Office sale signals shift in the market

Charles Draper (centre left) and William Draper with members of their teams outside the new premises.

THE sale of a building which had sat empty for seven years at the side of East Yorkshire’s busiest road signals a surge in demand for office space, according to Garness Jones chartered surveyors.

But Paul White, agency director at the Hull-based firm, says supply is struggling to meet the needs of businesses looking to relocate.

He said: “Larger office and business parks have been supported with investment from the European Regional Development Fund but the heaviest demand at the moment is for smaller space of between 1,000 and 3,000 square feet in secondary areas.

“One of the factors behind the current shortage is the conversion of some office space for residential use, a practice adopted by some property owners in recent years to bring empty buildings back into use.”

Lack of choice was the main issues faced by Garness Jones when the firm was instructed to find new premises for Charles and William Draper for their expanding businesses SureStaffing UK and Brothers Recruitment. Both are delighted with the move into a three-storey property at the side of the A63 and close to Hull city centre.

Charles, managing director of blue collar recruitment specialists, SureStaffing, said: “We set Garness Jones the challenge of finding an office complex that would not only meet our needs now, but also as we grow further in the future. The 4,500 sq ft building they identified is ideal and located alongside one of Hull’s busiest routes which will help to raise our profile and our brand. We are delighted with the outcome of our work together.”

William, managing director of white collar recruitment specialists, Brothers Recruitment, said: “The offices are perfect for a growing business of our nature, being in easy reach of Hull city centre and the A63 with great transport links and plenty of parking. We have now fully refurbished the offices and they look fantastic inside and out. We look forward to welcoming people who are seeking new jobs or a lifestyle change as we continue to support them in their search for work. Our aim is to help people find their ideal job – something our team delivers day in, day out.”

Paul said the Garness Jones had to act quickly to complete the deal even though the property had been vacant since 2009.

He said: “It was renovated as high quality offices years ago but then the market crashed and there was no demand. It’s been waiting for someone like Charles and William to come along, but the scenario now is completely different with increasing demand for freehold office space and not enough supply.

“We are aware of a number of SMEs who are looking to relocate for various reasons but who can’t find the right premises. Charles and William have done an excellent job of bringing this building back into use. The thing that really strikes you is the external appearance – they have lifted the profile of the building and in such a busy location it promotes the businesses very effectively.”