Bjelin moves UK head office to a modern barn conversion

Bjelin is expanding its presence in the UK and has moved to new and larger premises in Park View Business Centre, a modern barn to workspace conversion in the picturesque Cheshire countryside. The business centre is situated in traditional brick barn buildings that have been transformed into a hub of offices and retail spaces that blend contemporary design with historic charm.

The ambitious project to develop the unused brick barn buildings was led by Peter Beckett, managing director at Park View Business Centre. The buildings were once part of a small dairy farm and are located on the edge of Combermere Abbey, which is steeped in local history – it was first an operating abbey founded in the 1130s and later, a country estate.

Rather than allow these unused brick buildings to fall into disrepair, Peter Beckett saw the opportunity to entice working professionals to stay in the countryside – while preserving the local architectural heritage.

"What I’m passionate about is bringing, or keeping, working people in rural areas. Covid showed us that people don’t have to travel to large cities to work anymore,” says Peter Beckett.

To transform the brick barn buildings into practical, high-tech workspaces that would meet the demands of today’s working professionals, investments were made in modern technology, such as high-speed broadband, and meeting rooms and an on-site gym and café were built.

The flooring in the buildings needed to be upgraded too – to ensure it would endure the rigours of daily office life, while also maintaining the charm and aesthetic appeal of the buildings’ rustic roots. To deliver this, Peter Beckett and his design team chose to install Bjelin’s Woodura Planks and Rigid Core Planks.

For Bjelin’s own office, located within the centre, Bjelin UK’s head, Simon Darbyshire, discussed with the design team and together they decided to install Bjelin’s new Contrast Collection in the colour Vapor.

“We wanted something that would complement the solid oak stairs and work seamlessly to support the authentic rustic character of the space. The Vapor colour does that perfectly,” says Simon Darbyshire. “Park View Business Centre offers a beautiful and unique work environment. It’s a great alternative to a conventional office in the city, and its location close to the motorway and National Rail links allows us quick access to our national customer base.”