Go.Compare moves HQ to Hodge House office building in Cardiff

Leading price comparison website Go.Compare is the latest blue-chip company to move its head office to the refurbished Hodge House office building in central Cardiff.

Legal General Investment Management (LGIM), on behalf of its Legal & General Property Fund, recently invested £20 million to refurbish and transform the 110,000 sq ft eight-storey office building in St Mary Street.

Earlier this year, the L&G UK Property Fund successfully passed an investor resolution to adopt a hybrid strategy combining direct UK property with an indirect global exposure via listed REITs. This offers investors a market-leading solution via an open-ended vehicle; allowing for continued daily dealing access to property investments.

Go.Compare, part of Future PLC, has taken a 10-year lease on a 15,629 sq ft office suite on the second floor. Legal & General was represented in the transaction by Fletcher Morgan and Knight Frank, while Savills acted for Go.Compare, which will be moving from its current head office in Callaghan Square, Cardiff.

Go.Compare is a leading comparison website that enables people to compare the costs and features of a wide variety of insurance policies, financial products and energy tariffs. It launched in 2006 and does not charge people to use its services.  It does not accept advertising or sponsored listings, so all product comparisons are unbiased.

Lee Griffin, CEO of Go.Compare, part of Future plc said: “We are thrilled to be making Hodge House our permanent home in Cardiff. We are a Welsh company, born and bred, so our new offices based in such a prestigious building in our capital city is great news for the company and our staff.”

Property consultancies Knight Frank and Fletcher Morgan jointly manage lettings at the Hodge House building on behalf of Legal & General.  John James of Fletcher Morgan said: “Go.Compare is the latest high-profile and prestigious business to choose Hodge House as its HQ. The company joins tenants including Ogi, Intelligent Ultrasound, Currencycloud, Bute Energy, Harrison Clark Rickerby and Menzies.”

Matt Phillips, head of Knight Frank in Cardiff, added: “This is a significant letting for Cardiff city centre, and phase 2 of the Hodge House refurbishment is now all let except for around 3,000 sq ft – and we are confident of further lettings to follow in the near future. The landlord’s investment in modernisation at Hodge House has delivered high quality, flexible office space in a period building with a superb central location.”

Gary Carver, director of Savills Cardiff which advised GoCompare, added: “Go Compare was looking to relocate to a building which provided its staff with an excellent working environment and amenities in a central location. Hodge House provided this and more and they are delighted with the outcome.”

The refurbishment of Hodge House has included the reception, atrium and common areas and provides occupiers with a range of fully-fitted suites from 3,500 sq ft, in addition to large flexible floor plates in the heart of the city centre.