Developer Cubex has completed its renovation of the historic space that will house Channel 4’s new Creative Hub at Finzels Reach, with striking new images offering a glimpse inside.
Finzels Reach is a new waterfront neighbourhood in Bristol being developed by Cubex with funding from Palmer Capital. Earlier this year, Channel 4 confirmed its plan to locate its new Creative Hub at Finzels Reach.
Now that Cubex has finished redeveloping the space, which is part of the characterful Fermentation Buildings, Channel 4 will forge ahead with its fit-out. Channel 4 expects to open its hub before Christmas.
Peter Walford, director at Bristol-based Cubex, says: “We are immensely proud to have attracted a major player like Channel 4 to Finzels Reach, joining the likes of Historic England, English Heritage and creative studio OUTLAW in the Fermentation Buildings.
“We have paid careful attention to restoring this heritage building, bringing it to life with stand-out, high quality design, whilst preserving its historic features and charm. We are very much looking forward to seeing the space in use soon, supporting the city’s burgeoning creative sector.”
Overlooking Bristol’s Floating Harbour, the Fermentation Buildings are part of the rich brewing history at Finzels Reach, which has been home to several famous breweries over the years, most recently Courage Brewery before it closed in the 1990s. There is only one office suite spanning 3,370 sq ft on the first floor of the Fermentation Buildings and overlooking Temple Cross available for let.
The first phase of Finzels Reach is now almost complete with strong interest in most of the remaining leisure space in the Fermentation Buildings, and the 194 newly-completed built-to-rent apartments at Hawkins & George recently handed over to operator Grainger and launched to market. With Bocabar’s plans to open a new venture at Finzels Reach, Spicer+Cole’s new café and Left Handed Giant now open, the neighbourhood is also tipped to become one of the city’s hottest new destinations.
Meanwhile, Cubex has plans to continue the regeneration of Finzels Reach at the former headquarters site of Avon & Somerset Fire and Rescue located on the other side of Counterslip, opposite the existing site. Subject to planning, the site will be transformed into 297 new homes, including over 20% affordable housing, together with high quality offices for up to 1,100 people, supporting Bristol’s acute need for housing and its growing economy. Significant investment in improvements around the site, including new landscaping, pedestrian and cycle routes, will help create a more attractive area and foster a strong sense of community.
Cubex bought the former fire station site on behalf of Palmer Capital Development Fund IV (PCDFIV), a programmatic venture by Palmer Capital that is exclusive to clients of CBRE Global Investment Partners (CBRE GIP).
Channel 4’s new Creative Hub in Bristol will be a base for key creative decision makers, supporting the company’s relationship with the production sector – with a particular focus on genres strongly represented in the South West, Wales and Midlands. Commissioning departments represented in the new Creative Hub in Bristol will include: Drama, Factual, Popular Factual – as well as Creative Diversity, supporting on and off-screen diversity. It will also have additional supporting operational roles.
Finzels Reach features high quality new homes, unique workspace, a hotel and leisure space, transforming an area that had been previously closed off to the public for over 200 years. Around 2,500 people will be living and working at Finzels Reach by the end of the year.
The joint agents on this office development are Savills and Knight Frank.
