MORE than 25 businesses have been given two months to find new premises after the owner of Alexandra Business Park gave them notice.
Between 28 and 30 businesses are currently based at Alexandra Business Park, which was the former headquarters of Pilkington Glass, off Prescot Road.
It is understood owners SHL Properties and Investment Limited sent an email to the businesses earlier this week, citing the energy crisis and the current economic instability as the cause.
Well-known names based on the site include Frodshams Solicitors, the Branded Items Group and SHAP, an organisation which provides housing support.
Occupancy rates dropped
Support is being offered to the businesses by St Helens Chamber and St Helens Council to try and find alternative premises.
It is understood a number of staff, who work for the property company, will be affected. The site includes the Court, Lakeside and Tower office spaces.
Speaking to the Star, one occupant said the email had come as a shock but added that the business park had suffered from low occupancy rates since the Covid pandemic.
It has also become run down.
The source said: "There were businesses and organisations who left after Covid and have never returned - there was a big NHS employer here for example, and they left.
"Nobody really knows what is going on here [with the future of the building]. Obviously, we've had a lot of film sets here and stuff but you look around and a lot of the site is dilapidated.
"But at the same time it is an English Heritage site as a listed building.
"All the businesses can go and find somewhere else - phones have already been ringing with people who have properties and the council and chamber are very keen to keep them in the borough - but it is the people who work in the building, the cleaners etc, who I feel really sorry for."
The Star has attempted to contact SHL Properties and Investment Limited - the site's owners - for comment but has been unsuccessful so far.
Support for businesses
A spokesperson from St Helens Chamber said: “With finding new premises, we would be happy to provide a list of local office spaces in the borough through our Business Information team to any businesses who need it.
“All they would need to do is email info@sthelenschamber.com and we can take it from there.
“The Chamber has also worked alongside the Town Centre Manager to supply some tenants with a list of alternative sites with capacity, commercial property agents etc.
“With limited space available within our own property, we have offered some temporary office space to a small number of tenants should this be required.
“We will of course support any eligible business who needs it through our Business Support programmes, and the Growth Hub and Business Information team are responding to enquiries.
“Our main business support team are in direct contact with some of the businesses impacted too.”
The Star has reported in recent months how the building has been used as filming sites for shows such as Funny Woman, Nolly and Maternal.
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