Fine houses make fine offices22nd August 2012

The sheer number of fine Georgian buildings in Bristol is helping to kick-start the economy by providing the ideal cost-effective base for new and growing businesses.

That is the view of chartered surveyor Christopher Tabor of property website PropertyDNA, which is matching many of the best Georgian buildings with potential office occupiers.

The many period houses in areas such as Clifton, which are already converted to office suites, are now less fashionable with larger businesses, providing an opportunity for new and growing businesses to grab a fashionable address.

Christopher Tabor said: “While large businesses look for the convenience of computer trunking, open-plan layouts and ease of maintenance, there is still something special about Georgian office suites.

“Their individual rooms with fine plasterwork and imposing entrances suit a number of companies and modern technology allows for an easier fit out than in the past.

“Typically they have been favoured by professional services like lawyers and accountants. But with so many mergers in professional services, these firms are now more likely to be found in large modern office complexes on the edge of the city or in Temple Quay.

“That migration means that Bristol’s Georgian buildings are becoming more available for start-up businesses and for the small and medium-sized office occupier, who wants to impress clients with a good reception area and traditional boardroom meeting space.