A leading property consultancy is marking 150 years of operations in Newcastle and the wider North East with the opening of a new city centre office.
Real estate advisor Avison Young has played a key role in major projects across the region, including Forth Yards, the regeneration of Pilgrim Street and Founder’s Place in Newcastle, along with transformational schemes in Sunderland, Durham and Gateshead.
The business has relocated from Central Square South to Wellbar on Gallowgate, adjacent to St James’ Park, after securing a 10-year lease. The firm occupies a 4,400 sq ft space on the eighth floor, accommodating 30 staff with panoramic south-facing views across the city.
Avison Young’s leadership said the move demonstrates the firm’s long-term commitment to the region and confidence in future growth. Wellbar is owned by the Reuben Brothers, and Avison Young assisted the billionaire real estate firm in acquiring the building for approximately £21m in December 2023.
The firm also manages the building on behalf of the owners, providing ground floor front-of-house staff while delivering all professional services within the building. Other occupiers include Sky, Irwin Mitchell, Eversheds and Kennedys.
The move comes as the business celebrates 150 years in Newcastle, originally established in 1876 as Lamb and Edge. From its origins managing the Grainger Estate in Grainger Town, Gordon Hewling, managing director of the Newcastle office, explained how the firm has shaped Newcastle’s built environment through periods of industrial growth, post-war regeneration and modern transformation.
“This move represents much more than a new office for us — it’s a really important moment in a 150-year relationship with Newcastle and the North East,” Mr Hewling said.
“We’ve grown alongside the city through industrial expansion, post-war reinvention and into the modern, outward-looking regional centre it is today, and we’re incredibly proud of the role we’ve played in shaping that journey.
“Moving into our new home in a building we manage on behalf of a long-standing client is a powerful reflection of who we are as a business and how we work. Being just five minutes from Grey’s Monument and Eldon Square puts us at the heart of the city, in an area set to see more change over the next decade.
“As we look ahead, this move is about carrying that legacy forward: continuing to support growth, attract investment and help shape places where people, businesses and communities can thrive. We’re excited about the next chapter.”