Let's share lifts

liftshare Week (3-7 October 2011) is the UK-wide event which aims to encourage and enable more people to discover the benefits of car-sharing. Help your colleagues and friends to start sharing their cars, saving money, reducing stress and being kinder to the environment.

Five things you should know about car-sharing...

1. It can save you a lot of money on petrol costs!

2. It helps you cut your carbon footprint

3. It makes boring solo journeys sociable and fun

4. It reduces stress by allowing you to be chauffeur-driven!

5. You don’t even need a car to sign up to be a car-sharer. Many members are willing to do the driving in return for a contribution to their fuel costs and some friendly company!

With petrol prices hitting record highs this year, liftshare Week is the ideal time to give car-sharing a try. At Chineham Park we have a well established scheme and you can discover more details about it here.

Chineham Park Promotes Outdoor Area With Jazz Band

MEPC Chineham Park, Basingstoke's leading business location, has launched an al fresco area for the summer season with a jazz band entertaining occupiers over lunchtime in the Spindlewood amenity area of the park.

Temperatures have already reached 31oC in Basingstoke this year with more hot weather predicted over the summer months.

Rupert Batho, managing director for MEPC Chineham Park, said: “The improved facility gives our occupiers the chance to enjoy lunch in a ‘continental’ setting in front of the restaurant, have a coffee and a sandwich here or relax on the grassed area opposite under the new canopies.”

Chineham Park has installed new furniture, improved the décor and invested in state of the art sails for the summer months and planters, which create a high quality ambience for the whole Spindlewood amenity area.

Rupert Batho, managing director for MEPC Chineham Park, added: “Chineham Park is constantly improving its environment to ensure the park is kept in excellent condition for its occupiers and onsite visitors.”

Chineham Park Responds To Changing Commercial Conditions

Chineham Park, Basingstoke's leading business location, has responded positively to the changing commercial conditions by creating an enterprise hub for SMEs.

Rupert Batho, managing director for MEPC Chineham Park, said: “Last year we set ourselves a nine month target to create a small business campus in the Elmwood area of the Park. Nationally across the UK’s overall business community, 2009 saw more small businesses start than in the previous year and with Basingstoke offering all the requisite elements of an entrepreneurial economy we knew that there would be a requirement for a such a centre. As Chineham Park is the ideal place for local organisations to develop and strengthen their brand we decided to refurbish and refigure Elmwood into a hub for small to medium sized organisations. We have already let one suite and have strong interest in four others.”

To help companies further we created ‘Greenlite’ which is a simple and flexible way to lease office space for companies who employ between 10-50 employees. Spacious and modern interiors can be fitted to meet customer’s bespoke needs in respect of lay out design, furniture, meeting rooms, managerial offices and kitchens through a simple plain English contract.

All offices come with unlimited broadband capacity, access to NVQ training and onsite building support and facilities including secure parking, courtesy coach service, gym, restaurant, nursery and the opportunity to attend networking events.

For more information, please contact the Chineham Park team on 01256 486680 or the letting agents Hollis Hockley on 01256 489800 and Knight Frank on 0207 629 8171.

Chineham Park Creates Outdoor Rooms

Chineham Park, Basingstoke's leading business location, has created outdoor rooms as part of its natural place to work campaign.

Rupert Batho, managing director for MEPC Chineham Park, said: “From the results of our occupier survey last year, we identified a request for more benches around the park. We have developed this into our outdoor room’s concept, which provides prominent seating in locations which show off some of the park’s best features.

“As part of our role to provide our occupiers with the facilities they need and want for a comfortable working environment we have launched the outdoor rooms this spring with the hope of warmer weather giving all park occupiers the opportunity to spend some of their working day in our natural landscape.”

The outdoor rooms have been positioned around the park to encourage employees to sit outside to admire the view and enjoy the environment.

Chineham Park’s 95 acres is home to a wide variety of abundant wildlife. Occupier John Evemy, maintenance engineer for Arjo Wiggins Fine Papers Ltd, said: “I enjoy working on Chineham Park because it is like working in the countryside. When I go for a walk at lunchtime I see lots of wildlife including deer, woodpeckers and pheasants and it is like a breath of fresh air working within these surroundings.”

Chineham Park Welcomes New Gym Manager

Chineham Park, Basingstoke’s leading business location, has welcomed a new general manager to its onsite gym Fitness First.

Chris West will run the health and fitness centre based in the Spindlewood area of the park.

Wendy Fletcher, estate assistant for MEPC Chineham Park, said: “It is a pleasure to welcome Chris to Chineham Park. Promoting a healthy work life balance is a key objective for the park management and working with Fitness First who provide state of the art equipment and expert assistance for their members helps us achieve our goals.”

Chris West, general manager for Fitness First, said: “As well as offering premier fitness facilities in Basingstoke’s leading business location, my role at Fitness First is to encourage occupiers of the park and the wider community to take advantage of the world class health and fitness expertise we can provide.”

Chineham Park Showcases Amenities

The Chineham Park onsite management team has celebrated the start of the New Year by showcasing the extensive range of amenities with new signage at the park entrance.

Rupert Batho, managing director for MEPC Chineham Park, said: “We recognise that it is extremely important to highlight to anyone that enters the park what we have on offer.”

The park prides itself on providing quality amenities for occupiers and their employees including a fully equipped Fitness First gym, sandwich bar and restaurant and it offers superb childcare facilities.

Fitness First has approximately 2,500 members with a capacity for 3,000, Dayer’s Fine Foods sells over 65,000 sandwiches on Chineham Park each year and KidsUnlimited changed roughly 56,000 nappies in 2008.

The team of gardeners landscape Chineham Park’s 95 acres, the courtesy coach drivers carry out 170,000 passenger journeys every year and the security guards are onsite 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Rupert Batho, managing director for MEPC Chineham Park, said: “Chineham Park is a community in itself. We currently accommodate over 40 business organisations ranging from local enterprises to international headquarters and the park is a place of work for over 2,500 people. Our existing amenities offer essential onsite services and play a vital role in helping us to attract more businesses to the park.”

Cirrus Logistics Ltd move into offices at Chineham Park

Cirrus Logistics Ltd, a highly innovative leader in the application of simulation and optimisation solutions, is the latest technology company to join the thriving business community at MEPC Chineham Park. Cirrus Logistics has acquired an enviable record of applying advanced simulation and optimisation methods to providing decision support tools across a broad spectrum of applications and industry types, including the logistics, oil, retail, food, pharmaceutical, chemical and air sectors.

Cirrus Logistics has acquired a lease on a building totaling over 1,500 sqft in the Cedarwood area of the park, following their acquisition by a new holding company CentriQ Group Ltd. The CentriQ Group also own VoiteQ Ltd, the UK's leading supplier of voice-directed warehousing solutions to the retail, distribution and logistics industry, which also has a blue chip client base and is associated with many high profile company operations including Sainsbury’s, Gist, Next and John Lewis.

Frank Heald, chairman of all CentriQ Group companies, said: “We were looking for suitable accommodation to support recent growth and the future expansion of Cirrus Logistics. We believe that Chineham Park more than fulfils our business needs.

“The park is in a premier spot with state of the art facilities and is ideally placed as a location for the Cirrus headquarters and as a southern office for VoiteQ.”

Rupert Batho, managing director for MEPC Chineham Park, said: “We are delighted to welcome Cirrus Logistics, another top performing company, to Chineham Park where we wish them every success. Completing another letting this year reaffirms our position as Basingstoke’s leading business destination.”

Sustainable Business of the Year

MEPC Chineham Park has won the Sustainable Business of the Year award at Basingstoke and Deane’s Inspire 09 business awards for the second year running.

Rupert Batho, managing director for MEPC Chineham Park, said: “It is a great honour to win such a prestigious award twice in a row. This award reflects the hard work of MEPC. None of this would have an impact without our occupiers who catch the coaches, segregate their waste when recycling and help us protect the environment, so this is their award to”.

Ray Mears Invites You To New Event

Ray Mears, survival and bushcraft expert, is encouraging Chineham Park companies to sign up for a new corporate event, the Great Escape Challenge in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care.

The challenge takes 60 corporate teams of four on a head-to-head, multi-sport adventure designed to test the mind, challenge the body and build team spirit. Taking place over the weekend of 21 May 2010 entrants will camp in the stunning backdrop of the Brecon Beacons, the perfect office getaway.

Featuring a series of unique group challenges in a fun and competitive environment, the winning team will depend not simply on fitness levels, but on making smart decisions, thinking laterally and communicating effectively.

The Great Escape Challenge brings a variety of benefits back to the workplace including delegation and team working skills. As an exclusively corporate event, it also presents some serious networking opportunities with companies from across the UK.

Ray Mears said: “I’m urging companies to sign up for Marie Curie Cancer Care’s Great Escape Challenge. It will test teams on a variety of skills and strengths as well as bringing them together. I believe the wilderness is also a great leveller, making this an ideal adventure for companies to go head-to-head on.

“Following the death of my wife to breast cancer, I have seen first hand the wonderful work that Marie Curie Nurses do and the money raised from the Great Escape Challenge will help them to provide free care to patients with terminal cancer and other illnesses in their own homes.”

Companies can enter the Great Escape Challenge in teams of four, with at least two people from the same company. Entry costs just £600 + VAT per team with a minimum fundraising amount of £2,000.

For more information about the Great Escape Challenge or to register your entry, please call 08450 504321 or visit: www.greatescapechallenge.com

Business Park Responds To Survey Results

We had nearly 400 responses to the occupier’s survey that was issued earlier this year and we would like to thank those of you who completed it. From this questionnaire a number of points were raised and we have responded to these by taking the following actions.

Overall, 73% of you thought Chineham Park was a good or great place to work and 82% of you believed the landscaping was good to excellent.

However, a few of you commented about the limited number of benches around the estate. Chineham Park is now intending to create a variety of “outdoor rooms” by the spring of next year so that the environment can be enjoyed more fully when the sun returns!

Several of you noted the approach to the park was only average. Chineham Park is now looking at ways to improve this and you will start to see the results before Christmas.

98% of you mentioned the courtesy coach service ran on time, but despite over 50% of you living within ten miles of the park, the number of you regularly using the courtesy coach has fallen. Therefore Chineham Park will now be upgrading the coaches in early 2010 to encourage more usage.

Those of you who walk to work expressed concern over safety, especially on the public footpath into the park from Hanmore Road via the railway underpass. Chineham Park has now raised this issue with the Chineham Village Security Forum and budgeted for enhanced lighting and a security camera to cover the footpath from the estates boundary.

Finally, 88% of you said the food selection at Dayer’s Fine Foods was good to excellent, but there was room for improvement with the speed of delivery. Chineham Park has been working closely with Dayer’s Fine Foods to undertake a range of measures to improve this and you may already be benefitting from some of the changes.

Congratulations to Jo Hartshorn from Gist who won the £150 gift voucher for Festival Place in the prize draw.

For more information, please email Wendy Fletcher at wfletcher@mepc.com

UKN Group Ltd Relocates to Chineham Park

UKN Group Ltd, a global IT services provider and experts in the innovative use of IT and service management, has relocated to MEPC Chineham Park.

UKN has acquired a lease on a building totaling over 4,000 sqft in the Lindenwood area of the park, following continued business growth and expansion.

Michael Eaton, chief executive officer for UKN Group Limited, said: “We were looking for prestigious accommodation in a business park with excellent transport links and amenities to enable us to grow our business.

“The relocation of our head office to Chineham Park has provided us with the positive business environment that will facilitate further success for our business and its people.”

Rupert Batho, managing director for MEPC Chineham Park, said: “It is a pleasure to welcome UKN Group Limited to Chineham Park, where we wish them every success.

“To date we have welcomed more new businesses to the park than we did in the whole of 2008 and we are on track to achieve more key lettings before the end of the year.”

Picture shows from left to right: Michael Eaton, chief executive officer for UKN Group Limited and Paul Foster, sales manager for UKN Group Limited.

Chineham Park Celebrates Summer Party Success

Chineham Park is celebrating the success of its Mexican themed summer party held on Friday 31 July 2009 between 12h00 and 14h00.

The annual fun day, in the Spindlewood area of the park, was free to attend for all those working on Chineham Park.

Jo Szegota, asset manager for MEPC Chineham Park, said: “Chineham Park is home to over 40 organisations and the summer party is a great opportunity for occupiers to interact with neighbouring businesses.

“It is our way of giving something back to these organisations to thank them for making Chineham Park such a great place to work.”

Party-goers tucked into Tex-Mex inspired cuisine including chilli, fajitas and burritos and took part in a competition to see who could stay on a bucking bronco the longest.

Here’s what a few of the guests said about this year’s event:
“The Tex-Mex lunch was lovely, I can only imagine the amount of organisation that goes into making such events happen.”
Julie Andrews, supply management administrator for Gist Ltd.

Sue Keen, head of corporate services for UKN Group Ltd, said: “On behalf of all our staff, I would like to thank the Chineham Park team for the Lunch and entertainment on Friday.

“It was very well received and there were lots of compliments on the organisation and the food.”

More photographs from the event are available on Parklife.

Chineham Business Park gives workers what they want

Office workers are increasingly looking to build exercise into their daily routines. Those who adopt active lifestyles are now demanding more from their office environments. One of the most popular requirements is for proper shower facilities to enable people to freshen up after cycling to work or jogging at lunchtime.

Equipped with a shower on every floor and cycle racks located directly outside the back door, the design of Central 40 at Chineham Park has created an environment suited to the requirements of today’s office worker. The facilities are also of benefit to those who wish to use their lunch break to go for a run around the woodland surrounding Chineham Park, as they are now able to freshen up on their return to the office.

Rupert Batho, managing director of Chineham Park, said; “When planning the design specifications for this new building, we wanted to ensure it would give future occupiers the facilities they need and want for a comfortable working environment. The provision of showers and cycle racks at Central 40 will allow the occupier a hassle-free workplace as all the facilities they need are on hand.”

Knight Frank and Hollis Hockley are MEPC Chineham Park’s appointed letting agents.

Chineham Park bus service weathers the snow storm

Heathrow Airport was closed, the M1 motorway was shut and businesses across the South East were complaining about the transport chaos. Chineham Park, however, still had a full bus service running every day as normal throughout the bad weather that has seen a large proportion of the UK’s workforce grind to a halt. Both complimentary buses kept to their timetables and offered a hassle-free option for workers at Chineham Park.

Wendy Fletcher, Travel Coordinator for MEPC Chineham Park explains, “Our bus service has been applauded for its environmental impact but in weather such as we all experienced this week, it shows that the bus service can be more reliable than most other transport links. Thanks to the dedication of our drivers our bus service kept Chineham Park open for business through the worst snow storms for two decades. We had masses of calls on Monday to ask if the service was running and we were able to assure all our occupiers and their employees that there was a safe and dependable transport option.”

The service operates every 15 minutes during peak times throughout the day between 07h15 and 18h30, shuttling people working on the Park to and from Basingstoke Train Station, undertaking 160,000 passenger trips in 2008.

Festive Red Man Unveils Chineham Park's Newest Offices To Let

Christmas has come early to Chineham Park as one of their famous Red Men pays a festive visit to unveil Central 40, the newest building and the largest new office space in Basingstoke.

The 40,000 sq ft new building is now available to be let and to ensure it continues to spread Christmas joy to its new occupiers throughout the New Year, the building was designed specifically to optimise workplace flexibility, reduce energy consumption and minimise running costs.

Central 40 is the only local building to comply with the latest building regulations, featuring solar heated water and an innovative air-conditioning system that will allow the occupier to use up to 30% less energy per annum, assuming normal office use, compared to a traditional 4-pipe fan coil air conditioned building. Even the lights in the building are on a timer system to ensure they are not consuming energy when not needed.

Rupert Batho, managing director of Chineham Park said: “Central 40 is the largest new office building to be built in Basingstoke since 2002 and has been certified with a “Very Good” BREEAM rating, making it a very exciting addition to the Park. It is now available to let and we are anticipating a high level of interest from potential occupiers.”

For more information, visit www.central40.co.uk

MEPC Chineham Park wins Sustainable Business of the Year

They were awarded the title for the many initiatives they have introduced to the Park, including a car-sharing scheme, Share & Care. The scheme allows users to locate other people working at Chineham Park who make the same or similar journey to work each day and then arrange to share lifts, saving up to an estimated £2,930 in travel costs and a massive nine tonnes of CO2 each year.

Rupert Batho, managing director for MEPC Chineham Park, said; “We are delighted to have won the Sustainable Business of the Year category and it is especially rewarding to be recognised for this amongst the local business community. In addition to our car-sharing and recycling schemes we have implemented on the Park, five of our buildings have recently undergone refurbishment, enabling them to meet the sustainable needs of future occupiers and our newest office developments, South 60 and Central 40, incorporate the use of solar energy, rain water harvesting and an innovative air conditioning system, allowing the occupier to use up to 30% less energy per annum.”

L-R: Rupert Batho, managing director, and Richard Hawkes, estates manager, collect the Sustainable Business of the Year award.

Kids Unlimited Celebrates 25 Years with Cake Competition at Chineham Park

Children from the Kids Unlimited nursery in Chineham Park showed off their artistic skills at the weekend by decorating cakes in honour of the 25th anniversary of Kids Unlimited.

The nursery hosted a summer fun day on Saturday 27th September for the children and their families, where they enjoyed the activities organised by the nursery, including face painting and a bouncy castle, as well as the cake decorating competition sponsored by MEPC Chineham Park, for which the children were asked to decorate a cake.

Jo Szegota, asset manager for MEPC Chineham Park, came along to judge the winner. She said; “This was a great day out for the children and their families and allowed the children to get involved in celebrating the nursery’s anniversary. Kids Unlimited is a great asset to the park as they provide discounted childcare to our occupiers in a central location.”

The winning cake designer, Mattia Marchesini was awarded with his prize of a family day out to Marwell Zoo including spending money, after impressing all involved with his colourful icing.

Kids Unlimited is located in the Spindlewood area of Chineham Park, making it the convenient choice for parents working on the business park and surrounding areas. The experienced staff provide all inclusive care for children between the ages of 3 months and 5 years, and employees of businesses in Chineham Park are eligible for a discount of £1 per day off the standard fees.

Pictured LtoR: Carola Tavella and her son Mattia Marchesini, the winner of the cake competition, receive their prize from Jo Szegota, asset manager for MEPC Chineham Park

Meet the team behind the newest view in Basingstoke

Chineham Park introduces the team behind Central 40, the largest new office building in Basingstoke since 2002.

The team at MEPC Chineham Park are; Rupert Batho, managing director, Jo Szegota, leasing manager, Wendy Fletcher, estates assistant, and Richard Hawkes, estate manager. They are based within the park at Rosewood, just across the road from Central 40.

Located in the centre of the park and offering a scenic view, the 3 storey 40,000 sq ft development has been built to comply with the latest building regulations and is designed to suit the sustainability needs of future occupiers.

Rupert Batho, managing director, said; “As the newest, biggest building in Basingstoke, Central 40 sets a new standard for sustainable developments. Sustainability is high on the agenda for all of us at Chineham Park and we are confident to be able to offer Central 40 as a new, sustainable place for people to work and businesses to grow.”

The office is specifically designed to optimise workplace flexibility, reduce energy consumption and minimise running costs. By using solar energy, rainwater harvesting and high quality solar glass, combined with an innovative air conditioning system, an occupier could use up to 30% less energy per annum when compared to a traditional 4-pipe fan coil air conditioned building.

For more information visit www.central40.co.uk

L-R: Rupert Batho, managing director, Jo Szegota, leasing manager, Wendy Fletcher, estates assistant, and Richard Hawkes, estates manager, on the roof of the largest new office building in Basingstoke.

TALARIS CHOOSES BASINGSTOKE FOR HQ IN NEW OFFICE DEVELOPMENT AT MEPC CHINEHAM PARK

Talaris, the leading provider of cash handling solutions to financial institutions and retailers worldwide, has chosen South 60 at Basingstoke’s Chineham Park as its corporate head office. This letting underlines Chineham Park’s position as Basingstoke’s premier office location – with Talaris joining other high-profile occupiers that include Motorola, Ericsson, Regus, and Canon.

A three-storey building, South 60 provides approximately 11,000 sq ft of office space and is located at the entrance of Chineham Park. The landmark new office development is designed to optimise workplace flexibility, reduce energy consumption and minimise running costs. Constructed with energy efficiency in mind, South 60’s flexibility is provided by the planning grid and innovative cooling system which facilitate excellent space planning.

Rupert Batho, Managing Director of Chineham Park, comments: “We warmly welcome Talaris to Chineham Park and we are especially proud that this new company has chosen our park for its headquarters. Activity on the park has been good over the past year and this is currently a very exciting time for us. In the next few weeks we will also be launching our newest and Basingstoke’s largest new office building Central 40. We are anticipating an equally high amount of interest for this development.”

The former De La Rue company that is now part of The Carlyle Group plans to relocate its employees to the A-grade office building in January 2009.

Tracey Graham, Chief Executive Officer at Talaris says, “We have sought offices that not only offer high quality features but encompass the environmental principles that are in line with our own. MEPC Chineham Park offered the perfect solution and we are looking forward to the move. Talaris is the cash solution partner of choice for Financial Institutions worldwide and we wanted our new headquarters to be welcoming for all our partners.”

The three-storey building provides offices on the first and second floors, a ground floor reception with further office space and onsite parking for 40 cars. With high ceilings and excellent access to daylight, it gives occupiers a light and modern workspace. South 60’s design also maximises energy efficiency which could reduce CO₂ omissions by approximately 10 tonnes a year when compared to a traditional four pipe fan coil air conditioned building of similar size.

CHINEHAM PARK OCCUPANTS AND EMPLOYEES RIDE THE WAVES AT SUMMER BEACH PARTY

MEPC Chineham Park held their annual fun day on Friday 18^th July with the theme of a beach party, complete with an authentic Caribbean BBQ, steel band and a surf simulator.

The event, in the Spindlewood area of the park, was free to attend for all occupants and employees at the site, of which 500 turned up on the day to enjoy the festivities. Rupert Batho, Managing Director of Chineham Park said: “Chineham Park is home to over 40 organisations and so we see it as a community; we would like all who work here to feel as though they belong. Organising the annual fun day is our way of giving something back to them to thank them for making it such a great place to work.”

Even the weather was in support of the party, with the rain holding off until after the party had finished. The party-goers listened to the music of a steel band and enjoyed a BBQ by Caribbean Cookpot, a company who specialise in providing authentic Caribbean catering services, with chefs from both Barbados and Jamaica. The guests then spent the afternoon trying out the surf simulator to see who could stay on the longest! Donna Williams, a recent newcomer to Chineham Park and Call Dispatcher – Hardware for Kofax UK Ltd, said: “It was lovely to feel part of something bigger than just one company and great to network with other people working on the park.”

More photos from the event will be available on the MEPC Chineham Park website at www.mepc.com/chinehampark/