A national training provider in Britain’s £90 billion hospitality sector has brought its southern regional operations under one roof near Southampton amid strong growth.
Hospitality Industry Training (HIT), which provides catering and hospitality training and apprenticeships, previously had six satellite offices spread across the Fareham, Segensworth and Whiteley areas.
Now all of its regional functions related to statutory health, safety and food hygiene training, along with customer service and government-funded training, are centred in a Fareham office which first underwent a five-figure refit.
In a five-year lease deal through regional commercial property consultancy Hughes Ellard, HIT, which operates across England, relocated 36 people to Crofton House, Unit C, Fareham Heights, Standard Way.
The southern division was established in 2006 and covers from Kent to Dorset and up to Oxford; it has generated £6m of HIT’s overall annual turnover of £28m, with 40% local growth year-on-year.
Lester Biddle, regional operations manager for HIT said: “The fact that we have committed to a five-year lease at Fareham Heights shows how serious we are about continuing to progress the business through our professional trainers and assessors.
“‘Our role is to help companies in the hospitality industry grow their own business by up-skilling personnel, from porters to general managers, leading to increased productivity, reduced staff turnover, improved enthusiasm and morale and costs awareness.”
He added: “Hughes Ellard pulled out all the stops for us to find the right office, which had to be near the M27 for driving convenience. We are already benefitting from increased efficiencies by having all our teams under the one roof.”
According to an industry report by Oxford Economics, Britain’s £90 billion hospitality sector accounts for 2.44 million jobs – 1 in 13 of total jobs.
Harnish Patel, the business space agent for Fareham-based Hughes Ellard, said: “With latest data showing the dominant services sector is growing at its fastest rate in seven years, HIT is well positioned from its new regional headquarters to up-skill the hospitality industry in the South.”
Lease details for HIT’s new 229.22 sq m (2,497 sq ft) ground floor offices were not disclosed; the quoting rent was £10 per sq ft per annum.
Only 229.22 sq m (2467 sq ft), including 14 car parking spaces, remains available to let within the 463.4 sq m (4,998 sq ft) building. The freehold is also available with the investment income.
