Board to move into UJIA’s Camden base

The Board of Deputies is to move into the building of UJIA in Camden Town.

After 12 years at historic central London base at 6 Bloomsbury Square, the representative body announced late last year that it was putting the grade two listed building on the market as it was “not designed for modern working” and was too “expensive to maintain and improve”.

The former home of Benjamin Disraeli has since been sold for £5.8m and the Board announced tonight it would be moving out on 1 December.

It said the UJIA offices “represents a great step forward in working conditions for the Board, as well as offering significant economies of scale and other opportunities for cost saving”. It also claimed the arrangement was expected to result in improved coordination between the two bodies.

President Vivian Wineman described the move as “great news”, adding: “I am extremely enthusiastic about moving into an office for the 21st century and to be cooperating with another major communal organisation.”

Both the Board and the Jewish Leadership Council had expressed interest in exploring the possibility of sharing premises but today’s statement makes no mention of the JLC. Opportunities to “consolidate” with other organisations “remain open”, it said.