A business software specialist has completed a £500,000 transformation of a historic Staffordshire Moorlands chapel into its new headquarters.
Strategy 365 began work on the former Blakeley Lane Methodist Church in Kingsley Moor in 2023. The £500,000 investment covers both the purchase and extensive refurbishment of the building, with a variety of modern upgrades aimed at creating a comfortable and functional office environment.
Key improvements include new insulation throughout, a mezzanine floor to create a first floor and skylight windows to flood the space with natural light. A complete electrical rewire, CAT6 network cabling, modern LED lighting and an air-conditioning system were also installed, alongside new toilets, kitchens, offices, and a social area.
The project also included the addition of a table tennis / pool table, electric vehicle chargers, CCTV and electric smart gates.
To preserve the chapel’s history, Strategy 365 decided to capture the building’s transformation through virtual tours, documenting the before, during and completion stages of the project.
Managing director Gavin Nixon said: “It’s a beautiful old building, with a wonderful history as a church, in the middle of the countryside with sweeping views of the surrounding fields and hills beyond.
“I would say our favourite feature is the raised social area where we can take a break, eat our lunch, watch a little bit of TV and enjoy the gorgeous views from the floor to ceiling windows. It’s also close to the pool table where we can enjoy the occasional game of pool.”
Since buying the building in 2022, the company, which is a Microsoft partner and helps SMEs throughout the UK to digitally transform their business using Microsoft Cloud technology, has doubled its turnover and taken on a new member of staff.
Gavin added: “It’s just one mile from our previous office which meant minimal disruption to the commutes for existing staff, and although it’s in the countryside, it also has good transport links being very close to some major A roads.
“Now that we have completed the renovation, our focus is to ensure that we take care of our staff and ensure that everyone’s roles are enjoyable and rewarding. This is important to ensure that we continue to grow through what could end up being a difficult period over the next couple of years for a lot of small businesses.”
