Straight: Leeds

Location: No.1 Whitehall Riverside, Leeds

Sector: Retail/ Consumer Goods

Project Size: 10,000 sq ft

Project Value: £120k

Programme: 6 weeks

Scope of Works: Design > Contracting > Furniture

The Brief

Established in 1993 as one man and a desk, Leeds-based Straight plc has since grown to become the UK’s leading supplier of waste and recycling containers. Given such rapid expansion, the company had outgrown its existing Leeds premises. Following the company’s acquisition of Blackwall Limited in 2005, the relocation was not only intended to reflect the company's progression and to allow scope for future growth, but it also meant, for the first time since the integration of the two businesses, that all Group personnel would be based at the same site.

Having chosen No.1 Whitehall Riverside as their new location—one of the newest prime developments in Leeds city centre—Straight proceeded to select Claremont Group Interiors as principal design & fit-out contractor for their new state-of-the-art riverside premises. The new office building, designed by Carey Jones Architects, offers 127,000 sq ft of quality waterside space.

The Solution

With a strong focus on design, the works completed by Claremont included executive offices, post room, meeting rooms, boardroom (with AV supplied by Claremont’s ‘Viewpoint’ division), comms room, kitchen/ breakout facility, faith room, reception, flooring, alterations to the mechanical system, feature lighting and furniture package.

As a supplier of waste and recycling solutions, Straight was careful to consider the potential environmental impact of the project. Having carefully selected the new business location—with easy access for employees and visitors to transport links—in order to help reduce the company’s carbon footprint, the building itself had also been built using a high quality curtain wall system, providing large efficiencies in terms of solar control and thermal insulation. Straight worked closely with Claremont in creating a more sustainable workplace by sourcing recycled products, furniture and low energy lighting for the new office.

The Result

The move to larger premises has brought both the operational and commercial functions of the company together in order to offer customers an even more efficient and improved service.

Claremont’s Account Director, Richard Turner comments:

“Straight’s rapid expansion saw the company outgrow its previous premises and Claremont was delighted to be involved in the company’s refurbishment programme. We are confident that the new workspace which has been developed will continue to accommodate the company’s progression and allow space for future growth.”