Transport-to-retail group disposes of former Liverpool headquarters
Bibby Line Group has completed the sale of its 57,000 sq ft former headquarters office building on Duke Street in Liverpool for an undisclosed sum to developer, CERT Property Group.
The family-owned business announced in September that it will be relocating its Liverpool headquarters and 150 employees to Walker House, Exchange Flags in the heart of the city’s commercial district, having been based at Duke Street for more than 25 years.
Prior to Bibby Line Group taking up residence in Duke Street, the site was the former regional head office for brewer Tetley Walker.
Chief executive John Cresswell said: “Duke Street has served us well over the last 25 years, but relocating to Exchange Flags brings us closer to the centre of the business community and provides our fantastic team with a new, modern working environment, better equipped for the needs of current and future colleagues and customers.”
Howard Lord, managing director of CERT said: “We are delighted to have acquired this beautiful historic property from Bibby Line Group.
“Our intention is to create a contemporary working environment for businesses of all sizes whilst celebrating the building’s stunning heritage features.
“We will be working in collaboration with a fantastic delivery team and look forward to releasing more details of our plans in due course.”
Avison Young advised Bibby Line Group on the deal.
Ian Steele, principal at Avison Young, said: “We understand that it is the purchaser’s intention to retain the building on Duke Street for office use which is really positive news as Liverpool has lost in excess of two million sq ft of office space to other alternative uses during the course of the last few years, and which further supports the continued growth and investment in the Ropewalks area.”
CERT Property Group was advised by B1 Real Estate
Bibby Line Group is a diverse, £800m-turnover business, operating in 16 countries and employing 4,000 people in retail, financial services, distribution, marine and construction equipment hire.
One of the UK’s oldest family-owned businesses, it has more than 200 years’ experience of providing personal, responsive and flexible customer solutions.
