The Northern Design Centre, which opens for business next month, has signed up its first tenant and expects many more young firms ripe for growth who will carry on the region's heritage of innovation. Karen Dent reports.
THE £9.9m Northern Design Centre will see its first business move in next month and prepare for two-day Design Means Business conference which will bring design professionals in from around the UK to Gateshead to see the landmark new building.
It aims to become a regional hub for developing creative businesses which will see around 150 workers based in the four storey building in the Baltic Business Centre when its full complement of tenants move in.
The first to sign on the dotted line is AYO Media, a web design and developer which started life in Gateshead in 2008. It has signed a three-year deal to take 2,100sq ft of space in the centre.
The fast-growing firm has already doubled in size in the last 12 months and employs 13 staff in the North East. It has also recently opened a Manchester office after winning a number of contracts in the North West.
AYO Media is now looking for additional staff for its new headquarters at the Design Centre, which give it sufficient space to more than double in size. The office can accommodate up to 30 people.
Managing director Rob Mathieson said: “This is a huge milestone in the growth of the business as the new office will enable us to enhance our client servicing, provide our staff with a superb working environment and offer the flexibility for future expansion.
“We have worked closely with the team at Gateshead Council in obtaining a space that is ideal for our company. We are very proud to be associated with such a high-profile commercial development.”
The council says that other pre-lets are “going well” but that it is not yet in a position to reveal the names of companies and organisations it is talking to.
It is using a range of incentives to make the building attractive to design companies from across the region. The centre is kitted out with superfast broadband and will be equipped with charging points for electric vehicles.
The council is also aiming to make it an attractive location with easy in, easy out terms including rates fixed for 36 months, plus access to networking and business development opportunities.
The type of firms particularly being targeted include advertising and marketing agencies, photographers, designers, product developers, service designers, software and web developers.
Gateshead Council leader Mick Henry said: “The Northern Design Centre is purpose-built for innovative, creative, fast expanding businesses like AYO Media.
“We’ve seen significant growth in creative industries over the last few years.
“The Northern Design Centre is a significant investment in the continued success of our digital and creative sector and will provide high quality space, specifically designed to meet the pent-up demand from businesses here in the North East.”
