I believe that there are many reasons to be optimistic about the future of office buildings and the office market generally as we come out of lockdown in a “post Coronavirus” world.

For many the newfound ability for staff to work from home has meant that we are seeing a number of occupiers reassess what it is they want from their office going forwards. The rush to get into the office before 9:00 am to not leaving the office until dark, especially over the winter months, is not something that many office-based workers are necessarily going to miss. But is there something else which many office workers are now missing? Has the initial novelty worn off?

At the start of the pandemic many companies undertook surveys of their staff as to how they wished to work going forwards, the overwhelming consensus among many organisations was that staff wanted to work from home, or go to the office a couple of times a week. Nearly a year on from the initial lockdown, the weeks of blissful weather over the summer of 2020 that followed, many of us are well and truly fed up of sitting in an office at home, attending back to back Zoom and Teams meetings until dark. More recent surveys suggest that an increasing number of us want to go back to the office 3 or 4 days a week, but with increased flexibility without the morning and evening rush.

As the latest lockdown restrictions are eased the role of the office going forwards will become increasingly important, not only to productivity but also to people’s mental health – something which has been highlighted by recent studies suggesting that almost one in five adults were likely to be experiencing depression in late 2020, double that of pre pandemic levels.

Going forwards no longer will there be a distinction between “working from home” and “being in the office”, there will be a more flexible and balanced outlook across a range of workplace settings. The role of the office will change, but I believe it will be equally as important as it was before for the following reasons:

Collaboration – The office will continue to be very important for collaboration of teams.  Remote conferencing facilities, such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom, can only go so far in bringing a team together.  Overheard conversations and the bits of information you pick up from walking around the office are lost in the current “working from home” environment and we are seeing many companies looking to bring teams back together to boost this collaboration.

The office is a socialisation hub – I think many of us are missing the social interaction of the workplace, it breaks up the day and a few laughs throughout the day are good for our spirits, a massive factor when considering our mental health.

Upskilling members of the team – I know from my own experience that I have learnt more from listening to colleagues and asking quick questions of colleagues within the office than I have from any form of structured training.  The role of the office should not be underestimated in the everyday upskilling of members of the team.

Staff Recruitment and New Clients – The office has a role in attracting new talent and bringing new clients in.  The presentation and attractiveness of a workplace environment plays a role in attracting good quality new talent to businesses, especially in the tech sector where sourcing talent can be so challenging.

Productivity – Getting through your emails and filing those reports in quick time has been an advantage of having no distractions in your home office, but it’s not necessarily ‘productivity’. Sharing of ideas and cross selling has a huge impact on overall productivity, and these things are far more challenging when working from home.

The property industry has a role in adapting the office offering to changing occupier requirements.  Already we have seen companies change their outlook and move towards reducing fixed desking and increasing collaboration areas with a view to having a more flexible “work from anywhere” approach.

The importance of the office has not diminished but perhaps the reason and purpose of the office has changed. It has now become increasingly important for occupiers to provide the best possible working environment for their staff, to encourage them back to the office but also make the office a place people want to be.

We are expecting to see a lot of activity in the market over the next 12-24 months while this re-assessment takes place.  There will be increased scrutiny by occupiers on lease events in considering whether to renew or relocate.  I suspect we will see an increase in those choosing to relocate for a variety of reasons to meet the changing operational requirements of each business.

It remains to be seen which subsectors of the office market will be the winners and losers in this changing perspective, for example we may see increasing preference for self-contained buildings where the occupier has better control over social distancing protocols, alternatively highly collaborative shared environments may be the preferred choice – only time will tell.

If you do wish to discuss your office strategy, then FHP would be delighted to help.  Similarly, if you are a landlord considering how best to approach your marketing strategy in this changing environment then we would be pleased to hear from you.

Mark Tomlinson, Director within the Office Agency Team at FHP Property Consultants.

ENDS

Mark Tomlinson

DD: 07917 576 254

February 2021

FHP Property Consultants have finalised the letting of over 21,000ft² of offices at Ergo House, Ruddington Fields Business Park. The deal involved a simultaneous surrender of the previous Tenant’s space and granting of a new lease for the new Tenants.

Ergo House comprises a multi occupied Grade A office building located on the established Ruddington Fields Business Park to the south of Nottingham.

The park has some well established Nottingham Tenants including Vision Express, Kuehne & Nagel, Capita, MHR and Quotient Sciences.

Mark Tomlinson of FHP Property Consultants who brokered the deal commented:-

“This deal was brokered in very challenging market conditions with an agreement taking place in the middle of the first national lockdown due to Coronavirus so I am delighted that we managed to broker this deal on an off market basis resulting in such a good outcome for the Landlords, the outgoing Tenant and the new Tenant alike.

Whilst the conditions within the office market remain challenging, we are now having some more meaningful discussions with occupiers regarding office relocations for later on in the year with many occupiers reconsidering how they wish to use their office spaces in the future, with an emphasis on flexible working environments, flexible working practices and accessibility in and out of the office on a more ad hoc basis being of increased importance.

Availability within the office market remains tight in many locations and it is becoming increasingly important for occupiers to engage early with the market in order that a suitable opportunity can be sourced within appropriate timescales”.

ENDS

Mark Tomlinson

DD: 07917 576 254

February 2021

The building, known as One Waterside Place, is the first phase of the ‘Basin Square’ character area within the £340 million Chesterfield Waterside regeneration scheme and has been forward funded by Chesterfield Borough Council as a key strategic investment for the town. When complete, the seven storey office building will provide Grade A offices totalling 32,000ft² alongside a retail unit of circa 5,200 ft².  Construction of the property is well underway and delivery is estimated in Q1 2022.

Tom Swallow, Development Manager at Bolsterstone Group, who are delivering the Chesterfield Waterside scheme comments:

“It is an exciting time for Chesterfield and our Chesterfield Waterside scheme. This is the first Grade A office to be delivered in the town for some time and will pick up the latent demand for high quality, large floor plate, sustainable office accommodation in the town. Chesterfield Borough Council’s commitment to the scheme demonstrates their forward thinking nature in their investment strategy and we consider there will be a ‘flight to prime’ for occupiers following the pandemic.”

Darran Severn from FHP Property Consultants comments:

“There is currently a lot of speculation in regard to the return of workers to the office.  My feeling is very much that we will see a return but the working week as we used to know will become more flexible.  There will always be a demand for offices and it’s great to see a speculative scheme being brought forward in Chesterfield.  The accommodation will provide a high quality working environment designed to a Grade A specification incorporating LED lighting, air conditioning, raised access flooring, high quality entrance foyer and showers.  Floor plates are available from 5,562ft² and can be sub-divided if required. We are pleased to confirm the first tenants – BHP Chartered Accountants, have signed up on 5,500ft² leaving up to 30,000ft² available.”

Cllr Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said:

“We’re delighted to be bringing forward this state-of-the-art office building with Chesterfield Waterside Ltd, which will deliver supply chain opportunities for local companies during the construction phase and new jobs for local people with the companies that will be taking space at One Waterside Place.

These are uncertain times, but we must not stand still. We must continue to invest in this and other growth projects if we are to meet the Council’s objectives of making Chesterfield a thriving borough and improve the quality of people’s lives. One Waterside Place is just the start of what we believe will be a very special journey for the people of this great town and borough.”

For further information on Chesterfield Waterside, please contact Darran Severn on 07917460031/darran@fhp.co.uk or our joint agent Peter Whiteley of Knight Frank on 07979 530416/ peter.whiteley@knightfrank.com.

29 January 2021

Trent Education Centre Ltd have taken a lease of 16 Castle Boulevard, a 10,000 sq ft office building in Nottingham City Centre for a college building.

Recently refurbished, the property provides substantial open plan accommodation across two floors, all bathed in fantastic natural light from two central atriums and benefits from substantial car parking facilities to the rear.

Thomas Szymkiw of FHP Property Consultants Office Team who acted on behalf of the Landlord commented:-

“The building was previously multi-occupied by four tenants, however with the last one leaving just prior to Christmas it was increasingly obvious that during the lockdown period it would have been a struggle to see the space reoccupied to its full capacity within a swift timeframe.

 After previously assisting Trent Education Centre on a similar requirement a couple of years ago, they got back in touch with me to see whether I could help with their search for another site in the city. It made complete sense for me to put forwards the opportunity of taking the whole building to them – an opportunity that thankfully matched their requirement perfectly.

My client is of course very pleased with the outcome, which in a currently challenging office market, has not only secured a tenant for their 10,000 sq ft building, but also mitigated any potential empty business rates liabilities”.

For more information on this letting or to see how FHP can assist you with your office requirements going forward into 2021, please do not hesitate to contact Thomas Szymkiw on 07896 035805 or thomas@fhp.co.uk.

FHP Property Consultants are delighted to announce the completion of the sale of 80 Bridgford Road in West Bridgford to TFT FM LTD..

The self-contained period building is located in an enviable position close to Central Avenue with shops, bars and restaurants close by.  The accommodation is situated over two floors, with the benefit of car parking to the front of the building.

Thomas Szymkiw of FHP’s Office Agency Department commented:

“80 Bridgford Road provided a rare freehold opportunity for an owner occupier to purchase a well-appointed building in the heart of West Bridgford.

Naturally, the interest in the opportunity was incredibly high and we have managed to achieve an unprecedented ‘price per square foot’ for the property, reaffirming the fact that the demand for freehold offices in the locality results in premium values.

I would be delighted to discuss the West Bridgford office market with any other local occupiers to see how we can also be of assistance”.

For more information on how FHP can help you with your office requirements, please do not hesitate to contact Thomas Szymkiw on 07896 035805 or thomas@fhp.co.uk.

FHP Property Consultants have secured T. Bailey Asset Management as tenants for the first floor at Toll Bar House in Edwalton, south of Nottingham.

The 2,713 sq ft Grade A Office suite is situated within a brand new, attractive modern building and provides open plan accommodation benefitting from LED lighting, heating and cooling, shower facilities and full height feature reception area.

The property is located on the edge of a major residential development next to Wheatcroft Garden Centre which also includes an Aldi supermarket, Costa Coffee Drive-Thru and McDonald’s.  The property is well located for West Bridgford, Nottingham, the A52 ring road, the A46 and J24 of the M1 motorway.

Thomas Szymkiw of FHP Property Consultants Office Team who acted on behalf of the Landlord commented:-

“It is an absolute delight to secure T. Bailey Asset Management at Toll Bar House, a company whose requirement I had been working with for some time.

 Initially, they were city centre focused with their search – however the pandemic changed their minds on location, with Toll Bar House providing the company and their staff with a clean, modern office environment with generous levels of car parking – ideal for their flexible working arrangements going forward.

We are currently marketing the last available suite at the property on the ground floor and I would be delighted to speak with any other occupiers also looking to seize this unique opportunity”.

For more information on this letting or how FHP could help with your office requirements, please do not hesitate to contact Thomas Szymkiw on 07896 035805 or thomas@fhp.co.uk.

FHP Property Consultants acting on behalf of Sigma 2004 Limited have concluded the sale of Northgate House, the former HMRC offices on Agard Street, Derby to Staton Young.

Marc Brough of Staton Young commented:

“We are pleased to have concluded the acquisition of this Derby landmark building. Excellently located on Agard Street on the edge of Derby City Centre this property provides a blank canvas comprehensive redevelopment

Phil Daniels of FHP commented:

“It has been a pleasure working with Staton Young and we are pleased to have concluded the sale to them. We look forward to watching their plans for the property unfold.

Despite the global pandemic, demand for buildings of this nature and development sites remains undiminished.”

If you have an opportunity you would like to discuss please contact Phil Daniels of FHP Property Consultants on 07976 318269 or email phil@fhp.co.uk.

FHP Property Consultants achieved an impressive ninth year in a row at the summit of Radius Data Exchange’s Nottingham office disposals league table, in a year which has seen the city’s market hit considerably by the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to Radius, FHP alone was involved in the disposal of just over half the office space in the city.

There was a promising start to 2020, with Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing taking 34,375 sq ft of space at Waterfront House on Beeston Business Park (pictured) in a deal brokered by FHP.

While the current figures indicate a downward trend, they should be seen in the context of what was a stand-out year last year, which included the massive 278,000 sq ft prelet to HM Revenue & Customs at Unity Square, also brokered by FHP. A 35% drop in deal numbers is perhaps a more telling indicator of what has undoubtedly been a tough year for the city’s office market.

Mark Tomlinson, Director in FHP’s Office Agency Team, commented:-

“It has been a strange year for the office market with many progressive relocations having been put ‘on hold’ during the coronavirus pandemic. This pause has allowed occupiers to reassess what it is they want from their office space going forwards and I am pleased to say that we are now working with a number of businesses for relocations into 2021. The role of the office for many has changed in a positive way with increased emphasis on the office being a place for interaction, upskilling, training, collaboration and even day to day wellbeing.”

ENDS

Mark Tomlinson

mark@fhp.co.uk

November 2020

Thomas Szymkiw, of FHP Property Consultants is delighted to announce the letting of a 3,483ft² office premises on Abbeyfield Road, just west of Nottingham City Centre to Kingfisher Professional Services Ltd.  This modern, self contained building provides accommodation over two floors with reception area, open plan office content and the benefit of substantial car parking facilities.

Thomas Szymkiw of FHP’s office agency team commented:

“This fantastic office building, located on Abbeyfield Road presented a rare opportunity for Kingfisher to move operations over from Grantham to Nottingham and provides them a modern office building in a prominent location, fronting the A52 Ring Road.

It is ever more pleasing that the company has decided to make such a key decision during these challenging times and I wish them all the best for the future.”

Innes England were joint agents on the deal.

For more information on this letting, or to discuss your office requirements in further detail, please do not hesitate to contact Thomas Szymkiw on 07896 035805 or email thomas@fhp.co.uk.

FHP Property Consultants are delighted to announce the letting of the second floor at 19 Stoney Street to Voyage Care Limited.  The office provides the company with just under 1,500ft² of period office space within the Creative Quarter in the heart of Nottingham’s historic Lace Market.

Thomas Szymkiw who acted on behalf of the landlord commented:

“I am delighted to have secured the letting of the second floor at 19 Stoney Street on behalf of retained clients in a market that is proving challenging due to the ongoing pandemic.  It is pleasing to see that companies are still making positive moves and planning for the long term.

We still have several other fantastic office options in Nottingham City Centre and would be delighted to hear from anyone else who is in the market.”

Antonella Oliver of Voyage Care, the new tenant commented:

“Here at Voyage Care we provide care and support for people with learning disabilities, autism, brain injuries and complex needs.  Due to additional local demand we had outgrown our previous support office in Nottingham and we are excited to move into premises in Nottingham City Centre.

At our new accessible community support hub at 19 Stoney Street, we have a fantastic space to provide assistance and training for supported living schemes in particular.  The location is ideal as it is close to public transport links so the people we support and support staff access us as easily as possible.”

For more information on this letting or for other opportunities within the office sector please do not hesitate to contact Thomas Szymkiw on 07896 035805 or email thomas@fhp.co.uk.

Cardinal Square, a landmark office building on the edge of Derby City Centre, is pleased to welcome CityFibre as its latest tenant.

CityFibre, the UK’s third national digital infrastructure platform, is investing £45m of private funds into the build of a state-of-the-art full fibre network to reach almost every home and business within the city.  The Company needed to set up an administration base in the City and chose Cardinal Square due to its convenient location, flexible terms and immediate availability of space.

Tim Richardson of FHP Property Consultants, who acted on behalf of the landlord, comments:

“CityFibre needed some space initially to get a base in the area and we were able to offer them the flexibility of occupation, combined with the ability to grow as the operation expands.  Cardinal Square ticked all the boxes and we are pleased to welcome them to the scheme.

One of the great advantages of Cardinal Square is that businesses can take space on a long or short-term basis and expand, or contract as rquired.  This is particularly important in the current market, where many businesses are uncertain as to how many people will be based in an office or even what their business will look like in 6, 12 or 24 months’ time.  Cardinal Square is able to offer that total flexibility, whether you need space for 2 people or 200, short, medium or long-term or just on a flexible rolling basis. Together with ready-installed fast broadband into the building, on-site parking, receptionist, cycle storage and landscaped courtyard garden, the building provides space for all needs. In addition the landlords have put COVID secure measures in place, offering additional protection.”

For further information, please contact Tim Richardson at FHP Property Consultants on 01332 224 857 or email timr@fhp.co.uk.

Tim Richardson
Date: 8^th October 2020

With flexible office space becoming increasingly popular, LCR have invested in relocating their established ID Business Centre to a new location within Brunel House, fronting London Road in Derby.  This forms part of the RTC Business Park, which is well known for design, engineering and technology and occupies an accessible location within walking distance of the railway station. Having just been completed last month, the landlords are delighted that two businesses have already moved in.

The accommodation has been finished to a very high standard and includes reception, kitchen/break out area and bookable meeting room.  The offices themselves extend from 150 sq ft upwards.

Tim Richardson of FHP Property Consultants, who are marketing the premises jointly with Sanderson Weatherall and in conjunction with the University of Derby, comments:

“These offices are ideal for both small businesses looking to make the next step and also for consultancies who may have a project locally and need a base to work from.  The space is finished to an excellent standard and has the use of break-out space and meeting room, together with on-site parking.”

Tenants can also make use of the conference and catering facilities available within the RTC Business Park.  Other benefits on the Park include cycle storage, on site management team and landscaped garden areas.

Companies will also have access to a range of services and support provided by the University of Derby, focused on development and growth and tailored to individual business needs.

David Gent, Engineering Consultancy Services Ltd, one of the new tenants adds “We are really impressed with the building – the quality of the finishes, the layout and the location are all superb and we’re really happy we have relocated here.”

Upper floors at Brunel House are also available, with each floor extending to around 3,250 sq ft which can be combined.  These again are finished to a high standard and can be offered on new leases.

LCR gained control of RTC Derby in 2013 in a bid to retain its position as a key employment site and to preserve its status as an internationally acclaimed engineering business cluster.

Steve White, Head of Commercial Assets at LCR, said: “The RTC Business Park is renowned as a leading destination for innovation.  We’re committed to supporting this reputation, and our investment in enhanced facilities at Brunel House plays a key role in this.  The centre offers its new tenants the opportunity to surround themselves with creativity, best practice and ingenuity, helping to nurture future technical and engineering excellence at RTC Derby.”

For further information, please contact Tim Richardson at FHP Property Consultants on 01332 224857 or email timr@fhp.co.uk or Andrew Ellis at Sanderson Weatherall on 0113 221 6000 or email andrew.ellis@sw.co.uk.

Tim Richardson
Date: 17^th September 2020

Following extensive refurbishment, upgrade and opening of the Flexibase Business Centre, Cardinal Square is firmly on the map as the place to be, with a flurry of lettings over recent months.

Bulkhead Interactive, gaming software programmers, have taken a floor of 6,500ft² as part of their expansion, whilst MWH Treatment have also committed to a long-term future in the building, renewing their lease for a further 7 years.

Within the Flexibase space, Astute Recruitment have now moved into a larger office, again as part of their expansion.

Also on the ground floor, CityFibre have taken a suite for administrative offices as they roll out their fibre network rollout in Derby.

Tim Richardson, who acts on behalf of the Landlords, Nurton Developments, comments:

“One of the great advantages of Cardinal Square is that businesses can take space on a long or short-term basis and expand, or contract, as required.  This is particularly important in the current market, where many businesses are uncertain as to how many people will be based in the office over the coming months.  Cardinal Square is able to offer that flexibility, whether you need space for 2 desks or 200, short, medium or long-term, or just on a flexible rolling basis, together with ready-installed fast broadband into the building, on-site parking, receptionist, cycle storage and landscaped courtyard garden, the building provides space for all needs.”

If you are interested, please do get in touch with Tim Richardson on 01332 224 857 or email timr@fhp.co.uk.

Tim Richardson
Date: September 2020

Acting on behalf of Leicestershire County Council, FHP Property Consultants are delighted to announce the letting of the offices at Embankment House, Riverside Business Park to Knights plc, a fast growing legal and professional services business which has 13 offices across the UK and employs some 930 professionals.

The new office move is to serve as an expansion following Knights plc’s recent acquisition of Fraser Brown Solicitors earlier this year.

This new acquisition brings together a number of smaller offices in Nottingham previously occupied by Fraser Brown to one single hub of Grade A offices on a single floor plate.  Knights plc join St James’s Place Wealth Management and The Ministry of Justice in Embankment House.

Mark Tomlinson, Director at FHP who acted on behalf of the Landlords, commented:-

“Embankment House was one of the last remaining fully refurbished Grade A office options in Nottingham City with a real lack of supply of good quality options above 10,000ft².  We agreed terms with Knights plc during lockdown and all parties acted swiftly to get this deal over the line.  

This deal is further evidence that there continues to be good quality appetite for office space as part of a more flexible working strategy for professional services companies.“

David Beech, CEO at Knights plc, commented:-

“Ensuring our office spaces are fit for the needs of the modern lawyer is central to maintaining the strong operational backbone of the business that we have built. The office at Embankment House gives us the space to continue to expand in the East Midlands, while supporting our modern and collaborative way of working”.

Sam Cooke at Carter Jonas, who acted on behalf of Knights plc in the transaction, commented:-

“It has been a pleasure to work with Knights on their expansion in the East Midlands. Their continued investment in office space is a key part of their growth strategy, and we were keen to find them the best location to support their collaborative culture and ability to grow whilst providing a cohesive environment that reflects their commitment to colleagues and clients. Our team has extensive knowledge of the regional office market, and we knew that Embankment House would perfectly fit the next stage of their development.”

Innes England were joint agents in the deal.

For further information please contact Mark Tomlinson at FHP’s Nottingham Office on 07917 576 254 / mark@fhp.co.uk.

ENDS

Contact: Mark Tomlinson

Tel:          07917 576 254

Email:     mark@fhp.co.uk

Date:      September 2020

The Landlords of Resource House have now completed a Grade A refurbishment of the building having acquired the property earlier this year.  The property comprises a substantial detached office building on its own gated site on Phoenix Business Park extending to 8,438ft² with extensive car parking.

Works commenced during the Coronavirus lockdown, and a full-scale refurbishment has been carried out to include remodelling of the property both internally and externally to provide fully landscaped grounds and an internal refurbishment which includes new LED lighting, a brand new air-conditioning system, high specification kitchens on both floors and WC facilities which now incorporate showers and changing facilities suitable for occupiers with cyclists.

The property offers a large secure car park with the ability to install electric charging points as required.

Phoenix Business Park is one of Nottingham’s top performing business park locations by virtue of its access ability to both the M1 Motorway at Junction 26 and Nottingham City Centre straight down the A610.  There are regular bus routes to the site as well as a tram link directly outside the property.

This property is ideal for companies either downsizing or expanding and looking to create a self-contained HQ presence in such a regionally accessible location.

For further information, please contact Mark Tomlinson (0115 841 1134 / mark@fhp.co.uk) or Anthony Barrowcliffe (0115 841 1148 / anthony@fhp.co.uk) at FHP’s Nottingham office.

ENDS

Mark Tomlinson

Date: 20^th August 2020

London & Scottish Property Investment Management, Asset Manager on behalf of Regional REIT Limited, is undertaking an £800,000 refurbishment of 30-34 Hounds Gate in Nottingham to provide new offices for ENSEK Limited.

ENSEK is expanding its operations in Nottingham by taking 15,500 sq ft of office space over two floors in 34 Hounds Gate.

The refurbishment work, which is part of a 10-year lease agreement, will include stripping back and refitting the ground and first floors, doubling the size of the reception area, installing new air conditioning and upgrading other communal areas including the toilets.

Work will commence in late 2020 and will be completed in early 2021.

Steven Griffiths, Head of Asset Management at London & Scottish said:

“We are excited about starting work on such a comprehensive refurbishment programme. The existing office space will be stripped right back before being modernised and turned into a great place to work.”

Mark Tomlinson of FHP Property Consultants commented:

“We have been working with ENSEK for some time to source suitable premises to accommodate their expansion within Nottingham. The company has been expanding at a fantastic rate over the last few years and had a requirement to bring two separate office locations under one roof and to build further expansion into their requirements. Such is the lack of available good quality office space in Nottingham City Centre, this property was presented to ENSEK in an off-market deal subject to a full refurbishment”.

About LSPIM

London & Scottish Property Investment Management is a co-investing property development and asset management business. Headquartered in Glasgow, it has grown to become one of Scotland’s largest independent property asset managers with over 65 staff and £1bn of assets under management.

LSPIM invests in development opportunities across the commercial, residential and student housing markets. It is also the asset manager of the Regional REIT, a real estate investment trust listed on the London Stock Exchange, which has over £750m of primarily regional office and light industrial assets.

For further information, please contact Mark Tomlinson (0115 841 1134 / mark@fhp.co.uk) at FHP’s Nottingham office or Tom Govan, PR and Communications Manager at London & Scottish Property Investment Management (tom.govan@lspim.co.uk).

Chris Proctor of FHP Property Consultants put forward a detailed proposal to North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC) alongside several other local agents to be instructed on North West Leicestershire District Council’s Commercial Property Portfolio.

We are delighted to say we have been working with NWLDC for the past three months and are already seeing some excellent results achieved. Working with Stacey Harris and Nigel Hooper of NWLDC Property team a total of 6 deals have completed with a further 2 under offer currently.

Chris Proctor MRICS commented: –

“NWLDC had a total of 21 voids in their Commercial Property Portfolio, following a further 2 lettings due to complete this month this number will be down to 13.  Working with them in the past couple of months, we have put together a detailed marketing plan with a flexible leasing structure to allow many small businesses to benefit and progress despite the testing times.

This year has put pressure on a significant number of small businesses ability to be profitable. NWLDC are helping ease the pressure by providing good quality office & industrial space on flexible lease terms.”

If you are looking for a property in the North West Leicestershire area, please do not hesitate to contact Chris Proctor of FHP Property Consultants on 0115 841 4798 or email chris@fhp.co.uk for more information on availability.

ENDS

Anthony Barrowcliffe of FHP sold the former Boulevard Medical centre on Western Boulevard in Nottingham to Natalie Corpe the owner and founder of The Sage Therapy Centre.

The property was a former residential dwelling converted to a medical centre in 1990 and is arranged over two floors on a prominent road facing plot with a Net Internal Area of 1,389ft².

As soon as the sale completed Natalie and her team commenced works on the building internally and externally to transform the property into a fully furnished high quality treatment and therapy centre.

In total there are 10 rooms in the centre for hire, 5 talk rooms and 5 treatment rooms alongside a beautiful willow garden available for a whole range of outdoor activities.

Anthony Barrowcliffe of FHP commented:

“I enjoyed the diversity of working on a D1 (Non-Residential Institution) building and finding a suitable buyer, I targeted potential D1 occupiers and through this met Natalie who required a freehold building with a D1 use class to launch this new venture, it was a perfect fit.    

Throughout the negotiating period and legal process all parties worked tirelessly and collectively to push the sale through.”

Natalie Corpe of Sage Therapy Centre comments:

“Anthony was fantastic he worked very hard behind the scenes to ensure all parties hit the completion deadline.  FHP were extremely accommodating when it came to multiple viewings nothing was too much trouble for them.  Communication was faultless, in fact it went above and beyond.  Anthony took a genuine interest into my business and it wasn’t just a sale for them, it felt much more personal.   

The purchase and renovation project has been such a positive experience for me and I’ve learnt so many new skills from it.  It now gives me this wonderful opportunity to supply high end rental space to qualified practitioners.  It also allows the local community to access this amazing support and healing network.  

I really look forward to working with Anthony and FHP again in the future.” 

For further information on this deal please contact Anthony Barrowcliffe of FHP Property Consultants on 07557 972008 or email anthony@fhp.co.uk.

Anthony was fantastic he worked very hard behind the scenes to ensure all parties hit the completion deadline.  FHP were extremely accommodating when it came to multiple viewings nothing was too much trouble for them.  Communication was faultless, in fact it went above and beyond.  Anthony took a genuine interest into my business and it wasn’t just a sale for them, it felt much more personal.

The purchase and renovation project has been such a positive experience for me and I’ve learnt so many new skills from it.  It now gives me this wonderful opportunity to supply high end rental space to qualified practitioners.  It also allows the local community to access this amazing support and healing network.

I really look forward to working with Anthony and FHP again in the future. 

On behalf of private clients, FHP Property Consultants are delighted to announce the sale of 12 Mallard Way, Pride Park, Derby.

12 Mallard Way is situated on Pride Park, Derby’s premier business address.  The property comprises a two-storey end terraced office building with an impressive specification including air conditioning and 8 allocated parking spaces.

Darran Severn of FHP Property Consultants commented:-

“We agreed the sale of these offices back in January under very different circumstances, and I’m delighted the transaction has now completed. The property was initially placed on the market to lease, but after an approach on the freehold, the decision was made to sell.  This resulted in us achieving an excellent price breaking back to £161 per ft².

As we come out of lockdown, requirements are likely to change, and I would be more than happy to speak to any landlords or occupier to see how we can assist to make the process easier.”

For further information or to discuss how we can assist, please contact Darran Severn of FHP Property Consultants on 01332 224 854 or darran@fhp.co.uk.

I believe that there are many reasons to be optimistic about the future of office buildings and the office market generally as we come out of lockdown in a “post Coronavirus” world.

Certainly, for many the newfound ability for staff to work from home has meant that we are seeing a number of occupiers reassess what it is they want from their office going forwards. The rush to get into the office before 9:00 am to not leaving the office until dark, especially over the Winter months, is not something that many office-based workers are necessarily going to miss. The virus has taught many companies that their staff members are working very well from home and in many cases are working longer hours, saving the rush hour commute to get that extra bit of work done.

But as lockdown restrictions are eased the role of the office going forwards will become important. No longer will there be a distinction between “working from home” and “being in the office”.  Going forwards there will be a more flexible and balanced outlook across a range of workplace settings. The role of the office will change, but I believe it will be equally as important as it was before for the following reasons:

Collaboration – The office will continue to be very important for collaboration of teams, remote conferencing facilities, such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom, can only go so far in bringing a team together.  Overheard conversations and the bits of information you pick up from walking around the office are lost in the current “working from home” environment and we are seeing many companies looking to bring teams back together to boost this collaboration.

The office is a socialisation hub – I think many of us are missing the social interaction of the workplace, it breaks up the day and is good to team spirit.

Upskilling members of the team – I know from my own experience that I have learnt more from listening to colleagues and asking quick questions of colleagues within the office than I have from any form of structured training.  The role of the office should not be underestimated in the everyday upskilling of members of the team.

Staff Recruitment and New Clients – The office has a role in attracting new talent and bringing new clients in.  The presentation and attractiveness of a workplace environment plays a role in attracting good quality new talent to businesses, especially in the tech sector where sourcing talent can be so challenging.

The property industry has a role in adapting the office offering to changing occupier requirements.  Already we have seen companies change their outlook and move towards reducing fixed desking and increasing collaboration areas with a view to having a more flexible “work from anywhere” approach.

The importance of the office has not diminished but perhaps the reason and purpose of the office has changed. We are expecting to see a lot of activity in the market over the next 12-24 months while this re-assessment takes place. There will be increased scrutiny by occupiers on lease events in considering whether to renew or relocate. I suspect we will see an increase in those choosing to relocate for a variety of reasons to meet the changing operational requirements of each business.

It remains to be seen which subsectors of the office market will be the winners and losers in this changing perspective, for example we may see increasing preference for self-contained buildings where the occupier has better control over social distancing protocols, alternatively highly collaborative shared environments may be the preferred choice – only time will tell.

If you do wish to discuss your office strategy, then FHP would be delighted to help.  Similarly, if you are a landlord considering how best to approach your marketing strategy in this changing environment then we would be pleased to hear from you.

Mark Tomlinson, Director within the Office Agency Team at FHP Property Consultants.

ENDS

Contact:                  Mark Tomlinson

Tel / Email:              0115 841 1134 / mark@fhp.co.uk

Date:                       July 2020

This is a discussion I have had many times over the past few weeks.  “I need space, but I’m not sure how many people will be in the office and it may change again in a few months so what should I do?”

In this new COVID-19 world we are all a little uncertain as to what lies ahead and this includes the occupation of offices.  Over the last few weeks, we have found that some businesses who are considering an office move have been trying to establish how much space they need in the light of social distancing, desk layout, private offices and collaboration space.   Each business is different, some will find remote working suits certain staff but for others they need a presence in the office, or more likely, a combination of both.

Whilst in due course the new way of working will become clearer and more certain, some companies are looking for flexibility in the interim.  One solution could be found in large multi-let office buildings where Landlords can provide flexible terms and space to suit.  One such option in Derby is Cardinal Square which can offer a range of space including rooms for 2, 3, 5 or 8 people, through to self-contained suites of 1,000ft² or 2,000ft² up to entire floors of 6,000ft².  Smaller rooms are fully furnished, and the entire building has fibre broadband with various packages available.  There is a landscaped courtyard garden with fountains, tables and chairs for outside meetings and the availability of on-site parking and bike storage.  The Landlords can also offer short or long term leases with the ability to upsize or downsize as appropriate so there is flexibility as working practices evolve.

If you are considering your office space options and would like to have an informal discussion, then please do get in touch with Tim Richardson of FHP Property Consultants on 01332 224 857 or email timr@fhp.co.uk.

ENDS

Tim Richardson

Tel: 01332 224 857

Email: timr@fhp.co.uk

Date: 7^th July 2020

A substantial office building located on Phoenix Business Park in Nottingham has been undergoing an extensive refurbishment throughout the lockdown period and will be fully presented and completed in July of this year.

Barrowcliffe Properties, who recently acquired the building, have been undertaking the refurbishment in order to present the building to the market as a fully refurbished Grade A office option.

The property comprises a detached building with a large secure car park with 36 marked spaces on fully landscaped grounds. There is the ability to create additional parking and occupiers can install electric car charging points within the car park.

The accommodation is arranged over two floors with LED lighting, fully raised floors, air conditioning, a passenger lift and fully refitted toilets and kitchen facilities as well as a shower facility.

The building will provide 784m² (8,438ft²) of accommodation and interested parties can obtain further information from Mark Tomlinson at FHP’s Nottingham Offices on 0115 950 7577 / mark@fhp.co.uk.

ENDS

One of the largest office lettings seen in Nottingham over the past three years has been confirmed by Chancerygate on behalf of the owners of Waterfront House, Beeston Business Park, Nottingham with confirmation that Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing Trust have taken the remaining 34,500ft² of space within this 90,000ft² facility.

John Proctor of FHP, who brokered the transaction on behalf of Chancerygate, has confirmed Metropolitan Housing have entered into a long term lease on the property.

This letting now means that the entire office space within Beeston Business Park is fully occupied following last year’s announcement and confirmation that Go Daddy had taken the remainder of the ground floor (approximately 30,000ft²) as their Nottingham HQ.

Andrew Challinor of Challinor & Company represented Metropolitan with Andrew confirming:-

“The relocation of Metropolitan’s East Midlands Regional Office to Waterfront House brings together the culmination of a two year search to find a property that could provide the size and quality of space required to befit their headquarters office function in a highly accessible location.

The proximity of the Beeston Train Station, the high level of car parking provided and the quality of the open plan offices within the building ticked all those boxes”.

John Proctor, Director at FHP Property Consultants, commented:-

“Many would have thought that speculatively refurbishing some 60,000ft² of offices in an out of town location would not be a wise move.  Thankfully Chancerygate and their Investors, Bridges Fund Management, recognised that the Nottingham and East Midlands office market is starved of good quality, large floor plate, open plan offices in accessible locations.

By attracting MHT, and last year Go Daddy, they have reaped the rewards of taking such a proactive approach.

The office market within the region remains starved of good quality Grade A space which is immediately available and it is important that we continue to beat the drum that our office market has strength and requires more refurbishment of new build schemes to be implemented to enable both indigenous requirements and footloose regional / national requirements to be attracted to our region”.

Both Innes England and FHP continue to market the 16 unit new build light industrial scheme which is completing the development of the Former Siemens Business Park.

Freeths Solicitors’ Nottingham Office advised Chancerygate and Bridges, with Sharpe Pritchard LLP representing Metropolitan Housing Trust.

ENDS

Contact: John Proctor

Tel:          0115 950 7577

Email:     johnp@fhp.co.uk

Date:       April 2020

A joint venture (JV) between Chancerygate and Bridges Fund Management has fully-let its 220,274ft² Beeston Business Park in Nottingham.

The park comprises Waterfront House, a 91,895ft² multi-let Grade A office building, three industrial units totalling 128,379 sq ft and a 0.71-acre development plot.

Following an extensive refurbishment, and the letting of 26,800ft² to web giant Go Daddy last summer, all the remaining 34,500ft² of vacant space at Waterfront House has been let to housing association Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing on a 20-year lease.

Beeston Business Park’s industrial buildings are occupied by accident and repair manufacturer AW Repair Group and electronics manufacturer SMS.

Chancerygate’s head of asset management, Rory Finnan, said: “Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing’s letting at Waterfront House is one of the largest in Nottingham over the past three years which is testament to the quality of both the office space and the advantages the location offers.

“We are very proud of what has been achieved at Beeston Business Park, and this is reflected by the high calibre of occupiers we have attracted and retained on the site.

“The transformation of Beeston Business Park from a tired and empty place into a thriving mixed-use site ably demonstrates the asset, development and project management skills of the Chancerygate team and the vision of our joint venture partner, Bridges Fund Management.”

Simon Ringer, head of property funds at Bridges, added: “Beeston Business Park has been a great success for our JV and an important regeneration project within the Nottingham Enterprise Zone. All our occupiers recognise the excellence of the development as an inspiring space to work and ultimately create further employment opportunities.”

Mark Tomlinson of FHP Property Consultants commented: “FHP have acted for Chancery Gate on this scheme for some time and it is very pleasing to see how the site has been evolved over that time, from a mixture of secondary commercial buildings beyond their useful life to a new build housing scheme, brand new trade and warehouse units and the fully refurbished Grade A office building at Waterfront House.  The site now being at full occupancy following the latest 35,000ft² letting at Waterfront House to Metropolitan Housing Trust, who were advised by Challinor Property.”

FHP and Innes England are joint letting agents for Beeston Business Park.

ENDS

Contact: Mark Tomlinson

Tel:          0115 841 1134

Email:     mark@fhp.co.uk

Date:      April 2020

On behalf of clients, FHP Property Consultants are delighted to bring forward to the market this excellent quality open plan office space located in Beeston with good access to Junction 25 of the M1 Motorway and Beeston Town Centre.

The accommodation provides a single floor plate of 4,850ft² and benefits from a good quality internal fit out with full height glazed meeting rooms and excellent quality modern lighting throughout providing an excellent quality working environment. The property also has a large car park with 22 marked parking spaces.

The property is available To Let for immediate occupation and interested parties can receive further information through Mark Tomlinson at FHP on either 07917 576 254 or mark@fhp.co.uk

7th April 2020

Laurie House comprises a six storey office building which is situated in Derby City Centre just off Victoria Street.  The available accommodation spans the entire 6^th floor measuring 5,984ft² and is immediately available to lease at a rent of £24,000 per annum.

The office space is predominantly open plan and benefits from a staffed reception, lift access, WCs and several smaller partitioned rooms which could be used for meetings or as private offices.

Darran Severn from FHP Property Consultants comments:

“I’m pleased to have been instructed to market these offices, and I look forward to speaking with all interested parties.  The accommodation is ready for occupation and could suit a variety of users from traditional office occupiers to charities or agencies.  Being in the centre of Derby means there are plenty of amenities within close walking distance which will be a great benefit to staff.

 We can offer short term leases from 12 months and rents from £4.00 per ft² which is extremely competitive.”

 For further information or to arrange a viewing please contact Darran Severn of FHP Property Consultants on 01332 224 854 or email darran@fhp.co.uk

If you are looking for cost effective office space in Derbyshire, then these maybe perfect for you.  The offices are located to the north of Ripley on Asher Lane, within Asher Lane Business Park.

The accommodation is situated at ground floor level and has recently undergone a good quality refurbishment.  Access is through a self contained entrance.  The offices extend to approximately 168 m² (1,805 ft²) and are available to lease for a period of 1-3 years at a rent of £12,000 per annum.

Darran Severn from FHP Property Consultants comments:

“The offices are ready for immediate occupation and would suit any local business looking for additional space.  The accommodation is open plan and presents well, benefitting from a kitchen, store and w.c. facilities.  Not only are these offices available to rent at £1,000 per calendar month, but they also come with parking.”

 For further information or to arrange a viewing please contact Darran Severn of FHP Property Consultants on 01332 343 222 or email darran@fhp.co.uk

In a deal brokered by FHP Property Consultants, leading British game developer Bulkhead Interactive has expanded its UK operation with a move to a major 6,436ft² office facility at Cardinal Square in Derby.

The company, which was founded in 2015 by 5 University of Derby graduates, has enjoyed rapid success over the years and now employs a team of more than 30 people at its Derby studio, with further plans to expand.  The decision to relocate the company’s Derby studio to Cardinal Square comes after a period of sustained growth and the requirement for larger and better quality accommodation for its team.  The company has taken a whole floor at Cardinal Square, which has been the subject of an extensive fit-out in order to provide the best possible working environment for the team.

Cardinal Square is one of Derby’s best known office developments and occupies a prime location fronting the inner ring road and the A52 and within a short walk of the City Centre facilities.  The building has been the subject of an extensive refurbishment programme by the owners Nurton Developments providing a high quality environment, reception areas, break out facilities and modern space together with a landscaped courtyard garden.

The ground floor of the building’s West Point has been the subject of a refurbishment to create Cardinal Business Centre, which comprises 9,000ft² of serviced office accommodation.

Commenting on the move to Cardinal Square, Bulkhead CEO Joe Brammer said:

“Since entering the gaming industry, Bulkhead’s ethos has been to take care of our people.  A high quality centrally located studio space forms an important aspect of our philosophy and Cardinal Square offered exactly what we were looking for.  We have some really big plans and our new accommodation will enable us to scale up in order to achieve those goals”.

Tim Richardson from FHP Property Consultants who brokered the deal comments:

“We are delighted that Bulkhead Interactive have joined the growing number of businesses at Cardinal Square.  The convenient location, modern space and hands on approach of the Landlord makes it an attractive proposition for potential tenants.”

David Dyas, Asset Manager for Cardinal Square owner Nurton Developments added:

“Bulkhead Interactive are a dynamic business with exciting growth plans and we are delighted that they have chosen Cardinal Square for their new home.  Having a games developer housed at Cardinal Square demonstrates the broad appeal that the newly refurbished offices offers to businesses of all size and sectors.  Bulkhead were keen to move quickly and we were able to agree terms and completely re-fit within a very tight timescale”.

Joint agents on the scheme are FHP Property Consultants and Rigby and Co.

For further information about taking space at Cardinal Square please contact Tim Richardson at FHP Property Consultants on 01332 224 857 email timr@fhp.co.uk or Russell Rigby at Rigby and Co 01332 203 377 or email russellrigby@rigbyandco.com

Over the last few years it has been increasingly difficult to buy office buildings in Derby and FHP Property Consultants are pleased to be able to offer this detached property in Derby’s established Professional Quarter.

2 St James Court is located off Friar Gate, a main arterial road on the western side of the City Centre.  The 3 storey building is situated within a courtyard development providing a pleasant working environment together with onsite car parking, yet within a short walk of the City Centre facilities.  The property incorporates a lift, reception area, gas central heating and replacement double glazing and extends to a total of some 11,437ft².

Tim Richardson from FHP Property Consultants comments:

“This is an excellent opportunity to buy a detached office building and then configure it for your own use.  It is very conveniently located within Derby’s traditional Professional Quarter in a central location yet with easy access to the ring road.  With onsite parking and additional public car parks in the vicinity, together with being on a bus route and within a short walk of the City Centre, accessibility is excellent.”

For further information or to arrange a viewing please contact Tim Richardson at FHP Property Consultants on 01332 224 857 or email timr@fhp.co.uk.