Thrive starts work in Widnes

Office developer Thrive has begun the conversion of Foundry House at Widnes Business Park into 11,200 sq ft of office space aimed at SMEs.

The building will feature 36 office suites and will open in autumn this year. As a whole, Foundry House comprises 19,000 sq ft, and the space will also include meeting rooms, breakout areas and a garden area with external wifi.

Foundry House is the former estate headquarters of Widnes Business Park, which is home to more than 50 businesses and has an on-site management team and 24-hour security. It is located within 1.5 miles of the A557 Expressway

Cllr Rob Polhill, leader of Halton Borough Council, said: “It’s fantastic to welcome Thrive to Widnes. The Mersey Gateway Bridge and road network improvements have transformed the borough and are providing much quicker and easier travel through Halton to the Liverpool City Region and the wider North West – it’s such an exciting time for the town and its small businesses.”

Bury-headquartered Thrive is also on site with Miller House in Farnworth, with both locations set to join Warrington, Wigan and Newton-le-Willows in the company network. Sites in Burnley, Blackburn, Oldham and Cheadle are in the pipeline, with potential projects in Blackpool, the North East and Yorkshire to follow. Works at Foundry House will be completed in-house.

Matthew Settle, managing director of Thrive, said: “Foundry House will not only offer great office suites to small businesses in Widnes and the surrounding areas, but it will also provide stunning communal areas and facilities, along with excellent connectivity across the North West.

Office suites at Foundry House will range from 154 sq ft for up to three people to 795 sq ft for up to 15 people.