Posted by jerry on Feb 2, 2012 in Commercial Property Manchester City Centre Property Management
Last week, when visiting North-West England, the Prime Minister suggested that vacant government offices could be made available for small and growing businesses. Other than the idea that any business could only have a maximum of one year in a government building, details were scant and little else has appeared since.
With nearly a quarter of our estate geared towards small and flexible office space for small and fast growing businesses, Magnus is fully aware of the challenges that this proposal will bring.
• The office space will need to be configured for businesses of varying sizes. Even a one-person company wants its own discreet space but with access to communal kitchen facilities and a boardroom that can be hired by the hour. Large open plan offices will need to be reconfigured for the local market with the appropriate capital investment.
• Businesses will need a way of searching for the right facilities and quickly determining whether accommodation of the right size and cost is currently available in the right location. The internet is ideal for this especially as most small businesses start their search from Google. Again, there is a capital cost as well as day-to-day maintenance.
• In our experience, most small businesses are looking to move straight away. They will expect their legal documentation to be completed in days (sometimes hours!) and their office space ready for immediate occupation. Once in situ, they will need someone on site to look after their day-to-day needs not least ensuring that boardroom bookings are managed and communal facilities are clean and properly maintained. If they are only in the building for a year, they will expect the heating to work when it's needed, repairs to be carried out quickly and security to be maintained at adequate levels at all times.
If you're a potential occupier in NW England then Magnus has already solved all these problems and should be you're first port of call. If you're Mr Cameron and you want some help getting this scheme off the ground then give us a call!!