Why Greengate is the ideal location for your new office space?

Are you looking for a new office space in Manchester that can offer you everything you need for your business? If so, you might want to take a look at Greengate, an industrial district in Chadderton that has a lot of potential and opportunities for your business. Greengate is close to Middleton and Manchester City Centre, and has a lot of advantages that make it a great place for your business. In this article, we will explore some of the reasons why Greengate is the ideal location for your new office space.

Greengate has a rich history and heritage.

One of the reasons why Greengate is an ideal location for your new office space is its rich history and heritage. Greengate was once the home of the famous Avro aircraft factory, where some of the most iconic aircraft in history were built, such as the Lancaster bomber and the Vulcan bomber. These aircraft played a crucial role in World War II and the Cold War, and are still admired by aviation enthusiasts today. Greengate also has a number of listed buildings that add character and charm to the area and reflect its industrial past. Some of these buildings are the former Greengate Power Station, which was built in 1903 and supplied electricity to the Avro factory, and the former Chadderton Town Hall, which was built in 1912 and served as the administrative centre of Chadderton until 1974. These buildings are part of the heritage of Greengate and give it a unique identity and appeal.

Greengate has a diverse and vibrant community.

Another reason why Greengate is an ideal location for your new office space is its diverse and vibrant community. Greengate has a mix of residential, commercial and industrial properties, creating a lively and dynamic atmosphere. It also has a range of local businesses and attractions that can cater to your needs and interests. For example, if you need to recycle your scrap metal, you can visit Greengate Metals, a family-run scrap metal recycling company that has been operating in Greengate since 1970. If you are interested in military aviation, you can check out the BAE Systems Chadderton Factory, which is still operational and produces parts for military aircraft, such as the Eurofighter Typhoon. You can also find some leisure and entertainment options in Greengate, such as the Oldham Coliseum Theatre, which is one of the oldest theatres in Britain and hosts a variety of shows and events, and the Boundary Park Stadium, where you can watch some football matches featuring Oldham Athletic. You can also enjoy some green spaces in Greengate, such as the Foxdenton Park and the Chadderton Hall Park, where you can relax and unwind. As you can see, Greengate has a lot to offer to its residents and visitors, making it a fun and exciting place to be.

Greengate has excellent transport links.

A third reason why Greengate is an ideal location for your new office space is its excellent transport links. Greengate is well connected to Manchester City Centre and other areas by bus services, such as the 58, 59, 81, 81A, 149 and 159. These bus services run frequently and cover various routes across Manchester. You can also access the M60 motorway easily from Greengate, which gives you access to the wider region and beyond. The M60 motorway connects to other major motorways, such as the M62, M66, M56 and M6, allowing you to travel to different destinations with ease. If you need to travel by train, you can find the Mills Hill railway station nearby, which offers services to Manchester Victoria, Rochdale, Leeds and other destinations. The Mills Hill railway station is part of the Calder Valley Line, which connects Manchester with Yorkshire. You can also use the Metrolink tram service from nearby Oldham or Rochdale to reach Manchester City Centre or other places. As you can see, Greengate has excellent transport links that make it convenient and accessible for your business.

Greengate has affordable and high quality office spaces.

A fourth reason why Greengate is an ideal location for your new office space is its affordable and high quality office spaces. If you are looking for a new office space in Greengate, you should check out Turner Business Centre. Turner Business Centre is a modern and professional office complex that offers a range of office spaces to suit your needs. You can choose from different sizes, layouts and designs, depending on your preferences and budget. You can also enjoy some of the amenities and services that Turner Business Centre provides, such as private meeting rooms, on-site parking, reception, virtual office services, support services and catering. You can also benefit from the friendly and helpful staff at Turner Business Centre, who will make sure that you have a smooth and pleasant experience. Turner Business Centre also offers competitive and flexible prices, making it an affordable and attractive option for your business.

As you can see, Greengate is an ideal location for your new office space. It has a lot of benefits that will help you grow your business and achieve your goals. It has a rich history and heritage, a diverse and vibrant community, excellent transport links and affordable and high quality office spaces. So why not give it a try? Contact Turner Business Centre today and find out more about their office spaces and how they can help you. You won’t regret it!

Death of the office workspace?

As everyone knows, the coronavirus pandemic has drastically changed the way we all work, prompting businesses to become increasingly agile and footloose – a change in company culture and working norms that would have seemed simply unimaginable just a year ago.

Have you had to deal with people working from home, answering the phone and you can tell they are still in bed, or have the 2 year old screaming behind them?  It’s just off putting and unprofessional. I called my bank regarding a serious fraud alert on my account back in September, the ‘at home’ assistant clearly still eating her breakfast, and the dog didn’t stop barking in the background.

Never has it been so difficult to distinguish between home and work, people are finding this is having a serious impact on their mental health and emotional wellbeing. Being behind the same four walls all day long is not productive or advantageous to the employers or the employee. Not everyone has office space at home and often find themselves perched at the end of the bed trying to remain professional. To be productive in work, the employee needs support, colleagues, and the ability to separate their home and work life.

While some people think this may well be the ‘death of the office workspace’, I believe them to be entirely wrong.  Working at home, the efficiency, lack of development opportunities and the wellbeing of staff whilst the children are tugging on their dressing gowns, has continued to show its lack of value.  With the addition of the UK’s Brexit from the EU, this creates a long-term harm for the UK’s commercial sector.

I strongly believe, parts of the UK such as Manchester, will continue to have a booming market for the office workspace, but the key to its success will be the flexibility and innovation, that these workspaces can offer.  Turner Business Centre offers just that.

 

Flexible workspace

The flexible workspace market has grown significantly in recent years. Turner Business Centre is just one of almost 6,000 flexible workspace centres in the UK, accounting for as much as 17% of global supply.

So whilst the coronavirus pandemic has created undeniable challenges for the commercial, property and office building sectors, our flexible space within Turner Business Centre is filling up nicely and primed to succeed as businesses want a greater flexibility in their office footprint.

Similarly, the Covid 19 outbreak has shown the importance for employees of being able to access office space on a more flexible basis. Many people have benefitted from reduced commuting from city centre Manchester, to us here on the outskirts of Manchester, in Middleton, but the impacts of continued home working are really starting to give serious cause for concern.

A recent survey found that 29% of respondents lacked appropriate equipment to even enable them to work from home; while 37% report being unable to unplug from work in their home environment, working even more unsociable hours after the kids had gone to bed?

Clearly, the office still plays such a crucial part in offering opportunities for businesses and people to recover from the pandemic. The value of this remains unchanged by Brexit, but especially where the pandemic allows people to work in a more uncommitted and remote way.

 

Stay Ahead of the contest

To remain ahead post-Brexit, the UK office market must continue to innovate its product and service offering.  We provide a range of amenities all under one roof – from flexible workspace to a single office space, to a ‘room with a view’ for 10 people.  We offer a very friendly and courteous Reception area, complete with flowers and nice smelling candle when you enter!

The office has to also play a crucial role in meeting the needs of the next generation of workers that are coming through, offering the face to face and in person development opportunities, that they have sorely missed when working from home.

While Brexit continues to create a sense of uncertainty, the pandemic has also shown the enduring relevance and value of the office space to work in.

The City of Manchester, now with its growing, ever increasing city skyline, very quickly catching up to and rivalling the capital, holding its own horizon under the Manchester flag. I am very proud of my city, it remains an attractive place to work, eat, drink and sleep and its office space is a place where businesses can thrive.

The flexible workspace within Turner Business Centre and the serviced office sector still has everything to play for.

 

Looking For Office Space? Before You Choose, Think About How Much Office Space You Need

When you start in business, it is easy to get carried away about the office space you will use. Luxurious communal areas, high-tech break-out zones, and Googlesque recreational facilities are great aspirations to have. Still, it might be a good idea to leave such luxuries until you made your first million or two!

 

When you choose an office space for your new start-up, or even if you are an established business, you should consider the area you need. No-one wants to be paying for space they are not using, so this article aims to help you decide on what size of office is suitable for your needs. 

 

Things You Should Consider When Choosing Your Office Size

 

Most people don't put much thought into the space they need for an office. They tend to be swayed by what their competitors are using or by an estate agent's advice. You can get a more accurate appraisal by asking yourself a few basic questions:

 

 

Open-plan offices give you a greater degree of flexibility, and of course, you are not wasting any space with internal walls. To provide you with an idea of the space required for close-off or private offices, an appropriately sized office for a manager would be around 100 square feet. If you need to include a meeting table in such an office, the size will increase to approximately 200 square feet.

 

According to the Workplace (Health, Safety, and Welfare) Regulations of 1992, the minimum workspace you need to provide your office employees is 40 square feet per person. However, the average space allocated is between 50-60 square feet, and if any employee needs filing cabinets or storage, this can increase to around 100 square feet.

 

Other areas of your office that you should consider the minimum sizes are as follows:

 

Facility Minimum Size (square feet)
Reception Area 100, pulse 10 for each waiting space
Small Meeting Room 100
Large Meeting Room 150
Standing Dining Area 75
Seated Dining Area 75 plus 25 for each seat
Kitchen 75 plus 25 for each seat
Break-Out Area 75 plus 25 for each seat
Storeroom 200

 

Conclusion

 

It is great having lots of space for your office employees to enjoy. However, office space comes at a premium, and you should carefully consider whether you will make fair use of the space you rent and whether your business can afford to rent additional space. Hopefully, this article will help you assess how much space you need for your office.

 

Launching A New Start-Up In Manchester? Here Are 6 Business Resources You Must Check Out

Manchester has some great attributes, like buzzing nightlife, great infrastructure, excellent transport links, and, of course, it is a lot cheaper than London! It is no wonder, therefore, that business in Manchester and across the North is booming. There has never been a better time to set up a business in Manchester.

Starting a new business can be a daunting prospect, and many people give up before they even begin because they think they will be doing it all alone. However, if you take a look, there are plenty of resources out there to help people launching start-ups in Manchester.

Here are six new resources you must check out if you are starting a new business.

 

Chamber of Commerce

Greater Manchester is one of the largest registered chambers of commerce in the United Kingdom. Joining this will allow you to network with all sizes and types of businesses across the city and its surrounding areas. Membership is not free, but for the advice and support you get in terms of HR, business services, and local knowledge, it is well worth the cost.

 

Manchester Blue Orchid

The Manchester branch of Blue Orchid provides advice and support to many businesses across the North of England. They offer workshops, mentoring programmes, and you can also apply for grants for your business through Blue Orchid.

 

Business Growth Hub

As the name suggests, this community-based organization helps you to grow your business. You can get expert advice, attend industry-specific events, participate in business programmes, and seek funding. The Business Growth Hub community includes companies in leisure, manufacturing, retail, and many other sectors.

 

Ask About Business

Ask About Business is an excellent resource if you have yet to decide on your business plans. You can get inspiration for new business ideas and conduct market research to discover if your idea is feasible. You will have access to an extensive directory of business contacts to help you get your idea going and turn it into a successful start-up.

 

BIPC (Business and Intellectual Property Centre)

Manchester-based BIPC is a useful resource if you have any intellectual property that you need to protect or check an intellectual property database. The BIPC can steer you in the right direction to ensure that idea does not infringe on any similar one that has already been protected.

 

Tech Manchester

Tech Manchester is a hub for technical, digital, and creative entrepreneurs. It provides its members with various tools and assistance to help them get their ideas off the ground and achieve their business goals. The Tech Manchester community connects like-minded entrepreneurs across Greater Manchester, enabling everyone to share ideas and help each other.

 

Conclusion

If you are starting a new business in Manchester, or even if you have a business idea that you would like to get some advice or feedback on, there are plenty of business resources available to help you. Hopefully, this article will have given you some ideas on where to start looking to get your start-up launched.

Looking For New Office Space? Here Are Some Common Mistakes To Avoid When Making Your Choice

It is vital for people who work in an office that they have a comfortable and work-friendly environment in which to spend their days. Failing to do so can lead to a loss in productivity and a high rate of staff churn.

 

However, choosing an office can be a laborious and time-consuming process, which often results in the wrong type of office being selected, merely to get something quickly. To help you when choosing your next office space, here are some common mistakes to avoid when selecting an office.

 

Not Considering Future Expansion

Expansion might be the last thing on your mind when you are going through the stresses of office-hunting. However, failing to consider your future expansion plans can leave you with tricky exit negotiations down the line. If you have any goals or aspirations to expand, you should consider the length of the lease you take on and make sure it fits your needs.

 

Committing To An Inflexible Contract

This mistake is linked to the previous point, in that you do not want to have a lease that offers you no flexibility. You do not know what situations are around the corner, and your lease needs to reflect the flexibility you need in business to deal with upturns and down-sides.

 

Committing To A Lease Totally Based On The Price

Price is an important aspect of your office lease, however, it is not the only factor. Committing to a lease solely based on the price can leave you stuck in an inappropriate office space that leads to a drop in productivity and an increase in staff churn.

 

Considering Only Workstations or Desk Spaces

Having an office where every employee has their own desk might be great for the individual employee, but it is in no way cost-effective for your business. There will be very few days of the week when every member of staff will need a desk.

 

You may have a flexible working policy whereby staff can work from home on certain days or spend some days on the road. Selecting an office space so that every person has their own desk is not practical and will very quickly hurt your pocket.

 

Failing To Check The Office Condition

A quick walk through a potential office taking a few snaps to show your colleagues and staff is not sufficient. You need to do your due diligence when you are checking the state of the new office space. Signing a lease without doing so could leave you open to all sorts of costs. Check on the condition of appliances and facilities, and make sure that you have sufficient to meet your needs - electric points, heating, A/C, etc.

 

Failure To Consider Design

Even an office that is the right size has sufficient working facilities, a reasonable price, and a flexible lease; it might not be suitable. It simply might be a little bit drab and dingy. Do not underestimate a well-designed office space. Having a pleasant working environment will reflect on your employees, so consider the office design.

 

Hopefully, considering these common mistakes will help you avoid making them when you select your next office space.

Want To Spend More Time On the Important Aspects of Your Business? Consider Using a Serviced Office

Very often, the mere aspect of running your office can take you away from the more essential elements of your business. In a competitive market and challenging business environment, time means money. So, every minute you are focused on office administration rather than profitable business operations, you are likely to be letting previous cash flow out of your business.

 

Of course, your office operations are critical to your business, so how can you manage to spend more time on your business's vital aspects? Fortunately, there is a solution, and that is to consider using a serviced office.

 

This brief article aims to inform you how using a serviced office can allow you to spend more time on your business's more critical aspects.

 

Time-Saving Aspects of Serviced Offices

 

Here are just four of how serviced offices can make better use of your time:

 

1. Fitted and Furnished

Serviced offices come fully fitted and furnished. If you have ever done an office refit, you will know how much time this process can take. Even selecting furniture and necessary fittings can evolve into a project involving a 'committee of taste' and consuming staff time.

With a serviced office, you will move into it fully furnished and freshly fitted and decorated, saving you a considerable amount of time, effort, and catalogue browsing!

 

2. You'll Know What Your Bills Are

Chasing after the best deals for your utilities' suppliers every quarter can save you a few pounds here and there. However, it can take an excessive amount of time to achieve such savings.

You will know what your utility bills are each month with a serviced office, making your overall expenses more predictable and saving you time on continuously chasing down the cheapest option.

 

3. Maintenance- Free

In the day-to-day running of an office, stuff happens, things get broken, and repairs are needed. Furniture, office equipment, and even the building's structure can get damaged or fall into disrepair.

Getting things back into ship-shape condition takes time and effort to organise. With a serviced office, everything is taken care of, from the photo-copying machine running out of paper, to the boiler malfunctioning. No issue of maintenance or repair will take you away from the crucial aspects of your business.

 

4. Easy Expansion

When the time comes when your business has grown to the extent that you need larger premises, finding a suitable replacement takes time, effort, and money. You'll need to search for appropriate properties, conduct viewings, and negotiate lease terms and rent.

With a serviced office, moving into a bigger space involves 'bolting on' additional units on the same site. The same principle stands if you need to downsize, saving not only time but a whole load of potential headaches.

 

Conclusion

Serviced offices offer a flexible, all-inclusive solution for your office space. Choosing this option will allow you to spend more time on the crucial aspects of your business.

Considering Relocating Your Offices? Here Are The Advantages of Having Offices on the Peripheral of a City

For years businesses have sought the prestige and excitement of being located in the centre of large and bustling cities. The advantages of being 'at the heart' of the action have long been a way for companies to woo customers and attract high-quality employees.

 

However, there has been a trend away from city centre office locations in recent years, with many companies opting to relocate to the peripherals of towns and cities. Maybe your business is one of those that have been considering a change. Perhaps you have yet to consider this as a viable option. Either way, this short article aims to inform you of the advantages of having offices on a city's peripherals.

 

Advantages of Offices on the Peripherals of a City

 

  1. Transportation

 

The daily commute to and from a city centre office location can be long and expensive. As property prices in major cities have sky-rocketed in recent years, employees have had to move further away to find affordable accommodation. This distance often makes their daily commute tediously long and shockingly expensive. An office on the peripheral of the city can negate these issues for your workers.

 

Similarly, getting supplies to and from your offices can prove more difficult and costly. Often, there will be congestion charges, maximum waiting times, or expensive parking costs. All of these will increase your overhead for getting the necessary supplies in the city.

 

  1. On-Site Parking

 

Linked to the issue of transportation is parking. Parking in the city centre is a luxury, and your offices are unlikely to have as much on-site parking as you require, if they have any at all. This lack can be an issue when key clients or suppliers want to visit.

 

For offices on the peripherals of a city, space is not so much of an issue, and you can easily find a suitable office space with plenty of on-site parking.

 

  1. Better Experience For Clients

 

Just as your employees will appreciate the ease with which they get to and from your city-outskirts office, so too will your clients when they visit. Having to wrestle their way through a city's public transport network may not be the best way to prepare your client for an important sales meeting!

 

When they arrive at your new office, they'll likely appreciate the additional space for privacy, presentations, refreshments, etc., that your out of town office affords. Overall, an office on the peripherals of a city will give clients a better experience, and they're much more likely to want to return.

 

  1. More Affordable

 

Your office on the outskirts will come with lower rent and operating costs than a similar office specification in the city centre. The benefits to your bottom line are clear.

 

  1. Overall Better For Your Brand

 

The increased contentment of your employees, suppliers, and clients will result in a better overall impression of your company and brand.

 

Conclusion

 

When the above advantages are taken into consideration, having an office on the city's peripherals seems a simple decision to make.

Renting Your First Office Space? Here Are 10 Top Tips

Looking to rent an office space in Manchester Area?

Here are some tips from Turner Business Centre.

 

1. Be Strict About Your Budget

Your monthly rent is going to be one of your most significant business expenses, so you want to keep this as low as you can. Many business owners get carried away with their 'dream' property and end up with an inflated rent. Calculate the budget you have available for renting your office space, and stick to it.

 

2. Consider Additional Expenses

The rent you pay for your office space is unlikely to be the only regular expense. Consider heating, lighting, water, electricity, phones, and broadband, among other things.

 

3. Make Sure You Understand the Lease

Don't merely take the landlord's word as gospel. Ensure everything you've agreed to is included in the lease, and that there are no hidden surprises. Get your legal representative to go through the lease with you and explain anything you don't understand.

 

4. Find Out How Repairs Will Be Carried Out

Be wary about taking on responsibility for building repairs, as these should be down to the landlord to sort out. Have something in the lease stating the speed at which repairs should be carried out, and when.

 

5. Get Advice From a Commercial Property Expert

Finding a suitable office space can be time-consuming and frustrating. A reliable local commercial property expert could save you lots of heartaches and find you an ample office space at a reasonable price.

 

6. Consider the Building Your Office Space is Within

The building should be secure, with some controlled entry system. You should also consider the amenities the building provides, and whether these are included in your rent.

 

7. In What Condition Will You Receive the Office Space?

There may be a load of work required before you can move into your new office space. Find out who is responsible for getting the space into the state you need. Is it you, or has the landlord agreed to do the work to secure your tenancy?

 

8. What Are You Allowed to Customize?

There is bound to be something that you want to change about the office space. Moving a few desks and refreshing the paintwork is one thing, but knocking down walls to create more space is another. Make sure you know the extent of what you can customise. If in doubt, check with your landlord before you start any work.

 

9. Consider the Length of Your Lease

Don't get carried away by being offered a great deal on the rent for an extended lease. For your first office space, you should avoid a long term commitment. You can consider these when you know how well your business will do.

 

10. Get An Early Exit Clause Written Into The Lease

You could benefit from an early exit clause if your business does incredibly well and expands rapidly or goes the other way and has to downgrade. Either way, an early exit clause is something you should have included in the lease.

10 Tips For Reducing Your Office Expenses

Running your office can be an expensive operation and one that will eat into your bottom line.

 

Here are ten tips to help you reduce your office expenses.

 

1. Cut Down On Printing

It may not seem like it, but printing can be an expensive administrative expense. Paper, ink cartridges, and the machine itself all come with a cost. Cut down on printing to help reduce your office expenses. Better still, go completely paperless.

 

2. Settle Your Payments Early

Paying your bills and invoices early can give you a discount on the costs. If your suppliers don't already offer you discounts for early settlement, ask them for some.

 

3. Consider Remote Working

Remote working, or working from home, does not suit everyone. However, if you can reduce the amount of space you need, you might be able to move into a smaller office. You'll also save on utility bills and other expenses.

 

4. Use Free Online Tools

Your marketing department might tell you they need the latest and greatest graphics software version, but do they? There are many free versions of all types of office software, so try using these instead.

 

5. Use Alternatives To Your Landline Phone

Consider switching off the landline phones and using a free VoIP alternative. If you think about it, most of your landline received calls are usually cold-call sellers.

 

6. Cut Back On Your Meetings

When your staff is continuously attending meetings, they are less productive. Consider replacing all but the most crucial meetings with a noticeboard or online forum.

 

7. Use a VA

Hiring a dedicated staff member is expensive, and even more so if they are hired for an administrative role. A virtual assistant can take on most of your admin, and you'll have none of the expense of hiring, training, and employing.

 

8. Regularly Review Your Office Expenses

Cash can quickly leak out of your business if you don't keep an eye on your expenses. You should review what you are paying out on all expenses. If you no longer need something, cease it. If you can find a cheaper alternative, switch to it.

 

9. Bulk-Buy Your Office Supplies

There are certain consumable items that you must have in your office. Buying these in bulk will need an initial larger purchase, but it can save you a considerable amount in the long term. You should also keep a close eye on your office supplies, as pens, post-notes, and other stationery items tend to disappear.

 

10. Save Electricity

How many times have you passed by an office block at night to see it lit up like a beacon? You could be using two or three times the amount of electricity you need by leaving your lights on at night or over the weekend. Set up a routine whereby someone is responsible each day for turning things off.

 

Conclusion

Hopefully, following these tips will reduce your office expenses and free up some extra cash for your other business operations.

Co-Working or Serviced Office Space - Which Best Suits Your Needs?

In your search for new office space, you have a few options available to you. As well as a traditional office, you can choose either co-working spaces or a serviced office.

If you've never considered either of these two options, this short guide aims to inform you about the difference between serviced offices and co-working spaces. You will then be better positioned to choose which one of these is the right solution for your business.

Serviced Office Space

This type of office space comes with several advantages, such as:

Of course, there are some disadvantages with serviced offices, including:

Co-working Spaces

Co-working spaces are less likely to be the home of an established business, but they are incredibly popular with entrepreneurs and start-up businesses. 

Some of the advantages of co-working spaces are as follows:

 

However, before you think that you're entering into some creative paradise, you need to consider several drawbacks to a co-working space.

Conclusion

There are significant advantages and disadvantages to both a co-working space and a serviced office. Your choice may well come down to the stage of your business. For the fledgling company, a co-working space could fit. However, this is less likely to be the case for an established business, and a serviced office should be your choice in this case.