New company signs up to The Co-Operative development in Coventry

Left to right: Neil Edginton, Dave Hughes and James Compton (Shortland Penn + Moore)

A Coventry freight forwarding firm is doubling in size and is moving into a historic Coventry landmark building.

Retail Transport Services is set to move into Hawkins, the office element of The Co-Operative scheme in Corporation Street, as it looks to drive the business forward.

The company, which works with suppliers and hauliers to transport freight by sea, air and road, has outgrown its current office at Kings Chambers and will move into an office double the size to accommodate its future growth plans.

‘The Co-Operative’, based at the former Co-Op building, is a mix of high-spec apartments, office, retail and leisure space by award winning developers EDG Property.

Coventry-based agents, Shortland Penn + Moore, acted on behalf of EDG Property, with Retail Transport Services signing a new 10-year lease.

The Hawkins office scheme let off-plan within days of going on the market, and Retail Transport Services will join businesses including Field Overell Solicitors, Fragrances and a new restaurant which is due to be announced shortly.

Dave Hughes, managing director of Retail Transport Services said: “We are delighted to sign the lease for our new office at Hawkins and look forward to moving in at the beginning of March.

“We found that the Hawkins development was a perfect match for our business. The setting and the quality of the development reflects the work that we do here and the offices are being refurbished to a very high standard.

“We are at capacity in our current office after increasing our workforce earlier this year, but our new office is double in size and will allow us to expand.

“It demonstrates our continued success at driving Retail Transport Services forward. Due to the complexities and uncertainty of Brexit we have been working harder and smarter to ensure that we are offering the very best services to our clients.

“Our new office will future-proof the business for the next 10 to 15 years as we continue our growth.”

This announcement comes just days after EDG Property announced the release of its sought-after residential apartments within The Co-Operative, which are being showcased at a VIP event this month.

The Co-Operative will also be showcased at the largest international development and investment show in March. EDG Property are part of the Coventry and Warwickshire MIPIM Partnership which promotes the area at the three-day show in March.

Neil Edginton, managing director of EDG Property, said: “We are delighted to welcome Retail Transport Services to Hawkins, the first phase of The Co-Operative development.

“They are a very well-established business with international connections and we are confident the firm will continue its success in its new city centre home.

“Hawkins has been a very popular part of our development which is testament to the location and to the growing confidence in Coventry as a central area for thriving business. We look forward to announcing the new restaurant for the ground floor of Hawkins shortly.”