NCG unveils its new Headquarters building at Rye Hill House in Newcastle upon Tyne, bringing colleagues together to work collaboratively in a modern, open-plan working environment.
“This is a landmark moment for NCG,” says Chief Executive of NCG, Joe Docherty, “– by coming together in one building, it marks the very first time NCG has had a recognised corporate headquarters.”
By moving out of leased office space and into a building previously occupied by Newcastle College, NCG should save around £300k per year on rent to Newcastle Council.
The original Rye Hill House building dates back to the 1860s, and was renovated in 2006; restoring the Victorian villa which had been vacant since 1989 and adding the contemporary, four-storey extension.
“We have tried hard to create a modern working environment which reflects our commitment to our organisational values – being open and honest, taking ownership and valuing our people. For some of us, working in Rye Hill House will mean working in a different way – it’s really important to me that we use the move to work more closely together, to collaborate more and to work better as one team.” – Joe Docherty
As well as the bright, airy office spaces, the new NCG HQ has a number of vibrant meeting rooms equipped with state-of-the-art video conferencing technology; encouraging communication and collaboration between Newcastle-based Group Services and the colleges and training providers across the country.
The History of Rye Hill House
The original Rye Hill House is a Grade 2 Listed Building, dating back to 1860. Originally it was built as a vicarage for Newcastle’s St Nicholas’ Cathedral and in later years was also used as the city’s Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital.
Rye Hill House is the only surviving building of a group of Victorian buildings, the rest of which have been demolished over the years. Having stood empty and derelict for many years, it was re-developed as part of the Newcastle College Campus upgrade in 2006 and given a new lease of life.
The modern building was designed to create a blend between the early Victorian house and cutting edge 21st Century architecture.