Printing firm finds solution to property problem after lease terminated

A Redditch printing company which was forced to find new premises after the council voted to terminate its lease of the Rubicon Business Centre has found a new home.

Simon Mawdsley has been running SDM Print since 1997 and traded in three units at the business centre for 18 years.

But Redditch Borough Council last year voted to terminate SDM’s lease along with another 20 firms to make way for German chemical giant BASF, which was taking over the whole centre.

The controversy hit the local news in November and saw Mawdsley and other local businesses appealing for new premises.

Redditch Borough Council argued that the Rubicon Business Centre was operating at a loss to the tune of £80,000 a year at 70% occupancy.

At the time, the council said: “In the past three years Redditch fledgling businesses have accessed £1.1m in grants to help them to scale-up and the provision of managed office space is part of a suite of support designed to help start-ups to grow.

“Rubicon Business Centre is not making financial sense to us so we need to reconsider its future whilst still supporting our local businesses.”

John Truslove has now helped SDM Print to find and move into Unit 12 on Moons Moat North industrial estate on Thornhill Road in Redditch.

Mawdsley said: “Full credit to both Ian Parker and Ben Truslove at John Truslove for how they quickly and efficiently they found us new base for our business.

“They worked closely with the landlords to get the unit modernised for us and we now have somewhere that will suit us for the next few years.”

Mr Mawdsley explained that the property move and COVID-19 had temporarily hit the business, and although he was able to access furloughing for staff and a local grant it was closed from mid-March until earlier this month.

He added: “Now that the lockdown is starting to lift, we’ve relaunched from the new premises and are starting to get things moving again, both with many of our loyal clients and new customers.”

Ian Parker, joint managing director at John Truslove, said: “SDM Print is an established local company that was faced with a huge challenge when its lease was terminated at the Rubicon.

“We were only too pleased to assist and were thrilled to have found them a new base. It’s great to see that they have now reopened and we wish them the greatest success now the economy has started to move again.”

John Truslove negotiated SDM Print’s five-year lease for the 1,694 sq ft property at Moons Moat North with landlord Max Pearson.

SDM was advised by property conveyancer Lizzie Quirke from Redditch law firm Kenneth Curtis & Co.