Swindon’s former headquarters of electronics giant Plessey has been officially re-opened as state-of-the-art offices for the town’s next generation of dynamic young businesses.
The regeneration of the outdated 1960s building at Cheney Manor into the Nexus Business Centre gives Swindon 200 additional workstations for small and growing businesses.
And where once boffins at Plessey designed silicon chips that would revolutionise consumer electronics – the Swindon base was at one time a world leader in advanced micro-electronics – today it is already home to 16 small businesses occupying 50 workstations in the regenerated building, which can cater for any size of company due to its configurable space and flexible terms.
A group of Swindon investors has spent £2m redeveloping the building to fill what they see as a gap in the market for affordable, modern business space.
Guests, tenants and VIPs at the official opening were also sampled the food and drink made and served by the building’s new CaféNexus.
Nexus Business Centre chief executive James Keith said: “We have great confidence that Swindon’s small and medium-sized enterprises will continue to grow from strength to strength and Nexus Business Centre is here to support them on their journey.”
Among those attending was South Swindon MP Robert Buckland. He said: “The new Nexus Business Centre is an outstanding example of regeneration of an existing building whilst providing much needed flexible office space for small and medium-sized enterprises.
“I believe that there is a real demand for space like this within Swindon, which continues to be a great place to grow a business.”
Pictured below: Nexus CEO James Keith and operations director Maria Basson flank the Mayor of Swindon Cllr Nick Martin
