Mencap is moving 200 employees based at its main London offices as the charity aims to sell its former headquarters for £8.5m.
The learning disability charity has owned 123 Golden Lane in Islington since 1978 but has decided to sell the property after a shift to remote working following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mencap changed its registered headquarters from 123 Golden Lane to its Cyprus Lane office in Peterborough in June last year.
The charity has listed the 19th century, 18,600 square foot building in Islington for freehold sale and is inviting offers in excess of £8.5m.
It is renting a new London base at East One, Commercial Street, Spitalfields but the charity said it has no plans to register the new site as its headquarters.
‘We continually scrutinise the cost effectiveness of all of our operations’
Jackie O’Sullivan, acting chief executive of Mencap, said: “Like many organisations, our offices are used differently and less frequently since the pandemic, with many colleagues choosing to take advantage of remote working. This means we don’t require the size of office space that we currently own.
“As a charity, it is crucial that we continually scrutinise the cost effectiveness of all of our operations and activities, so we have taken the decision to sell 123 Golden Lane and relocate to premises that are more in line with our requirements.
“We have consulted with colleagues across the organisation to ensure that the new space is inclusive, accessible, and meets the needs of our diverse workforce.
“We’re really excited to move to a smaller, more modern and fit-for-purpose space, that allows for collaboration between colleagues, improved accessibility and accommodates hybrid ways of working.”
O’Sullivan took over from the charity’s last permanent CEO, Edel Harris, in August.
The charity reported a record annual income of £239m in the year to March 2022, but said at the time it expected a decline following its demerger from Golden Lane Housing, which has become a stand-alone housing association.
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