44 Business DECEMBER 2018
SpaceS
B
ringing the beach to
Manchester. That is a
key message strewn
across one of the
giant screens at On
The Beach’s new
tech-focused offices.
And that’s exactly what the online
holiday specialist has done - complete
with deckchairs, a beach bar and
hammocks.
Based in Aeroworks on Adair Street, a
former 1940s aircraft components
factory, the building has been
transformed to house 200 staff - with
space to double.
Following a multi-million pound
design and refit, the firm has relocated
the majority of its business operations
to central Manchester.
However, the contact centre will
remain at the travel agent’s previous
headquarters at Park Square in
Cheadle, which will also undergo a
major redesign and refit, due for
completion in early 2019.
Back in Ancoats and the new HQ is
modern, bright and collaborative with
an open plan design and a giant
auditorium to link two of the three
floors.
Decked out in wooden panelling and
interspersed with tropical shrubs I pass
a rowing boat as I exit the boss’ office
for a tour de force of the quirky space.
Think virtual aquariums, stools
popping out of walls like corks and lots
of roped lighting features and you get
the vibe.
Downstairs there are various
flamboyantly decorated break-out
spaces complete with swinging
hammocks and comfy beanbags.
Walking through the kitchen and
‘beach bar’ I spot a fully stocked booze
fridge - ready to welcome staff and
guests at the official launch.
There is also a large theatre-like
events space populated with stripy
deckchairs which will be used to host
tech events in the New Year.
At the other end I find a social area
with a games room, including a blinged
up pool table, arcade machine and
table tennis.
Staff are also treated to newly fitted
shower cubicles, lockers and a drying
room for those who may choose to
cycle in.
For those who don’t, there is a 70
space on-site car park and Piccadilly
Station is a mere seven minutes walk
away.
There are also plans for a tuck shop
and wellbeing room called ‘the retreat’
in 2019.Life is a
Beach at
company’s
new HQ
You may expect a giant palm tree to look
somewhat out of place in Ancoats but it
makes perfect sense inside On The Beach’s
new digital headquarters. Reporter Lucy
Roue catches up with CEO Simon Cooper at
the state-of-the-art site to take a tour
Back to ground floor and I take the
opportunity to climb up the
auditorium steps, which holds 250
staff, to the next level.
Again in an open plan design I spot
board games on a shelf filled with
technical books on coding and admire
the UX testing labs.
The use of space is very clever with
optional partitions to allow a team to
collaborate or have privacy to focus on
a project.
CEO Cooper tells me it is a ‘far cry’
from the terraced house that On TheBeach called home in the early days,
joking it could fit inside the reception
area.
The FTSE 250 company is flying with
recent financial results showing a rise
in profits despite a hot summer in the
UK and the Nordics.
Pre-tax profit for the year through
September 2018 rose 23.7% to £26.1m,
as revenue climbed 25% to £104.1m.
On the Beach plans to almost double
its workforce to more than 500
employees in the next three to five
years.