We're delighted to announce that we have signed the lease on a high-profile property in the heart of Newcastle's thriving city centre, 55 Degrees North - helping put the North East on the map as one of the UK's leading centres for digital industries.
After an 18 month journey to find the perfect premises, our long-awaited new 6500 ft2 office space is currently undergoing an innovative £350k fit-out, designed by Newcastle based architects, Ryders, and implemented by contractors, King Sturge.
The move to this prominent base - owned by Edinburgh based Buccleuch Property - signifies not only our commitment to lay down firm roots and invest in the city that has helped support our fast moving success, but also to reinforce the region's position as a leading centre for 21st century digital industry growth.
As Andy Allan, Chairman of CODEWORKS, the organisation supporting digital industries in the North East, testifies: "The technical, innovative and entrepreneurial skills the region displayed in its industrial heyday, with breakthroughs from the locomotive to the light bulb have fostered a region fast gaining a reputation for digital media and technological excellence, with the North East now boasting the fastest start up rate outside of London."
With construction work now underway, our 40-strong team is preparing to relocate from our current Leazes Park Road base to our new home before Christmas. A mere four and a half years since the business was founded with a team of three graduates and a couple of PCs, we are now enjoying a healthy £2 million turnover - with clients including Northern Rock, ITV, Northumbrian Water, Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Pagebet – and are on course to double this in 2007 as we look to expand our client base further.
Testimony to this forward- thinking approach is our recent appointment as one of only nine UK-based members of W3C - The World Wide Web Consortium - which will see us collaborate with some of the world's most influential organisations, including Adobe, IBM and Google, on the future of the Internet.
Such innovations have been influencing factors on the plans for the new office space, which will incorporate a number of special features designed to create an inspirational working environment, conducive with the dynamic nature of this fast moving industry and culture of TH_NK.
Bringing the whole team together on one floor, the open plan space will use glass panelling to create individual areas including a number of meeting rooms which will enable people to share expertise and increase productivity on group project work. A specialist library will also hold all the latest industry publications as well as providing resources for research and development projects as we look to invest further in our talented team.
In addition, state-of-the-art flat screen computer and AV systems will be installed - all complemented by bespoke contemporary art work, an X-Box and a pool table to bring our break-out areas to life.
Finding the right place to relocate has been a long, challenging journey, so it's a fantastic feeling to be finally signing the lease on our new premises and to see our exciting plans begin to take shape. This investment means more than just bricks and mortar, it's about providing our talented team with the kind of inspiring home they deserve and one that's equally appealing and accessible to our clients who are now based both regionally and nationally."
Tarek NseirManaging Director, TH_NK