Sheffield City Council has launched a northshoring campaign in an attempt to convince London and South East law firms to open up in the city.
The campaign is run by the council’s economic development arm Creative Sheffield and involves a team contacting law firms directly to talk about the benefits of using the city as a base.
Deputy leader of Sheffield City Council Leigh Bramall said: “Having Grade A city centre office space available, excellent transport links and affordable living costs in highly sought-after areas that don’t push out the talented people who want to live and work here, makes us one of the most cost-effective cities in the UK for businesses looking to relocate.
“Office take-up in Sheffield is booming in light of major new developments and an up-turn in confidence in the market, with office take-up reaching just under half a million square foot in 2015.”
Many firms have attempted to reduce expenses by setting up low cost centres in the north. As a result Manchester has become a major hub for the legal market and has seen firms such as Addleshaw Goddard and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer open service centres in the city.
Sheffield is already home to a number of major law firms, such as DLA Piper. Last year US immigration specialist Fragomen opened its second office in Sheffield after taking 12,000 sq ft of space in Saville House. The firm plans to create 100 new roles in the city over the next 12 months.
