Softcat expands at Universal Square

The IT consultancy has agreed a five-year lease for 16,450 sq ft at the Universal Square office development in Ardwick, Manchester.

Softcat will take up the entire third floor of Building Five. The business, which has grown from a team of five in 2008 to 160 people today, previously occupied an 11,613 sq ft unit on the fourth floor.

Quoting rents at Universal Square start at £10/sq ft.

Other tenants at Universal Square include occupational health provider Express Medicals Ltd, PR agency Mason Williams, and clothing retailer Aspecto.

Chris Mulcahy, office agency director at JLL, said: "The deal highlights the success of Universal Square and the flexibility that it can offer tenants. The development's location, amenities and well maintained accommodation has helped it attain a high occupier retention rate."

Canning O'Neill is joint agent on the scheme alongside JLL. Softcat was unrepresented.