Hurst moves to King Street

Accountancy firm Hurst has agreed a lease on 3,035 sq ft at F&C REIT Asset Management's 82 King Street in Manchester city centre.

The corporate finance and practice development teams will relocate from Deansgate to the King Street office in June.

Hurst said it expects to double the size of its operation in the next two years and add 25 people to the team in the North West.

The 82 King Street building is the former office of the Bank of England and comprises a 14-storey office tower as well as a listed banking hall.

Tim Potter, chief executive of Hurst, said: "We are increasingly doing business out of Manchester alongside other city centre-based professionals, and having a stronger operation there will support us better in terms of our future goals.

"We looked at various locations for our new offices before choosing 82 King Street. While commercial development in the city centre goes on at a rapid rate, King Street remains at the core of business life."

Hurst has also signed a five-year extension to the lease on its Stockport headquarters at Lancashire Gate, Tiviot Dale. The office will be refurbished later this year. More than 60 staff are at the Stockport office. The firm has 72 staff and 12 partners.

Hurst was advised by Edwards & Co and law firm JMW. Atul Bansal, of Sheila Bird Group, is advising on the fit-outs in Manchester and Stockport.