Mission Labs signs for new 11,000 sq ft HQ at Arbeta

Cloud communications specialist Mission Labs announced it has taken 11,000 sq ft, on a ten year lease, on the second floor of Arbeta, Northampton Road, Manchester as its new headquarters.

Mission Labs, which was acquired last year by listed technology-based communications services provider Gamma Communications Plc, will double its headcount to 200 over the next 12 months as part of its continued growth plans at Arbeta and its Rossendale office.

Mission Labs expects Arbeta’s location, transport links and quality of facilities will appeal to a wider catchment, taking better advantage of the tech talent pool in Greater Manchester and the surrounding areas. Mission Labs co-founder, Damian Hanson said: “Arbeta is situated in a very fast-growing area of Manchester, supported by excellent infrastructure and facilities. The new space that we have secured provides us with a brand new, welcoming HQ that is right in the heart of the action. And as we continue to rapidly create new roles and accelerate our headcount, we know just how important a great working environment is for attracting and retaining talent.”

While the relevance of the corporate office has been the source of much debate over the past 15 months, Mission Labs has engaged directly with its staff to design and validate a working model for the future, as co-founder David Hague explains: “During the pandemic we have continually reacted to the changing needs of our colleagues. We observed early on that 100% homeworking does not appeal to everybody and we safely reopened our offices as soon as we were able to do so last year, allowing a small number of colleagues to work where they feel most comfortable and productive. We have subsequently engaged directly with the entire team to define our needs for the future and the feedback was overwhelmingly in favour of a hybrid working model.”

Mission Labs new Arbeta HQ will officially open later in the summer with a ground-up design and fit-out currently in progress.

Arbeta is owned by Manchester City Council and is operated by the same team behind The Sharp Project, Space Studios and Screen Manchester.

Rob Page, managing director, Arbeta said: “We are delighted to welcome Mission Labs to Arbeta and look forward to seeing the completed space. While the future of the office has been much discussed, the approach taken by Mission Labs is refreshing, they’ve been able to move quickly and react to the changing requirements and needs of their team and have still taken the same size of space in the building we have discussed with them from the start.”

OBI is sole leasing agent for Arbeta. Andrew Cowell, transactions and asset management, OBI said: “The deal with Mission Labs is a strong indicator of the continued strength and resilience of the Manchester market and it clearly demonstrates businesses, especially in the tech, digital and creative sector, are open to using their workspaces differently. The larger floorplates at Arbeta provide the flexibility for fast-growing tech and digital businesses to create the workspaces they and their teams need.”

Arbeta offers Grade A workspace for tech, creative and digital businesses with space available from 1,400 sq ft to 71,900 sq ft. The ground floor features several fully fitted Plug and Play spaces which range from 1,400 sq ft to 2,787 sq ft. The Plug and Play spaces are offered on short term, flexible leases and include kitchens and meeting rooms.

The building features a 9,100 sq ft central, full height atrium which can be used for communal working and events. A striking steel staircase links the three floors of workspace together with new walkways around each level. There is ample cycle and car parking, a shower block, 24/7 access, collaboration and event space, a range of meeting rooms and onsite cafe.

www.arbeta.co.uk

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