Needham Market railway station building reopens as office for Suffolk marketing firm

Trains still stop at Needham - but the office space in the old station building has been unused for the past seven years.

Needham Market Railway Station, now home to Unity Online
Author: Matt SoanesPublished 7th Jul 2022
Last updated 7th Jul 2022

A Grade-II listed Suffolk railway station building has reopened its doors - as an office for a digital marketing firm.

Needham Market Railway Station is instantly recognisable, having been built in the Jacobean style in 1849.

Trains still stop in Needham but the office space above the station has been unused for seven years.

The historic building has been granted a new lease of life

Now, work to convert the office for use by local firm Unity Online has finally been completed after two years of Covid-19 delays.

The company employs 30 people and deals with clients across the UK.

Alex Pattenden, managing director of Unity Online, said: “I’m Needham Market born and raised, so the building means a lot to me. I hated seeing it disused and going to waste for so long.

“Unity has continued to grow in recent years, so as soon as we knew we needed to upsize, there was only one building in mind for me.”

Staff members at Unity Online

"So much heart went into renovating the space. It is such a beautiful building, so we wanted to ensure we did it justice on the inside.

“When we first moved in, it was completely empty. Everything was gutted.

“Now though, I look at what we have achieved and feel a real sense of pride. We have a modern and open space that still incorporates all of the quirks you’d expect in such a historic building.

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