THE part of a town centre building that has sat empty since being built four years ago is finally being filled.

Amigo Loans has taken up a 14-year lease on the ground floor of the Nova Building, which was completed on the site of Bournemouth’s old C&A store in 2009.

The building was finished with a mixture of flats, offices and what was proposed as shops, but by the time it was finished the British economy had gone into meltdown and no retailers moved into the Commercial Road units built by Robert McKay Kay.

But now multi-millionaire James Benamor, CEO of Amigo Loans, has chosen the 18,000 sq ft ground floor for the company’s new state-of-the art offices, hoping to be in by November 1.

“When I was growing up The Triangle was the part of Bournemouth you didn’t necessarily go to,” James said.

“But it’s got a hell of a lot of potential.

“I see it as like Soho in London as it’s got that vibrancy.”

The new office is being designed as a creative space, with managers sitting with 250 staff.

The ground floor will have an open-plan modern coffee shop style and will include on-site masseurs, a staff restaurant, hairdresser and sleep pod rooms where workers can have a 20-minute nap.

Oak flooring from the old BBC building in London is also being used.

Currently on Richmond Hill, Amigo Loans lends money using guarantors to small businesses and individuals.

Robert Mckay Kay said he had waited “a long time to get the right people in”.

“It’s great news and we are really chuffed to have kept Amigo Loans in Bournemouth,” he added.

‘A great addition to the area’

A new indoor play centre has been praised as a “great” addition to The Triangle.

More families have been seen visiting the area since Treehouse Family Play moved into St Michael’s Road.

The children’s play area features a wooden climbing frame, artificial grass, Lego wall and a disco space downstairs.

Run by Chris and Claire Knott from Westbourne, it is, in Claire's words, the realisation of somewhere she was looking for to take her three children to.

St Michael’s Road has suffered from crime problems but Norman Decent, from Poole Hill Neighbourhood Watch, said it was “great” to see more families visiting the area.