Beauty Bay weighs up Circle Square for office requirement

Fashion retailer Beauty Bay has narrowed down its options for a near 30,000 sq ft requirement, Place North West understands, with the company considering either a move to Circle Square or an expansion of its existing base at Exchange Quay.

The company, currently based at Building 5 in Exchange Quay and also with an office in Eccles, originally came to the market with a 30,000 sq ft requirement and was looking to move to central Manchester.

Instructing Canning O’Neill as advisor, the company considered a number of city centre options including Allied London’s Bonded Warehouse and ABC; New Bailey; Bruntwood’s Circle Square; and 101 Embankment.

The company is understood to favour a move to Circle Square, taking up 30,000 sq ft of space, making it one of the first companies to be close to signing up to the office development, which is currently under construction.

However, the firm is also considering staying put it its current home at Building 5 in Exchange Quay after more space has potentially come available.

The company currently has around 7,600 sq ft and now has the option of expanding into two further floors, taking its total space to 22,800 sq ft.

It is understood Beauty Bay has not made a final decision on either proposal.

Work on two of Circle Square’s offices began in November last year, and these buildings will provide 400,000 sq ft of space and range between 17 and 14 storeys in height. Designed by architect Feilden Clegg Bradley, the project is being built by John Sisk & Son.

Overall, Circle Square is due to provide 1.2m sq ft of commercial space. The office agent for the development are JLL, Knight Frank, and Savills.

Bruntwood declined to comment. Beauty Bay has been contacted for comment.