A leading customer engagement company has agreed to move into the iconic No. 1 Whitehall Riverside building in Leeds.
Edit Kin+Carta is taking 7,500 sq ft of office space on the third floor, following in the footsteps of parcel delivery giant Hermes.
They are relocating from the out-of-town business park Thorpe Park and taking a 10-year lease for £26 per sq ft.
Eamon Fox, partner and head of department at global property consultancy Knight Frank in Leeds, who brokered the deal, said that this was a “significant move and a ringing endorsement of one of the city’s most prestigious office buildings”.
“It is especially interesting to note that Edit’s move follows hot on the heels of the decision of parcel delivery giant Hermes to open a new 6,500 sq ft tech hub at No.1 Whitehall Riverside, creating 50 new jobs.
“These 50 new recruits – who will include developers, testers and product owners – will be joined by a further 20 colleagues who are relocating from the company’s headquarters in Morley, so there is a pattern here of successful tech-based companies moving into high-quality city centre buildings from out of town.”
Mr Fox commented: “No 1 Whitehall Riverside has established an enviable reputation as one of the finest office buildings in Leeds. Occupiers include Aviva, Grant Thornton, Bond Dickinson, Handelsbanken and Michael Page International. There is also the bonus of having the popular restaurant HIVE on the ground floor.
“The 130,000 sq ft building provides some of the largest floor plates in Leeds which, along with the £150,000 refurbishment of the office entrance, is reaping dividends. It offers prime Grade A space, and at a time of diminished city centre office stock, has capitalised on occupiers’ flight to quality.
“There is currently only 3,428 sq ft on the first floor and 2,513 sq ft on the fourth floor available to lease, which can be adapted to the needs of occupiers. The sheer quality and pulling power of No 1 Whitehall Riverside, with its enviable combination of low-running costs, high-calibre occupiers and superb office space, means that there is a good deal of interest in this remaining space,” he added.
James Lunn, Managing Director at Edit Kin + Carta, said “Moving into the centre of Leeds, one of the most vibrant and digitally focused cities in the UK, is an important part of our Leeds office growth strategy. We’re building an environment that reflects our passion for digital transformation and will be creating a connected, premium and modern office.
“With our high profile clients and progressive search, data, CRM and media proposition, we believe our new city centre location and local transport links will help us attract even more digital talent to our expanding team,” he added.
Insurance, pensions and investment company NFU Mutual are the landlords. Asset manager Tom Foley said: “Securing successful vibrant tech companies like Edit and Hermes reinforces No.1 Whitehall Riverside’s position as a centre of hi-tech excellence in one of the most prestigious buildings in Leeds city centre.
“The building is experiencing an increase in enquiries in recent months and with such a strong tenant line-up and enviable riverside frontage, I am confident we will find suitable occupiers for the available space soon.”
