RCVS to leave London HQ by March 2022

The RCVS will be leaving its Westminster headquarters earlier than expected after revealing plans to vacate Belgravia House in March 2022.

Belgravia House has been the college’s home since 1995, but earlier this year the RCVS announced its sale for £14 million.

Financial benefit

The terms of the sale agreement included an option for the college to lease back the building for two years, but that option has not been taken up and staff will vacate the building by 31 March.

The decision was taken on 11 November when RCVS council agreed a clear financial benefit existed to moving out at the first opportunity under the terms of lease.

On the road

Following easing of Government restrictions this summer and its encouragement for employees to return to workplaces, RCVS council members and staff have resumed use of the building for some meetings and day-to-day working.

However, building occupancy and use has not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels, and rather than pay what are believed to be high rental rates to stay in Belgravia House, the college will instead hire serviced office space when needed and host its council meetings at different venues across the country until a permanent home can be found.

Hybrid working

RCVS chief executive Lizzie Lockett said: “As we all gradually emerge from the restrictions of the past 18 months, one of the things we, as an organisation, have learned from the pandemic is that we can cope well with remote and hybrid working, while continuing to provide a high level of service to the professions and the animal-owning public.

“Retaining the use of our current offices over the past few months has certainly helped us to do this, but our estates strategy group recommended to council that there was now little to be gained and much to lose financially if we continued to lease Belgravia House for another year.”

Fully committed

She added: “In the coming weeks, we will be drawing up detailed plans for the safe removal and storage of our effects, including the library, historical collection and archives, which are maintained by RCVS Knowledge.

“Meanwhile, we remain fully committed to the purchase of a new permanent London home for the RCVS and are seeking a building that not only meets the needs of the professions both now and well into the future, but also aims to be a sound financial investment for the college in the years ahead.”