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Law firm moves into former council offices
From the Gazette & Herald, first published Thursday 2nd Sep 2004.
GAZETTE & HERALD: ONE of Chippenham's oldest established companies, Wood Awdry and Ford Solicitors, has become the second firm to take office space at the refurnished former North Wiltshire District Council offices, Bewley House.
The building, in Ivy Lane, underwent a £1 million overhaul of its interior and exterior in 2002, but so far, Bath-based developer HPH has only managed to attract one tenant engineering firm M and W Zander.
Wood, Awdry & Ford, which operates from offices in St Mary Street, had looked at sites outside Chippenham from which to expand its operations, but is believed to have plumped for Bewley House after plans were announced to revitalise the Western Arches.
The company has taken a lease on the first floor of Bewley House and around 25 staff from the company's housing, dispute, resolution and crime teams will be moving in from September.
The offices are currently being fitted out to meet the firm's requirements and Wood Awdry and Ford will retain its existing offices in St Mary Street. Spokesman Andrew Herridge said: "We have been experiencing steady growth in business, particularly over the last three years.
"Bewley House is ideally located in the town centre and will accommodate our current plans for future expansion.
"The building has the advantage of on-site parking for visitors and has certain unique features; it is central, yet has good parking and provides easy access to the railway station and M4.
"This combined with the open plan layout and extensive basement storage will enable the accommodation to add significant value to our business."
He added: "The planned in-filling of the underpasses and the general enhancement of the railway viaduct, will no doubt increase the attraction of this end of town."
Bewley House provides in excess of 18,000 sq ft of office accommodation, 4,000 sq ft of secure storage space and on-site parking and Malaysian-born artist, Jessie Lee, has just completed three specially commissioned paintings which will form the centrepiece for the main reception.
HPH chose the artist through Cirencester-based Contemporary Art Holdings, which specialises in artwork for offices and commercial environments including conference centres, hotels and exhibition spaces.
Celia Wickham from Contemporary Art Holdings gave HPH guidelines based on the environment it wanted to create. "What makes it exciting is that at any point in this process the direction can develop in unexpected ways," she said. "This works well when the client allows the project to evolve."
Jessie Lee, now based in London, concentrates mainly on abstract, using colours based largely on emotional response. She exhibits widely and has had her work included in the National Print Exhibition, Mall Galleries, London and the Contemporary Print Fair, Barbican, London.
Chris Wordsworth, HPH's development director, said: "We were delighted with the final commission. We have imagery that provides a bright and strong focal point for the building's reception area."
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