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Giles Fuchs: Pioneering Entrepreneur Driving Innovation in Flexible Workspaces and Restoring Iconic Hospitality Landmarks
streams differently, the Fuchs Formula produces a more accurate valuation. It recognises both the stability of the tradi- tional rental component and the potential but riskier upside from flexible and serviced elements. The result is a fairer reflection of a property’s true value and a model that the market can now use to better understand the economics of flexible office space.
Your entrepreneurial journey is inspiring, particularly as someone who overcame challenges early in life. What motivated you to keep pushing forward?
I’ve always believed in the power of resilience. Growing up, I faced challenges that might have stopped many people in their tracks, but I saw those challenges as opportunities to learn and grow. The moti- vation to keep moving forward came from
a deep-rooted desire to create something meaningful, not just for myself but for others as well. Every setback was a lesson, and I realised that success doesn’t come without overcoming obstacles, a lesson that was re- inforced by reading ‘The Little Book of Sto- icism: Timeless Wisdom to Gain Resilience, Confidence, and Calmness’ (an excellent work that I still use to this day). My drive comes from a passion for creating exception- al experiences and knowing that hard work, perseverance, and belief in yourself can turn any vision into reality.
You’ve launched Gunner as a new, sophis- ticated drinks option. What inspired you to enter the drinks industry, and what makes Gunner stand out?
My entry into the drink’s world began at age 14 at a sailing club, where I first tasted
roots of the drink, offering flavour and craft, and giving the drinker choice and craft, rather than compromise.
The phrase “authenticity over excess” is often associated with your work. What does this mean to you, and how does it influence your business philosophy?
When I talk about “authenticity over excess,” I’m really referring to a way of working that prioritises integrity, presence, and genuine substance, not flash or volume. In all the ventures I’ve been part of whether with Office Space in Town (OSiT), restoring Burgh Island Hotel or building the drinks brand Gunner, the guiding principle has been the same: create something real, thoughtful, and considered.
With OSiT, the idea was to build buildings we could own and invest in, create office spaces where the work environment was tak- en seriously, where the clients were mature businesses, and where service and experi- ence mattered as much as structure.
With Burgh Island Hotel, it was about restoring character, history and atmosphere, not simply trying to outdo with extrava- gance. And with Gunner, that manifests through the drink itself: whether it’s the al- cohol-free ‘Saint’ or the rum-based ‘Sinner,’ the focus is on how each ingredient, each moment, is composed and experienced. I don’t believe craftsmanship is demonstrated by piling on more, but by refining what’s there until it resonates.
By approaching all of these ventures through the lens of authenticity, I aim to give people something they can connect with, something that lasts, rather than something that simply shouts and fades.
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a Gunner and was struck by how refresh- ing it was as a non-alcoholic drink. Years later, after finishing rounds of golf, tennis matches, or sailing regattas, my friends and I would order Gunners, which meant waiting an age for the poor bartender to make them, and worse, they were always inconsistent.
I thought, why hasn’t anyone put this into
a canned form? Gunner has an iconic and refreshing taste, yet it has only ever been served over the bar. As someone with a business mindset and an entrepreneurial flair, I couldn’t just sit back and ignore the gap in the market.
So, after years of saying that someone should put it in a can, I decided to do it my- self with a friend. In 2016, I founded Gunner Cocktails Ltd to reimagine this historic cocktail and bring it into the 21st century.
What makes Gunner different is that we didn’t simply strip out the alcohol and call it “mindful.” The original non-alcoholic version, ‘The Saint,’ launched in a sleek can in the summer of 2021, is built to deliver the full flavour and intent of that original Gunner mix, but ready-to-serve.
Then we extended the line with ‘The Sinner,’ the first alcoholic version of Gunner. It adds aged dark rum to the same base of ginger, bitters, and lime, giving the drink a different dimension while staying true to our original vision.
Every ingredient is selected and balanced with purpose: ginger beer meets ginger ale, bitters and lime, all natural, all-in harmony. It’s about presence rather than proclamation. What’s more, the drink was conceived for venues, for clubs, for moments of pause rather than excess. In short: Gunner is about doing something quietly well, respecting the