Occupiers are now lining up to be part of one of the most modern and sustainable office complexes in the North East. But first in the queue to enjoy all that Bank House has to offer was international law firm, DAC Beachcroft (DACB), which committed to 15,000 sq.ft of Grade A space more than a year ago.
Now, six months after officially moving in, two of DACB’s team members told us how they have settled in.
Sarah Foster, Legal Director at DACB with 12 years’ service, takes advantage of the firm’s Flex Forward approach to working, which was designed after national consultation with all colleagues across the UK and Ireland to offer all team members maximum flexibility in how and where they work.
This is one area in which the concept behind Bank House dovetails perfectly, as the 14-storey building has been uniquely developed to offer every individual that works as part of our community the opportunity to make the most of all their time, both in work, and out of hours.
Sarah told us: “Personally, I find I can be more productive working from home for those tasks which require greater focus, so I am based outside of the office three days a week.
“What that means is that I plan my office days around meetings, training and working collaboratively with members of my team and other colleagues, and Bank House has really enabled that.”
This is because the floorplates at Bank House provide 10,000 sq. ft. of open plan, column-free space, flooded with natural light, with breath-taking 360-degree views across the Newcastle skyline. Every organisation choosing to base themselves at Bank House can work with us and their own fit-out company to produce a bespoke workspace configuration that is ideal for their needs. Following the pandemic, many organisations have identified the need to re-evaluate their office space, often to create a more flexible, collaborative and social working environment.
DACB, a market leader in health, insurance and real estate law, occupies the whole of the first floor and half of the second floor of Bank House, which represents more than 12 per cent of the Grade A accommodation within the building.
Arranging its workstations into neighbourhood clusters in which anyone can select where to base themselves on a given day, has helped foster cross-team connections across the business, as well as allowing for more dedicated breakout areas that are ideal for some headspace away from your screen, and for collaborative working.
Sarah drives to work on her two office-based days each week, and it is Bank House’s central location that provides both her and her colleague Emily Jones with the best of both worlds.
Emily explained: “I drive into the office from Durham on my office days, but I often need to visit one of the other 10 DACB offices around the country, so the fact the new building is so close to Newcastle Central Station is a great help to me.”
Events Manager Emily is a relative newcomer to the firm after joining in 2019, and, despite their very different roles, shares Sarah’s views on the way that work and breakout spaces complement one another at Bank House to support both productivity and overall wellbeing at DACB.
She said: “I like sitting in different parts of the office. It’s good for learning and for meeting people from different teams I wouldn’t ordinarily come across in my role. It makes office days more social, and my days in the building are often planned to coincide with team meetings, lunches out and other occasions, so it’s great to be based in such an up and coming area.”
Once the Pilgrim Street development to which Bank House belongs is complete, a new public square and destination food and drink offer will augment its dominant position in the heart of the city centre, where bars, restaurants and shops are all just a stone’s throw away, along with bus and Metro links that make commuting and visiting Bank House straightforward wherever you’re based across the region.
Our stunning 4,500 sq. ft. reception area also lends itself to Emily’s role, and she often hosts guests and colleagues in the abundant and attractive space.
She said: “The Bank House ground floor reception area is great for hosting client events, with more than 100 guests very easily accommodated.”
Many elements combine to make Bank House a destination for employees to experience a working environment that enriches and complements their lives outside the office.
Sarah added: “Because Bank House is so prominent and impressive, and in such a well-known emerging development within the city centre, it supports our recruitment efforts, and we are actively seeking new team members to experience what we are able to offer them at Bank House.”
To see the roles available at DACB’s Bank House premises, visit its online jobs page at apply.dacbeachcroft.com/jobs.
Office accommodation remains available across several floors at Bank House, the remaining suites being marketed by joint letting agents Avison Young and Knight Frank.
For more details about the vacant spaces, including how to contact the agents, visit bankhousenewcastle.com.
