Welcome to what could be my last blog posting; as you are aware the running of the building will go to Sheffield City Council very soon, although we do not know the final date it is likely to be 31 March 2011. At the time of posting this blog we are not certain if the staff will remain with Sorby House as there is a complex process to undertake to decide what will occur with the familiar faces around the building.

Sorby House is thriving at the moment and we have secured two new lettings to two brand new start up companies: JBA who trade in machinery with Africa headed by Jean Marie Bindanda and Mustafa Yassin who is trading as Zenitec Limited, a sports nutrients advice and supply company.  We are also pleased to announce that Sartak Travel, run by Jabir Ahmed (specialising in flight provision to the Middle East) has expanded from a hot desk to its own office on the ground floor.

We have also seen an increase in the level of enquiries for Sorby House over the past few weeks which is very encouraging in these difficult economic times, on this point we are seeing that a number of our tenants are experiencing very tough trading conditions and are always prepared to discuss the options open to them in respect of their occupancy to help them to survive.

Finally the work to amend the security system will be commencing soon and we will be providing full details as to how it will operate once the final design and specification works have been undertaken, but please be rest assured that it will not affect the operation of Sorby House, nor will it compromise safety.

Establishing a business can be a daunting prospect with numerous decisions to be made that require thorough planning and financial commitments, one being where you will locate yourself.

Now many people don’t need a designated office space, although creating the right image through your location can impact on how a potential customers view you as a professional (but do you really want your home address on your business card and website?).

Here at Sorby House the team have put into place the opportunity for you to have a postal address and if required and designated phone number to enable you to set the best possible first impression.

A ‘virtual address’ affords you the peace of mind that your post will be dealt with by a dedicated team of trained staff, yet allowing you to keep your actual address private.

The phone transfer system allows you to create a phone number specifically for business use that will be directed to wherever your business is located. This furthers your ability to maintain your privacy whilst having a dedicated business phone line.

If you feel that a virtual address will answer your problems then give our team a call and we will be more than happy to explain this in more detail and discuss our various monthly payment options, starting at only £17.50

Tom and Roy are ready take any calls on 0114 2132300

Following a visit from the Sheffield Star, we were rather surprised to read their account of Burngreave New Deal for Communities (BNDfC) and specifically Sorby House in the paper recently.

As we are keen to put our residents at ease, along with the members of public that have expressed opinions on the content on the article, we felt it only correct here at Sorby that we add the facts to alleviate any concerns:

Firstly the Burngreave New Deal programme was funded by central government, not by Sheffield City Council.

Secondly the programme was not about making a profit, but helping to enhance the look and feel of Burngreave. Providing it with a hub for community activities and an affordable central resource for local small to medium sized start up businesses.

At present only 15% of our current occupiers are grant funded, the rest are private companies that take little or no funding to ensure their businesses provide work and opportunities for many individuals.

Many of our tenants that use a car have no problem in getting to the building – the parking facilities we offer underneath the building are commented on by many of our guests as a real asset.

We appreciate the views used in constructing the argument for the article, but a balanced view is required: The financial investment is not about profit making, but about improving the area. Sorby House is a landmark building that now houses organisations that provide full-time employment to over 70 people.

We realise that it is popular to criticize areas such as Burngreave, but programmes such as BNDfC have enabled the growth of numerous businesses that without its presence would have been unable to establish.

The bottom line is that it was never envisaged BNDfC would make a profit and therefore any question of losses are of no real surprise. What has to be taken into consideration are the many benefits that the building affords, including the full-time jobs, 50 volunteer positions and over 100 presenting jobs made available on Burngreave Community Radio.

Burngreave now benefits from an iconic, state of the art building that stands proudly at the top of Spital Hill, housing many content occupants of Sheffield’s business community and hosting numerous community and corporate events.