Citibase Backs Northern Powerhouse With Duo Of Flexible Office Openings

Citibase, The Property Manager for the New Economy, is ramping up its northern expansion with two new management contracts launching flexible office hubs in Manchester’s Salford Quays and Newcastle upon Tyne’s Market Street. These have potential to provide over 31,000 sq ft of fully serviced space for entrepreneurs, SMEs and start-ups.

Citibase Manchester Salford Quays is housed in an entirely refurbished and stylishly re-designed brick building in Merchants Quay with potential to provide almost 17,000 sq ft of high quality, flexible space for nearly 300 businesses. It is Citibase’s third centre in the Manchester area, and builds on the success of their two existing office hubs to demonstrate the city’s rapidly burgeoning demand for flexible office space.

The regeneration of Salford Quays has been one of the North West’s most exciting transformation stories, now forming a world-class business, cultural and residential area, with the ongoing expansion of MediaCityUK acting as a driving force behind this. The new centre, housed in CERT Property’s The Junction building, is just two minutes’ walk to Salford Quays Metrolink stop, which provides fast access to Deansgate in Manchester city centre in less than 10 minutes, while also being handy for the M60 and M602 motorways.

In Newcastle upon Tyne, the new Citibase Newcastle Market Street hub has potential to provide up to 14,183 sq ft of space with over 225 workstations. Housed in an impressive red brick building in the heart of the city, it’s just a short walk from the Monument Metro and Central train stations with all the city’s shops, restaurants and amenities on the doorstep. It is Citibase’s third centre in Newcastle upon Tyne and reflects strong demand for flexible, affordable workspace with short-term contracts, with the company’s Newcastle enquiry levels up over 10% over the past eight months.  Citibase is managing the centre on behalf of a client with whom it has already partnered on five other buildings in central London, and Newcastle Market Street is the partnership’s first foray outside of the capital.

Steve Jude, CEO of Citibase, comments: “London often grabs the headlines for the world of flexible officing but our continued expansion across the North shows that the appetite for affordable, flexible office space with short term contracts is truly nationwide.

“An astonishing 90% of SMEs we surveyed in the North East in our recent Citibase Business Confidence Index told us they wanted an office contract of under three years, and nearly three quarters of those in the North West said the same. We are proud to be supporting the economy of the Northern Powerhouse by providing workspace that allows SMEs – the lifeblood of the new economy – to flourish, without the commitments of a traditional long-term contact.

“2017 was a record year for our business and the flexible officing sector as a whole, with huge growth figures and spiraling demand from not only SMEs but also larger corporate players – and we anticipate that this will gather further momentum in 2018.”

About Citibase

Citibase offers fully serviced business centres for cost-conscious SMEs in 37 locations nationwide. Their unique disruptive business model brings together both clients and customers. Over the last 25 years they have been commissioned by some of the largest and smallest names in the UK property market to help execute a plan for their under-utilised office space.

They provide solutions to property owners, by taking over the management of the building, allowing building owners to generate a cash income from secondary office space with minimum stress whilst providing SME customers with cost-effective office solutions.

Citibase also offers building owners with short-term voids a smart way of enjoying the hassle-free cash which only Citibase can generate by launching one of their unique pop-up business centres. It’s easy-in and easy-out, and Citibase will manage the entire process.

Citibase concentrates on town and city centre locations. Founded in 1993, the business has at its heart the ‘Freedom at Work’ philosophy; a deep-routed commitment to support and nurture cost-conscious SMEs whether they are setting out for the first time or taking bigger steps on the path to growth. Being in a Citibase centre gives SMEs the independence to be freed from expensive rents and rates, inflexible terms, service charges, hidden costs and corporate restrictions. By taking the stress of running a building off business’s hands, Citibase allows SMEs to focus on growing a successful business.

For more information on Citibase visit www.citibase.com.