Leading global sports marketing agency become first workspace customer at Foundation

Bruntwood and Trafford Council have announced the first workspace customer at their dynamic and collaborative workspace and leisure destination Foundation, as the transformation of the site nears completion.

The leading global sports marketing agency, SPORTFIVE, has agreed a lease for the entire second floor (c.13,600 sq ft) for 10 years, doubling its existing office space as the firm looks to expand due to increasing demand for its sport marketing services. SPORTFIVE has a long history and heritage in the sports marketing industry, both in the UK and globally, and has been based in Wilmslow for over 20 years before the planned move to Foundation.

SPORTFIVE is the first confirmed workspace customer at Bruntwood and Trafford Council’s transformational work, retail and leisure community in the heart of Altrincham, which is due to complete in Autumn 2023.

It follows the announcement of Lane7 as the first leisure operator to be confirmed at Foundation. The boutique bowling brand with 11 sites across the UK, will be taking over the 12,640 square foot lower ground floor with an eight lane bowling destination. It will provide an anchor for Foundation and for the Stamford Quarter as a whole, creating a fresh new leisure offering and delivering a boost for the area as it’s set to become an all day and night destination in Altrincham town centre.

Foundation will offer flexible workspace options in varying sizes, appealing to both scale-ups and well-established businesses. Customers will also have the option to occupy spaces that have benefited from a high-quality fit out and furniture, reducing relocation costs and allowing for an immediate move in. This has been designed to create a dynamic and varied community that will allow Bruntwood’s customers to network and learn from each other in a collaborative environment. 

The blend of workspace, retail and leisure will further create a space that actively enhances work life balance and improves the wellbeing of its communities. 

As part of this, Foundation’s design includes a 375 sq m living biophilic wall on the building’s external façade, made up of 36,000 carefully selected plants grown by I Want Plants in South Manchester, which will reduce the building’s carbon emissions and create a habitat for wildlife.

Additional sustainability measures will also be taken, such as adding new thermal insulation, improving air tightness, removing gas fired heating and replacing with high efficiency heat pumps and the introduction of roof mounted solar PV panels which will reduce operational carbon - the amount of carbon needed to operate the building post-completion - and will result in an EPC rating of B. 

Foundation has been designed to create a thriving workspace and lifestyle anchor for the town centre, where people can work, meet and socialise. Foundation’s hospitality offering will spill out onto Stamford Square, providing a destination for the community and a vibrant hub of activity from day to night. The development represents one half of Bruntwood’s Altrincham workspace cluster alongside neighbouring Station House, which compliments the offering at Foundation with its small serviced and leased suites.

The project includes a complete reimagination of the old department store, including the transformation of 50,000 sq ft of commercial workspace and 25,000 sq ft of retail and leisure space. This redesign of the ground floor will offer a unique, welcoming arrival experience, and provide hospitality with a cafe, host, restaurant and bar offering, and retail. The development will include a flexible coworking space to provide an exciting workspace environment for freelancers and start-ups wishing to work in the town centre. 

A new two-storey extension will also create an indoor-outdoor work and lifestyle experience, incorporating new terraces on the first floor which will feature breakout areas. A fitness studio, as well as cycle storage and showers and vanity areas, have also been incorporated into the plans to encourage a cycling commute and promote wellbeing among customers.

Sharon Johnson, Head of Commercial Bruntwood, said: “As we near completion of Foundation, it’s incredibly exciting to be building our community of forward-thinking and innovative businesses that will make it one of the most exciting workspaces in Greater Manchester. 

“Our vision for Foundation has always been to create a place where businesses and the wider community can come together, collaborate, socialise and learn, and really add to the culture and vibrancy that already exists in Altrincham. SPORTFIVE is a perfect example of a business that has its entrepreneurial and ambitious roots in Manchester, which has seen it expand globally, meaning it has much to offer the wider community of customers that will be based at Foundation. 

“We are looking forward to officially welcoming SPORTFIVE to Foundation, and introducing other like-minded, ambitious businesses to the community in the coming months.”

Tim Birt, UK CFO & Executive Vice President of Operations at SPORTFIVE, added: "We're incredibly excited to be relocating our office to Foundation in Altrincham and have been impressed with the vision for the scheme and the wider plans for the Stamford Quarter. This provides us with the opportunity to create a modern and sustainable workplace for the benefit of our employees which will support the continued growth of SPORTFIVE.” 

Cllr Liz Patel, Trafford Council’s Executive Member for Economy and Regeneration, said: “I am delighted that SPORTFIVE are the first company to take up the opportunity of setting up in the Foundation building. This is a fantastic development which will undoubtedly add to the excitement and vibrancy of central Altrincham.”