Search News : Venture Wales - Business Support Wales

Multi Million Pound Upgrade transforms historic Mansion into the ideal HQ for Newport SMEs

5 Oct 2009


Caption 1	Caption 2

Caption 3	Caption 4

Oct, 2009

Multi-million pound upgrade transforms historic mansion into the ideal HQ for Newport SMEs

A landmark Newport mansion converted into office space following a £4.2m upgrade is the ideal headquarters for local SMEs - according to the head of Wales’ leading business support agency Venture Wales.

Built in 1877, Beechwood House is a Grade II listed mansion set in 30 acres of parkland, which has been transformed into:

26 high quality offices,
offering a combined 14,000 sq ft of office space,
together with five craft workshops,
conferencing facilities and a café.

Under the management of Venture Wales, the country’s leading business support agency for SMEs, it is hoped the mansion will be a successful entrepreneurship centre and vibrant community hub.

Phil Cooper, Chief Executive of Venture Wales, said: “Beechwood House has been sensitively restored to its former glory and offers local businesses first-class amenities.

“The building will appeal in particular to companies working in the knowledge-based industries looking for a base in south east Wales. We already have seven diverse businesses on-site and we’re continuing to attract interest from other companies.”

Facilities include:

high quality flexible workspaces,
high-speed broadband access,
an IT suite,
conferencing and meeting rooms.

A converted stable block that runs alongside the main building and several workshops remain available for rent. The main building is divided into three floors with the ground and first floors set aside for private companies, while the basement will be available for community & social enterprises.

Venture Wales offer competitive rates with easy in easy out terms for prospective tenants.

Businesses already based at Beechwood House include:

P&M Photography;
Re-cycle Project which refurbishes second-hand bikes;
Beechwood Music School;
Eyedentify;
CP Training which offers food hygeine courses,
Monoi a holistic therapy service,
and Merenghi’s Café, which is run by the bereavement charity Hold out a Hand.

Using European funding Newport City Council oversaw the renovation of the mansion, which recently won the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Conservation award for Wales, and was the former private home of George Fothergill, a tobacco manufacturer and former Mayor of Newport.

It is also the new office for Venture Wales’ Newport regional business support team which is working with a constantly growing number of SMEs in the Newport area and is currently advising 77 new local businesses. The team also runs a wide range of business seminars from Beechwood House for local firms.

For more information about Beechwood House’s facilities please contact Venture Wales on tel: 01633 273 502 or 0845 0453 150; or visit the website at: www.venturewales.com

Caption 1: Pictured at Beechwood House, which has been converted into office space, is (L to R) Brynley Davies, Chairman of Venture Wales; John Griffiths, Deputy Minister for Skills and AM for Newport East; Jessica Morden MP for Newport East; and Phil Cooper, Chief Executive of Venture Wales.

Pic Caption 2: Merenghi’s Café, which is run by the bereavement charity Hold out a Hand, is available to people working at Beechwood House and the public. Pictured (L to R) is Annis Paul, Venture Wales Board Member and Director of Zoobiotic; Phil Cooper, Chief Executive Venture Wales; Mike Coombes, founder of Hold out a Hand; and Donna Jarman, of Venture Wales.

Pic Caption 3: Stacey Clarke, of holistic therapies specialists Monoi, which is based at Beechwood House, speaks with John Griffiths Newport East AM, and other guests during the recent official opening of the building.

Pic Caption 4: John Griffiths, AM for Newport East, visits Re-Cycle, which is based at a craft workshop that runs alongside the main building at Beechwood House. Also pictured is Phil Cooper, Chief Executive of Venture Wales.