Bristol-headquartered national communications consultancy JBP is to move from its Clifton base – its home for 23 years – into the city centre as it gears up for further growth.
The firm was launched in 1984 by Jennifer Bryant-Pearson with a single office in Bristol – making it the city’s longest-established PR agency.
Today it turns over more than £2m a year, boasts a roster of national and international clients including Ashfords, Enterprise, First Bus, National Grid, Palletways and the UK Vaping Industry Association, and has bases in London, Cardiff, Warwick and Manchester as well as its 2,854 sq ft flagship head office in Whiteladies Road, pictured.
It has also expanded its services to include a range of communications specialisms spanning stakeholder engagement to public affairs as well as public relations.
The agency’s move into offices at Castlemead, pictured below, in Lower Castle Street follows a multi-million pound refurbishment of Bristol’s tallest building. While JBP will occupy around roughly the same amount of space as in Whiteladies Road, the new office has the benefit of being open plan.
CEO Steve Anderson-Dixon, who replaced Jennifer Bryant-Pearson in the role last year, said the central location would put the agency at the heart of the business community, which had gravitated in recent years closer to the Temple Meads area.
“It also enables us to connect faster with our growing London operation in Westminster, enhancing the integration of our PR and political activities,” he said.
“The office move will also mark the beginning of our new positioning as a communications consultancy that supports organisations in the disruptive world in which we operate and live. We are also launching another side to our business where we will bring our expertise, connections and market knowledge to develop our business strategy.”
JBP Bristol operation managing director Chris Lawrance added: “It’s sad to be leaving our office in Clifton, where we’ve been for over two decades. But as a business-to-business communications consultancy it is critical that we are working within the main business centre in the city, which our new office offers.
“It comes at an exciting time for the business with a number of new national and international clients secured recently. We’re really looking forward to our new home and welcoming existing and new clients as well as new recruits.”
JBP specialises in a range of sectors including education, environmental, fast-moving consumer goods, healthcare, local government, logistics and transport, professional services, property and regeneration.
South West property consultancy Alder King advised JBP on its move and the sale of its offices in Clifton. The agency hopes to be in its new home by mid-August.
Jennifer Bryant-Pearson is now founder director with a focus on client development at the agency. Prior to moving to Whiteladies Road in 1995 JBP had been based in nearby Oakfield Road.
