Holly Walk House offers impressive new home for small businesses in Leamington
Small and medium-sized businesses in Leamington Spa have an attractive new option for office space following the completion of a £1.5million conversion of Warwickshire County Council’s Holly Walk House on Brandon Parade.
Holly Walk House was originally two Grade II-listed, semi-detached buildings dating from the mid-19th century which were joined and converted into offices in the 1970s. The latest refurbishment has protected the historic nature and charm of the property while creating modern flexible workspaces.
The project has transformed approximately 5,500sqft of office accommodation over three floors, previously occupied by the County Council’s Adult and Children’s Services, into high-quality office suites. The work was supported by £500,000 from the Government’s ‘Getting Building’ Fund, through the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership, with additional funding of £500,000 from the County Council.
The new office space is a very welcome addition to Leamington’s vibrant town centre which continues to be a magnet for businesses in the creative industries. The town is home to the largest cluster of video game developers, by economic value, outside greater London according to national trade body Ukie, with a core of 50 businesses anchored around the town. In the last 18 months alone, studios have created around 500 new jobs in the region.
Holly Walk House, which has 15 individual spaces from four to 25 desks, is designed to accommodate growing businesses in fully-managed, highly flexible office space with a community focus. Tenants will be able to access business support, networking, meeting rooms and be part of the wider Warwickshire Business Centres community.
Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for Economy & Place, Cllr Martin Watson, said: “Holly Walk House has been transformed into a heavily-modernised, premium flexible workspace and will be a huge asset to the Leamington business community.
“Everyone who has been to see it has been very impressed with the finished product and I am delighted that the first tenant has been signed up and the council is in advanced discussions with other companies to take space.”