City council renews lease on creative media centre

Leeds City Council has renewed its lease on the Round Foundry Media Centre, situated in part of the city’s South Bank area.

The media centre, which provides contemporary serviced office space specifically for creative, digital and media businesses, opened in 2003 with Leeds City Council taking up the lease in 2014.

Located in the Round Foundry and Marshall’s Mill estate, the centre has seen around 60% of these small businesses expand into larger spaces within the surrounding area.

Creative Space Management, which manages the RFMC, and Workman LLP which also manages both Marshall’s Mill and the Round Foundry, have worked alongside Leeds City Council to create a “community of like-minded businesses and an environment which includes the capacity to grow into larger spaces across the estate and is designed to help them succeed.”

Paul Taylor, director of CSM, said: “Starting any new enterprise can be daunting and what we have all worked very hard to create across the site is a place where small businesses can find their feet and gain confidence from the community around them.

“Thanks to this joined up approach by the management teams and Leeds City Council, the RFMC has a proven track record for helping these innovative new businesses get off the ground and the ability to offer continual support and space for them to grow into.”

An integral part of this rapidly growing sector in the city’s economy, the Round Foundry and Marshall’s Mill estate has nurtured businesses including digital marketing company Simplicity Marketing TA Flashtalking which has grown from a Pod in the Media Centre to offices taking almost 7,000 sq. ft of space in Marshall’s Mill.

The Round Foundry and Marshall’s Mill estate has a consistently high occupancy rate of 90%. There are a number of established food and drink businesses on site, including The Cross Keys and Midnight Bell as well as one of Leeds’ newest dining restaurants, Matt Healy x The Foundry.

Councillor Richard Lewis, Leeds City Council executive member for regeneration, transport and planning, added: “We are very pleased to have concluded this lease extension. Situated in the South Bank just a few minutes’ walk from the southern entrance of Leeds Station, the Round Foundry Media Centre is a great example of the council working with and supporting innovation and small businesses at the heart of our digital and creative quarter.”

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