News and Blogs

20 November 2018
Understanding the finer details: Why local knowledge is key to finding the perfect commercial premises

Hull and the East Riding is a great place to do business. Our team at Garness Jones knows this from our many years in the region and from the successes we have helped many other companies achieve. We take great pride in finding our clients premises which enable them to not only operate from, but crucially grow.

By Agency Surveyor Charles Parkinson

Hull and the East Riding is a great place to do business.

Our team at Garness Jones knows this from our many years in the region and from the successes we have helped many other companies achieve. We take great pride in finding our clients premises which enable them to not only operate from, but crucially grow.

As long-established experts in the local commercial property market, we know everybody is after quality premises – but also that quality premises don’t always guarantee a successful base for a business, with many factors to be considered at every individual site.

Premises first and foremost, of course, have to suit a businesses’ day to day operational needs.

They need to be comfortable and convenient for employees and customers, helping all do their job as hassle free as possible.

Quite simply, it’s no good having the swankiest offices in the region if they are difficult for your staff to get to and from every day. Equally, why select a large warehousing or distribution facility which, although meeting your onsite requirements, actually raises costs in terms of getting goods to and from the business through delays for drivers on the roads.

These are basic oversights we have seen many businesses close to making before speaking to our expert surveyors for advice not only about the local property market, but the local area itself.

Knowing the intricacies of a region – from the local transport issues and road networks to upcoming developments not yet being marketed but which may be ideal for your company – can often be a key factor in whether a business makes the best possible move, or not.

In the East - a great area with ‘walk to work’ opportunities

Don’t be fooled into thinking the city is only divided by the red and white of Hull Kingston Rovers and the black and white of Hull FC, as either side of the River Hull offers a different commercial environment.

They are very different in make-up, bringing differing benefits and challenges in terms of location, availability of commercial stock, which types of businesses they suit, and the requirements and lifestyles of staff.

Take the east of the city for a start.

There are many industrial premises east of the River Hull which benefit from being close in proximity to some big residential areas, and businesses using these facilities often have a higher percentage of their workforce who are prepared to walk or cycle to work, lessening the need for onsite parking.

Benefitting from easier access to the docks, the location is also often quite rightly sought after by businesses which trade through the Port of Hull, benefitting from having either warehousing or a production facility on the gateway to Europe.

However, getting from east to west - or vice versa - on a daily basis can be troublesome, particularly as the city awaits investment and improvement into the major routes, in particular Castle Street, where work is finally starting on a new footbridge to improve traffic flow.

In the west – great access to motorway network

If you have a lot of customers coming to visit from out of the city and travelling down the M18, or have a lot of staff living west of Hull, a look towards the west of the city may be ideal.

Many sites on the west of the city do require transport to access them, so if you are moving from premises which currently provide parking for all of your staff, it is of course a big decision to move somewhere which doesn’t have the same provision.

Suitable access, parking and yard space is paramount for the majority of goods companies, but may be something investors have to consider offsetting against location if the premises available offer instant access to major roads and motorway networks.

Access to main roads must be a consideration for businesses which have a lot of transport movements day to day, but also in terms of considering the impact on both your staff and customers.

Finding commercial premises which ‘tick all of the boxes’

At present we are marketing a number of facilities which we feel put a tick in all boxes.

A modern production and warehouse facility we currently have available in West Hull is offering high quality office space, a large private yard and extra areas for car parking. Straight off the A63 in Hessle Road, its location would be a big selling point for businesses bringing goods in and out of the city.

The Infiniti Building, on the Sutton Fields Industrial Estate, on the east of the city, provides industrial and office facilities and is on a large plot with space for parking, loading and unloading.

Equally, a new development, the Mount Airey Business Park, in Brough Road, South Cave, will offer high specification industrial and office space when it becomes available in February 2019, benefitting from a secure yard with excellent car parking provisions for each unit, with excellent access to the motorway network.

_As experts in the commercial property field, we’re on hand to answer any question you may have about changing your business location, and finding the perfect fit for you.

Our proactive approach ensures you receive the best advice on the purchase of a new property. Click here to find out more or search our current property listings.