Knight Frank brokers 34,000 sq ft deal at Bridgewater Place

Martley Capital Group have agreed terms with premium commercial amenity and workspace provider x+why to occupy 33,990 sq ft in Bridgewater Place, the iconic 30-storey office-led, mixed-use tower in central Leeds.

x+why, will occupy the first, second and ninth floors of Bridgewater Place and a new 5,000 sq ft roof top terrace on a ten-year agreement, in addition to the operation of a newly designed building reception and coffee bar. This will add to their portfolio of over 430,000 sqft of flexible office, receptions and food & beverage led clubspaces in highly sustainable buildings across London, Birmingham, Manchester and Milton Keynes.

Since purchasing the tower in 2022 following years of underinvestment, the current owners have raised £35 million to carry out a complete refurbishment, with the aim of creating a high quality, fully repositioned, energy-efficient building, to return Bridgewater Place’s best in class credentials and secure its continued status as a Leeds landmark. x+why’s fully refurbished offering is due to open in late 2025 with available suites ranging from 4 desks to a 5,000 sqft office which can be adjusted to member needs.

Eamon Fox, Partner and Head of Development for Knight Frank which represents Martley Capital, said: “Securing x+why is brilliant for the asset and the wider Leeds business community and our approach is to excel in the mandatory characteristics of best-in-class buildings. The baseline for the future office is being reset at Bridgewater Place.”

The partnership with x+why means that Bridgewater Place will provide occupiers, which includes global law firm Eversheds Sutherland, with exceptional space in a central Leeds location. x+why’s offering will provide a first class tenant experience and will include flexible working space, private enterprise suites, meeting rooms, event space, food and beverage, a clubspace and extensive roof terrace. x+why will also be running the main building reception, including a new coffee bar in the revitalised atrium.

The unique members clubspace and roof terrace will offer unrivalled views across Leeds from the 9th floor and will be available for all tenants of the building to use and enjoy. The F&B offering will give members access to a delicious and ethically sourced seasonal menu for breakfast, lunch and snacks, as well as for catered meetings and events. This floor will also feature beautifully designed meeting and events spaces that will be available for use by tenants, as well as open to bookings from the general public and local business community.

x+why’s award-winning in-house design team, whydesign, will be leading on the interior design of the space The fully bespoke service specialises in seamlessly blending modern aesthetics and ethical design, and will focus on incorporating themes from the rich heritage of Leeds, drawing inspiration from the tiling patterns of key buildings and the history of glazed pottery and textiles in the city, as well as reflecting Leeds’ spectacular lighting during Light Night Leeds.

When refurbished Bridgewater Place will have greatly improved sustainability credentials, including BREEAM ‘Excellent’ and EPC ‘A’ ratings, aiming for net zero in operation by 2030 in the landlord-controlled areas. These sustainability credentials will compete with brand new buildings with the advantage of major embodied carbon savings when comparing refurbished to new build space. x+why is a certified B Corp and is committed to providing environments that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also aligned with the principles of sustainability.

Rupert Dean, CEO and co-founder of x+why, said: “We are building a national infrastructure of cutting-edge workspaces, designed to combine hospitality, design and sustainability, ensuring every city we enter is equipped with spaces that set the standard for the modern workforce. We plan to be in every gateway city in the UK, and want to be in the best buildings and locations, and so are thrilled to be launching in this exciting location in Leeds. We believe in creating a single hospitality platform across all amenities in offices to provide best in class tenant experience, and creating inspiring, sustainable spaces that not only support businesses but contribute meaningfully to their local environments and support what the office is all about today.

“We are passionate about driving impactful change with our spaces, and can only do so as a result of strong and transparent relationships with our landlords, so we are delighted to be working with the fantastic and forward thinking team at Martley on Bridgewater Place. Crucial to us is a shared vision for the future of work, sustainability and the role of amenity. We love Martley’s vision for the space and their commitment to re-imagining an existing asset in a highly sustainable way, which is a core value for our business.”.

Jack Thoms, executive managing director, Real Estate at Martley Capital Group, said: “We are delighted to be working with the team at x+why at Bridgewater Place to bring their dynamic offering to the building. Their innovative approach to workplace environments will set a benchmark in Leeds, with every aspect of the building serving not just as an office but as a destination, reflecting the evolving needs of local businesses”
“We believe that the vibrancy that the refurbishment of the atrium and common areas will bring, together with x+why being highly visible at Levels 1 and 2, and the unique offering at level 9, will enliven the building.’’