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OPENING OF GLOBE HOUSE A MAJOR BOOST TO WALSALL'S TOWN CENTRE OFFICE MARKET - 12th September 2006
One of Walsall’s most impressive buildings, the Institute of Science and Art, has been refurbished and reopened as Globe House, providing a major boost to the town’s office market.
Built by the Earl of Bradford’s family in 1888, the Grade-II listed 3 Bradford Place has been converted into offices by developer Globe Property.
It offers accommodation for 24 start-up and growing businesses and was officially opened (11 September) by Dr Peter Cromar, chief executive of Walsall Regeneration Company (WRC), who said it had an important contribution to make towards establishing Walsall as a town for enterprise.
The Victorian building opened as a preparatory school in 1901 before being used as a teaching college for nursing and then by Walsall College as the Institute of Science and Art. It still maintains some of its ‘old school ties’, with original blackboards, doors, radiators and pipework retained in the refurbishment.
Raj Gill, managing director of Globe Property, said: “As a school, a college and teaching centre it has always had lots of people in it but then it lay empty. If we had not come in it would have fallen into disrepair. Now it will be full of people again, which is the way it should be for this impressive building.”
As well as space for new-start businesses and companies employing between 20 and 30 people, Globe House also offers sizeable conference facilities, managed by experienced centre manager Jasbir Kaur.
“We can cater for the smallest meeting right up to larger gatherings for up to 120 people. We already have our first four bookings for 100-plus,” said Raj.
The first tenants at Globe House are an I.T. company and Globe Property itself, a family business with Walsall connections which started trading in 1991.
Raj said that for Walsall to attract and retain entrepreneurs in the town it needed good quality office space, such as can be found at Globe House. Its benefits include Walsall’s central location, plentiful parking nearby, good access to the motorway, its proximity to the railway station and being within walking distance of a soon-to-be revitalised town centre.
Dr Peter Cromar said: “I’m delighted to see this wonderful old building has been brought back into productive use, creating office and enterprise space in the heart of the town centre.
“It is a fine example of regeneration and will make an important contribution towards Walsall Regeneration Company’s goal of establishing ‘Walsall, a town for enterprise’.
“Hopefully, as the businesses that start-up at Globe House grow they will chose to relocate within the town into the broader range of office provision that is being developed in the major regeneration projects being promoted by WRC.
“Regeneration is not just about transformational projects. Initiatives such as Globe House are as welcome as the £100 million business, learning and retail campus that will see a new Walsall College and a major Tesco store in the town centre.”
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Caption: WRC chief executive Dr Peter Cromar is pictured at Globe House with Raj Gill, managing director of Globe Property.
For further information please contact Nigel Pipkin or Lorna Bishop at Seal Communications on 0121 200 0780.
Or email nigelpipkin@sealcommunications.co.uk