Hull City Council buys Age UK office

Hull City Council has bought the local headquarters of charity Age UK, which closed to the public since March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The acquisition of Bradbury House in Porter Street will allow the local authority to move staff from older properties in the city to the modern office, as part of its corporate property strategy.

It will include about 60 social services staff from the nearby Myton Centre in William Street, which is being acquired by Highways England as part of the A63 Castle Street major highways scheme.

Staff from the charity will continue to deliver services from home until they move to new offices in late summer.

‘The acquisition is part of the council’s corporate property strategy, which includes the replacement of older or leased-in property with modern office space,’ said Hull’s deputy leader, Cllr Darren Hale.

‘As well rehousing staff at Myton Centre, Bradbury House will provide office space for teams currently occupying older or unsuitable property elsewhere in the city.

‘It is really important to the council to have an office presence in the Thornton Estate, showing the council’s commitment to keeping a significant number of staff located there, and the demolished Myton Centre is to become a new greenspace for the residents on the estate.’

The chief executive of Age UK Hull, Pam Davies, added: ‘The time has come for us to make significant changes to our operation and to concentrate on developing both new and existing services and diversify our income base.

‘We plan to grow much needed provision such as information and advice, benefits advice and befriending services. These are key services that the people of Hull need and want.

‘We plan to increase our home support and day care opportunities as we know there is a growing need for these types of services to enable people to remain independent and in their own homes for longer. We will obviously be sad to leave Bradbury House but this gives us a unique opportunity for the charity to flourish and develop over the years to come and adapt to the ever changing needs of an older population.’

Photo Credit – Geralt (Pixabay)