2011 is a milestone year for Tenandahalf - It's the year we opened our first London office!

With the new London address in mind, here are 10½ reasons we took the plunge and took Tenandahalf to The City

1. Growth

Doug, our new director, used to have an MD whose favourite saying was "success breeds success". We grew last year (that's our trumpet blown!) and a lot of that success has been in London. To continue that trend we knew strategically we needed to be in London, on hand for our existing clients and our ‘about-to-be' clients.

2. Visibility

All good business development is built on being seen. In the short term our new London address gives us a reason to get in contact with you. In the longer term it means we're in touching distance of our clients; improving our responsiveness and increasing the level of service we provide. Like you we know without closeness, we'll have little business to develop.

3. Reduced costs

What - you say - reduced costs, in London? Well yes. Aside from more open access to those mid-week Champions League fixtures at White Hart Lane and Stamford Bridge (!), our London footprint will reduce our travel costs. More importantly, it'll reduce the cost of not being right at our clients' side when they need us and that's a cost you just can't count.

4. Networking

Tenandahalf believe the most successful networking opportunities are often the ones you find by accident. Being based in London gives us a chance to take advantage of one of our favourites - the shared seating arrangements at the George & Vulture, 3 Castle Court, EC3.

5. Coffee

Tenandahalf's mantra (as you'll know by now) is "stop selling, drink coffee" and there's no finer place to do that than Spianata & Co, 29-30 Leadenhall Market. The espresso has a caramel coloured crema we've never seen outside Bella Italia.

6. Lloyds of London

One of Tenandahalf's aims for 2011 is expand our services to help the insurance world (Doug, our new director, knows this world well) and there is nowhere like Lloyds to realise that ambition. And they're already well versed in coffee culture given their origins!

7. Comfortable surroundings

Making your clients feel at ease is absolutely vital when you're building relationships. Our access to One Alfred Place provides the ideal setting to sit down, escape the hustle and bustle and get to the heart of the matter, quickly and comfortably.

8. Look sharp

OK, it's in all the self-help books but how seriously do you take the advice to always look your best? Unashamedly we take it very seriously (probably too seriously in our wives' eyes) so easy access to Jermyn Street is a perk we won't be taking for granted!

9. The right lunch

Making sure you socialise with your clients away from the pressures of the job at hand allows you to develop the kind of foundation a long-term business relationship can thrive on. One of our favourite hideaways for the right lunch is Boltons, 13 Cullum Street EC3 - if only for their splendid fillet steak and stilton sauce.

10. A little more dead time

To make sure you hit the levels of service your clients deserve needs a bit of peace and quiet to plan, organise and create. The time we have on the train to and from London gives us just that - and frees up more of the working week to do what we're good at, looking after our clients in person.

10½. To see the Queen

Sorry, but given it's "why we went to London", we just couldn't resist!

Tenandahalf are now based at 54 Commercial Street, E1 6LT and can be found at our remote office, One Alfred Place WC1E.

To meet us for a coffee at either, or better still in your own office please get in touch.

Douglas McPherson Director, Size 10½ Boots

Famous feet

Peter York
Fashion Guru
Shoe size: 8