National charity relocates to Worcester on new 20-year lease
CHARITY The Royal Life Saving Society UK has taken out a new 20-year let on a refurbished office in Worcester.
Worcestershire commercial property consultancy GJS Dillon, acting on behalf of landlord Salaft Property Investments and property advisor Cummings Commercial, arranged the deal, which is for 8,500 sq ft of space at Red Hill House.
The charity, previously based at Broom, was advised on the deal by Lambert Smith Hampton’s Birmingham office.
The Royal Life Saving Society is the UK’s drowning prevention charity and leading provider of water safety and drowning prevention education. It is relocating all 65 staff to the new office.
The lease covers part of the ground and first floors at Red Hill House, where the open plan accommodation will undergo an extensive refurbishment by interior design and workplace consultancy, Hi Design.
John Dillon, managing director of GJS Dillon, said: “Attracting the headquarters of a national charity underscores the attractions of Worcester as a prime office location.
“We’ve seen strong take up of office space in the city in recent months with occupiers being encouraged by Worcestershire being the most productive economic area in England, combined with easy access to the national motorway network, a flexible workforce, key lifestyle factors and assistance from the LEP, county council and other public sector bodies.”
Charlotte Fullard, senior surveyor in Lambert Smith Hampton’s office team, said the charity’s requirement had been to secure a prominent city centre location which would help in raising the 125-year-old organisation’s profile and securing future growth.
“Red Hill House proved the first choice of a number of potential options, and I’m confident that the space will give the prominence that they need while also providing a central and accessible location to enable them to better support their network of clubs and branches across the UK,” she said.
Susan Whittle, of Hi Design, said: “RLSS needed spaces which foster collaborative working and we have been able to plan an interesting and flexible office where both permanent and visiting staff have choices of where and how they work, whether that be at desks, at high level collaboration benches, in the break-out spaces or in the quiet library.”
