The "secret" new headquarters of the law firm formed by the merger of two of York's two oldest practises can now be revealed.

Ware Kay - an amalgam of Ware Peters and Newbald Kay - is due to move into Sentinel House, York in September.

That's the spanking new clock-towered building opposite the MAFF offices in Peasholme Green.

A deal on a ten-year lease was completed last Friday and with rent at £13 per sq ft on the imposing 7,500 sq ft building, the daring of the speculative build by Leeper Hare Development has proved justified.

Now the combined staff of 52, including eight partners, eight other fee-earners and 36 support staff are preparing for the move. The leased buildings they will vacate - Ware and Peters' New Street premises and Newbald Kay's Lendal base are being marketed, although Newbald Kay's Wetherby office will be maintained under the new banner.

Richard Flanagan of DTZ Debenham Tie Leung which marketed the imposing building overlooking the new Millennium Bridge under construction, said: "The rentals are indicative of the demand for purpose-built, modern office space and it is good news for developers who naturally expect dividends for their foresight and ability to build speculatively."

As reported here in March, Jonathan Leach, formerly of Ware Peters, and Peter Kay are now investing around £250,000 in new streamlining processes as part of the fit-out in the run-up to the move and one effect will be to make the relationship between solicitors and client more transparent.

That includes security systems which will allow clients privately to track on the Internet exactly what stage their Ware Kay solicitor has reached in their case and to monitor the costs so far.

There will also be on-line prompts to draw up wills or obtain fee quotes for conveyancing.

Footnote: When the clock-towered building was first mooted by Leeper Hare, which owned the site, it was proposed that it would be called Postern House. But the marketing of the premises had to change suddenly when the Royal Mail pointed out that there was already a Postern House - a residential address in Postern Close. Hence the name-change to Sentinel House.