Claremont creates ‘inspirational playground’ for Auto Trader

FIT-out contractor Claremont Group Interiors has opened the door on Auto Trader’s new headquarters, which has to be the most quirky and creative office space in Manchester, if not the entire region.

The 60,000 sq ft office across three floors at First Street features ‘car’ meeting rooms, media walls, a skateboarding pipe, an Audi Quattro and a ski-lodge.

Warrington-based Claremont describes the new space, created after a 16 week fit-out, as an “inspirational playground”. The office brings together 600 administrative, call centre, digital developers and other head office staff who were previously spread across seven regional offices.

The office includes: touch-screen media walls and write-on walls and surfaces to give staff the freedom to capture their ideas anywhere, anytime; unusual breakout zones and meeting rooms prove that work isn’t confined to a desk and include: a 120 seat café complete with pool tables, video games and a library plus a ski lodge; six vehicles including a 1987 Audi Quattro, 1997 TVR Cerbera, Alfa Romeo and 1977 Jaguar XJ

The company’s 37 years of motoring heritage have also been captured.  Iconic cut-away sketches by Terry Davey, made famous in the Haynes car manuals during the 1970s, appear as wall graphics

Ann Clarke, joint managing director of Claremont Group Interiors led the £4m interior design and fit-out project.  She said: “There’s no denying there’s a lot of unusual and fun elements to this interior, but even the most creative elements all support how Auto Trader works.  The cars aren’t gimmicks, they provide spaces that spark the imagination and encourage cross-pollination of ideas.

“Modern offices need to be more about more than just providing the tools and spaces to do the job. They need to offer the freedom to relax, share ideas and be inspired too. Younger generations joining the workforce expect a more free-range and dynamic environment and Auto Trader certainly has that.”

Other facts: Two vans – a VW camper van and Citroen H van – have been converted into meeting spaces, complete with power and meeting tables; it took three days to crane the six feature vehicles into the fourth and fifth floor spaces; 14touch-screen media walls have been installed along with countless write-on surfaces (including the cars).