Citibase Launches New Centre in “resurgent” Wakefield

Citibase is launching a new business hub in Wakefield, West Yorkshire – one of the fastest growing economies in the region (Office for National Statistics, 2016).

Citibase Wakefield is the flexible workspace company’s seventh new centre in the past year, and is housed in the landmark Merchant Gate, a vibrant, mixed-use development in the heart of the city.

Created by award winning developer Muse, Merchant Gate provides offices, retail, leisure and apartments. Situated in 2 Burgage Square, a state-of-the-art modern building, the new hub could have the potential in the future to expand to offer just under 20,000 sq ft of space and house up to 330 SMEs, start-ups and entrepreneurs.

Citibase’s new centre unveiling is expected to be particularly popular with those businesses looking for a super-connected location with all the benefit of affordable, flexible and short-term contracts.

The Merchant Gate development is part of an area-wide regeneration project being delivered by English Cities Fund (a delivery vehicle established by Muse, Legal & General and the HCA) in partnership with Wakefield Metropolitan District Council.

Wakefield is Citibase’s seventh new business centre launch in the past 12 months, underlining its appeal to growing businesses. It is also the firm’s second hub in Yorkshire, with the nearby Citibase Leeds City Square having been well established for several years.

The opening is further evidence of Wakefield’s revival with Coca-Cola Enterprises, Haribo and Warburtons among the major global brands based in the area. The city’s renaissance was highlighted earlier this month when the Hepworth Wakefield received the prestigious award as Art Fund’s UK museum of the year.

Citibase CEO Steve Jude commented: “Citibase Wakefield is open for business, offering bright and fresh office space right next door to the mainline station. Over the past few years Wakefield has started to enjoy a well-deserved renaissance, with major investment and a host of projects breathing new life into the area – and Citibase Wakefield is located in one of the best areas of this rejuvenated city.

“The fact that this is our seventh new centre in the last year demonstrates the huge popularity of our flexible officing solutions which we’ve pioneered since 1993. It will help satisfy the growing demand from SMEs who’ll benefit from the wider confidence in the area being shown by some well-known household names.

“Landlords are now more than ever turning to flexible office providers such as Citibase who can fill under-utilised space with the vibrant SMEs of the New Economy, generating reliable revenue streams for building owners.”

The business centre is bathed in natural light with impressive glass frontage and modern architecture with its main doors opening out onto the beautifully landscaped Burgage Square. There is plenty of parking available nearby for cars and bikes, as well as a gym and cafe next to the building. The central location means popular Trinity Walk and Ridings shopping centres, with their wide range of shops, supermarkets, cafes and amenities are just a few minutes’ walk away.

The excellent transport links are also a major attraction. For those who want easy access around the region and beyond, Westgate mainline station is directly opposite the building, where fast and frequent services provide access to Leeds in less than 15 minutes and London Kings Cross in under two hours. There is also easy access to three of the UK’s main road networks, with junction 40 and 41 of the M1 both within an easy 10 minutes’ drive.

Steve Jude added: “I have said for a long time that the world of work has changed forever and with the current political and economic uncertainty, there is a greater need from SMEs for flexibility. With the long lease model in continuous decline, expect landlords to increasingly look for new ways to generate income from their buildings, as the sector move away from traditional methods of maximising returns from commercial property portfolios.”

As with Citibase’s other business centres throughout the UK, Citibase Wakefield will offer flexible, short term and affordable contracts. Suites are offered in various sizes, from one person to much larger spaces, making it ideal for businesses at every stage of their development and appealing to SMEs who are often deterred by long term office contracts.

The centre also enjoys superfast broadband with a range of internet and telecoms packages, 24-hour access, meeting rooms as well as a friendly Concierge team offering a variety of business support services.

Citibase Wakefield is situated at 2 Burgage Square, Merchant Gate, Wakefield, WF1 2TS.