Historic offices at Ipsley provide new home for fast-growing interpretation service for deaf people, thanks to John Truslove
A move to a Grade II listed office building has come just in time as demand surges for a company providing Interpretation, translation and training services, enabling deaf and hearing people to communicate.
Ian Parker, joint managing director at commercial property agents John Truslove, helped Sign Solutions find its new home at 17th century Ipsley Barn, now the hub for a hi-tech video interpretation service that reaches out across the UK.
Clients ranging from EE, Virgin Media, Three and Goldman Sachs to the Royal Mail and the NHS use Sign Solutions’ team of British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters to communicate with deaf people, in-person across the UK or using the company’s on-demand InterpretersLive! Video interpreting service.
The move to the historic converted barn comes as Sign Solutions has seen major growth in demand for its services.
Managing director Clare Vale said: “The success of Deaf actress Rose Ayling-Ellis on Strictly Come Dancing and the current BSL bill going through Parliament have made people much more aware of the needs of the Deaf community”.
“Covid provided a major boost to our business as all organisations moved online using Zoom, Starleaf, MS Teams and Attend Anywhere and became comfortable and confident using video platforms.
“This enabled us to grow our video interpreting provision by over 300% and helped us raise awareness of how organisations can ensure their products, services and work are equally accessible to deaf and hard of hearing people.”
“The coronavirus pandemic and hybrid flexible working across the UK, meant we needed a smaller office base and our landlord at our place in Alvechurch wanted to convert it to apartments, so that meant we needed a new home quickly.
“John Truslove had helped us find the Alvechurch offices in 2011 and Ian Parker and his team were able to work with us again, to secure Ipsley Barn. It’s perfect; it is a lovely place to work, out in the countryside, and also has enough car parking for all our team.”
“Ian was really helpful with the whole process and enabled access to measure up and equip our offices. We feel we’ve got a good deal.”
Clare added: “We had 17 people two years ago and we have now grown to 30, with ten based at Ipsley and the rest working from home around the country.
“Continuing demand means we have just taken on another three people.”
Ian Parker sealed a deal that saw Sign Solutions take 1,376 sq ft of offices on the first floor at Ipsley Barn, off Berrington Close in Redditch, on a five year lease at £16,500 per annum.
Mr Parker said: “These attractive and historic offices provide an ideal base for a growing, hi-tech company like Sign Solutions providing a service across the country. We were delighted to help them find a new home that will take the business into the future.”
“This is just one of a string of attractive office buildings across our portfolio and demand is high as the coronavirus restrictions wind down. Our landlord clients are keen to strike deals with good tenants.”
Becky Pickering, property associate at law firm Higgs, acted for Sign Solutions.
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