A South Yorkshire book business with more than 40 years of trading experience has committed to a major expansion after signing for 30,000 sq ft of industrial space at Grange 34 on Grange Mill Lane, off J34 of the M1 in Sheffield.
Following Network Space's recent refurbishment of Grange 34, Bestsellers Direct has recently completed a letting for a 10-year lease on units 3 and 4, totallying 30,277 sq ft of workspace, as it relocates from its existing Sheffield premises to support the next phase of business expansion.
The business will be using the units for the storage, sale and distribution of books to customers across the UK and overseas.
Founded by Managing Director Ian White, who celebrated 40 years in bookselling in 2024, Bestsellers Direct has grown from a small discount bookseller into a respected international wholesaler supplying thousands of titles spanning fiction, children's books, gift books and specialist publications. In recent years, the business has also acquired Bookmark, a specialist retailer of military and transport books, while transitioning to a majority employee ownership business in 2021.
Ian White, Managing Director of Bestsellers Direct, said: "After more than four decades in the book trade, we've always believed in investing for the future. As our business has grown, we've reached the point where we needed larger premises that would allow us to expand our warehousing and distribution capacity, improve operational efficiency and continue providing the high levels of service our customers expect.
"Remaining in Sheffield was important to us. Grange 34 gives us the modern, high-quality space we need to support the next stage of our journey while creating a fantastic environment for the team and providing room for the business to continue growing."
The latest transaction means Grange 34 is now 50% occupied, with demand for modern industrial accommodation remaining strong. It swiftly follows another recent letting of more than 22,000 sq ft at the estate, demonstrating growing momentum at Grange 34 following its extensive refurbishment.
Helen Gordon, Property Director at Network Space, said: “It's particularly rewarding to welcome another successful company to Grange 34. Seeing such a well-established local business choose the estate for its next phase of growth is a strong endorsement of the quality of the accommodation and the location.
“Reaching 50% occupancy at Grange 34 demonstrates the continued demand we're seeing from growing businesses looking to invest in modern, energy-efficient space and underlines the continued confidence in South Yorkshire as a central hub for logistics and distribution."
With just one building now remaining, Network Space is already responding to market demand by splitting the final 50,505 sq ft unit into two smaller units of approximately 24,000 sq ft and 26,000 sq ft, creating greater flexibility for occupiers seeking high-quality industrial space in Sheffield.
The move is designed to meet increasing occupier demand for mid-sized industrial accommodation, creating greater flexibility for businesses looking to expand within the region.
Sheffield and Rotherham city centres are within 20 minutes’ drive, with a population of more than 2 million economically active people within a 45-minute catchment. This strong location, coupled with the modern specification, makes Grange 34 an attractive proposition for warehousing, logistics and manufacturing businesses, underpinned by the limited supply of this size of unit along this M1 corridor.
Knight Frank and CPP are appointed as letting agents.
Rebecca Schofield, Partner at Knight Frank, said: “Grange 34 offers modern industrial and warehouse accommodation in one of Sheffield's established commercial locations, providing excellent access to the regional and national motorway network.
“With leasing activity continuing at pace and the remaining accommodation being reconfigured to meet market demand, Grange 34 demonstrates the benefits of strong asset management and investment to deliver modern, quality workspace. Grange 34 is now well positioned to attract the next generation of growing industrial and logistics occupiers, and we expect it to be swiftly let.”