Fintech provider signs Sciontec deal at The Spine as part of huge jobs drive

The biggest letting so far at a flagship Liverpool site could lead to the creation of hundreds of jobs over the next five years.

Cashplus Bank has signed a three-year deal with Sciontec Developments Limited (Sciontec) to take around 6,000 sq ft of workspace within the Sciontec AI (All-Inclusive) space at The Spine in Liverpool’s Paddington Village.

Already fitted out to CAT-A+ finish, the second floor of The Spine will provide Cashplus with enough space for more than 70 desks, breakout and informal meeting spaces, a private kitchenette, phone booths and three glass meeting rooms.

Attracted by Liverpool’s talent pool, Cashplus has chosen to locate its fast-growing operations teams in Paddington Village, a £1bn development site and one of Liverpool City Council’s flagship regeneration schemes, from September 1, 2022.

Colin Webb, operations director at Cashplus, said: “We have a proud history in the North West and I’m pleased to confirm this commitment to Liverpool for the next phase of Cashplus Bank’s journey. We wanted to give our employees an inspiring workplace environment that matches the forward thinking ethos of our company. The Spine in Paddington Village is a standout building that matches our requirements perfectly.

“The proximity of the site to both the local community and Liverpool’s leading universities was another deciding factor for us and we look forward to starting the next chapter of our exciting journey with Sciontec.”

Founded in 2005, Cashplus is a Fintech bank and has served more than 1.6 million customers and delivered a long list of innovations for small businesses and consumers. Cashplus has plans to create hundreds of jobs in the Liverpool area over the next five years.

Colin Sinclair, CEO of Sciontec, said: “This is a hugely significant deal for Liverpool and the wider city region.

“Having a fast growing, leading UK Fintech brand located within the Sciontec AI space at The Spine, in the Knowledge Quarter Liverpool (KQ Liverpool) innovation district, will not only add to the dynamic ecosystem here, but it will be a driver for even greater job creation, economic growth and innovation in the coming years.”

He added: “This landmark deal could not have been done without the support of the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) who have backed Sciontec all the way, in creating innovative serviced space within its floors at The Spine. Building a community of like-minded businesses who, like us, put people’s health and well-being at the heart of workplace design and management.”

The licence for the second floor of The Spine was signed with the RCP on June 6, 2022, after a period of negotiations led by Sciontec with the support of Liverpool City Council and the Liverpool City Region Investment Team at Growth Platform.

Speaking on behalf of Liverpool City Council, who own the award-winning Spine building, Mayor of Liverpool, Joanne Anderson, said: “Cashplus Bank is a great addition to the growing community at The Spine, having chosen the Sciontec AI space following an extensive search of North West locations.

“This is not only because of the building’s iconic design and WELL Standard credentials, but because Liverpool is a great place to live and work, with an incredible talent pool of local people and graduates on the doorstep of Paddington Village”.

Gavin Quinn, head of commercial development at Growth Platform, said: “Our city region has a wealth of exciting innovation and investment opportunities, but it is securing investment and jobs for local people that matters most. It’s really rewarding to see the hard work of our inward investment team, developers, public and private sector organisations, coming together to drive innovation and attract world renowned companies to locate here.”

Ian Bullock, CEO of The Royal College of Physicians, said: “We are proud to have helped Sciontec, the city and city region to land this major deal and look forward to welcoming Cashplus Bank to one of the world’s healthiest buildings and a truly wonderful working environment.”