BT has released new images of its Gosforth Contact Centre currently undergoing a multi-million-pound refurbishment – as it announced the project has already completed its first phase and will open later this year.

The centre has undergone a major revamp to modernise it and create a workplace for hundreds of staff. The first phase of works, which started at the end of last year, is now complete.

The facilities and services will include everything from full height windows providing natural light, café and restaurant facilities, to flexible workspaces and collaboration areas. It will also include ‘relax and refuel’ areas, a games area with table tennis, pool and games consoles as well as a small putting green.

The multi-million pound refurbishment will also include a multi-faith and parenting room, an on-site concierge and a ‘bike doctor’ to encourage as many staff as possible to travel into work by sustainable transport.

The refurbishment is taking place in two stages, allowing contact centre workers the flexibility to work from home or to continue operating in another section of the building whilst work continues to take place. BT says it’s ensuring social distancing rules apply inside the contact centre as well as following Public Health England’s latest guidelines on Covid-19 to ensure people are kept safe.

When the work is complete, the state-of-the art refurbishment in Gosforth will be one of the first of BT’s future-fit offices in the UK to open as part of its ‘Better Workplace Programme’ – the largest workplace improvement and consolidation scheme of its type ever undertaken in the UK.

Teams based at the Gosforth Contact Centre will benefit from full fibre broadband as well as EE 5G mobile connectivity in the area. BT says the Better Workplace Programme will deliver a combination of moves like this, into new offices, as well as the refurbishment of some existing BT buildings.

Nick Lane, Managing Director for Consumer Customer Services at BT, said: “BT is fully committed to Newcastle and we are pleased that the first phase of our refurbishment is now complete.

“We are excited that our colleagues in Gosforth will be among the first in the UK to benefit from our future-fit workplaces, bringing our people together in an impressive and modern environment, transforming the way we work.

“The local team has done a fantastic job ensuring that our customers have been able to stay connected during the Covid -19 pandemic with some choosing to remain working on site during the refurbishment, while other colleagues have chosen to work from home.

“We look forward to welcoming staff into our new refurbished building as we aim to make BT the best place to work in the local area.”

Liz Needleman, BT Group regional lead for the North of England, said: “Gosforth is a strategically important site for BT and this refurbishment is a real sign of our continued commitment to Newcastle.

“I am looking forward to our colleagues being able to benefit and thrive in their new future-fit workspace that we are creating, which will transform the way we work as we continue to do the best we can for both our customers and colleagues.

“This is a bold and ambitious programme for BT and we are committed to this major investment for Newcastle even in these challenging times.”