Digital company moves in with council to avoid moving jobs out of area
A specialist operations & digital solutions business has agreed to let a 40,000 sq ft Grade A office space in Stoke-on- Trent, avoiding having to move jobs out of Staffordshire.
The Davies Group has taken a 10-year lease on the third and fourth floors of No. 2 Smithfield,, which is primarily occupied by the city council, and will relocate from its current premises at Telecom House in Hanley.
The company told the council it would have “probably” had to move the jobs out of Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire had this office space not been available.
The space was let by commercial property agents GVA. This marks the second and last office space GVA had to let in the entire 80,000 sq ft of office space available in the building. It was appointed as the sole letting agent for the scheme by Stoke City Council in 2016
No. 2 Smithfield’s ground floor includes retail space and reception area with meeting and conference facilities.
Andrew Venables of GVA, said: “No. 2 Smithfield has set a new standard for commercial development in the city, and there isn’t anything comparable in terms of quality to let in the area.
“The fact that we have secured two lettings of 40,000 sq ft speaks volumes for the confidence in the area as a strong location for businesses, and shows that it is possible to attract businesses of this calibre to Stoke-on- Trent’s new business quarter.”
Councillor David Conway, leader of the city council, said: “I really am delighted that Davies Group are joining us at Two Smithfield, meaning that office space in both buildings is now fully occupied for the first time since they were built.
“We’ve put in a lot of effort and hard work to get to this stage, to give the best possible return for the taxpayer and the city from the development.
“They could have moved their business anywhere but they are staying in Stoke-on-Trent because the city had available the kind of high-quality office building they were looking for to grow and expand their operation. It shows businesses have real confidence to invest in Stoke-on- Trent, a city on the up, and further underlines the city as a great place to do business.”
