SO14 18-23 High Street, Southampton

18-23 High Street comprises a substantial and highly distinctive former bank building occupying a prominent position on Southampton's historic High Street. The property provides approximately 11,000 sq ft of accommodation arranged principally over ground floor level, together with a substantial basement providing useful ancillary and storage space.

The principal building, formerly comprising a banking hall, is of considerable architectural character and retains a number of impressive original features. The ornate stone façade provides a particularly striking frontage to High Street, incorporating arched windows, decorative stonework, balustrading and an impressive central entrance. Internally, the property is equally distinctive. The former banking hall provides a substantial open-plan space with impressive ceiling heights, ornate plaster detailing, decorative columns and a series of attractive glazed roof lights, which provide excellent natural light and create a particularly impressive internal environment.

The accommodation is currently fitted for leisure use and incorporates a large main hall, reception/bar area, a number of ancillary rooms and offices/meeting rooms, together with male and female WC facilities. To the rear is a small commercial kitchen, offering useful infrastructure for an occupier requiring catering facilities. The property also benefits from a basement.

Whilst currently configured for leisure use, the scale, layout and character of the property provide considerable scope for alternative occupational requirements. Leisure, community, assembly, religious, educational, fitness and other uses may be appropriate, subject to the necessary planning, licensing and other statutory consents. It represents a rare opportunity to occupy a substantial and characterful city-centre building, with an exceptionally impressive façade and internal features that would provide a distinctive setting for a wide range of occupiers.

Southampton is the principal commercial and administrative centre of Hampshire and a major regional city, with a substantial retail, leisure, professional, residential and student population. The property occupies a prominent position towards the southern end of the city's historic High Street and within the traditional heart of the city. The area provides a mixture of retail, leisure, food and beverage, community and residential uses, with the wider city centre offering an extensive range of national and independent occupiers. The property is situated within easy reach of the Bargate and Westquay Shopping Centre, with the latter providing one of the South Coast's principal retail and leisure destinations. The emerging Bargate Quarter regeneration scheme is also contributing to the continued investment and regeneration of this part of the city centre. The location is particularly well suited to an occupier seeking a high-profile city-centre presence, whilst the surrounding mix of retail, leisure, residential and student accommodation provides a substantial catchment. Southampton Central railway station is a 10-minute walk from the High Street, providing direct services to London and other major centres, and the city also benefits from excellent road communications, with the M3 and M27 providing access to the wider motorway network. Southampton International Airport is approximately three miles from the city centre.