The former headquarters of a worldwide textile empire which has stood empty and in need of renovation for more than a decade is once more set to be a business hub for the region.
Enterprise House, in Flint was once the international nerve centre for textile giant Courtaulds, a company which at one time employed a staggering 25,000 people in Flintshire alone.
The iconic building has been restored and turned into a modern office block with the aim of creating a base for fledgling businesses.
David Soutter, and Robert Festenstein directors of debt and claims management firm, General Recoveries Limited, took over the building just after Easter 2011 after spending months looking for available small and medium sized suites of modern offices for their own business.
Since then General Recoveries general manager Liz Soutter has been head of the restoration project,
Just two months from taking on the project the building was officially opened by the Chairman of Flintshire County Council, Cllr Hillary McGuill.
She said: “Enterprise House is aptly named. It’s wonderful to see this fantastic old building back open for business after all these years and I applaud General Recoveries for their insight.
“There is no doubt in my mind that Enterprise House will quickly become an important asset as the Flintshire economy grows and I am sure many new business will be taking on office space in this historic old building.”
Flint Mayor, Labour Councillor David Cox, says seeing the former Courtaulds building back in good use had always been a dream.
He said: “I am absolutely delighted. I can recall 15 years ago when this iconic old building was up for demolition standing up with colleagues in the council chamber and stated our case that this it was worthy of renovation.
“I am so glad we won that argument and to see what General Recoveries have done is simply marvellous. To see a building such as this return to its former glory is just wonderful. I now look forward to seeing new businesses moving in and getting to work helping the local economy.”
Conservative North Wales Regional Assembly Member, Antoinette Sandbach agreed saying: “It is lovely to see a building such as this restored to its former glory.
“Anything that attracts new business into Flintshire has to be good and the work General Recoveries have done in renovating and upgrading the fabric of the building to attract new business deserves our full support and backing.”
General Recoveries are now inviting potential clients, looking for small or medium sized office units for rent, to get in touch.
David Soutter said: “We have had the building, which was also at one time the HQ of building firm David McLean, commissioned and already have companies looking to rent office space.
“When General Recoveries was looking for expansion space ourselves we were not looking for and didn’t need anything too big. However, we found small and medium sized office space really quite difficult to find.
“Large offices were no problem and, had we been looking to take over a whole floor of a huge building, there were countless opportunities. That’s when we realised we needed to do something ourselves.”
“We have converted Enterprise House into a building which contains 21 modern office units of varying sizes.
“The work has been done to the highest specification and the offices are now ready. All clients need to do is move in, plug in a phone and computer, sit down and begin work. It really is that simple.
“We have single person offices and larger units that can, very comfortably, accommodate several people. We can even adjust office space to larger units, depending on what clients want and what will suit their business needs.
“It’s a beautiful old building and deserves to be right at the heart of a growing local economy.
“There are so many small and medium sized businesses which have outgrown the spare rooms of their homes. The trouble is, those who set up the business all too often find reasonably sized, and reasonably priced, office accommodation hard to find.”
General Recoveries are also keen to help former servicemen and women returning to Civvy Street get a head start in business.
David Soutter added: “One thing we have been looking at is the number of people leaving military service. Most of those coming out of the Army, Navy or Air Force at the present time have less than five years’ service and as such get very little help. In fact, I believe all they get is one short interview with a military advisor.
“The problem is, it doesn’t take long for them to get into a real financial mess. We have been doing some ‘pro bono’ work with the military, as well as ordinary members of the public, who find themselves burdened with debt.
“This situation is exacerbated since the axing of legal aid for those in financial difficulty coupled with the difficulty in getting timely Citizens Advice Bureaux appointments.
“If we can help some ex-servicemen and women get a head start with a business idea and provide affordable, first class, accommodation at Enterprise House we will.
“General Recoveries is all about claims and debt management and we work with clients in desperate need of help and assistance due to the financial problems as well as helping companies to recover monies owed to them.”
Built in 1909 and once the HQ of one of the world’s largest textile companies, Enterprise House, Flint, looks set, once again, to be transformed into a bustling business hub right at the heart of the North Wales economy.
