Bargain Pages, the classified ad operator, has relocated from Tysley to Birmingham city centre’s Cavendish House as part of the company’s plans to increase awareness of the brand. Bargain Pages was acquired from the Daily Mail by Loot in 2010, with Loot widely acknowledged as the pioneering on-line and printed classified operator in the UK.
Bargain Pages has taken 2,416 sq ft of space in the Waterloo Street period office development whose other tenants include Midven, Robson Associates LLP and Extra Personnel.
The new office location will be the base for a team of around 15 staff and Bargain Pages has signed a 10 year lease with a 5-year break option.
Bargain Page’s Robert Feld explained the rationale for moving from an out-of-town location to Birmingham city centre: “Local profile is important in an operation such as ours, and we were looking for a location which could be easily accessed by our customers be they on-line or readers of the classified newspaper ‘Bargain Pages.’ In Cavendish House we have found an attractive office location which we are confident, because of its footfall, will draw in a loyal customer base as well as passers-by who may not be quite so familiar with our brand. Our MD has ambitious plans, and this new base will be an important part of our growth strategy.”
GBR Phoenix Beard’s Richard Fletcher-Brewer is the letting agent at Cavendish House, which is owned by Aberdeen Asset Managers. He has seen high levels of interest in the office development: “Aberdeen has invested heavily in a comprehensive refurbishment of Cavendish House including all of the available office suites and common areas. In our experience, older refurbished buildings in established locations have strong appeal to tenants. Bargain Pages were looking for a strategically central location, and a modern office environment – Cavendish House scores very highly on both of these scores. Whilst on-line trading forms a significant part of Bargain Pages’ operations, the team’s management have recognised the importance of a strong office base to reinforce the brand.”
