New owners pledge to protect classic Harrogate building's role as 'important business hub'
One of Harrogate’s most historic buildings and prominent business hubs has been sold to a major property group.
Originally constructed as a hotel in the early 1900s, Windsor House has been purchased by MCR Property Group, nationwide specialists in acquiring, developing and managing commercial, industrial, student, and residential properties.
Placed on the market in June, after a decade of successful stewardship under Boultbee Brooks Real Estate, the property will now form part of MCR Property Group’s wide-ranging portfolio of assets across the UK.
The deal ensures the landmark building opposite the picturesque Valley Gardens on Cornwall Road will continue to provide top-quality office space solutions for its 100 tenants.
MCR Property Group Asset Manager, Mark Foxley, said: “We are proud and delighted to be the new owners of Windsor House, a building with so much heritage and history but which is, today, a fully modern and state-of-the-art office hub serving more than 100 Harrogate businesses.
“Our focus will be on maintaining a well-managed, safe, and supportive environment for all tenants whilst also looking at a number of improvements to the building to improve the offering further.
"It is a case of business as usual. We look forward to working with our tenants going forward and will be looking to build on the strong community atmosphere that clearly already exists within Windsor House.”
Windsor House has seen many changes over the decades since it opened as The Grand Hotel in 1903.
It served as a convalescent home for officers in the First World War and was requisitioned by the government in World War II.
In recent times it was extensively redeveloped into a dynamic business hub offering more than 75,000 sq ft of furnished and unfurnished workspace.
The new owners have contacted all Windsor House tenants to assure them that they see the office hub as a going concern and that it will very much be a case of ‘business as usual’ when their new era begins.
The existing front of house team and Windsor House Property Manager, Karen Winspear, will be staying on in their roles under the new owners.