Mountgrange sells Barclays building

Kenyan-based Sameer Group has bought the Barclays call centre in Wavertree, Liverpool, for £10.45m.

The 94,000 sq ft office has 12 years remaining on its lease and is home to Barclays' personal telephone banking and Barclaycard operations with over 1,200 employees.

The bank has occupied the premises since 1988 and it is one of the largest call centres in Barclays' portfolio.

The purchase by the investors, based in Nairobi, reflects a net yield of 7.75%.

Robin Jones, senior surveyor in the North West capital markets team at CB Richard Ellis, who advised the Sameer Group, said: "Although the UK is feeling the effects of the recession and Government cut-backs, this deal highlights that the UK, and the North West in particular, are still attractive targets for international investors."

Jones said the property was bought from the Jeeves fund of private real estate group Mountgrange. King Sturge advised the vendor on the sale.