Refurbished building attracts digital firms and boosts town-centre activity
Langtree, the Warrington-based property, asset and development management company, says its recent £5 million refurbishment of The Causeway has led to a sharp increase in lettings and short-term income from flexible workspace bookings.
The 80,000 sq ft building, previously known as St James Business Centre, has signed up 11 new tenants since work finished in February, with a further five lettings under negotiation. The new agreements cover 13,600 sq ft — around 17% of the building — and if the pipeline deals complete they would add another 13%, taking the centre past 80% occupancy within a year of reopening.
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Building size | 80,000 sq ft |
| New lettings | 11 tenants (13,600 sq ft) |
| Occupancy target if pipeline converts | >80% |
| Bookings since reopening | 270 co-working bookings; meeting rooms +65% |
Flexible space and new amenities driving demand
Langtree says the project aimed to create a cluster of small and medium-sized digital firms in Warrington town centre and to respond to the changed ways people want to use office space since the pandemic. The landlord highlights the popularity of a new co-working area called The Co-Lab, alongside meeting rooms and event spaces.
- 270 bookings made for co-working space in the six months after reopening.
- Meeting room bookings increased by 65%.
- A new branch of Lymm-based The Coffee House is trading through weekends due to demand.
“You take a big leap of faith when you re-purpose such a large building. How people use office space has changed fundamentally since the pandemic and Warrington’s economy has evolved, too, so our refurbishment was a real test of our reading of the market. We’re delighted with the results,”
The comment came from Jayne Furnival, Langtree’s executive director – property, who described the scheme as a test of the company’s view of the market. Langtree framed the work as deliberate repositioning of an existing asset to create a modern, community-focused workspace environment.
Local businesses report benefits
Tenants are citing immediate benefits. Paul Chadwick, owner of PRISM Studios, said the facilities have supported his business’s growth and emphasised the value of a tenant community and access to local skills and talent.
Meanwhile, the arrival of The Coffee House branch from Lymm appears to have generated additional footfall in the town centre, with the café extending trading into weekends after performance exceeded forecasts.
Wider implications for Warrington’s economy
The Causeway’s turnaround is an example of a broader trend across town centres where landlords are repositioning older office stock to attract flexible occupiers. For Warrington, the influx of digital firms and increased event activity can support the local supply chain, stimulate on-street spending and strengthen the town centre’s offer for workers and visitors.
Langtree’s focus on small and mid-sized technology-focused businesses aligns with the town’s recent economic shifts and could help retain local graduates and skilled employees. If the remaining deals are completed and current booking patterns continue, The Causeway will be an important piece of Warrington’s recovery of commercial activity after the pandemic.
Langtree did not provide a detailed tenant list but signalled its satisfaction with early take-up and further interest in the building’s flexible workspace model.
The development offers a test case for owners and developers across the North West considering how best to adapt surplus office capacity to meet evolving demand.
