Leading software company Rocketmakers has signed a new lease for office space in the newly renovated 20 Manvers Street office building near Bath Spa station.
Richard, fourth from the left, worked in the offices during the 1990s
The move from their current Bartlett Street headquarters marks a return for CEO Richard Godfrey, who worked at 20 Manvers Street for eight years from 1991 when it was the home of local software house Praxis and subsequently the consultancy giant, Deloitte.
Shortly before celebrating its tenth anniversary last autumn, Rocketmakers found itself on the verge of outgrowing its current offices.
Looking to find a new location, the management team considered several options, including a move to the larger tech scene in Bristol.
The company’s loyalty and commitment to the wider Bath community won out, and they found the perfect space for their next stage at the newly renovated 20 Manvers Street.
Located a few seconds from Bath Spa station, the new office is conveniently located for commuting staff and visiting clients.
“We’ve been planning this move for six months,” explained Godfrey.
“We really wanted to stay close to our roots in Bath but we also want to attract the best talent from the whole area.
“Moving so close to the station eases the commute for everyone and really helps with our growth plans.”
“This city has been our home for over a decade and we enjoy the thriving creative environment here. We want to continue to actively support it.”
The move marks a homecoming of sorts for Godfrey, who worked on the same floor of the building for many years before its recent remodelling.
Godfrey began working at 20 Manvers Street in 1991 at Praxis, which was very shortly bought out by the international consultancy Deloitte.
Godfrey built Deloitte’s European Solutions Centre on the ground floor of the building, which provided demonstrations for clients implementing software from SAP, Oracle, and its own custom software solutions.
Godfrey left Deloitte in 1999 for a career at Microsoft before co-founding Rocketmakers alongside partner Keith Walker in 2007.
Now, after a highly successful decade working with some of the biggest names in British industry, Godfrey’s career, at least in geographic terms, has come full circle.
He added: “I’ve had a real sense of satisfaction returning to 20 Manvers Street. It looks and feels like a completely different building now, of course.
“I suppose it’s a place I left on my own twenty years ago and now I’m proud to be returning with another team of highly talented and creative people.
“I’m still in touch with many colleagues from my time at Praxis/Deloitte and I’ll be inviting them to see the new old place in the next few months.”
At their opening party, Rocketmakers are expected to be officially presented with their 2018 Queen’s Award for Enterprise, which was announced by Her Majesty The Queen on her birthday on 21st April.
Rocketmakers won the award for innovation, especially for the creation of the Performance Data Management System, built in partnership with the English Institute of Sport, which is used by elite British athletes to improve performance and avoid injuries.
