A former nightclub which is being transformed into offices overlooking the River Tyne is to become home to the firm recently crowned the North East Company of the Year.
Baja Beach Club called time 11 years ago after almost a decade of drawing in clubbers across the region to its beach-themed party nights.
The building was snapped up by developers Adderstone Group at the start of last year, and it has now announced that Gateshead tech firm Aspire Technology Solutions will be basing its new headquarters at the 30,000 sqft building, now called Pipewell Quay.
Aspire, one of the fastest-growing IT companies in the Ƶ with turnover topping £23.5m in the year to February 2020, has signed up to a 12-year lease.
The company, which is growing amid the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic, was last Thursday named Company of the Year at the North East Business Awards, the top prize at the grand final which was held virtually for the first time in its 20-year history.
The business was launched 14 years ago by Chris Fraser and Nigel Begg and now employs more than 150 people.
It moved to its current base at Heworth Hall, Gateshead, in 2010 and has since invested more than £1m to restore and modernise the Grade-II listed building.
With further expansion plans, the firm’s move to Pipewell Quay will see the company occupy the entire 30,000 sq ft Grade A office space, which will have a full glazed facade giving spectacular views directly across the River Tyne.
Currently under way, the new Pipewell Quay office development is set open in spring 2021, triggering further regeneration in the area.
Pipewell Quay has been designed by award-winning Newcastle based architects Ryder and has undergone significant redevelopment since it operated as the Baja Beach Club.
The development is set across three floors and incorporates state of the art office space with break out zones and expansive terraces onto the river.
The new office will enable Aspire to remain in Gateshead, whilst expanding its nationwide operations and increasing its local 150-strong workforce in the process.
The company has set ambitious plans for improving digital innovation across the North East region and recently invested £2.5m in the local infrastructure to launch its own full fibre North East network.
Aspire owns Heworth Hall but has not yet decided whether to lease it or put it on the market.
Chris Fraser, managing director at Aspire said: “To support our continued growth plans, we wanted a new iconic HQ and the best possible working environment for our people. Pipewell Quay was top of our list.
“We have ambitious plans to improve the connectivity and cloud performance available to North East businesses. Our full fibre network is a game changer which delivers more than just speed.
“Our dedicated connections will allow businesses to take a huge step forward in their communication and cloud capabilities, offering a dependable platform for business growth both inside and outside of the region. Our new office based in the heart of the region will be perfectly geared to help us deliver our plans, the entire team is really fired up about the move.”
Gateshead council leader Martin Gannon said: “With this brave speculative project, Adderstone Group has proven demand for quality Grade A office space in Gateshead. The fact that Pipewell Quay will enable Aspire to remain in the borough, continue its spectacular growth and invest in the North East’s connectivity infrastructure is an added bonus.”
Adderstone Group CEO Ian Baggett said: “It’s great that Chris and his team share our vision for collaboration and innovation. They are the perfect tenant for what will be one of the coolest office developments in the region.”
