An office building near Southampton is serving as the new headquarters of one of the largest independently owned electrical distributors in the UK.
R&M Electrical Group has signed a 10-year lease on 8,392 sq ft Turnpike House at Tollgate Business Park, Chandler’s Ford.
Property consultancy Vail Williams acted for the landlord, a private property investor.
Kier, the construction, services and property group, was the previous occupier at three-storey Turnpike House, built in 1998 and with 55 car parking spaces.
Nik Cox, a Vail Williams partner who advises on business space transactions in the Solent region and works out of the firm’s Southampton office, said: “In sourcing a new single-let occupier, R&M Electrical Group expressed an interest, culminating with the company signing up all three floors at detached Turnpike House.
“As part of the letting, the landlord invested in category A fit-out works which has seen the building stripped back to a shell, with new finishes to the floors, walls and ceilings.
“R&M Electrical took over with a bespoke fit-out with fixtures and fittings, ready for occupation this summer.
“As part of the letting agreement, Vail Williams’ building consultancy team monitored works on behalf of the landlord to ensure regulatory compliance, which is a standard requirement with tenancy led fit-outs.”
Vibe Business Interiors led the design and fit-out project on behalf of R&M Electrical Group, which relocated from offices in Sholing, Southampton.
Established 36 years ago, and employing approximately 280 staff, R&M Electrical Group has a turnover of £150m-plus, with international contracts and serving growth markets such as the cruise sector, energy & renewables, petrochemical, data centres, rail, marine, commercial and industrial.
William Crook, Group Managing Director, said: “R&M Electrical Group has experienced a significant upturn in business following the pandemic – 2023 was a record year for the business and we have exciting future plans.
“With our growth strategy, providing best-in-class service solutions for customers so they can meet and exceed industry standards and regulations, it makes sense to move into a highly professional workplace environment which best reflects our brand in the UK and globally.
“Turnpike House also provides convenient access from the M27 and M3 for staff and distribution routes, with the international ports of Portsmouth and Southampton only a few miles away and, via the connecting motorways, the West, Midlands and London. We thank Nik and his colleagues at Vail Williams for a smooth transaction.”
