The city council for Stoke-on-Trent has based its headquarters in a building next to the empty one. Around 50 council personnel have already moved in to the office and more will follow them, and the search for commercial tenants is now on. If the move is successful then it could mean that marketing services in Stoke-on-Trent are in more demand than they are at present. Andrew Venables, a director for property consultancy Bilfinger GVA, told The Sentinel:
"As the highest specification commercial building in the city, No. 2 Smithfield represents a fantastic opportunity. We will now work closely with Stoke-on-Trent City Council to find a suitable occupier for this landmark building."
Ahmed Eren recently opened a nearby business in the vicinity of the empty Smithfield building. According to Mr. Eren, trade at Delicious Café has not been brisk. However, he is optimistic that things could pick up when both the Smithfield buildings are being used in line with their capacities.
Some prospective tenants have already been shown around the space. The developer has been making use of fake shops to promote the possible benefits of the building. However, it could be that private firms do not move in until there are more council employees being housed nearby. Council workers could be customers if the shop units were occupied going forward.