08 November 2005
Surveyors move into Lincoln Business Park

Expanding chartered surveyors Hodgson Elkington who have moved their Lincoln base from the city centre to a new high-tech headquarters at Oak House, Lincoln Business Park, Lincoln.

The firm, which relocated lock, stock and barrel from High Street to its new home in just 48 hours, has doubled the firm’s space at a time when the growing business is significantly increasing the size of its staff.

Three new graduates will shortly be joining the practice and a new residential lettings and listings negotiator has been appointed and a new secretary is also about to be appointed.

“The firm and its predecessors had been in the High Street for the past forty years, so the decision to move out wasn’t taken lightly.

“That said, it was a Victorian building and we had simply outgrown it. Even with an annexe we were desperately short of space, we had no parking and whilst there were options for extending the building they were far from ideal,” said partner Chris Hodgson.

“Oak House is a brand new office building and that has enabled us to install cutting edge computer and communications systems to enhance our regional office network and that enable our surveyors and staff to operate from literally anywhere.”
“We are, we believe, the first firm in the city to install the new broadband based telephony system, ‘Voice Over Internet Protocol’, that enables us to network offices in Lincoln, Newark and Sleaford, not to mention staff working from home, without the need to pay telephone charges.”

“Technology apart, the new premises gives us over 5,000 square feet of space on two floors, twice as much as we had in the High Street and it’s high quality, modern space so we are not having to shoe-horn people into inadequate 19th century rooms.”

“Part of the rationale for the move was the need to accommodate extra staff as the business grows. We have already taken on a number of extra people this year, including two graduate surveyors, and we are going to be recruiting additional people in various departments in the coming months.”

“The move from High Street to Doddington Road went unbelievably smoothly. Within 48 hours we’d moved lock, stock and barrel and we were up and running, so the disruption to business really was minimal,” said Mr Hodgson.

“We’re delighted with our new home and the feedback from both clients and staff has been universally favourable. We have masses of parking space, thirty spots, and clients who would previously have been loathe to fight their way through the traffic to see us seem very happy to drop in,” said Mr Hodgson.