BT has recently informed its employees based at the iconic Exeter building that they may need to relocate to Plymouth due to the significant investment required to upgrade the premises. The office located on Commercial Road at Exe Bridges has served the telecom giant for many years, having been constructed in the late 1970s. However, on March 19, employees were notified that the building is no longer deemed fit for purpose.

A consultation is currently underway to potentially move all staff to BT's state-of-the-art Plymouth office, which already houses approximately 900 employees. Despite the required upgrades, BT has confirmed that the current workspace at Exbridge House remains safe for the time being.

BT has yet to confirm when the Exeter office is expected to be vacated. For employees who may be affected by the proposed relocation and live beyond a reasonable commuting distance to the Plymouth office, BT has promised to explore available options with them. Additionally, if applicable, any extra travel costs will be discussed and agreed upon with the affected colleagues.

BT has been investing in its locations through The Better Workplace Programme, which aims to consolidate desk workers into fewer office locations around the UK. This transformation includes the multi-million-pound upgrade of the Plymouth office in 2022. A spokesperson for BT Group stated, “We’re consulting with colleagues and trade unions on our proposals to relocate colleagues at our Exeter contact centre to our Plymouth office, which has benefited from a multi-million-pound upgrade. Around 900 colleagues are already based at our Plymouth office.”

The closure of the Exeter office has been a topic of concern since 2018, when it was excluded from a vision document published by Exeter City Council, which outlined plans for mixed-use housing on the site. Further concerns arose in 2019 when BT announced plans to reduce its 300-strong UK office base to about 30 strategic locations by 2023. At that time, it was too soon to comment on the future of its offices in Exeter and the South West.