A business support organisation that is driving economic growth across the North of England has committed its future to Sunderland, signing a deal on a new city centre HQ.
RTC North, a B Corp which has been headquartered in the city since it was formed in 1987, has signed a lease to take 2,222 sq ft of space in The Beam, a 60,000sq ft state-of-the-art office space in the heart of Riverside Sunderland.
The organisation, which has supported more than 3,400 businesses in the last year, as well as working with 160,000 young people to spark an interest in STEM based careers, has been moving its out-of-town bases across the North of England into city centres, a strategic move to deliver a better employee experience and maximise the economic impact it has in the communities it operates in.
This is the latest move for the firm, which recently relocated its base in Leeds to West Village in Bruntwood and Liverpool to The Spine. It also has hubs in The Catalyst in Newcastle, The Tannery in Leeds and The Innovation Centre in Daresbury.
Jamie Ollivere, chief executive of RTC North, said: “We’re thrilled with the new office in The Beam. It puts us right at the heart of our transforming city of Sunderland, ensuring we can offer our team a base that allows them to reap the benefits of being in a city centre.
“We want to provide attractive opportunities for young people joining our team, and part of that is ensuring that we support them to enjoy a great quality of life.
“As Sunderland transforms, with more and better housing and leisure facilities and places to enjoy on the doorstep, it feels like we’re moving into the city at just the right time. As a B Corp, we are committed to balancing profit with purpose, ensuring our work drives positive impact for people, communities, and the environment.”
The company employs 120 people across the North of England, with around 20 to be based out of its new headquarters in The Beam. RTC North joins retail giant Ocado, Asset55, Richard Reed and North East Screen, all located in the stylish building, which was the first to rise from the ground at the former Vaux Brewery site.
Jamie added: “Sunderland has always been our home. We were founded here 37 years ago, and have grown our reach and impact from our base here, so it was important to us to find a new headquarters in the city we started in.”
RTC was supported in its move by the Business Investment Team at Sunderland City Council who signposted them to The Beam and will move into the centre in February, with the fit out of its new space set to begin over the coming weeks and months.
Councillor Kevin Johnston, portfolio holder for housing, regeneration and business at Sunderland City Council, said: “It’s brilliant to welcome the team from RTC North to The Beam, which was our flagship building that effectively fired the starting gun on a programme of quite staggering regeneration at Riverside Sunderland.
“Since it opened, the skyline has transformed, and the building is now close to being fully-occupied with fantastic businesses that are adding huge value to the local economy. We’re thrilled that RTC North are joining a vibrant community of enterprises that are thriving at Riverside Sunderland.”
The relocation of RTC North to The Beam means the building is now almost at capacity, with only 3,110sq ft of workspace remaining across its five floors. The opening of the Maker & Faber offices last month however, adjacent to The Beam, have brought an extra 150,000 sq ft to the market in the city, of which approximately 132,000sq ft remains available.
Businesses seeking to move to Riverside Sunderland can tap into the city’s exciting new housing and lifestyle offer provided by developments such as West Park Quarter and Vaux Housing, and exciting new venues such as Sheepfolds Stables, the Flower Café and a plethora of bars, restaurants, and leisure facilities which can be found on the doorstep.
Once complete, it is estimated that the multi-billion-pound Riverside development will create over 10,000 new jobs, homes for 2,500 new residents and significantly increase the number of people visiting the city.
For more information on available workspace in the city, visit the City Council’s property search tool at: https://www.mysunderland.co.uk/commercial-properties or contact the Business Investment Team at business@sunderland.gov.uk
