 

2,457 

15 

2,472 

5,561 

3,432 

798 

72 

(1,516) 

2,786 

119 

2,905 

67,187 

65,875 

193 

158 

– 

– 

(177) 

(19) 

– 

(19) 

5,754

3,590

798

72

(1,693)

2,767

119

2,886

– 

– 

65,875

–

14,434 

14,434

28 

15,709 

15,709 

4,792 

517 

4,792 

6,267 

– 

– 

– 

– 

4,660 

5,619 

(4,604) 

(10,245) 

(14,849) 

(3,641) 

(13,890) 

(36,442) 

(2,100) 

(38,542) 

(35,493) 

31,919 

8,673 

40,592 

31,401 

(1,500) 

4,663 

The cost of the Company’s investment in joint ventures was £165,000 (2011: £165,000).

At 31 March 2012 the Group and the Company had interests in the following joint venture companies:

Country of   Class of share   Proportion  

Proportion  
 capital held   held Group   held Company  

incorporation  

Abbeygate Helical (Leisure Plaza) Ltd 

Abbeygate Helical (Winterhill) Ltd 

Abbeygate Helical (C4.1) LLP 

The Asset Factor Ltd 

Shirley Advance LLP  

King Street Developments (Hammersmith) Ltd 

PH Properties Limited (BVI) 

Barts Two Investment Property Limited 

Helical Sosnica Sp. zoo. 

United Kingdom  

Ordinary  

United Kingdom 

Ordinary  

United Kingdom 

n/a  

United Kingdom 

Ordinary 

United Kingdom 

n/a  

United Kingdom  

British Virgin Islands 

Jersey 

Poland 

Ordinary 

Ordinary 

Ordinary 

Ordinary 

50%  

50%  

50%  

50%  

50%  

50%  

60% 

33% 

50% 

50%  Development

50%   Development

50%   Development

50%  Outsourcing

–   Development

–   Development

– 

– 

Investment

Investment

–  Development

During the year the Group sold 50% of its interest in its subsidiary Helical Sosnica Sp. zoo. for nominal consideration. At 31 March 2011 the results and 
fi nancial position were consolidated in the Group’s results and fi nancial position. The results of this Company for the part of the year before the sale 
were consolidated in the Group’s results and for the results of this Company for the part of the year after the sale and for the fi nancial position at the 
balance sheet date have been accounted for as an investment held for sale due to a commitment to sell the remaining 50% within the next 3 years.

Following the purchase of Barts in 2011, the joint venture company has a contingent liability to pay up to a further £35m which will be dependent upon 
the timing of vacant possession and the fl oor area of any future redevelopment scheme for which planning permission is received. The meeting of the 
conditions in which an extra payment is required will almost certainly result in an increase in the valuation of the property equal to or above the amount 
of the additional payment.

notes to the fi nancial statements helical bar plc 2012

–

10,279

(17,531)

(36,993)

36,064

81

Nature of
 business

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
notes to the fi nancial statements

21. Land, developments and trading properties
Group 

 Development  
properties 
31.3.12  
£000  

Trading 
 stock 
31.3.12  
£000  

  Development 
 properties 
31.3.11  
£000  

Total  
31.3.12  
£000  

Trading 
stock 
31.3.11  
£000  

Total 
31.3.11 
£000 

At 1 April  

Construction costs 

Interest capitalised 

Disposals  

Foreign exchange movements 

Provision 

At 31 March   

Company 

At 1 April  

Construction costs 

Disposals 

Provision 

At 31 March   

137,254 

10,288 

147,542 

182,303 

273 

182,576

21,653 

3,300 

2,481 

24,134 

25,026 

26,196 

51,222

– 

3,300 

4,179 

– 

4,179

(58,101) 

(10,131) 

(68,232) 

(58,995) 

(16,181) 

(75,176)

(2,492) 

(4,511) 

– 

– 

(2,492) 

(346) 

(4,511) 

(14,913) 

– 

– 

(346)

(14,913)

97,103 

2,638 

99,741 

137,254 

10,288 

147,542

 Development  Development 
 properties
31.3.11 
£000 

properties 
31.3.12  
£000  

1,125 

51 

(1,020) 

(55) 

101 

968

171

–

(14)

1,125

The directors’ valuation of trading and development stock shows a surplus of £33m above book value (2011: £32m). 

82

Interest capitalised in respect of the development of sites is included in stock to the extent of £6,379,000 (2011: £6,827,000). 

Land, developments and trading properties with carrying values totalling £83,493,000 (2011: £102,299,000) were held as security against borrowings.

22. Trade and other receivables

Trade receivables  

Amounts owed by joint venture undertakings  

Amounts owed by subsidiary undertakings    

Other receivables  

Prepayments and accrued income  

notes to the fi nancial statements helical bar plc 2012

Group  
31.3.12  
£000  

Group 
31.3.11  
£000  

Company 
31.3.12  
£000  

Company 
31.3.11 
£000 

8,025 

20,891 

12,457 

8,342 

428 

6,658 

116

4,669

– 

1,010 

1,584 

– 

316,935 

369,817

1,691 

4,859 

346 

306 

329

820

23,076 

35,783 

324,673 

375,751

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Receivables  

Fully performing 

Past due < 3 months 

Past due > 3 months 

Total receivables being fi nancial assets 

Total receivables being non-fi nancial assets   

Total receivables 

Group  
31.3.12  
£000  

Group 
31.3.11  
£000  

Company 
31.3.12  
£000  

Company 
31.3.11 
£000 

21,419 

32,175 

324,136 

374,620

231 

737 

2,062 

692 

– 

– 

–

–

22,387 

34,929 

324,136 

374,620

689 

854 

537 

1,131

23,076 

35,783 

324,673 

375,751

Past due receivables relate to a number of independent customers for whom there is no recent history of default. Against trade receivables, Helical held 
£0.9m of rental deposits at 31 March 2012 (2011: £0.8m).

Movements in the provision for impairment of trade receivables are as follows:

Gross receivables being fi nancial assets  

Provisions for receivables impairment 

Net receivables being fi nancial assets 

Group  
31.3.12  
£000  

Group 
31.3.11  
£000  

Company 
31.3.12  
£000  

Company 
31.3.11 
£000

22,784 

35,418 

324,136 

374,620

(397) 

(489) 

– 

–

22,387 

34,929 

324,136 

374,620

Receivables written off during the year as uncollectable 

465 

361 

– 

–

23. Cash and cash equivalents

83

Rent deposits and cash held at managing agents 

Cash held by solicitors 

Cash held in blocked accounts 

Cash deposits 

The cash held in blocked accounts was released to cash deposits 38 days after the year end.

Group  
31.3.12  
£000  

2,438 

1,115 

3,578 

28,280 

35,411 

Group 
31.3.11  
£000  

Company 
31.3.12  
£000  

Company 
31.3.11 
£000

3,313 

– 

773 

27,241 

31,327 

– 

– 

– 

–

–

–

26,355 

26,355 

22,243

22,243

notes to the fi nancial statements helical bar plc 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
notes to the fi nancial statements

24. Trade and other payables

Trade payables  

Social security costs and other taxation  

Amounts owed to joint venture undertakings 

Amounts owed to subsidiary undertakings 

Other payables  

Accruals and deferred income  

25. Debt

Current debt   

Bank loans repayable within:  

  – one to two years  

  – two to three years  

  – three to four years 

  – four to fi ve years 

Non-current debt 

84

Group  
31.3.12  
£000  

5,274 

1,231 

– 

– 

4,458 

13,844 

24,807 

Group 
31.3.11  
£000  

18,358 

70 

– 

– 

5,371 

21,425 

45,224 

Company 
31.3.12  
£000  

Company 
31.3.11 
£000 

270 

– 

– 

270

–

499

145,120 

161,546

79 

1,396 

729

5,867

146,865 

168,911

Group  
31.3.12  
£000  

Group 
31.3.11  
£000  

Company 
31.3.12  
£000  

Company 
31.3.11 
£000 

59,203 

37,500 

5,546 

4,500

71,551 

656 

21,600 

110,185 

74,318 

88,175 

4,199 

33,225 

203,992 

199,917 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

9,910

–

–

–

9,910

Bank overdrafts and term loans in creditors falling due within one year and after one year are secured against properties held in the normal course of 
business by subsidiary undertakings to the value of £410,368,000 (2011: £360,024,000). These will be repayable when the underlying properties are 
sold. Bank overdrafts and term loans exclude the Group’s share of borrowings in joint venture companies of £40,036,000 (2011: £39,384,000).

26. Financing and fi nancial instruments
The policies for dealing with liquidity and interest rate risk are noted in the Strategy and Performance Review on pages 6 to 9.

Bank overdraft and loans – maturity 

Due after more than one year  

Due within one year  

notes to the fi nancial statements helical bar plc 2012

Group 
31.3.12  
£000  

Group 
31.3.11 
£000 

203,992 

199,917

59,203 

37,500

263,195 

237,417

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Group has various undrawn committed borrowing facilities. The facilities available at 31 March 2012 in respect of which all conditions precedent 
had been met were as follows:

Expiring in one year or less    

Expiring in more than one year but not more than two years 

Expiring in more than four year but not more than fi ve years 

Interest rates – Group 

Fixed rate borrowings: 

  – swap rate plus bank margin 

  – swap rate plus bank margin 

  – swap rate plus bank margin 

  – swap rate plus bank margin 

  – swap rate plus bank margin 

  – swap rate plus bank margin 

  – swap rate plus bank margin 

  – swap rate plus bank margin 

  – swap rate plus bank margin 

Weighted average  

Floating rate borrowings 

Total borrowings 

Group 
31.3.12  
£000  

16,441 

777 

21,091 

38,309 

% 

Expiry 

31.3.12 
£000 

% 

Expiry 

Group 
31.3.11 
£000 

6,299

1,672

–

7,971

31.3.11
£000

– 

– 

– 

4.480 

Jun 2011 

4,236

3.950 

Jan 2015 

4.500 

Jan 2015 

6.401 

Oct 2012 

5.645 

Oct 2014 

6.240 

Dec 2013 

3.965 

Jan 2016 

5.300 

Apr 2012 

50,000 

12,250 

28,500 

6,690 

10,120 

9,172 

3,570 

– 

3.406 

6.401 

5.645 

– 

Jan 2015 

Oct 2012 

Oct 2014 

6.240 

Dec 2013 

– 

– 

5.300 

Apr 2012 

– 

– 

– 

7.208 

Aug 2013 

–

12,250

28,500

6,690

10,120

–

3,570

9,912

4.804  Mar 2014 

120,302 

5.769 

Jun 2013 

75,278

3.467 

Oct 2014 

142,893 

2.974 

May 2013 

162,139

263,195 

237,417

85

Changes in fi xed borrowing rates are the result of stepped increases in interest rate swaps rates. Floating rate borrowings bear interest at rates based 
on LIBOR. 

As at 31 March 2012 and 31 March 2011 the Company’s borrowings consist of fi xed rate borrowings of £6,690,000 at 5.645% (2011: 5.645%) 
expiring in October 2014 with the remainder being fl oating rate borrowings.

Economic hedging 
In addition to the fi xed rates, borrowings are also hedged by the following fi nancial instruments:

Instrument 

Current:

  – cap  

  – cap  

  – cap  

  – cap  

  – cap  

  – cap  

  – cap  

  – cap 

Value 
£000 

Rate 
% 

Start 

Expiry

40,950 

50,000 

25,000 

50,000 

25,000 – 75,000 

7,200 

10,613 – 11,037 

6.000 

May 2008 

 May 2013

4.000 

4.000 

4.000 

4.000 

4.000 

4.000 

Apr 2011 

 Apr 2015

Apr 2011 

 Apr 2016

Jul 2013 

 Jul 2016

Apr 2015 

 Jan 2017

Jan 2012 

 Oct 2016

Jan 2015 

 Jan 2016

1,656 – 1,851 

4.000 

May 2011 

May 2015

Where a range in capped values is shown, these refl ect stepped increases over the life of the cap.

notes to the fi nancial statements helical bar plc 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
notes to the fi nancial statements

Gearing

Total debt  

Cash  

Net debt  

Net debt excludes the Group’s share of debt in joint ventures of £40,036,000 (2011: £39,384,000).

Net assets  

Gearing  

27. Share capital

Authorised 

Group 
31.3.12  
£000  

Group
31.3.11
£000

263,195 

237,417

(35,411) 

(31,327)

227,784 

206,090

Group 
31.3.12  
£000  

Group
31.3.11
£000

253,730 

255,397

90% 

81%

31.3.12  
£000  

39,577 

39,577 

31.3.11
£000

39,577

39,577

The authorised share capital of the Company is £39,576,626.60 divided into ordinary shares of 1p each and deferred shares of 1⁄ 8p each.

86

Allotted, called up and fully paid 

  – 118,137,522 ordinary shares of 1p each  

  – 212,145,300 deferred shares of 1⁄ 8p each 

Ordinary shares 

At 1 April 

New shares issued 

At 31 March   

Deferred shares 

At 1 April 

At 31 March   

notes to the fi nancial statements helical bar plc 2012

31.3.12  
£000  

31.3.11
£000

1,182 

265 

1,447 

1,182

265

1,447

Shares 
in issue  
31.3.11 
Number 

Share
capital
31.3.11
£000

Shares 
in issue 
31.3.12 
Number 

Share 
capital 
31.3.12 
£000 

  118,137,522 

1,182 

  107,407,522 

– 

– 

10,730,000 

  118,137,522 

1,182 

  118,137,522 

  212,145,300 

  212,145,300 

265 

265 

  212,145,300 

  212,145,300 

1,074

108

1,182

265

265

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Group’s capital management objectives are:

–  to ensure the Group’s ability to continue as a going concern; and,
–  to provide an adequate return to shareholders.

The Group sets the amount of capital in proportion to its overall fi nancing structure. It manages the capital structure and makes adjustments to it in the 
light of changes in economic conditions and the risk characteristics of the underlying assets. In order to maintain or adjust the capital structure, the 
Group may adjust the amount of dividends paid to shareholders, return capital to shareholders, issue new shares, or sell assets to reduce debt. Capital 
is defi ned as being issued share capital, retained earnings, revaluation reserve and other reserves. (2012: £246,139,000; 2011: £247,797,000). The 
Group continually monitors its gearing level to ensure that it is appropriate. Gearing increased from 81% to 90% in the year due to the rebalancing of 
the Group’s property portfolio.

The deferred shares were issued on 23 December 2004 to those shareholders electing to receive a dividend, rather than a capital repayment or further 
shares in the Company, as part of the Return of Cash approved by shareholders on 20 December 2004. The deferred shares carry no voting rights and 
have no right to a dividend or capital payment in the event of a winding up of the Company. 

The Company’s Articles of Association give the Company irrevocable authority to purchase all or any of the deferred shares for a maximum aggregate 
total of 1 penny for all deferred shares in issue on the date of such purchase.

28. Share options
At 31 March 2012 there were 34,713 unexercised options over new ordinary 1p shares in the Company (31 March 2011: nil). No options over 
purchased ordinary 1p shares held by the ESOP had been granted to directors and employees under the Company’s share option schemes 
(31 March 2011: nil). 

Summary of share options 

At 1 April 

Options granted 

Options exercised 

Option expired/lapsed 

At 31 March   

  Weighted 
average 
exercise 
Price 
31.3.12 

Number 
31.3.12 

– 

– 

34,713 

259.25 

– 

– 

– 

– 

34,713 

259.25 

Weighted
average
exercise
price
31.3.11

Number 
31.3.11 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

87

–

–

–

–

–

notes to the fi nancial statements helical bar plc 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
notes to the fi nancial statements

29. Share–based payments
The Group provides share-based payments to employees in the form of performance share plan awards and a share incentive plan. The Company 
uses a stochastic valuation model and the resulting value is amortised through the Income Statement over the vesting period of the share-based 
payments.

Performance share plan awards 

Outstanding at beginning of period 

Awards vested during the period 

Awards lapsed during the period 

Awards cancelled during the period 

Awards made during the period 

Outstanding at end of period  

2012 
  Weighted 
average 
award 
value 

Awards 

2011
Weighted
average
award
value

Awards 

6,249,364 

284p  4,870,283 

– 

– 

– 

(1,747,441) 

276p 

(989,620) 

– 

– 

– 

2,728,927 

7,230,850 

259p  2,368,701 

277p  6,249,364 

332p

–

473p

–

276p

284p

The performance share plan awards outstanding at 31 March 2012 had a weighted average remaining contractual life of 1 year 4 months.

The inputs into the stochastic model of valuation of the PSP awards made in the year to 31 March 2012 were as follows:

Weighted average share price 

Weighted average exercise price 

Expected volatility 

Expected life   

Risk free rate   

88

Expected dividends 

2012 

2011 

215.2p 

285.1p 

– 

n/a 

– 

n/a 

2010

297.5p

–

n/a

3 years 

3 years 

3 years

n/a 

n/a 

n/a

1.88% 

1.05% 

1.51%

The Group recognised a charge of £35,000 (2011: credit of £196,000) during the year in relation to Share-based payments.

At the balance sheet date there were no exercisable awards.

30. Own shares held
Following approval at the 1997 Annual General Meeting the Company established the Helical Bar Employees’ Share Ownership Plan Trust (the “Trust”) 
to be used as part of the remuneration arrangements for employees. The purpose of the Trust is to facilitate and encourage the ownership of shares by 
or for the benefi t of employees by the acquisition and distribution of shares in the Company.

The Trust purchases shares in the Company to satisfy the Company’s obligations under its Share Option Schemes and Performance Share Plan.

At 31 March 2012 unexercised options over nil (2011: nil) ordinary 1p shares in Helical Bar plc had been granted over shares held by the Trust. 

At 31 March 2012 outstanding awards over 7,230,850 (2011: 6,249,364) ordinary 1p shares in Helical Bar plc had been made under the terms of the 
Performance Share Plan over shares held by the Trust.

notes to the fi nancial statements helical bar plc 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
31. Contingent liabilities
The Group’s share of its Joint Ventures’ contingent liabilities is discussed in note 20. The Group has guaranteed this payment in the event of default of 
the Joint Venture.

The Company has entered into cross guarantees in respect of the banking facilities of its subsidiaries. These are not considered to have a material value.

The Company has undertaken to provide support for some of its subsidiaries undertakings. However it does not believe that this support will be 
required in the foreseeable future.

Other than these contingent liabilities there were no contingent liabilities at 31 March 2012 for the Group or the Company (2011: £nil).

32. Net assets per share

31.3.12  
£000  

Number  
of shares  
000s  

31.3.12  
pence  
per share  

31.3.11  
£000  

Number  
of shares  
000s  

31.3.11
pence
per share 

Net asset value 

253,730 

118,138 

255,397 

118,138

Less: own shares held by ESOP 

– 

(1,292) 

– 

(1,292) 

deferred shares 

Basic net asset value 

Add: unexercised share options 

Add: dilutive effect of the Performance Share Plan 

Diluted net asset value 

Adjustment for: 

  – fair value of fi nancial instruments 

  – deferred tax 

(265) 

(265) 

253,465 

116,846 

217 

255,132 

116,846 

218

90 

1,757 

34 

901 

– 

– 

– 

– 

255,312 

117,781 

217 

255,132 

116,846 

218

3,494 

1,050 

7,071 

717 

89

Adjusted diluted net asset value 

259,856 

117,781 

221 

262,920 

116,846 

225

Adjustment for: 

  – fair value of trading and development properties 

34,542 

32,436 

Diluted EPRA net asset value  

294,398 

117,781 

250 

295,356 

116,846 

253

Adjustment for: 

  – fair value of fi nancial instruments 

  – deferred tax 

(3,494) 

(1,050) 

(7,071) 

(717) 

Diluted EPRA triple net asset value  

289,854 

117,781 

246 

287,568 

116,846 

246

The net asset values per share have been calculated in accordance with the best practice recommendations of the European Public Real Estate 
Association (“EPRA”). 

notes to the fi nancial statements helical bar plc 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
notes to the fi nancial statements

33. Related party transactions
At 31 March 2012 and 31 March 2011 the following amounts were due from the Group’s joint ventures.

Abbeygate Helical (Leisure Plaza) Ltd 

Abbeygate Helical (Winterhill) Ltd 

Abbeygate Helical (C4.1) LLP 

King Street Developments (Hammersmith) Ltd 

Shirley Advance LLP 

The Asset Factor Ltd 

PH Properties Limited (BVI) 

Barts Two Investment Property Limited 

Helical Sosnica Sp zoo 

All movements in joint venture balances related to loans repaid and loans advanced. 

At 31 March 2012 and 31 March 2011 there were the following balances between the Company and its subsidiaries.

Amounts due from subsidiaries 

Amounts due to subsidiaries  

At 31.3.12 
£000 

At 31.3.11
£000

2,316 

2,040

– 

10 

2,150 

4,603 

8 

– 

3 

3,367 

–

6

2,000

4,296

596

–

–

n/a

At 31.3.12 
£000 

At 31.3.11
£000

316,935 

369,817

145,120 

161,546

During the years to 31 March 2012 and 31 March 2011 there were the following transactions between the Company and its subsidiaries:

90

Management charges receivable 

Management charges payable 

Interest receivable 

Interest payable 

  Year ended 
31.3.12 
£000 

Year ended
31.3.11
£000

4,318 

127 

3,439 

– 

3,422

250

4,725

–

Management charges relate to the performance of management services for the Company or its subsidiaries. Interest receivable relates to interest on 
loans made by the Company to its subsidiaries. All of these transactions, and the year-end balance sheet amounts arising from these transactions were 
conducted on an arm’s length basis and on normal commercial terms. Amounts owed by subsidiaries to the company are identifi ed in note 22. 
Amounts owed to subsidiaries by the company are identifi ed in note 24.

The Group consider that the key management personnel are the directors and the detail of their remuneration is disclosed in the directors’ 
remuneration report on pages 50 to 56. Share based payments for directors are disclosed in note 8. 

notes to the fi nancial statements helical bar plc 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
34. Financial instruments
Categories of fi nancial instruments
Financial assets in the Group include derivative fi nancial assets which are designated as ‘Fair value through the Profi t or Loss’. Financial assets also 
include trade and other receivables and cash and cash equivalents all of which are included within loans and receivables as well as available-for-sale 
investments.

Financial liabilities in the Group comprise derivative fi nancial liabilities which are categorised as ‘Fair value through the Profi t or Loss’ (non hedge). 
Financial liabilities also include secured bank loans and overdrafts, trade and other payables, provisions and current tax liabilities, all of which are 
classifi ed as fi nancial liabilities at amortised cost.

Financial assets and liabilities by category
The fi nancial instruments of the Group as classifi ed in the fi nancial statements can be analysed under the following IAS 39 Financial Instruments: 
Recognition and Measurement, categories:

Financial assets

Loans and receivables 

Fair value through the Profi t or Loss 

Available-for-sale fi nancial assets 

Total fi nancial assets 

These fi nancial assets are included in the balance sheet within the following headings:

Group 
31.3.12 
£000 

Group 
31.3.11 
£000 

Company 
31.3.12 
£000 

Company
31.3.11
£000

57,798 

66,256 

350,491 

396,863

629 

793 

7,003 

10,505 

340 

– 

715

–

65,430 

77,554 

350,831 

397,578

Group 
31.3.12 
£000 

Group 
31.3.11 
£000 

Company 
31.3.12 
£000 

Company
31.3.11
£000

Available–for–sale investments 

Derivative fi nancial instruments 

Trade and other receivables   

Cash and cash equivalents 

Total fi nancial assets 

7,003 

10,505 

793 

– 

340 

–

715

629 

22,387 

35,411 

65,430 

34,929 

324,136 

374,620

31,327 

26,355 

22,243

77,554 

350,831 

397,578

91

Financial assets are stated in accordance with IAS 32 Financial Instruments: Presentation.

For fair value of available-for-sale investments see note 18. The carrying value of the trade and other receivables and cash and cash equivalents is 
deemed not to be materially different from the fair value.

Financial liabilities

Fair value through the Profi t or Loss 

Other fi nancial liabilities 

Total fi nancial liabilities 

Group 
31.3.12 
£000 

Group 
31.3.11 
£000 

Company 
31.3.12 
£000 

Company
31.3.11 
£000

(3,075) 

(7,311) 

(837) 

(3,373)

(280,864) 

(281,782) 

(152,411) 

(183,321)

(283,939) 

(289,093) 

(153,248) 

(186,694)

notes to the fi nancial statements helical bar plc 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
notes to the fi nancial statements

These fi nancial liabilities are included in the balance sheet within the following headings:

Trade and other payables 

Borrowings – current 

Borrowings – non current 

Derivative fi nancial instruments 

Total fi nancial liabilities 

Group 
31.3.12 
£000 

Group 
31.3.11 
£000 

Company 
31.3.12 
£000 

Company
31.3.11 
£000

(17,669) 

(44,365) 

(146,865) 

(168,911)

(59,203) 

(37,500) 

(5,546) 

(203,992) 

(199,917) 

(3,075) 

(7,311) 

– 

(837) 

(4,500)

(9,910)

(3,373)

(283,939) 

(289,093) 

(153,248) 

(186,694)

The carrying value of trade and other payables and borrowings is not deemed to be materially different from the fair value. Financial liabilities are stated 
in accordance with IAS 32.

The Group and Company fi nancial instruments that are measured subsequent to initial recognition at fair value are available-for-sale assets, forward 
exchange contracts and interest rate swaps, caps and fl oors. 

Forward foreign exchange contracts are externally measured using quoted forward exchange rates and yield curves derived from quoted interest rates 
matching maturities of the contracts. Interest rate swaps, caps and fl oors are measured at the present value of future cash fl ows estimated and 
discounted based on the applicable yield curves derived from quoted interest rates. 

IFRS 7 categorises fi nancial assets and liabilities as being valued in 3 hierarchical levels:

  – Level 1: values are unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities

  – Level 2: values are derived from observing market data

  – Level 3: values cannot be derived from observable market data

The derivative fi nancial instruments above have been valued using a Level 2 methodology and the available-for-sale investments, which are described 
in note 18, are classifi ed as Level 3 fair value measurements, being those not based on observable market data. There were no transfers between 
categories in the current or prior year.

92

Derivative fi nancial instruments

Derivative fi nancial assets  

Interest rate caps  

Foreign exchange contracts   

Derivative fi nancial liabilities 

Interest rate swaps 

Interest rate fl oors 

Group 
  Year ended 
31.3.12 
£000 

Group 

Company 
Year ended  Year ended 
31.3.12 
£000 

31.3.11 
£000  

Company
Year ended
31.3.11
£000

629 

– 

629 

629 

164 

793 

(3,075) 

– 

(3,075) 

(4,764) 

(2,547) 

(7,311) 

340 

– 

340 

(837) 

– 

(837) 

551

164

715

(826) 

(2,547)

(3,373)

The group’s movement in the fair value of the derivative fi nancial instruments in the year was a loss of £306,000 (2011: gain of £1,776,000); Company: 
loss of £1,604,000 (2011: £1,287,000).

notes to the fi nancial statements helical bar plc 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Credit risk
Credit risks arise from the possibility that customers may not be able to settle their obligations as agreed. To manage this risk the Group periodically 
assesses the fi nancial reliability of customers, taking into account the fi nancial position, past experience and other factors. 

As at 31 March 2012 Helical has total credit risk exposure excluding cash of £29m of which £7m is available-for-sale assets and £22m is loans and 
receivables. Available-for-sale assets are analysed in note 18.

Of the trade receivables held at 31 March 2012, £1.7m related to rent due from tenants which was received post year-end. 

All other debtors are deemed to be recoverable.

The Group is not reliant on any major customer for its ability to continue as a going concern.

For further information on trade and other receivables, see note 22.

Liquidity risk
Liquidity risk is defi ned as the risk that the Group would not be able to settle or meet its obligations on time or at a reasonable price. 

Liquidity and funding risks, related processes and policies are overseen by management.

Helical manages its liquidity risk on a consolidated basis based on business needs, tax, capital or regulatory considerations, if applicable, and through 
numerous sources of fi nance in order to maintain fl exibility. Management monitors the Group’s net liquidity position through rolling forecasts on the 
basis of expected cash fl ows. The Group’s cash and cash equivalents are held with major regulated fi nancial institutions and the directors regularly 
monitor the fi nancial institutions that the group uses to ensure its exposure to liquidity risk is minimised.

For further information on debt facilities, see notes 25 and 26.

The maturity profi le of the Group’s contracted fi nancial liabilities is as follows:

Payable within 3 months 

Payable between 3 months and 1 year 

Payable between 1 and 3 years  

Payable after 3 years 

Total contracted liabilities 

Group 
31.3.12 
£000 

19,913 

65,135 

Group 
31.3.11 
£000 

Company 
31.3.12 
£000 

Company
31.3.11
£000

66,099 

147,067 

169,556

29,042 

7,011 

89,567 

178,910 

140,201 

37,785 

789 

– 

314,816 

311,836 

154,867 

189,757

6,401

13,173

627

93

At 31 March 2012 Helical had £38m of undrawn borrowing facilities, £16m of uncharged property assets and cash balances of £35m. The above 
contracted liabilities assume that no loans are extended beyond their current facility expiry date. The management believe that these facilities, together 
with anticipated sales and the renewal of some of these loan facilities, mean that Helical can meet its contracted liabilities as they fall due.

Market risk
Helical is exposed to market risk, primarily related to interest rates, foreign currency exchange movements, the market value of the investments and 
accrued development profi ts. The Group actively monitors these exposures.

Interest rate risk
It is the Group’s policy and practice to minimise interest rate cash fl ow exposures on long-term fi nancing. Helical does this by using a number of 
derivative fi nancial instruments including interest rate swaps and interest rate caps. The purpose of these derivatives is to manage the interest rate risks 
arising from the Group’s sources of fi nance. The Group does not use fi nancial instruments for speculative purposes.

Details of fi nancing and fi nancial instruments can be found in note 26.

In the year to 31 March 2012, if interest rates had moved by 0.5%, this would have resulted in the following movement to pre-tax profi ts and equity due 
to movements in interest charges and mark-to-market valuations of derivatives.

notes to the fi nancial statements helical bar plc 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
notes to the fi nancial statements

0.5% increase – increase in net results and equity 

0.5% decrease – decrease in net results and equity 

Group
31 March 2012 

Company
31 March 2012

Impact on 
results 
£000 

Equity 
impact 
£000 

Impact on 
results 
£000 

2,988 

2,988 

1,713 

Equity
impact
£000

1,713

(3,787) 

(3,787) 

(1,713) 

(1,713)

Foreign currency exchange risk
Due to its operations in Poland and its investment in a non-UK based property developer, Helical has exposure to exchange movements on foreign 
currencies. Helical’s management monitors its exposure to risks associated with foreign currency exchange risk and reviews any requirements to act to 
minimise these risks. Helical has entered into currency option contracts in order to reduce its exposure to these risks.

In the year to 31 March 2012 the Group made foreign exchange losses of £1,064,000 resulting from movements in foreign exchange rates during the year 
affecting its assets and liabilities related to its overseas operations.

The Group’s balance sheet translation exposure is summarised as follows:

Gross currency assets 

Gross currency liabilities 

Net exposure  

   31 March 2012 

Euro 
(£000) 

Zloty  US dollars 
 (£000) 
(£000) 

   31 March 2011
Zloty  
(£000)  

Euro 
(£000) 

US dollars
(£000)

18,197 

3,599 

6,990 

51,428 

6,338 

10,492

(8,799) 

(1,729) 

– 

(22,339) 

(5,411) 

–

9,398 

1,870 

6,990 

29,089 

927 

10,492

The Company’s balance sheet translation exposure is almost exclusively due to intra-group loans and is summarised as follows:

Gross currency assets 

94

Gross currency liabilities 

Net exposure  

                   31 March 2012 

Euro 
 (£000) 

3,311 

                   31 March 2011
Euro 
(£000)  

Zloty
(£000)

Zloty 
(£000) 

6,749 

2,550 

17,247

– 

(1,402) 

– 

–

3,311 

5,347 

2,550 

17,247

The Group’s main currency exposure is to the euro. The sensitivity of the net assets and profi t of the Group to a 10% change in the value of the foreign 
currencies against sterling is Euro: £940,000 (March 2011: £2,209,000), Zloty: £187,000 (March 2011: £93,000), US dollar: £531,000 (March 2011: 
£797,000).

The sensitivity of the net assets and profi t of the Company to a 10% change in the value of the foreign currencies against sterling is Euro: £331,000 
(March 2011: £255,000), Zloty: £535,000 (March 2011: £1,725,000).

notes to the fi nancial statements helical bar plc 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
35. Principal accounting policies 
Basis of consolidation 
The Group fi nancial statements consolidate those of Helical Bar plc (the “Company”) and all of its subsidiary undertakings (together the “Group”) drawn 
up to 31 March 2012. Subsidiary undertakings are those entities over which the Group has the ability to govern the fi nancial and operating policies 
through the exercise of voting rights. Subsidiaries are accounted for under the purchase method and are held in the Company balance sheet at cost 
and reviewed annually for impairment.

Joint Ventures are entities whose economic activities are controlled jointly by the Group and by other ventures independent of the Group and are 
accounted for using the equity method of accounting, whereby the Group’s share of profi t after tax in the Joint Venture is recognised in the 
Consolidated Income Statement and the Group’s share of the Joint Venture’s net assets are incorporated in the Consolidated Balance Sheet.

The Company’s cost of investment in Joint Ventures less any provision for permanent impairment loss is shown in the Company Balance Sheet.

Associates are those entities over which the Group has signifi cant infl uence but which are neither subsidiaries nor joint ventures. 

Intra-group balances and any unrealised gains on transactions between the Company and its subsidiaries and between subsidiaries are eliminated. 
Unrealised losses are also eliminated unless the transaction provides evidence of an impairment of the asset transferred.

Going concern
The accounts have been prepared on a going concern basis as explained in the Corporate Governance review on page 44.

Revenue recognition 
Rental income – rental income receivable is recognised in the Income Statement on a straight line basis over the lease term. Any incentive for lessees 
to enter into a lease agreement and any costs associated with entering into the lease are spread over the same period.

Sale of goods – assets, such as trading properties, development sites and completed developments, are regarded as sold upon the transfer of the 
signifi cant risks and rewards of ownership to the purchaser, in accordance with IAS 18 Revenue. This occurs on exchange of unconditional contracts 
for the sale of the site, on satisfaction of any and all conditions on a conditional contract for the sale of the site or on completion of the contract on a 
conditional sale where those conditions are satisfi ed at completion. Measurements of revenue arising from the sale of such assets are derived from the 
fair value of the consideration received in accordance with IAS 18 Revenue.

Construction contracts – where an asset is constructed under a specifi c contract with a purchaser (a “pre-sold development”) the initial sale of the 
site to that purchaser is recognised as a sale of goods in accordance with IAS 18 Revenue. The construction element of the contract is treated, for the 
purposes of revenue recognition, as a construction contract in accordance with IAS 11 Construction Contracts. Revenue is recognised by reference to 
the stage of completion which is typically determined by reference to project appraisals, normally supported by independent valuation certifi cates 
provided by quantity surveyors. The Company’s principal other responsibility on pre-sold developments is the identifi cation of and agreement of terms 
with potential tenants of the completed building(s). The revenue recognition of this additional component of the funding agreements is considered 
separately to refl ect the substance of the transaction as the rendering of services, in accordance with IAS 18 Revenue. The amount of revenue 
recognised is determined by reference to the percentage of the building(s) that are let. 

95

Investment income – revenue in respect of investment and other income represents investment income, fees and commissions earned on an 
accruals basis and the fair value of the consideration received/receivable on investments held for the short-term. Dividends are recognised when the 
shareholders’ right to receive payment has been established. Interest income is accrued on a time basis, by reference to the principal outstanding and 
the effective interest rate.

Share-based payments 
The Group provides share-based payments in the form of performance share plan awards and a share incentive plan. These payments are discussed 
in greater detail in the Directors’ Remuneration Report on pages 50 to 56. The fair value of share-based payments related to employees’ service are 
determined indirectly by reference to the fair value of the related instrument at the grant date. All share-based payment arrangements granted after 
7 November 2002 that had not vested prior to 1 January 2005 are recognised in the fi nancial statements. The Group uses the stochastic valuation 
model and the resulting value is amortised through the Consolidated Income Statement (“Income Statement”) over the vesting period of the 
share-based payments.

For the performance share plan and share incentive plan awards, where non-market conditions apply, the expense is allocated, over the vesting period, 
to the Income Statement based on the best available estimate of the number of awards that are expected to vest. Estimates are subsequently revised if 
there is any indication that the number of awards expected to vest differs from previous estimates.

notes to the fi nancial statements helical bar plc 2012

notes to the fi nancial statements

Depreciation 
In accordance with IAS 40 Investment Property, depreciation is not provided for on freehold investment properties or on leasehold investment 
properties. The Group does not own the freehold land and buildings which it occupies. Costs incurred in respect of leasehold improvements to the 
Group’s head offi ce at 11–15 Farm Street, London W1J 5RS are capitalised and held as short-term leasehold improvements. Leasehold improvements, 
plant and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and any recognised impairment loss. Residual values are reassessed annually.

Depreciation is charged so as to write off the cost of assets less residual value, over their estimated useful lives, using the straight line method, on the 
following basis:

Short leasehold improvements  – 10% or length of lease, if shorter
Plant and equipment  

– 25%

Taxation 
The taxation charge represents the sum of tax currently payable and deferred tax. The charge for current taxation is based on the results for the year as 
adjusted for items which are non-assessable or disallowed. It is calculated using rates that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the balance 
sheet date. Tax payable upon realisation of revaluation gains recognised in prior periods is recorded as a current tax charge with a release of the 
associated deferred taxation.

Deferred tax is the tax expected to be payable or recoverable on differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities in the fi nancial 
statements and the corresponding tax bases used in the computation of taxable profi t, and is accounted for using the balance sheet liability method. 
Deferred tax liabilities are generally recognised for all taxable temporary differences and deferred tax assets are recognised to the extent that it is probable 
that taxable profi ts will be available against which deductible temporary differences can be utilised. The measurement of deferred tax assets and liabilities 
refl ects the tax consequences of the manner in which Helical expects, at the balance sheet date, to recover or settle the carrying amount of those assets 
and liabilities. Such assets and liabilities are not recognised if the temporary differences arise from the initial recognition of goodwill or from the initial 
recognition (other than in a business combination) of other assets and liabilities in a transaction that affects neither the tax profi t nor the accounting profi t.

The carrying amount of deferred tax assets is reviewed at each balance sheet date and reduced to the extent that it is no longer probable that suffi cient 
taxable profi ts will be available to allow all or part of the assets to be recovered.

The deferred tax asset relating to share based payment awards refl ects the estimated value of tax relief available on the vesting of the awards at the 
balance sheet date.

Deferred tax is determined using tax rates that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the balance sheet date and are expected to apply when 
the related deferred tax asset is realised or the deferred tax liability is settled. It is recognised in the Income Statement except when it relates to items 
credited or charged directly to equity, in which case the deferred tax is also dealt with in equity.

96

The Group recognises a deferred tax liability for all taxable temporary differences associated with investments in subsidiaries, associates and interests 
in joint ventures, except to the extent that both of the following conditions are satisfi ed:

a)  
b)  

the Group is able to control the timing of the reversal of the temporary difference; and,
it is probable that the temporary difference will not reverse in the foreseeable future.

Dividends 
Dividend distributions to the Company’s shareholders are recognised as a liability in the fi nancial statements in the period in which dividends are approved.

Investment properties 
Investment properties are properties owned or leased by the Group which are held for long-term rental income and for capital appreciation. Investment 
properties are initially recognised at cost, including associated transaction costs, and revalued at the balance sheet date to fair value. These fair values 
are based on market values as determined by professionally qualifi ed external valuers or are determined by the directors of the Group based on their 
knowledge of the property. In accordance with IAS 40, investment properties held under leases are stated gross of the recognised fi nance lease liability.

Gains or losses arising from changes in the fair value of investment properties are recognised as gains or losses on revaluation in the Income Statement 
of the period in which they arise.

In accordance with IAS 40, as the Group uses the fair value model, no depreciation is provided in respect of investment properties including integral plant.

Property that is being constructed or developed for future use as an investment property is treated as investment property in accordance with IAS 40. 

When the Group redevelops an existing investment property for continued future use as investment property, the property remains an investment 
property measured at fair value and is not reclassifi ed. Interest is capitalised before tax relief until the date of practical completion.

Details of the valuation of investment properties can be found in note 15.

notes to the fi nancial statements helical bar plc 2012

 
Goodwill 
Goodwill, representing the excess of the cost of acquisition over the fair value of the Group’s share of the identifi able net assets acquired, is capitalised 
and reviewed annually for impairment. Goodwill is carried at cost less accumulated impairment losses. Negative goodwill is recognised immediately 
after acquisition in the Income Statement.

Land, developments and trading properties 
Land, developments and trading properties held for sale are inventory and are included in the Balance Sheet at the lower of cost and net realisable 
value. Net realisable value is the estimated selling price in the ordinary course of business less estimated costs to completion and estimated costs 
necessary to make the sale.

Gross borrowing costs associated with expenditure on properties under development or undergoing major refurbishment are capitalised. The interest 
capitalised is calculated using the Group’s weighted average cost of borrowings. Interest is capitalised from the date of commencement of the 
development work until date of practical completion. 

Investments 
Available-for-sale investments are revalued to fair value at the balance sheet date. Gains or losses arising from changes in fair value are recognised in 
the Statement of Comprehensive Income except to the extent that losses are attributable to impairment, in which case they are recognised in the 
Income Statement. Upon disposal, accumulated fair value adjustments are included in the Income Statement. 

Held for sale investments 
Investments are defi ned as held for sale when the Group intends to sell the investment and if sale is highly probable. Such held for sale investments are 
measured at the lower of their carrying amounts immediately prior to their classifi cation as held for sale and their fair value less costs to sell. 

Trade receivables 
Trade receivables do not carry any interest and are stated initially at fair value and subsequently at amortised cost as reduced by appropriate 
allowances for estimated irrecoverable amounts.

Cash and cash equivalents 
Cash and cash equivalents are carried in the Balance Sheet at amortised cost. For the purposes of the cash fl ow statement, cash and cash equivalents 
comprise cash in hand, deposits with banks, and other short-term, highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less.

Trade and other payables 
Trade and other payables are not interest bearing and are initially recognised at fair value and subsequently at amortised cost.

Borrowing and borrowing costs 
Interest bearing bank loans and overdrafts are initially recorded at fair value, net of fi nance and other costs yet to be amortised.

97

Borrowing costs directly attributable to the acquisition and construction of new developments and investment properties are added to the costs of 
such properties until the date of completion of the development or investment. After initial recognition borrowings are carried at amortised cost. This 
treatment has been adopted since transition to IFRS.

Derivative fi nancial instruments 
Derivative fi nancial assets and fi nancial liabilities are recognised on the Balance Sheet when the Group becomes a party to the contractual provisions of 
the instrument.

The Group enters into derivative transactions such as interest rate caps and fl oors, and forward foreign currency contracts in order to manage the risks 
arising from its activities. Derivatives are initially recorded at fair value and are subsequently remeasured to fair value based on market prices, estimated 
future cash fl ows and forward rates as appropriate. Any change in the fair value of such derivatives is recognised immediately in the Income Statement.

Further information on the categorisation of fi nancial instruments can be found in note 34.

Leases 
Leases are classifi ed according to the substance of the transaction. A lease that transfers substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership to the 
lessee is classifi ed as a fi nance lease. All other leases are classifi ed as operating leases.

In accordance with IAS 40, fi nance leases of investment property are accounted for as fi nance leases and recognised as an asset and an obligation to 
pay future minimum lease payments. The investment property asset is included in the balance sheet at fair value, gross of the recognised fi nance lease 
liability. Lease payments are allocated between the liability and fi nance charges so as to achieve a constant fi nancing rate.

notes to the fi nancial statements helical bar plc 2012

notes to the fi nancial statements

Foreign currencies 
Transactions in foreign currencies are translated at the exchange rate ruling at the date of the transaction. Monetary assets and liabilities in foreign 
currencies are translated at the rates of exchange ruling at the balance sheet date. Non-monetary items that are measured at historical cost in a foreign 
currency are translated at the exchange rate at the date of the transaction. 

Any exchange differences arising on the settlement of monetary items or on translating monetary items at rates different from those at which they were 
initially recorded are recognised in the Income Statement in the period in which they arise. Exchange differences on non-monetary items are recognised 
in the Statement of Comprehensive Income to the extent that they relate to a gain or loss on that non-monetary item which is included in the Statement 
of Comprehensive Income, otherwise such gains and losses are recognised in the Income Statement. 

The assets and liabilities in the fi nancial statements of foreign subsidiaries are translated at the rate of exchange ruling at the balance sheet date. 
Income and expenses are translated at the average rate. The exchange differences arising from the retranslation of the opening net investment in 
subsidiaries are taken directly to retained earnings in equity. On disposal of a foreign operation the cumulative translation differences (including, if 
applicable, gains and losses on related hedges) are transferred to the Income Statement as part of the gain or loss on disposal. 

Net asset values per share 
Net asset values per share have been calculated in accordance with the best practice recommendations of the European Public Real Estate 
Association (“EPRA”).

Earnings/(loss) per share 
Earnings/(loss) per share have been calculated in accordance with IAS 33 and the best practice recommendations of EPRA.

Employee Share Ownership Plan Trust 
Shares held in the Helical Bar Employee Share Ownership Plan Trust (“ESOP”) are shown as a deduction in arriving at equity funds. Assets, liabilities 
and reserves of the ESOP are included in the statutory headings to which they relate. Purchases and sales of own shares increase or decrease the 
book value of “Own shares held” in the Balance Sheet. At each period end the Group assesses and recognises the fair value of “Own shares held” and 
accounts for movement between book value and fair value as a reserves transfer.

Use of estimates and judgements 
To be able to prepare accounts according to the accounting principles, management must make estimates and assumptions that affect the asset and 
liability items and revenue and expense amounts recorded in the fi nancial statements. These estimates are based on historical experience and various 
other assumptions that management and the Board of Directors believe are reasonable under the circumstances. The results of these considerations 
form the basis for making judgements about the carrying value of assets and liabilities that are not readily available from other sources.

Areas requiring the use of estimates and critical judgement that may signifi cantly impact on the Group’s earnings and fi nancial position are:

98

–  revenue on construction contracts where the valuation is spread over the construction period using estimates of the fi nal outcome (note 2);
–  valuation of investment properties, where external valuers are used to provide third party valuations (note 15);
–   recognition of share–based payments which is dependent upon the estimated number of performance share plan awards that will vest at the end of 

the performance periods (note 29);

–   calculation and assessment of the recoverability of deferred tax assets, where it has been assumed that suffi cient taxable profi ts will be available in 

future periods to allow all of the assets to be recovered (note 11);

–  valuation of the investment in a property developer which is based on a valuation method (note 18); and,
–   directors’ valuation of land, development and trading properties include subjective assumptions including the results of future planning decisions and 

future sales values and timings (note 21).

notes to the fi nancial statements helical bar plc 2012

 
ten year review

IFRS 
31.3.12 
£000 

IFRS 
31.3.11 
£000 

IFRS 
31.3.10 
£000 

IFRS 
31.3.09 
£000 

IFRS 
31.3.08 
£000 

IFRS 
31.3.07 
£000 

IFRS 
31.3.06 
£000 

IFRS  UK GAAP  UK GAAP
31.3.03
£000

31.3.04 
£000 

31.3.05 
£000 

Revenue   

52,968 

119,059 

67,354 

81,770 

65,623 

123,176 

119,274 

101,469 

54,566 

135,192

Net rental income 

17,876 

14,187 

14,151 

17,682 

16,400 

14,771 

16,524 

20,440 

22,980 

25,619

Development profi t/(loss) 

655 

(16,642) 

(1,293) 

(7,704) 

6,068 

13,587 

4,594 

12,664 

38 

4,630

Trading (loss)/profi t 

– 

(367) 

(10) 

(514) 

(29) 

2,094 

13,441 

5,771 

1,031 

349

Share of results of 
joint ventures 

2,472 

2,886 

3,745 

Other income/(expense) 

113 

(358) 

26 

1,846 

6,752 

(98) 

6,196 

(315) 

766 

437 

235 

2,699 

1,636 

1,544

235 

601 

626

Gross profi t/(loss) 
before gain/(loss) on 
investment properties 

Gain/(loss) on sale 
and revaluation of 
investment properties 

Gain on sale of 
investments 

Impairment of 
available-for-sale investments 

21,116 

(294) 

16,619 

18,062 

22,026 

37,414 

35,231 

41,809 

26,286 

32,768

3,288 

7,512 

8,195 

(66,670) 

(32,790) 

40,637 

43,551 

44,204 

2,035 

2,126

– 

– 

– 

(1,817) 

– 

– 

1,892 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

–

–

Administrative expenses 

(7,800) 

(7,050) 

(8,680) 

(8,090) 

(13,659) 

(17,544) 

(16,582) 

(15,757) 

(8,037) 

(6,391)

Loss on sale of 
subsidiary   

Negative goodwill 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

(59) 

–

– 

6,362

Net fi nance costs 

(8,132) 

(4,564) 

(7,132) 

(21,048) 

(1,724) 

(419) 

(5,080) 

(5,561) 

(6,572) 

(9,638)

Foreign exchange 
(losses)/gains 

(1,064) 

(67) 

(1,127) 

3,999 

1,862 

– 

– 

– 

– 

–

99

Profi t/(loss) before tax 

7,408 

(6,280) 

7,875 

(71,855) 

(24,285) 

60,088 

57,120 

64,695 

13,653 

25,227

Tax 

158 

2,391 

1,711 

18,359 

11,971 

(8,000) 

(9,676) 

844 

(2,199) 

(7,660)

Profi t/(loss) after tax   

7,566 

(3,889) 

9,586 

(53,496) 

(12,314) 

52,088 

47,444 

65,539 

11,454 

17,567

Investment portfolio 

326,876 

271,876 

219,901 

241,287 

306,778 

316,025 

294,583 

271,315 

334,932 

342,484

Shareholders’ funds 

253,730 

255,397 

242,607 

237,066 

268,659 

282,186 

230,097 

186,165 

234,917 

226,870

Dividend per 
ordinary share 

Special dividend per
ordinary share 

Diluted earnings/(loss)
per ordinary share 

Diluted EPRA net assets 
per share 

4.90p 

2.00p 

7.25p 

4.50p 

4.50p 

4.05p 

3.65p 

3.32p 

3.32p 

3.00p

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

80.0p 

– 

–

6.5p 

(3.6p) 

9.1p 

(56.6p) 

(13.5p) 

53.7p 

51.8p 

53.7p 

7.9p 

11.8p

250p 

253p 

272p 

286p 

352p 

374p 

309p 

238p 

182p 

155p

The fi nancial statements for the year to 31 March 2005 have been restated to refl ect the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards.

The above table has not been audited but the information for the years 31 March 2006 to 31 March 2012 is taken from the fi nancial statements of 
those years and the information for the years 31 March 2003 to 31 March 2005 is taken from the fi nancial statements of those years restated to refl ect 
the impact of the 5 for 1 share issue on 1 September 2005.

ten year review helical bar plc 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
investor information

101 appendix I – property portfolio
104 appendix II – risk register
107  investor information
108 glossary of terms
109 fi nancial calendar
109 advisors

100

investor information helical bar plc 2012

appendix I – property portfolio

Income producing assets   

London offi ces 

Address 

Shepherds Building, Shepherds Bush, London W14 

200 Great Dover Street, London SE1 

80 Silverthorne Road, Battersea, London SW8 

82 Silverthorne Road, Battersea, London SW8 

Barts Square, London EC1 

Broadway House, London W6 

The Powerhouse, Chiswick, London W4 

Provincial offi ces 

Address 

Fordham, Newmarket 

Botleigh Grange, Hedge End, Southampton 

Industrial 

Address 

Dales Manor Business Park, Sawston, Cambridge 

Winterhill Industrial Estate, Milton Keynes 

Merlin Business Park, Manchester 

Crownhill Business Centre, Milton Keynes 

Langlands Place Industrial Estate, East Kilbride 

Retail – in town 

Address 

The Morgan Quarter, Cardiff 

78–104 Town Square, Basildon 

The Guineas, Newmarket 

Idlewells Shopping Centre, Sutton-In-Ashfi eld 

Corby Town Centre, Corby 

Clyde Shopping Centre Clydebank 

Retail – out of town 

Address 

Otford Road Retail Park, Sevenoaks 

Stanwell Road, Ashford 

Area sq ft (NIA) 

Helical interest  Average passing rent per sq ft 

Vacancy rate

151,000 

36,000 

56,000 

51,000 

420,000 

40,000 

43,000 

797,000 

100% 

100% 

75% 

75% 

33% 

£23.50 

– 

£17.63 

£22.83 

£8.62 

100% 

£24.50 / £105–£125 Zone A  

100% 

£9.33 

1%

100%

2%

66%

4%

29%

0%

Area sq ft (NIA) 

Helical interest  Average passing rent per sq ft 

Vacancy rate

70,000 

23,000 

93,000 

53% 

100% 

£17.70 

–  

0%

100%

Area sq ft (NIA) 

Helical interest  Average passing rent per sq ft 

Vacancy rate

62,000 

25,000 

62,000 

108,000 

153,000 

410,000 

67% 

50% 

100% 

100% 

100% 

£7.71 

£7.72 

£5.25 

£6.64 

£4.89 

0%

0%

0%

10%

27%

Area sq ft (NIA)  

Helical interest 

Zone A rent 

Vacancy rate

220,000 

54,000 

142,000 

185,000 

700,000 

627,000 

1,928,000 

100% 

100% 

100% 

100% 

100% 

60% 

£75–£125 

£75–£100 

£30–£50 

£25–£50 

£20–£80 

£20–£65 

4%

26%

9%

1%

7%

3%

101

Area sq ft (NIA) 

Helical interest  Average passing rent per sq ft 

Vacancy rate

42,000 

32,000 

74,000 

75% 

75% 

£17.96 

£16.37 

0%

0%

appendix I helical bar plc 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
appendix I – property portfolio

Development programme 

London offi ces 

Address 

Area sq ft (NIA) 

Fund/owner 

Helical interest 

Type of development 

200 Aldersgate Street, London EC1 

370,000 

Deutsche 
Pfandbriefbank

Dev. Man 

Refurbished and in course of letting

Mitre Square, London EC3 

273,000 

Helical 

100% 

Site for new consented offi ce building

643,000 

Provincial offi ces 

Address 

Area sq ft (NIA) 

Fund/owner 

Helical interest 

Type of development 

The Hub, Pacifi c Quay, Glasgow 

60,000 

Helical 

100% 

Media focused multi-let offi ce (i.e. 60% let)

60,000

Industrial 

Address 

Area sq ft (NIA) 

Fund/owner 

Helical interest 

Type of development 

Tiviot Way, Stockport 

– 

Helical 

100% 

New build – sold since year end

Ropemaker Park, Hailsham 

70,000 

Helical 

90% 

New build – completed

70,000 

Retail – in town 

Address 

Parkgate, Shirley, West Midlands 

C4.1 Milton Keynes 

Retail – out of town 

Address 

Leisure Plaza, Milton Keynes  

Retirement villages 

Address 

Bramshott Place, Liphook, Hampshire 

102

St Loye’s College, Exeter 

Maudslay Park, Great Alne 

Ely Road, Milton, Cambridge 

Durrants Village, Faygate, Horsham 

appendix I helical bar plc 2012

Area sq ft (NIA) 

Helical interest 

Type of development 

157,000 

33,000 

190,000 

50% 

Consented food store, retail and residential

50% 

Remaining retail and offi ce units, part let

Area sq ft (NIA) 

Helical interest 

Type of development 

305,500 

305,500 

Units 

151 

206 

132 

101 

154 

744

50% 

Consent for 113,000 sq ft retail store, 
65,000 sq ft ice rink

Helical interest 

Type of development 

100% 

100% 

90 units sold, 18 under offer. Phases 1 and 2 
completed, phase 3 under construction

Part of site has consent for 63 housing units 
and is under offer for sale

100% 

82 acre site with consent for a retirement village

100% 

Planning consent granted for 89 open market 
housing units. Site under offer to be sold

100% 

Construction of a fi rst phase commenced

 
 
   
 
 
 
 
   
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
   
 
Change of use potential  

Address 

Cawston, Rugby 

Arleston, Telford 

Mixed use developments  

Address 

White City, London W12 

King Street, Hammersmith, London 

Fulham Wharf, London SW6 

Retail – poland 

Address 

Area 

 Helical interest 

Type of development

32 acres 

19 acres 

51 acres 

100% 

100% 

32 acre greenfi eld site with residential potential 

19 acre greenfi eld site with residential potential 

Helical interest 

Joint venture 

50% 

Dev. Man. 

Type of development

 Planning application for 1.5m sq ft mainly residential scheme 
to be submitted summer 2012

Planning application submitted  

 Planning consent granted for 100,000 sq ft foodstore and 
463 residential units. 

Area sq ft    

Helical interest 

Fund/owner 

Type of development

Park Handlowy Mlyn, Wroclaw 

103,000   

Europa Centralna, Gliwice  

720,000   

823,000   

100% 

37.50% 

Helical 

Completed development, fully let

Helical / Standard Life 

Under construction

103

appendix I helical bar plc 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
 
 
appendix II – risk register

Strategic risk

Risk

Group’s strategy is inconsistent with 
market conditions e.g.:

-   Asset concentration/lot size impacts on 
liquidity (e.g. if investments becomes 
diffi cult to sell does this affect our 
liquidity)

-   Asset concentration/mix creates 
excessive volatility in property 
revaluation movements

Inappropriate capital structure 
(i.e. too highly geared)

Mitigation/remarks

Action to be taken

Management constantly monitors the Group 
strategy and changes it where market conditions 
dictate. Management team is very experienced and 
has a strong track record in the property market

Due to the small size of the Group and the 
management team, changes to the strategy can be 
effected more quickly than most other property 
companies

The group’s gearing was 90% at March 2012

Continue monitoring capital structure

The group’s gearing is constantly monitored to 
ensure that it remains within the parameters that are 
considered reasonable for the industry

Take gearing level into account when making 
business decisions

Reputational risk

Risk

Mitigation/remarks

Action to be taken

Unwillingness of stakeholders to continue 
to deal with Helical

Code of conduct and whistle-blowing policy 
updated in 2010

Continue to monitor adherence to policies and 
identify any new high-risk projects

Anti-bribery policy introduced in 2011

Currently no concerns identifi ed

Mitigation/remarks

Action to be taken

Focus on refi nancing over loans due before 
March 2013

Good relationship with several 
established lending institutions

Maturity profi le at 31 March 2012 is:
£59m maturing within 1 year
£72m maturing between 1 to 2 years
£1m maturing between 2 and 3 years
£22m maturing between 3 and 4 years
£110m maturing after 4 years

Since March 2012 £32m of loans expiring within 
one year have been renewed until 2015

Borrowing is spread between a number 
of different institutions

Agreed a £100m revolving credit facility 
with RBS until January 2017

Financial risk

Risk

Inability to roll over loans

104

appendix II helical bar plc 2012

Financial risk (continued)

Risk

Foreign exchange risk

Mitigation/remarks

Action to be taken

Helical’s equity in its overseas developments has 
been reduced in the year

Increase in cost of borrowing

At 31 March 2012 the Group had £120m of fi xed 
rate debt and interest rates caps of £125m

Ensure that hedging % remains at an 
appropriate level

Breaching loan covenants

Hedge effectiveness regularly monitored

Adherence to loan covenants are constantly 
monitored and if necessary remedial action is taken 
to cure the breach

Continue monitoring loan covenants

Insuffi cient liquidity to take advantage 
of opportunities

As at 31/03/12 the Group had £35m of cash, 
£38m of undrawn borrowings and £16m of 
uncharged property

Maintain overdraft facilities

Ensure that cash resources do not fall below 
currently forecast levels

Tenant default

Tenant covenant strength is considered when 
making property decisions. Currently only 1 tenant 
represents more than 5% of the Group’s share of 
total rent roll

Maintain dialogue with tenants to reduce risk of 
unexpected non-payment

Ensure no over reliance on individual tenants

Loss of deposits due to banking 
counterparty failure

All deposits are held at high quality fi nancial 
institutions

Ensure that all deposits remain at well capitalised 
institutions

No signifi cant deposits held outside the UK

Regular monitoring of fi nancial institutions

Development risk

Risk

Mitigation/remarks

Action to be taken

Inability to add to the current development 
pipeline

Experienced development team with an excellent 
track record

Good reputation in property sector

Changes in legislation leading to delays 
in receiving planning permission

Good relationships with planning consultants and 
local authorities

Lack of demand for new property

Group’s strategy is to avoid doing speculative 
developments

Inability to fi nd suitable contractors/
JV partners

Well established network of Joint Venture partners 
which it has worked with in the past

Key up to date with planning legislation

Continue to use specialist professional advisors

Continue to avoid speculative developments

105

appendix II helical bar plc 2012

appendix II – risk register

Market risk

Risk

Property price falls

Mitigation/remarks

Action to be taken

Current uncertainties in the world economy mean 
that future performance is diffi cult to predict though

Keep diversifi ed portfolio to prevent being 
over-exposed to one sector

Helical has been active in disposing of non-
performing assets and rebalancing its portfolio for 
the changing market

Reduced tenant demand for space

Focus is on buying well let properties in good
locations

Continue to ensure that vacant space is kept 
to a minimum

People risk

Risk

Lack of the right personnel to ensure the 
Group’s strategy is adhered to

Mitigation/remarks

Action to be taken

Senior management team are very experienced

Employee turnover is low

Remuneration is set to attract and retain high 
calibre staff

Monitor staff resources to ensure appropriate to 
any changes in the business

Health & safety issues

Health and safety policy updated regularly

Monitor compliance with policy

Use of specialist professional advice

Continue to use specialist advice

Bribery and corruption risk

Not involved in high risk activities

Introduced an anti bribery policy which it has 
distributed to all staff and all signifi cant Joint 
Venture partners

Continue to identify and monitor projects with a 
greater exposure to bribery and corruption

Avoid doing business in high risk territories

106

appendix II helical bar plc 2012

 
investor information

The report and fi nancial statements, share price information, company 
presentations, the fi nancial calendar, Corporate Governance, contact details 
and other investor information on the Group are available in the Investor 
Relations and Company Profi le area of our website www.helical.co.uk.

Registrar
All general enquiries concerning holdings of ordinary shares in Helical Bar 
plc should be addressed to:

Capita Registrars
The Registry, 34 Beckenham Road, Beckenham, Kent, BR3 4TU

Telephone: 0871 664 0300*
Fax: 020 8639 2220
From outside the UK +44(0) 20 8639 3399

Website: www.capitaregistrars.com
Email: shareholder.services@capitaregistrars.com 

*calls cost 10p per minute plus network extras. Lines are open between 
9am and 5:30pm, Mon–Fri.

e–communication
UK shareholders may choose to be alerted about updates to the 
Financial Reports, Results, Press Releases and Events Calendar sections 
of the Group’s website by subscribing to the Alerting Service at www.
helical.co.uk. Shareholders may also submit their proxy votes 
electronically. To register for this service, shareholders should visit the 
Shareholders area of www.capitaregistrars.com.

Payment of dividends
Shareholders whose dividends are not currently paid to mandated 
accounts may wish to consider having their dividends paid directly into 
their bank or building society account. This has a number of advantages, 
including the crediting of cleared funds into the nominated account on the 
dividend payment date. If shareholders would like their future dividends to 
be paid in this way, they should complete a mandate instruction available 
from the Registrars. Under this arrangement tax vouchers are sent to the 
shareholder’s registered address. 

Dividends for shareholders resident outside the UK
Instead of waiting for a sterling cheque to arrive by mail, you can ask us 
to send your dividends direct to your bank account. For information 
contact the Company’s Registrar.

Dividend reinvestment plan (DRIP)
The Company offers shareholders the option to participate in a DRIP. This 
enables shareholders to reinvest their cash dividends in Helical Bar plc shares. 

Dividends
Dividend payment dates on the Company’s Ordinary 1p shares in 2011 
were as follows:

Dividend  

2010/11  
Final 

2011/12 
Interim 

Record  
Date  

1 July  
2011 

2 Dec 
2011 

Payment 
Date  

28 July 
2011  

22 Dec 
2011

Dividend payment dates in 2012 will be as follows:

Dividend 

2011/12  
Final 

2012/13 
Interim 

Record  
Date  

29 June 
2012 

Dec 
2012 

Payment 
Date  

26 July 
2012  

Dec
2012

Amount

3.15p 

1.75p

Amount

3.40p

Unsolicited investment advice – warning to shareholders
Many companies have become aware that their shareholders have 
received unsolicited phone calls or correspondence concerning 
investment matters. These are typically from overseas-based ‘brokers’ 
who target UK shareholders offering to sell them what often turn out to 
be worthless or high risk shares in US or UK investments. They can be 
very persistent and extremely persuasive. A 2006 survey by the Financial 
Services Authority (FSA) reported that the average amount lost by 
investors was around £20,000. It is not just the novice investor that has 
been duped in this way; many of the victims had been successfully 
investing for several years. Shareholders are advised to be very wary of 
any unsolicited advice, offers to buy shares at a discount or offers of free 
reports into the company.

If you receive any unsolicited investment advice:

•  Make sure you get the correct name of the person and organisation.
•   Check that they are properly authorised by the FSA before getting 

involved. You can check at www.fsa.gov.uk/register

•   The FSA also maintains on its website a list of unauthorised overseas 

fi rms who are targeting, or have targeted, UK investors and any approach 
from such organisations should be reported to the FSA so that this list 
can be kept up to date and any other appropriate action can be 
considered.

•   Report the matter to the FSA either by calling 0300 500 5000 or by 

For further details, contact the Company’s Registrar.

completing an online form at:

For participants in the plan, key dates can be found in the online fi nancial 
calendar in the ‘Investor Relations’ area at www.helical.co.uk.

ShareGift
Shareholders with a small number of shares, the value of which makes it 
uneconomic to sell them, may wish to consider donating them to a 
charity ShareGift, (registered charity 1052686) which specialises in using 
such holdings for charitable benefi t.

Further information about ShareGift is available at www.sharegift.org or 
by writing to: ShareGift, 17 Carlton House Terrace, London, SW1Y 5AH
Telephone: 020 7930 3737

http://www.moneymadeclear.org.uk/news/scams/share_scams.html

If you deal with an unauthorised fi rm, you would not be eligible to receive 
payment under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. 

Share price information
The latest information on the Helical Bar plc share price is available on our 
website www.helical.co.uk.

Registered offi ce
11–15 Farm Street, London, W1J 5RS
Registered in England and Wales No. 156663.

investor information helical bar plc 2012

107

  
     
glossary of terms

Average unexpired lease term  

The average unexpired lease term expressed in years.

Capital value (psf) 

The open market value of the property divided by the area of the property in square feet.

Diluted EPRA earnings per share 

Diluted EPRA net assets per share 

 Earnings per share adjusted to exclude losses/gains on sale and revaluation of investment 
properties and their deferred tax adjustments, the tax on loss/profi t on disposal of investment 
properties, trading property losses/profi ts, impairment of available-for-sale investments and fair 
value movements on derivative fi nancial instruments, on a diluted basis. Details of the method of 
the calculation of the diluted EPRA earnings per share are available from EPRA.

 Diluted net asset value per share adjusted to exclude fair value of fi nancial instruments and 
deferred tax on capital allowances and on investment properties revaluation, but including the fair 
value of trading and development properties in accordance with the best practice 
recommendations of EPRA.

Diluted EPRA triple net asset value per share 

 Diluted EPRA net asset value per share adjusted to include fair value of fi nancial instruments and 
deferred tax on capital allowances and on investment properties revaluation.

Diluted fi gures 

Earnings per share  

EPRA 

Equivalent yield 

Estimated rental value (ERV) 

Initial yield 

IPD 

 Reported amounts adjusted to include the effects of potential shares issuable under the 
employee share option schemes.

Profi t after tax divided by the weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue.

European Public Real Estate Association.

 The constant capitalisation rate which, if applied to all cash fl ows from an investment property, 
including current rent, reversions to current market rent and such items as voids and 
expenditures, equates to the market value. Assumes rent is received in arrears.

 The market rental value of lettable space as estimated by the Group’s valuers at each balance 
sheet date.

 Annualised net rents on investment properties as a percentage of the investment property 
valuation.

 The Investment Property Databank Limited (IPD) is a company that produces a number of 
independent benchmarks of unleveraged commercial property returns.

Net assets value per share (NAV) 

Equity shareholders’ funds divided by the number of ordinary shares at the balance sheet date.

Net gearing 

Passing rent 

Rack rental value % 

Total shareholder return (TSR) 

True equivalent yield 

Unleveraged returns 

108

 Total borrowings less short-term deposits and cash as a percentage of equity shareholders’ 
funds.

The annual gross rental income excluding the net effects of straightlining lease incentives. 

The anticipated yield, which the initial yield will rise to once the rent reaches the ERV.

 The growth in the ordinary share price as quoted on the London Stock Exchange plus dividends 
per share received for the period expressed as a percentage of the share price at the beginning 
of the period.

 The constant capitalisation rate which, if applied to all cash fl ows from an investment property, 
including current rent, reversions to current market rent and such items as voids and 
expenditures, equates to the market value. Assumes rent is received quarterly in advance.

 Total property gains and losses (both realised and unrealised) plus net rental income expressed 
as a percentage of the total value of the properties.

glossary of terms helical bar plc 2012

fi nancial highlights

fi nancial calendar

Underlying profi t before tax, property 
write downs and investment gains1 

£8.6m

2011: £2.9m

Final proposed dividend per share

3.40p

2011: 3.15p

Year ended 31 March 2012 

Annual General Meeting to be held 24 July 2012

Final ordinary dividend payable  

26 July 2012

Half year ending 30 September 2012 

Year ending 31 March 2013 

 Results and interim ordinary dividend announced November 2012 
Interim ordinary dividend payable December 2012

 Results and fi nal dividend announced May 2013
Final ordinary dividend payable July 2013

Diluted EPRA earnings/(loss) 
per share2

3.4p

2011: (6.4p)

Diluted EPRA net asset value 
per share3

250p

2011: 253p

IFRS net assets

£253.7m

2011: £255.4m

Portfolio valuation4

£572.6m

2011: £532.2m

1  Pre-tax profi t as adjusted for property write-downs and net gain on sale and revaluation of        investment properties.
2 Calculated in accordance with IAS33 and the best practice recommendations of EPRA.
3 Calculated in accordance with the best practice recommendations of EPRA.
4 Includes the Group’s share of properties held in joint ventures and the surplus on directors’ valuation of trading and development stock.

 Front cover: Barts Square, London EC1

helical bar plc 2012

advisors

Registrars 

Bankers 

Joint stockbrokers 

Auditors 

Merchant bankers 

Solicitors 

Capita Registrars
The Registry
34 Beckenham Road
Beckenham
Kent BR3 4TU

Aareal Bank AG
Allied Irish Bank 
Barclays Bank plc
Clydesdale Bank
HSBC plc
Nationwide
The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc 

JP Morgan Cazenove Limited
10 Aldermanbury
London EC2V 7RF

Oriel Securities Limited
150 Cheapside
London EC2V 6ET

Grant Thornton UK LLP
Grant Thornton House
Melton Street
Euston Square
London NW1 2EP

Lazard Ltd
50 Stratton Street
London W1J 8LL

Ashurst 
Clifford Chance
Lawrence Graham
Linklaters
Lovells
Mishcon de Reya
Nabarro
Norton Rose
Semple Fraser
Wragge & Co

109

fi nancial calendar/ advisors helical bar plc 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Helical Bar plc

Registered Office 
11-15 Farm Street 
London, W1J 5RS

Tel: 020 7629 0113 
Fax: 020 7408 1666

email: info@helical.co.uk

www.helical.co.uk

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Helical Bar plc

report & accounts

2012