Folly Hall Mills looks to future as business takes space
A YORKSHIRE training and assessment company is taking office space at an historic Yorkshire mill complex.
ESTL is taking 15,000 sq ft of space at Folly Hall Mills on the banks of the River Colne in Huddersfield.
The iconic grade-two star listed building on the edge of Huddersfield town centre is being converted into 60,000 sq ft of offices by Dewsbury-based Jay Tee Group.
ESTL, which is currently based in Kirkburton, near Huddersfield, has agreed terms to take space in both mills, as well the extended boiler house which forms part of the complex.
The company will be taking 6,900 sq ft in the small mill, which means that it is now full, 3,300 sq ft in the boiler house and 3,400 sq ft in the main mill.
Rachel Stirling, managing director of ESTL, said: “We are moving to Folly Hall because we have experienced considerable growth in the last 12 months, which is forecast to continue.
“This means that our staff base, physical and training resources are in the process of being trebled and to enable us to facilitate this, we required substantially bigger premises.
“We chose Folly Hall for our relocation for a number of reasons, including its central location, which will enable us to retain existing staff, car parking facilities and the chance of having purpose-built premises with specifically designed spaces.”
The move will be in three stages. Initially, ESTL will occupy three floors of the small mill, moving in mid-February.
In mid-May, the company will occupy the newly instated atrium and existing boiler house. By mid-September, ESTL will occupy half of the ground floor in the main mill. In total, the company will be employing about 100 staff at Folly Hall Mills.
Paul Bailey, project director at the Jay Tee Group, said: “We are delighted to welcome ESTL to Folly Hall Mills, which is a tremendous development for Huddersfield.”
The joint agents for the scheme are Eddisons and Michael Steel and Co.
Paul Andrew, head of agency at Eddisons, said: “There are a number of prestigious schemes being proposed for central Huddersfield, but Folly Hall will be the first to deliver the high-quality accommodation, so full of character, that is preferred by many modern businesses and organisations.”
Huddersfield-based architects Above & Beyond have taken two floors in the smaller of the two mills.
Folly Hall was originally built in 1844 and operated until 1982. It was was renowned internationally for the quality of its worsted and suits were made for world-famous politicians such as Jimmy Carter and Jim Callaghan. It was owned by the Lumb family.
