OnBuy reveals new Bournemouth HQ as it continues to drive the ‘Silicon Beach’ tech start-up scene
UK-based online marketplace,OnBuy, continues to support the Southwest, announcing a deal for new office space in Bournemouth Town Centre.
The move follows an incredible year of growth for the eCommerce innovator, resulting in a need to scale up its headquarters to accommodate the influx of new employees joining the company. After a recruitment drive that mirrors its impressive company growth, OnBuy has seen its team expand from a humble few to more than 100 members. Furthermore, this number continues to rise after the launch of its employee equity scheme in December 2021, making 100% of the team shareholders in the business.
As OnBuy prepares for some significant milestones including product developments and international expansion, its team has chosen to invest not in the ‘London bubble’ but instead the region that has supported its growth to date. Deemed ‘Silicon Beach’ for its obvious parallels to the Californian Silicon Valley, OnBuy is just one of the lucrative tech companies to reside in the Southwest, creating a hub of innovation on the British coastline including Nokia, BT and Vodafone.
Starting its journey in a small office space in Poole, the new headquarters - OnBuy House - will provide a 12,049 sq ft base for OnBuy’s growing team, to complement its Manchester presence and army of remote workers nationwide. Occupying 4 stories of office space and ample break out areas, along with a spacious roof terrace with stunning sea views, the enviable building will be a home for the innovative thinkers working for the company.
Cas Paton, Founder & CEO of OnBuy commented, “We’ve always been on a steep growth trajectory, but we realised quickly that we needed to upgrade our space - particularly when we ran out of desks! While plenty of companies are downsizing in favour of ‘WFH’ or hot-desking, I’ve always believed in creating a space where our team can think, do and thrive. We have fully adopted the need for a hybrid model ensuring we attract and develop the very best talent, but the offices are here to be the heart of the company, to provide a fantastic hub for collaboration and a place to come and enjoy being at work.
“The Southwest is where OnBuy was born, and I truly believe that there is a world of talent beyond the M25 to be tapped into. We’re known for hiring the best and brightest, and with our coastal base we’ve been able to bring on board a range of people with diverse skills that will help take us to the next level.”
Supporting business development in the local area, Chief Executive of the Dorset Chamber of Commerce, Ian Girling said “I’d like to offer my congratulations to Cas and the team at OnBuy on their move to their new HQ in Bournemouth. We work closely with OnBuy as Dorset Chamber Premier Business Partners as one of the leading tech businesses in the South and this move mirrors the meteoric growth of the business over the last couple of years. This achievement is another step on this incredible journey and we are proud to be working with OnBuy.”
Goadsby Commercial acted on behalf of the landlord and James Edwards, Director commented “We are naturally delighted to have secured the letting on behalf of our client, particularly as it is to a company of OnBuy’s stature.” James continued “The building presents OnBuy with a rare opportunity to occupy a prominent self-contained office building in the Town Centre and it is one of the most significant lettings to take place during the pandemic.
The formal move will happen in February 2022, where the OnBuy team will start to populate the space in line with COVID regulations. With more than 100 roles still currently open, 2022 will be a year to watch for OnBuy, with its eyes set on further significant growth in the next 12 months.
