Whether you’re a one-man band or a giant corporate, you need somewhere to work.

There are plenty of different types of offices out there so choosing one for your business can be difficult. It is important to think about what the office needs to be for you. Is it an address? Is it to help you attract (and retain) staff? Or is it somewhere for your team to interact? Depending what you hope to get from your office will depend on which one is best for you. So we’re written a list of a few things to consider.

Set-up

The facilities can vary from space to space, some will offer you all-inclusive packages, so you can plug in a play on day one, whereas other will offer you lower rates but you have to sort your own utilities and suppliers. Some businesses don’t have the time or resources to make sure they’re getting the best energy details and deal maintenance contracts, in which case offices which take this stress away are often an attractive solution.

Length of commitment

“Dream big” that’s what they always say. If you have a growing team, or your headcount fluctuates across the year, do you really want to commit for 3+ years to one space? Flexible spaces will offer you the luxury of easy in easy out contracts. This works well for businesses who might take on a new project in a different city and need a temporary office to get it up and running.

Growth

In a similar way, if your business is expected to grow rapidly, you need to be able to future proof your office space without over committing. If you’re not in a position to pay for space you might need in the future, then look at somewhere which will allow you to grow your headcount at your own rate such as a shared office or co-working space.

The Look

Looks aren’t everything, but they do count when it comes to office space. Employees spend an average of 3,515 full days at work over the course of their lifespan so it important to find an office space where they can thrive personally and professionally. Access to quality furniture, natural daylight, greenery and a nice design will help improve mood and productivity within your team. A nice office space will also help keep your team engaged while also attracting new talent as it shows them that you care about your team’s well-being.

Budget

Without beating around the bush, budget is definitely something you need to consider. But remember that the headline price is not always reflective of the true cost of occupying an office space. Before setting up The Racquets Court, we spoke to many different building owners who all flagged that one of the biggest costs is cleaning (you can read more about this here). It is important to consider your ‘must haves’ and ‘would likes’ when finding your ideal office space. Do you really need a customised ping pong table? Identify what is important to your business objectives and the well-being of your team and start there. You can always add the ‘would likes’ later.

Private or Shared

Here’s where I would like to dispel a myth: you can work with sensitive information and be in a shared office. In fact, we’ve got data companies working out of The Racquets Court. Providing you don’t leave sensitive documents out on your desk or confidential emails open on your screen while you go for lunch, you can work in a shared space. Most shared offices have meeting rooms, break out areas or other places you can go with your colleagues for a chat if you don’t want to be overheard.
In a private space, you often have more authority to change the decor or layout, but you may also have to budget for kitting out the place as well. Shared offices often come furnished (often to a high standard with quality products are they are built to last), so you can have fewer overheads when first moving in.

Location

The right location can make a huge difference, not only to your team, but also to your clients. Will you have clients visiting the office on a regular basis? In which case you may need to think about how they will get there (i.e. will they be able to walk? Drive? Public transport?). We know that the average UK worker will spend 400 days of their life commuting, so in the interest of maintaining a healthy work-life balance, it’s worth considering location when selecting your next office.

To find out more about workspaces at The Racquets Court, get in touch with our team today

Newcastle / Gateshead has only one FTSE listed HQ, and we’ve felt privilaged that the core team that built Sage Software’s HQ has joined together again to restore The Racquets Court.

We own and inhabit The Racquets Court and that makes us unusual as building developers. We were told that it’s unusual for developers to be as involved as we were with every detail – to include the coat hooks.  We were fussy but not once did the teams at IDP, Tolent or Elliot do anything other than rise to meet our frequent challenges.  And the ‘process’ was managed as well as the build itself. This came home to us about half way through the construction …

… we were visited on site by two women responsible for a regional charity.  As they were leaving they asked us, in relation to Tolent’s people on site, “are they all like that” .  When we asked what they meant, they replied “are they all … nice”.  Of course, the answer was “yes” and that was our experience throughout – alongside stunning professionalism.  The project finished in the week that it was forecast to finish at the outset.  How about that for unusual!

Tolent and IDP and Elliots are local businesses and walking around Newcastle, Tolent’s brand is found frequently.  But – and this may be the crucial variable – their market is national and perhaps it’s this that makes them competitive and productive.

The implications of the local (small) market

The Newcastle / Gateshead market is a small one.  Indeed, that of the North East as a whole is also.  But that’s not the real issue – the real issue is that there simply aren’t that many businesses.  In other words, the number of businesses per head of population in the North East is around one-quarter that of London and the South East.  Put crudely, there are four times as many interior design businesses in London as there are in the South.

There are a number of implications of this – and some of the most important are not relevant here -but let’s take the implications for a potential customer for any service.  If that customer is not aware of this core fact; if that customer travels little in the UK and to the South East not at all, then that customer is very likely to be faced with a price which is high and service which is poor.  If local purchasing is ignorant of these facts (and most will be) they are likely not to recognise uncompetitive pricing and will not be demanding customers.

An example

As developers of The Racquets Court, we commissioned relatively few services ourselves.  One of the larger services that we did commission is that of connectivity and the bits and bobs associated with it. The core element of that is the Stellium line – upon which we comment elsewhere.  Stellium is not a locally owned business and it is by definition global. It behaves that way and service was outstanding.

Stellium only brings a line to the front door – at that point is hits a range of swithches and stuff which distribute connectivity around the building. We initially sought 2 proposals from local businesses. The costs of these were similar – and it seemed to us, rather high.

So we decided to call 2 businesses in Leeds.  The first thing to say is that the Leeds conurbation has a signiticant number of IT service businesses from which to choose.  The response from each of these businesses was superb – speedy, uncomplicated and friendly. The estimates from these 2 were also suprisingly close to one another.  But here’s the thing, these 2 were HALF the cost of the Newcastle based businesses.  And that is a very significant sum.

In the end, we had 4 proposals.  Each of the 4 offered different switches (3 were Cisco offers), but the fundamental cost differences were down to the offered firewall.  We carefully considered the proposals and our key requirements and decided that the expensive firewalls were not appropriate to our needs.  We did not consider that local offers quizzed us sufficiently before offering such expensive firewall options.

We did not award the project to the cheapest of the 4 proposals we received.

North East data analysis consultancy, Gavurin Limited has purchased and developed its first headquarters on the site of a formerly derelict property called The Racquets Court in Newcastle city centre.

The Racquets Court

Supported by a six-figure development loan from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, the project has seen ‘The Racquets Court’ building renovated into a state-of-the-art workspace for the business. Although the building served as a venue for the playing of Racquets for many years, it had been sitting empty for over 10 years prior to the redevelopment.

Incorporating the original features of the premises, including a Victorian staircase and glass feature ceiling, the business has created an innovative 5,000 sq ft space over two floors.

Following a period of sustained growth, the management team felt the time was right to move to be part of the growing digital, software and technology scene in the centre of Newcastle to maximise new business opportunities.

Gavurin develops and builds its own software to visualise and analyse data that allow its clients to make strategic management decisions. The business’ international client portfolio covers a diverse range of sectors. This includes Dun & Bradstreet, the commercial data and insights provider, and not-for-profit organisation Hospice UK.

With big ambitions for the region’s technology sector, Gavurin plans to use 50 per cent of its new office as a collaborative working space and a wider networking hub for the North East technology community. Members will have access to desk space, meeting rooms or can use the building as a virtual office.

Connectivity

The Racquets Court is one of the only buildings in Newcastle to already be connected to the new Metropolitan Area Network, a new super-fast gigabyte internet line. The advanced fibre optic cable will enable the business to move large volumes of data across wide areas nationally and internationally at high speed; a key strength for competing in the digital economy.

Gavurin’s managing director, Jonathan Graham, said:

“Connectivity is a major consideration for technology businesses when looking to re-locate. We believe the new advanced fibre infrastructure, only metres from our new headquarters, gives us a real competitive advantage.  It also has the potential to be transformational for the whole of the North East. Thanks to the support of Lloyds Bank, we now have an innovative, creative and technologically advanced working environment. This will help us realise our growth ambitions for the business.”

John Turnbull, Relationship Director, Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, said:

“Having started from relatively humble beginnings, Gavurin has grown to the point where it can now boast an international client book.

 

“Newcastle has always been the business’ main base and now it is looking to work with more companies closer to home. The team has set itself some ambitious targets and this move to The Racquets Court, a key milestone for the business, will play a significant part in helping it achieve these goals.

 

“We have made clear commitments to support SME and Mid-Market businesses with a £6bn increase in net lending over the next three years. As Newcastle looks to grow its reputation as a centre for digital, software and technological innovation, we’re pleased to be supporting businesses like Gavurin that will help realise this ambition and more widely will help Britain prosper.”

November 2018