Sainsbury’s to leave central London HQ after two decades
The Sainsbury’s headquarters is packing up and relocating to the sustainable JJ Mack Building in Farringdon, a six-minute walk from its current location at Chancery Lane.
It marks the end of a two-decade stint at its 33 Holborn location as the supermarket takes on 68,002 sq ft at the brand-new building.
Sainsbury’s will be sharing the towers with a host of companies including private equity company Partners Group and offshore wind developer Corio Generation.
The firm has long been mulling a move away from the building, coming close to letting a building in King Cross back in 2007. Sainsbury’s lease at 33 Holborn was set to expire in 2025.
Simon Roberts, chief executive of J Sainsbury plc, said: “We’re delighted to have signed a new agreement that will see Sainsbury’s London Store Support Centre relocate to 33 Charterhouse Street in 2025.
“This is a really exciting opportunity for us to create a modern and sustainable workspace that is better suited to our needs and ways of working as our business continues to evolve.”
“Sainsbury’s has a long and proud history in London, dating back to 1869 when John James and Mary Ann Sainsbury opened their first shop in Drury Lane.
He added: “We know that our success depends on our brilliant colleagues and by moving to a more flexible, efficient workspace we can remain committed to maintaining a presence in central London while taking another important step in delivering our Save to Invest plan, which will enable us to invest where it matters most to our customers.”
Gerald Kaye, chief executive of Helical plc, which oversees the building said: “Following the recent lettings to Corio Generation and Partners Group, we are excited to welcome J. Sainsbury to The JJ Mack Building, which means we have now leased 58 per cent of the 200,611 sq ft building.
“These lettings are clear examples of the bifurcation taking place in the market between the best in class office space and the rest.”