FARNHAM BUSINESSES DEFY NATIONAL DOOM AND GLOOM

"What Credit Crunch?"

Talk of the world wide ‘credit crunch’ is everywhere and the media’s insatiable appetite for bad news stories seems unending.  It is therefore encouraging to report on a positive local business story. 

Contrary to all the national news, business activity in Farnham has remained strong with a number of major employers choosing Farnham to base themselves; including British Car Auctions and Ashgate Publishing who have both recently relocated to town centre buildings.  In addition long standing employers in the town including Wise and Co Chartered Accountants, Sealion Shipping, Arriva, and Codan have all relocated to new premises clearly demonstrating that Farnham is an attractive business location.

Although many businesses are experiencing tougher times thankfully there is cause for optimism with Farnham based commercial property consultants Wadham and Isherwood reporting that the Town is bucking the national trend with a high level of business activity over the last 9 months.

Nick Reeve, associate partner at Wadham and Isherwood commented that “The Farnham office market benefits from a skilled workforce, high quality local amenities and excellent rail and road communications.  Despite the current economic climate the demand for good quality office space remains strong with limited opportunities in the town and thankfully no major oversupply as in other local towns in the Blackwater Valley.”

Whilst many national companies are cutting back and laying off staff longstanding Farnham based companies such as Wise & Co and Sealion Shipping have recently moved or are in the process of moving to larger offices to develop their companies which will inevitably result in the creation of new jobs.

The economic fortunes of the town have further been bolstered by the arrival of British Car Auctions who recently relocated to their new head quarter building at Headway House on the Millennium Centre as well as Ashgate Publishing who are just in the process of fitting out their new offices at Wey Court on Union Road, Farnham. The arrival of these two companies alone has meant that an estimated 285 new staff are now working in Farnham which must help to improve the fortunes of many of the other businesses in the town.