The office market continues to be active with a surprising number of enquiries for freehold buildings across the size ranges, reports Newbury agent Deal Varney.

It seems almost impossible to convince tenants that there are shortages in availability and finding the right building is difficult since the impression seems to be that every building is on the market, which is quite wrong.  In contrast retail continues to be very difficult and slow moving.  A Budget and an election only exacerbates a fragile market.  Industrials have had a better month with some new enquiries and deals in solicitors hands so the picture overall is not too dispiriting, indeed there seem to be quite a number of post recession survivors running healty and profitable companies.

The principal transaction last month was the letting of Benyon House, on the Newbury Business Park.  Frontrange Solutions, a developer of IT service management and infrastructure software has moved into its new UK head quarters, it is important to stress that this is a move from Reading so a new employer has arrived in Newbury.

Benyon House is 24,516 sq.ft and the building was available at a quoting rent of £14 per sq.ft.  The letting is the single largest letting in the market for some time and represents a considerable success for Moorfield Group, the owner of the business park.  The two-storey building has been let for six years and has more than 100 car parking spaces.  Moorfield Group was represented by Deal Varney and Campbell Gordon.