Eight firms sign at former Emmerdale complex Sunny Bank Mills

Eight businesses have signed new leases at Sunny Bank Mills – the former mill complex where ITV soaps Heartbeat and Emmerdale were filmed.

The deals were with companies working in catering, photography, architecture and beauty.

Sunny Bank Mills, located in Farsley between Leeds and Bradford, has been transformed over the last seven years into modern office space.

The scheme is today home to more than 70 companies employing 355 staff.

One of the businesses to sign a new three-year lease was photographer Chris Leah. His studio has operated out of The Mending Rooms at Sunny Bank for 10 years.

He said: “I first came to Sunny Bank Mills when I was looking to set up a photographic studio in 2008. I was looking for a small affordable space and found it here, long before the site began to be developed.

“I don’t have any plans to leave Sunny Bank Mills. It’s a great place to work and clients love coming here as well. Farsley has a real buzz about it too.”

Jewellery designer Emma White of The Jewellery Makers, based at Sunny Bank’s Red Lane Mill, has also signed a three-year lease. She has worked at the complex for five years.

Emma commented: “I love Farsley and I love the mill. I have recently launched the jewellery collection of Alice Chandler who works in the gallery at Sunny Bank.

“[Alice] is an arts graduate who came to my jewellery classes which I run from my studio, then set herself up making jewellery.”

She continued: “I run classes and workshops from the studio in the Mill and I am also going to be exhibiting jewellery alongside Mel Davies – who is an amazing painter and has a studio in Sunny Bank Studios – at the end of the year.”

The others to sign fresh leases are: Think Architecture Ltd, caterers Bears Pantry, beauticians Be Beautiful and photographers Tracey Welch, David Ward and John Hutchinson.

Sunny Bank Mills is owned by property firm Edwin Woodhouse.

William Gaunt, joint managing director at Edwin Woodhouse, said: “These eight deals underline the versatility and flexibility of space at Sunny Bank Mills, which is attracting an exciting breadth of occupiers.

“They also illustrate the strength of the post-Brexit Yorkshire economy, with all eight companies having the confidence to commit their future to us at Sunny Bank Mills.”

Edwin Woodhouse joint MD John Gaunt commented: “These are exciting times at Sunny Bank Mills.

“We will shortly embark on the demolition of redundant buildings on site, opening up our historic mil complex and paving the way for future development.”

Leeds property consultancy Dove Haigh Phillips has supported Edwin Woodhouse on the refurb project.