Southampton: Handelsbanken moves to Oceana House

A city centre office in Southampton is one lease away from full occupancy following a new letting.

In a transaction through property consultancy Vail Williams and JLL, local relationship bank Handelsbanken signed a new lease on a ground floor suite at Oceana House, Commercial Road.

Vail Williams’ Russell Mogridge, a partner who leads the firm’s business space team, said: “Oceana House continues to attract high-calibre companies and this latest letting is an encouraging sign of market confidence following the national emergency.

“The building has been fully refurbished to high-quality Grade A offices, with Handelsbanken fitting out to its own specifications and scheduled to move in by autumn.”

Womble Bond Dickinson occupies the second and third floors, with AVASK Accounting on the first and fourth floors.

Mogridge added: “We have one final suite available on the ground floor, at 1,879 sq ft, and there is strong interest as companies look beyond the national events of the last few months.

“As well as the light airy offices, Oceana House’s location, close to the mainline railway station, Mayflower Theatre and city centre facilities, is undoubtedly a major draw.”

Phil Dedman, branch manager of Handelsbanken’s Southampton office, said: “We are delighted to be moving to Oceana House where we will continue to serve  and support our customers, especially in the present climate and through these challenging times.

“Oceana House, with its excellent facilities combined with close proximity to the train station, provides the perfect city centre location for our customers and employees.”

Emma Lockey from CBRE acted for Handelsbanken.

When AVASK Accounting moved in 12 months ago, leasing nearly 17,000 sq ft, it was the largest office letting in the city centre for six years.

Oceana House has a central atrium and manned reception, together with under-cover cycle stores, showers and lockers.