City’s Shoosmiths office in 103 Colmore move
THE Birmingham office of UK law firm Shoosmiths is moving to the new 103 Colmore Row development.
It has struck a 15-year deal for 32,900 sq ft across the 11th, 12th and 20th floors of the new 26-storey tower which has now reached practical completion.
Shoosmiths employs 300 staff in the city and is currently based at Two Colmore Square.
Alex Bishop, partner and co-head of office, said: “We are thrilled to have signed a lease for 103 Colmore Row. Birmingham is an exciting city right now and we feel that this stunning, state-of-the-art building reflects the innovative and clientfocused nature of our business as well as offering us the flexibility for hybrid working in the years to come.”
Partner and office co-head Beth McArdle added: “As an ambitious and growing firm, we are very much looking forward to curating a new destination office space perfect for a hybrid environment where clients and colleagues can do business and, in that process, we will seek to use as many local businesses as possible for the fit out.”
This latest deal means the building is now 60 per cent let or under offer after previous tenancies were agreed with flexible workspace provider x+why, financial services firm Grant Thornton and wealth management adviser Tilney Smith & Williamson.
Other facilities include a ground floor café and a restaurant on the
building’s 24th floor to be operated by D&D London.
A joint venture team of Sterling Property Ventures and Tristan Capital Partners is leading the project.
Sterling’s managing director James Howarth said: “The exceptionally strong level of interest in 103 Colmore Row proves that a flight-toquality is well under way in Birmingham.
Since the outbreak of covid-19, businesses are continuing to take stock of their workplace arrangements and are increasingly looking to grade A schemes like 103 Colmore Row to help them better compete in an intensifying war for talent.
“There remains significant demand for high-quality office space and our own research informs us that employers and employees alike still place enormous value on being able to access a workplace.”
Paul Pritchard, director at Tristan Capital Partners, added: “The leasing success we’ve achieved, despite the challenges impacting the office market, is testament to the quality of the workspace being provided at 103 Colmore Row.”