The North East
Home from Home Plus at the new Station Suites
and commerce and then became the hub for local government, cul- ture and justice.
“Our ambition – shared with local political leaders and their officers - was to establish Centre Square as the commercial heart of Middlesbrough and the whole of the Tees Valley,” he said.
The result is nearly 150,000 sq. ft of Grade A office space across three buildings (1, 2 and 6 Centre Square) which have become the workplaces for around 1,500 people. This year 80 staff who work for the giant holiday company TUI group moved into 6 Centre Square which already accommodates 500 employees of another well known business, the insurance giant AXA UK.
“Major projects like these don’t happen overnight,” commented Mark. “Before building work even starts a great deal of time and effort is required to research the local market and design buildings which meet local requirements and, for the second phase, the pandemic complicated matters further. But it is a testament to the vision and trust demonstrated by both the council, TVCA and our team that we have achieved so much during such a difficult time.”
He added: “Middlesbrough was a very different place when we first got involved 10 years ago. There was little investment and compa- nies looking to move or expand were by-passing the town and going elsewhere because there was so little to attract them.
“By contrast, the area has now become a magnet for businesses looking to play their role in Net Zero Teesside and the freeport as a whole while Darlington is already starting to see the benefit of the 1,000 civil servants who have arrived at the Economic Campus. This creates different sorts of challenges: there is a need for more top quality office provision and more hotel accommodation. There has been much talk about a skills shortage in the Tees Valley but I think there’s also a serious shortage of all forms of accommo- dation. It is important that the region takes full advantage of the opportunities that have been created by putting in the necessary supporting infrastructure”
Ashall Projects – and the same group of private investors behind the Holiday Inn Express –is making the first steps in redressing this by opening Station Suites later in the Spring. The 42 spacious serviced apartments will offer guests “home from home plus” affordable luxury in a location which is walking distance from Middlesbrough railway station.
COMMERCIAL PROPERTY MONTHLY 2025
Mark Ashall at the Holiday Inn Express in Middlesbrough
“This area’s going to see a big influx of contractors and consultants and, while the Holiday Inn Express continues to do a great job in looking after people staying for short periods, Station Suites will provide additional space and in-room amenities which will be attrac- tive to people planning to stay in Teesside for longer spells. It will be managed by the award-winning team from the Holiday Inn Express so guests will also benefit from their expertise and fantastic can-do attitude,” said Mark. He added: “We’ve helped bring about positive changes and we want to achieve even more. We want to build further offices to encourage more businesses to move to the area and create jobs, and we want to provide the quality and scale of accommodation the area’s going to need.
“This latest investment in Station Suites is a testament to our long-stand- ing commitment to Middlesbrough and Teesside as a whole.”
That commitment is also reflected in the way the Holiday Inn Express plays a vital role in supporting its local community. It provides work experience and support for students, helps promote and raise funds for a large number of good causes and has become a popular meet- ing place for many local organisations and charities.
Ashall Projects is looking at other projects in the area and is inviting companies who have secured contracts across the Tees Valley to discuss their accommodation needs. Email
mark.ashall@
ashallproperty.com
Get in touch with Cluster General Manager Laura Telford for further information on Station Suites or the Holiday Inn Express through
gm@hiexmiddlesbrough.co.uk
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