Property investor swoops for former Global Eagle headquarters

Property investor Hurstwood Holdings has acquired its second commercial property in Knutsford in less than six months after agreeing the off-market purchase of the former Global Eagle headquarters.

The new owner of the 13,155 sq ft building on Parkgate Industrial Estate has renamed it Hurstwood House and is planning to convert the building into serviced offices.

The deal, for an undisclosed sum, follows the acquisition of a 4,000 sq ft property, Winsford House, last October.

Stephen Ashworth, chairman of Hurstwood Holdings, said: “We have been particularly keen to build our portfolio in this part of Cheshire.

“The building is prominently situated on an established business park in an area that is seeing a significant amount of investment and we believe that following the events of the last 12 months, the demand for provincial offices will continue to rise.”

One of the talked-about consequences of the pandemic is a rise in the perceived attractiveness of secondary office locations, as some businesses weigh up the costs and commutes for city centre locations.

Manchester-based Hurstwood Holdings owns a £175m portfolio with 115 sites across the country.

Williams Sillitoe acted on behalf of Hurstwood Holdings, supported by legal advice from Gateley and funding from Together Money. JLL represented Global Eagle.