BGF eyes further growth in Yorkshire and North East

BGF, the most active investor for growing businesses in the UK & Ireland, has completed a renovation of its new offices at Platform in Leeds as it continues to expand across Yorkshire and the surrounding regions.

Situated in Platform, adjacent to Leeds train station, the new 4,000 sq ft space has been transformed with a fit-out that takes inspiration from its location by incorporating rail design influences.

The office, which is home to a team of investors and support staff, includes areas for meetings, formal and informal networking and dinners. BGF’s growing portfolio of companies will utilise the space as a base when travelling in and around Leeds, and for their own networking events and meetings.

The Leeds office has also been selected as the location for BGF’s national training centre where it will host investment forums, training for new investors and professional development courses.

The office move follows the completion of recent further investments into Leeds-based portfolio companies Pharmacy2U and Nationwide Window Cleaning, and new investments into Sheffield-based Independent Forgings & Alloys, Northern Escalators in Halifax, and Coopland & Son, the UK’s third largest bakery chain.

These recent deals bring the total BGF investment by its Yorkshire team to more than £180m. This includes more than £50m provided to companies already in its portfolio to support new opportunities for growth, such as acquisitions and store rollouts.

BGF has recently completed a similar renovation at its Manchester office and is continuing its UK-wide expansion, with the announcement of office openings in Nottingham, Cardiff and Belfast. The Leeds team is set to announce new appointments in the coming months.

Richard Taylor, BGF says: “Since launching the Leeds office in 2013, both the team and our portfolio in Yorkshire and the North East has continued to grow. Our new office reflects our commitment the region, and the strength of opportunity here.

“UK-wide, BGF has now invested in over 220 companies and provided total funding of more than £1.5bn. Our long-term, minority investment model has disrupted the funding market.”

Andy Gregory, BGF added: “It’s been very positive to see so much activity across Yorkshire in recent months with investments in businesses which reach every corner of the county. As the team continues to grow, there is even greater potential to support more successful, ambitious northern businesses.”

During the past six years, BGF has become the top investor in scale-up companies according to a report published by the Scaleup Institute and Beauhurst. The data also found that scaleup companies using equity investment grow faster than those which do not.