Associated Newspapers took the decision to relocate to an area of London better known for high fashion and retail than publishing. The famous old Barker's store in Kensington was converted to provide 193,680 sq ft (18,000 sq m) of office space above a new retail store at ground level. The new accommodation provided editorial offices for the Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday, Evening Standard and numerous magazines. The competitive world of newspaper publishing required the fit out and relocation to be effected without losing a single issue. The complex technical demands within the composing areas (similar to bank dealing rooms, with computers and external area links) required careful planning, to ensure that all systems would work immediately, and build in flexibility to allow for future reconfiguration. The composing areas are directly linked to the printing works at Wapping, with back up systems to provide protection against hardware failure. There are also international communications facilities, essential for the production of the newspapers. The success of the relocation was such that the Evening Standard printed a special edition to notify its readers of its new home. Client: Associated Newspapers