'Okay, we need a bigger space...'
From Donna's kitchen, WBCo has grown rapidly since 2016 and with growth you need space. When Donna and Kim secured Unit 8, Donna said she didn't know how they would fill the space...
Fast forward 4 years and an additional 23 members of staff, Unit 8 was not only full but we had to find additional offsite storage. It quickly became clear our growth as a business wasn't slowing and it was time to level up.
Finding The Space
Once the decision was made, it was time to search for our new home. We are extremely proud to be from the North East of England and wanted to remain in the area. Donna and Kim made sure to explore lots of options and different possibilities before deciding on the site we have now. The pressure was on!
The Design
Creating the right space that encourage creativity, boosts productivity and is an all round nice place to spend the working day was paramount for Donna and Kim. While Unit 8 was designed between Donna, Kim and Dom, the new space is about 3 times the size so we contacted Ben Johnson, an office design & commercial build interiors consultancy company based in Newcastle for help. Over a course of several weeks and lots of meetings, we got to know the team and they got to know us so that the designing process could begin.
Telling The Team and Starting The Building
Once designs were finalised, it was time to tell the team. We all gathered round as Kim took us through the digital mockups of the office and the excitement was palpable. Work began in August 2021 and took around 12 weeks to complete. It was a super collaborative effort with the building team who were fantastic.
Planning The Move
Moving a whole office, lab and 26 staff is no mean feat but luckily we have Liza, organisation queen and all round good egg who made the process as easy and as straightforward as possible. It took around 3 days to pack up, co-ordinate and move everything but we all mucked in.
Moving Day(s)! And Settling In
Powered by lots of tea and biscuits, it took around 3 days to wrap up, pack and move ingredients, files, desktops, plants, people and more. We have been in the new HQ for around 6 months now and all the finishing touches have been added. We have already held 2 events here with plenty more planned and it's fair to say we feel like we've always been here.
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