Shearings Leisure Group is to move its head office from Miry Lane, Wigan, where it’s been based for 20 years, to 18,000sq-ft of space at Waterside House, Wigan Pier Business Park, on a 10-year lease.
The 200 staff will move in during November, after an extensive fit-out, including a travel shop in its reception.
Earlier this year, the Group – which includes the Shearings Holidays, National Holidays and the Coast & Country and Bay hotel brands – announced record sales, profits and passenger numbers in the 12 months to December 2016, its fourth successive year of growth. Revenue increased 3% to £207.2m (2015: £200.8m) alongside passenger number growth of 4% to 1.12m (2015: 1.08m). It employs 2,600 people.
CEO Richard Calvert says the move was part of a wider, long-term investment programme to support its success.
He says: “This is all about investment in the future growth of the business and our commitment to a town which has been a big part of our success for decades. We already work closely with Wigan Council across a range of initiatives designed to promote the town and they helped us to identify the right head office for our future needs.
“Shearings Leisure Group is a national company with a team of over 2,600 employees located across all of the UK, but is immensely proud of its Wigan roots and to be headquartered in Wigan. Creating the right environment for our people to succeed is an important part of our growth strategy.
“The move is also a statement of our confidence in the borough, which we believe is one of the North West region’s best locations for business thanks to its connectivity and talent. The Wigan Pier Quarter district is a key regeneration site and the new HS2 route can only support the continued renewal of the borough. We’re delighted to be part of that story.”
