One of Yorkshire’s longest-established marketing agencies, Sowden + Sowden, have recently begun a fresh chapter in their 40-year history after moving into their first completely bespoke office space.
Formerly a 19th Century coach house and stable, the agency purchased the building in January 2020 and have transformed it into a contemporary, vibrant and bespoke creative hub for their growing team, whilst respecting its heritage by retaining key historical features.
Situated on the Weir in the heart of Hessle, East Yorkshire, the 3,023 square foot site now houses large open-plan office spaces, a private work area, a sizeable meeting room and a kitchen extension, as well as a living room, sun deck and expansive courtyard for socialising and outdoor working.
The renovation was designed by another local family-owned firm, AEB Architecture and Design Ltd, with the property being purchased through PPH Commercial.
Paul and Polly Sowden, the father-daughter duo behind Sowden + Sowden’s long history of success, hope the new office will provide the perfect place for their team to continue to develop award-winning marketing, from the comfort of a totally unique space designed just for their team.
Polly Sowden, Director, said: “We’re extremely proud of what we’ve created for our team here. After 18 months working apart, bringing everyone together for the first time to our incredible new home – including some colleagues who’d not yet had the chance to work under the same roof together – has been transformational! It’s really refreshing to be able to work side by side collaboratively again. And what a space to do it in.
It’s been a long time coming and we’re so pleased to now be able to work in a place which embodies our culture, pushing boundaries and doing things differently. Now we just can’t wait to show it off to all our clients.”
The spacious and adaptable building offers a lot of potential for future growth, as Sowdens prepare to take on new talent following the acquisition of some major new national and international accounts.
The agency has already welcomed several new team members over the last 12 months to expand its diverse marketing offer. These include two new Designers, a Copywriter, and a Production and Print Executive, as well as a Digital Account Director to broaden its digital marketing services to include Search Engine Optimisation, User Experience and eCommerce site development.
Paul Sowden, Managing Director, commented: “Our new office has been completely designed from the ground up to meet our needs as a business, meaning we now have the perfect building in which to create outstanding marketing for our clients across the UK and around the world.
Bringing together the perfect blend of historical architecture and modern design, the building serves as a genuinely unique and fitting base for us to acknowledge the last 40 years of our journey as an agency, whilst looking ahead to our future. We’re thrilled to be able to welcome our team to a place we can truly call our own.”
Alex Sach, Lead Creative in the Sowdens studio, said:
“Firstly, given the last year and a half it’s refreshing to have a reason not to wear joggers 7 days a week! Every time you look up from your screen you’re met with another quirk of the new office, and I’ve never worked anywhere that better fuels my creativity. And as a bonus, for someone who tends to feel the heat a lot, the air conditioning is pretty mint too.”
Beth Gray, Account Manager, added: “The new office is an amazing space and it’s been great to spend time with the team over the last month. As a creative agency, collaboration is really important and we’ve now got the perfect place to work together. The sun deck is a definite highlight though – any excuse and I’ll be out there.”
Sowden + Sowden are currently recruiting for more team members to join them in the new office, for more information about the roles available, click here.