Expanding Yorkshire funeral plan providers Safe Hands Funeral Plans have taken 2,518 sq ft of quality self-contained office space at the popular Calder Park in Wakefield.
Safe Hands Funeral Plans has signed a five-year lease at a market moving rent at Unit 12, Mariner Court, which is owned by Venturian Property Holdings.
Elizabeth Ridler, partner at global property consultancy Knight Frank in Leeds, who represented the landlords, commented: “This deal was completed within just six weeks of the new tenants first viewing the property, which is tremendous going and a resounding endorsement of a first-class building.
“These are challenging times for everyone, because of Covid-19. But it is important to remember that deals are still being done and that the property market hasn’t completely ground to a halt. This is an exciting move for Safe Hands Funeral Plans and will enable them to expand their business.”
Unit 12, Mariner Court, which has eight parking spaces, is located on the established Calder Close, forming part of the Calder Park Business Park at Junction 39 of the M1 motorway in Wakefield. It is two miles from Wakefield city centre and 15 miles to the south of Leeds.
Greg Allsopp of Venturian said: “The speed with which this letting was completed is testament not only to the location and quality of Mariner Court, but also to the hard work and expertise of the Knight Frank office agency team in Leeds.
“As landlords, we are delighted that a local company of the calibre and reputation of Safe Hands Funeral Plans has chosen our development as their new office headquarters in Yorkshire. We wish them the best of luck.”
Michelle Kemp, the Chief Operating Officer of Safe Hands Funeral Plans, explained: “Following the acquisition of Wakefield-based Safe Hands Plans Ltd, one of the UK’s leading prepaid funeral plan providers, by private investment company SHP Capital Holdings Ltd earlier this year, and a subsequent major investment in the business, we are pleased to have secured larger premises in an excellent location to provide us with room for expansion.”
SHP plans to grow the business, employing more staff, extending the product range and opening up new direct channels. Safe Hands currently writes around 50 plans a day and holds more than £50 million in a trust managed by UBS, making it one of the largest providers in the funeral plan sector.
