Native Land has announced that Merlin Entertainments will have a brand-new London office based in a 13,500 sq ft of space on the sixteenth floor of Arbor, Bankside Yards.
Merlin Entertainments is a global leader in branded entertainment destinations running over 140 attractions, 23 hotels and 6 holiday villages in 23 countries and across 4 continents. Its attractions include brands such Madame Tussauds, Alton Towers, LEGOLAND, SEA LIFE, the lastminute.com London Eye and Peppa Pig Theme Parks.
Arbor offers occupiers market-leading sustainable workspace – a key requirement that Merlin was looking for as part of its environmental focus. The all-electric building is net-zero carbon in operation, with amenity and facilities that support occupiers in continuing to attract and retain the best talent.
Merlin Entertainments has taken a 10-year lease on space in Arbor to expand its London footprint in a location close to its established office in County Hall, further along the South Bank. Taking advantage of the area’s unparalleled cultural and leisure amenity and outstanding transport connectivity, the new office will be within walking distance of some of Merlin’s iconic attractions, including the lastminute.com London Eye, SEA LIFE London Aquarium and The London Dungeon.
Arbor is a 223,000-sq-ft next-generation sustainable workplace designed with the needs of future occupiers in mind and the first building to complete at the 1.4 million sq ft Bankside Yards development. Designed by PLP Architecture, Arbor provides 19 storeys of office accommodation. It will meet the expanding demand from businesses to be based in Bankside and SE1.
In addition to terraces on every other floor, the building has two unique double-height floors; a 6m high space on levels 2 and 3 to be used as an auditorium or creative workspace, and a “loft space” on level 19 both of which were inspired by the world-renowned Turbine Hall at the nearby Tate Modern.
Native Land is co-investing joint venture partner in Bankside Yards, alongside Temasek, Amcorp Properties Berhad and Hotel Properties Limited of Singapore.
Matt Jowett, Chief Corporate Officer at Merlin Entertainments, said:
“Our company has been experiencing rapid growth and we need more space to accommodate our expanding projects and teams, which are integral to our vision of being the greatest place to work and play. Embracing the vibrant energy of London, our new office not only symbolises our commitment to environmental responsibility, but also serves as a canvas for creativity and collaboration as we go together to drive and discover the future of branded entertainment destinations. In this dynamic space, we’re not just relocating; we’re embarking on a journey to drive innovation, discover new possibilities, and forge a future where sustainability and ingenuity coalesce seamlessly.”
Jay Squier, Director – Commercial & Mixed Use at Native Land, said:
“We are very proud to welcome Merlin Entertainments to Arbor. Their addition brings another prestigious business to the building, this time from a new sector – demonstrating the depth of attraction for unique, strikingly designed and high-quality buildings currently in the market.”
Alasdair Nicholls, Chief Executive of Native Land, said:
“Arbor exemplifies Native Land’s approach to the creation of modern workspace, combining high levels of sustainability and leading-edge technology, with our long-held emphasis on considered design, exceptional quality, and high levels of amenity. It’s an approach we bring to all our developments whether they be workspace, residential or mixed-use buildings either directly or alongside our JV partners.’
