Aviva Investors has appointed the Leeds-based serviced office provider to operate 22,000 sq ft of flexible workspace at the city centre building. 

Gilbanks’ two-floor 11 York Street office is the company’s second overall – having opened at One Park Row in Leeds in 2018 – and is designed to “inspire younger workers back to the office”, the company said. 

The flexible workspace provider is the second tenant to sign up at Aviva’s building. Earlier this year Rolls-Royce SMR inked a deal for 10,000 sq ft. 

Alex Duckett, managing director of Gilbanks said: 

"We have ambitious plans for Gilbanks and are always looking for the best sites and commercial partners for our offices. Aviva Investors has developed a fantastic building at 11 York Street, and we believe we have the potential to develop a thriving business community in the shared space that will create synergies for all tenants.” 

As well as workspace, Gilbanks members will benefit from an events space that will host regular yoga sessions, and a sky suite on the eighth floor to host events with views over the city, the firm said.

Duckett added:

"We design productive workspaces for professional people. It’s an approach that appeals to our partners and customers. Our customers have come to expect a level of product that sits apart from the competition, and we believe that our new Manchester offices will raise the bar in the city.” 

Julian Cobourne, head of regional offices at Aviva Investors, said that the landlord’s collaboration with Gilbanks will offer tenants “facilities that put them front-of-mind, benefit the way they work, and encourage collaborative working.” 

Obi advised Aviva on the deal. 

"There is a lack of suitable space offering a premium full-service flexible service in Manchester, said Andrew Cowell, part of the transactions and asset management team at OBI. It means professional services firms and large corporates looking to benefit from this way of working may be forced to look elsewhere or settle for a compromise. We are confident Gilbanks new offices will meet that demand.” 

Gilbanks joins the likes of X+Why, Bold, Orega, WeWork, Serendipity Labs and Hana as part of Manchester and Salford’s growing community of flexible workspace providers.