Property consultancy Vail Williams is helping to brighten up grey days in Oxford by working with an artist to transform empty retail premises in the city with vibrant artworks.

Vail Williams’ Oxford-based partner Mike Watson acts for various Oxford Colleges which have extensive portfolios of properties in the city and beyond.

He was introduced to Oxfordshire artist Kathryn Croxson by Lincoln College, and it was agreed that she could create artworks on the windows of retail premises he was marketing.

Watson, who has 26 years’ experience in Oxford, says: “I’m delighted with Kathryn’s unique creations. The paintings have created a great deal of interest and have almost become the equivalent of a Vail Williams ‘to let’ sign. The retail market presently is quite buoyant, but despite this, even if the vacant units are under offer and working through solicitors, there can be a delay in occupancy leaving dead frontages for a period of time.

“One of the challenges of retail property, therefore, is keeping the environment around vacant units looking engaging and positive. A void can potentially leave the area looking a little sorry for itself, which can impact other tenants’ trade and, from the landlord’s perspective, potentially hit rents.

“Kathryn’s creative spin on window dressing not only enriches the environment but also helps to mitigate the negative impact of a void period to some degree.  I love what she is doing and, where appropriate, I hope to work with her across the various retail portfolios with which we are involved.

“The vibrancy and uniqueness of the displays she has created to date are amazing and genuinely add something special to what can be a low point in a property’s lifecycle.” 

Vail Williams is currently marketing 14 retail premises in the city on behalf of various clients and Kathryn’s artwork can, so far, be found in High Street, Turl Street and New Inn Hall Street.