Work-life balance is now the highest-ranking consideration for people when looking at their current or future job, with workers concerned about the world of work bleeding into their personal life. However, one Bristol buyer wasn’t afraid of being reminded of his work life, having bought his new home at the site of his former office.
Leighton Soleas (51) is a new homeowner at City & Country’s Factory No.1 conversion development and has worked at Lloyds Banking Group for the past 18 years. After spending several years working abroad in cities like Berlin and Maastricht, he decided to move back to his native Bedminster in Bristol. However, he never imagined he would eventually end up living in his former place of work.
“I bought an apartment that used to be the server room of the Commercial Banking Division of Lloyd’s Banking Group,” Leighton laughs. “My old office from when I worked here in 2010 is just a quick trip downstairs. Years ago, this building was the Imperial Tobacco Factory, but more recently the Grade II Listed buildings, Regent and Consort House, were rented out by Lloyds. When they were subsequently converted into apartments, I decided to come back to buy!”
The Project Manager purchased one of City & Country’s luxury converted apartments in its Factory No.1 development in Bristol. Lloyds Banking Group leased Regent and Consort house until 2012, and following this, in December 2014, experts in heritage restoration City & Country acquired the site and developed the existing buildings into modern, retrofitted homes.
“I knew it was a great building with lots of history, beyond even my own personal connection,” Leighton says. “When I considered moving here, I toured Regent House, and all the period features had been retained, including the wonderful dark wood panelling along the corridors and in the Director’s Suite, which had been the former boardroom. I even viewed my old office and stood in the spot where my desk used to be. It’s sort of bizarre and extraordinary to be able to live a 15-second walk from my old place of work.”
Even though Leighton’s current commute to the banking office is slightly longer than 15-seconds, he need only walk twenty minutes to Harbourside, where he commutes to four-days a week – meaning Regent House has very much become home, rather than a place of work.
While the personal and historical connections were important to Leighton when selecting the Grade II Listed building, a practical aspect also influenced his decision; fire safety, which had impacted the sale of his first home following his move back from Germany. Leighton explains: “It was post-lockdown, and I had a buyer lined up to purchase my one-bedroom apartment in Bristol. Just before we were due to exchange, the buyer pulled out because I didn’t have an ESW1 form.”
Leighton ended up losing thousands of pounds in legal fees, surveys and various management packs, plus the reservation on the home he had hoped to move into. His previous apartment block ultimately did not have dangerous cladding, however, it took him three years to sell his home.
“Knowing that Factory No.1’s Regent House was a Grade II Listed building, I had a bit of peace of mind knowing there would be no issues in such a historic building. Knowing I wouldn’t have to go through that same turmoil again should I ever want to sell, was a great relief.” Leighton says.
Thankfully for Leighton, Bedminster born and bred, he had his family around to support him. When he saw the listing at City & Country, he jumped at the opportunity to buy the two-bedroom converted apartment for £295,000, in the neighbourhood where he grew up and where all his family still live.
“I love Bedminster, so it’s fantastic to be back living close to loved ones,” he explains. “I sold my previous property in February and didn’t get the keys to my City & Country home until July, so I leaned on family for a place to stay – as well as plenty of storage units! – in the interim months. I love clothes, so one of my major requirements when moving was a large wardrobe and plenty of space, which Factory No.1 was able to provide me with.”
Shelley West, Group Sales & Marketing Director at City & Country says: “Our Factory No.1 site is absolutely brimming with history – from being the home of W.D and H.O Wills’ tobacco factory, to more recent times as a Lloyds bank, there is so much local history within these walls.
“As experts in heritage restoration, we prioritise maintaining the integrity of the building. We work to integrate the historic aspects of the home, like the dark panelling and the staircases, into the modern luxury homes that we deliver for our buyers. The corridors of Regent House are decorated with old photos and cigarette cards, so residents can connect with their local every time they walk through the halls.”
While the converted apartments are now sold out, Factory No.1 has launched the latest phase of its luxury new-build homes in Bedminster at Wills House. Each home benefits from a private terrace or balcony and residents will have access to the development’s landscaped gardens, on-site concierge service and nearby Bristol’s amenities.
The Factory No.1 sales suite and show homes are open daily from 10am to 5pm, with a range of incentives available on selected one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. Prices start at £250,000 for a one-bedroom apartment. For more information, call 0117 4535 155 or visit www.cityandcountry.co.uk.