By Five Grimsby firms have secured their place in the £1.2million extension of the town’s Enterprise Village business hub.
In one of the town centre’s biggest commercial investments in recent years, the E-Factor development brings renewed optimism for the region’s business community.
Seven new units are now ready for business on the historic site of the former Atkinson’s smokehouse, despite early setbacks in construction brought about by the UK lockdown. This brings the total number of units in the village to 33.
Each of the new units boast spacious warehousing and office space. Solar PV panels, optimum flood-risk mitigation design and electric vehicle charging points are standard features, plus 40 additional parking spaces.
E-Factor’s Managing Director Mark Webb said early demand had given him confidence in the substantial investment.
“The decision to invest in the site was speculative but we were confident that there was demand for high-quality, well-located business premises,” he said.
“To have secured tenancies for five of the seven units before completion makes me very proud of the E-Factor team and optimistic about the future growth of local business.
“It has been a difficult year and there have been set-backs. But to see people start to move in is proof of the pudding.”
Since 2010, E-Factor’s Enterprise Village has expanded to become a vibrant centre for innovation and growth.
Every business in the village benefits from the support of the E-Factor business advisor team and a network of support.
The first firm to make the move into the Enterprise Village extension is award-winning Ish Fish.
Director Garry Bainbridge said: “This move is the next stage for Ish Fish. We were able to design the space which has meant we can bring everything under one roof. Before, we were spending much of our time back and forth on the motorway, between office and warehouse.
“I can’t speak highly enough of E-Factor and what they have brought to this town.”
The other new tenants are F4 IT, Embley Builders, Adrenaline Muay Thai and Rothenburg Associates.
Darren McKay, director at F4 IT, said, as a company committed to reinvesting its profits into the local community, it had shared values with the not-for-profit E-Factor.
“We are moving into the heart of Grimsby’s business community which gives us immediate exposure to E-Factor and the support they offer. Like us, their strength comes from their ‘invest in local’ approach,” said Darren.
“In terms of the unit, we couldn’t have found a better design anywhere else. It fits our needs perfectly for now but will also accommodate our planned future expansion.”
The site of the new units has been appropriately named Parkinson Place, in recognition of E-Factor’s Estates Manager Tony Parkinson, who managed the project remotely via video camera, due to having to isolate during the coronavirus pandemic.
Tony oversaw the whole venture, from acquiring the site in April 2019, through the planning process in August, demolition of the derelict smokehouse, construction by Grimsby’s Topcon and the individual design of the internal space to meet the exact needs of the tenants.
Chair of E-Factor Pauline Harness said: “The board took a risk when it decided to invest heavily in the growth of the local area, but it was a unanimous decision. We are delighted it has paid off and that the new units have already proved popular within the local business community.
“The expansion of the Enterprise Village is a positive step forward for E-Factor in its commitment to provide objective support for local businesses.”
E-Factor charges market rent on flexible ‘easy in, easy out’ lease terms, designed around an understanding of the needs of small and medium-sized businesses. Its business model sees rental income fund business support services. More than 2,600 businesses have benefitted to date, with assistance supporting the creation of over 2,500 jobs.
Any business interested in renting a unit on the Enterprise Village should contact the E-Factor Properties’ team by emailing info@e-factor.co.uk or calling 01472 252780.
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