The British Gas HQ, which housed several hundred staff, was situated in a tower block alongside the Embankment in London and close to Vauxhall Bridge. In addition, a further slightly smaller office block was located near Marble Arch alongside the Edgware Road, with this too housing several hundred employees.

The organisation was having trouble recruiting and retaining staff and also concerned about the high cost of employing staff in London, especially compared to other large conurbations in the south east.

• We were asked to carry out and provide research into the salaries of London based office staff compared to salary levels in a number of large conurbations within easy travelling distance of London. These locations included Croydon, Heathrow (area), Slough/Maidenhead, High Wycombe, Hemel Hempstead, Watford, Reading and Bracknell.
• We were also asked to provide information on the costs and availability of housing in these same areas, coupled with back up information about the 'quality of life' for staff. These data included information on schools, their results, local sport and leisure facilities, shopping and healthcare etc.
• The third element of the information requested by British Gas was the availability of office buildings or sites in these areas which were capable of housing up to 500 staff who the company wanted to transfer out of London.
• Armed with this information British Gas took the decision to move staff to the then newly established Reading Business Park situated at the end of the A329 off the M4 and alongside the River Thames.