Vitality Health facing struggles in move to new headquarters

Vitality Health is trying to get a planning application for a new company logo to be put up on the outside of its new headquarters in Richmond Hill. 

The insurance company intends to cease operations from the decades old Marshall Point building, in Richmond Gardens, and relocate into the nearby Portman House, known as the Nationwide building. 

As part of the move, Vitality has applied to take down Nationwide’s branding and put up a bright pink and round logo with the company’s logo.

Nationwide building in Richmond Hill, Bournemouth, with the Vitality building in the background (Image: Daily Echo)

However, planning officers at BCP Council have rejected the application and branded Vitality’s proposal as being “a negative change” and “awkward”. 

A case officer report explaining the decision said: “Whilst the illumination levels are considered acceptable in the town centre town, the design and form of the proposed high-level signage would be a negative change from the existing signage.

Read more: Vitality to move into Nationwide building in Richmond Hill

“The circular sign with painted timber louvres appears an awkward affixed element that does not blend well with the existing building form.  

“A text-based sign that fits the grille, similar to the existing would likely be more acceptable in the building context.”

Vitality Health Insurance building at Richmond Hill in Bournemouth (Image: Daily Echo)

The report added the sign would “fail to integrate with the host building” and be “detrimental to the street scene”. 

It remains unclear when the office will move out of its existing building and into Portman House and whether Marshall Point is to be sold. 

Vitality has been approached by the Bournemouth Echo for more details. 

It has since submitted a fresh application for a new sign, which is the word ‘Vitality’ in pink, without being in a circle. 

A spokeswoman for Vitality previously said the move is to provide employees with “high quality work spaces, designed around our hybrid working model”. 

Following the pandemic, Vitality and Nationwide, along with most other companies, have seen changing working patterns – with many opting to work from home. 

The leasing of office space also shows changes to the way Nationwide is working, with the company saying the pandemic had “fundamentally changed” the way it works.