The flexible workspace provider Regus is to open new offices in a converted manor house on the reimagined Gloucestershire business campus Grange Park.
Regus, part of the global IWG group, has signed a ten-year agreement for The Manor and will be offering businesses, freelancers and hybrid workers access to more than 100 desks and co-working spaces from the summer.
The Manor is part of Grange Park, the 185,000 sq ft workplace campus which is currently enjoying multi-million pound improvements that have already attracted new lettings to insurance business Polo Works and testing, inspection and certification group Kiwa.
The Grade II listed former house and its neighbouring building, The Grange, sit in a green site on the A435 at Bishop’s Cleeve, a short drive from GCHQ, which is being reimagined as a ‘people first’ mixed use campus where staff and visitors can work, relax and exercise amid mature trees in 14 acres of parkland.
The Manor’s four floors of space total 8,147 sq ft. It was built in 1865 as a family home and bought in 1939 by Smiths Industries which made hairsprings for aviation clocks for Spitfires and other iconic aircraft until 1982. Refurbishment of the listed building is underway inside and out.
Mark Dixon, CEO & Founder of IWG, commented: “We are establishing a stronger and much-needed footprint in Cheltenham with this latest opening. As an important business hub, Grange Park is a fantastic place for us to boost our expansion plans.
“The need for high-quality flexible workspaces continues to soar as hybrid working becomes the new normal. We are very pleased to work in partnership with the landlord to develop the Regus brand by adding a cutting-edge workspace to their campus.
“Our opening in Cheltenham comes at a time when more and more companies are discovering that flexible working boosts employee happiness and satisfaction, while helping the environment. Our workplace model is also proven to increase productivity and allows for a business to scale up or down at significantly reduced costs.”
The Regus agreement follows Polo Works signing up for 14,000 sq ft and Kiwa taking 5,400 sq ft of The Grange’s 185,000 sq ft of offices where existing tenants include Capita.
Richard Crabb, from THP, said: “The arrival of Regus secures a powerful international brand not yet represented in or near Cheltenham, bringing a flexible and high quality serviced office option to an attractive building.
“This is an important addition to the offering at Grange Park, with the first phase of reimagined office space in the main building well under way. Regus follows the first major signing to Polo Works and there will be more news to follow.”
Ian Wills, from JLL, added: “It is amazing to be discussing yet another deal at Grange Park. Partnering with Regus means Grange Park can now offer space of all sizes and time commitments. If you want one desk for six months or 1,000 desks for 15 years, we can do it.”
Grange Park is well connected by road to Cheltenham and the M5’s junction nine. Bus services stop on the site which is just three miles from Cheltenham town centre.
Rents at Grange Park are very attractive at up to 50 per cent less than equivalent space in the town centre. And The Grange’s 60,000 sq ft floor plates are some of the largest in the South West.