Five more companies have moved to Cardiff city centre’s fast-growing Creative Quarter office complex in the past three months.
The Creative Quarter, which sits above the retail-focussed Morgan Quarter, provides individual studios created in the old Morgan Arcade Chambers and the upper floors of the David Morgan Department store. Already home to a rapidly growing community of businesses, its recent string of new lettings puts the Creative Quarter at the heart of Cardiff’s flourishing creative community.
Recent businesses arriving include Action Coach, Off to Work, Applingua, Scottish American, and Downs Merrifield. They have joined existing high-profile tenants such as Bad Wolf Productions at the offices, which combine contemporary interiors with the original Victorian architecture.
TV production company Bad Wolf was set up by former BBC executives Jane Tranter and Julie Gardner, who were responsible for Doctor Who, Torchwood and Da Vinci’s Demons. It recently embarked upon a partnership arrangement with US premium cable company HBO.
Fran Clarke, who designed much of the interior space at the Quarter, said: “Tenants have access to shared meeting spaces, showers and The Hub – a communal social space which provides kitchen facilities and a focal point for informal meetings, presentations and get-togethers.
“It’s a collaborative environment that is proving highly attractive to growing creative businesses.”
The offices are being marketed on behalf of landlord Helical Bar by joint agents Knight Frank and Oscar Clarke. Mark Sutton, partner at Knight Frank, said: “There are already 15 tenants at Creative Quarter, with strong interest from companies looking for flexible, stylish city centre working conditions where they can be close to like-minded entrepreneurs.”
Peter Clarke of Oscar Clarke added: “The Creative Quarter offers spaces from 230 sq ft to 2,000 sq ft in a contemporary design led environment.”
The Creative Quarter is a finalist in the Cardiff Life Awards, the winners of which will be announced on March 17.
Comments from occupiers:
Downs Merrifield Architects
“When we first saw the Creative Quarter we were captivated by the light and airy working environment, the sense of community and the fantastic communal facilities known as The Hub.”
*Subject to Change
“Creative Quarter is the perfect environment for me and my business. The old David Morgan building has been beautifully restored and renovated with a lot of attention to detail, keeping some of the original features, whilst also making it a look bright and contemporary. Having a studio of this standard in the centre of Cardiff is a great asset. Clients are always impressed when they visit.”
Eventeem
“Having been based in serviced offices for the past couple of years, Eventeem was looking for a new home where the team could flourish. When we stumbled across the Creative Quarter we were absolutely delighted! The inspirational design of the scheme and the social hub represents us perfectly and as a collaborative team, the open plan studio that we have chosen is the ideal space for us. We are incredibly excited to be part of Cardiff’s new creative community.”
Applingua
“Applingua has been translating web and smartphone apps for over five years. We work in a highly creative and fast moving industry that is always pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in tech. As soon as I saw The Creative Quarter in Morgan Arcade, I knew it would be the perfect home for our growing team. From welcoming social spaces to flexible meeting rooms, it’s clear every thought has gone into making this a space to which you’d want to come to work.”