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Overview of The London Commercial Property Market Q1 2021

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The London commercial property market entered 2021 surrounded by uncertainty. Weak economic fundamentals and pandemic-related disruption affected every sub-sector, although in different ways. During the first three months of the year, the following themes emerged:

  • Weak demand for office space with take-up rates below the 10-year average, which were balanced by exceptional demand for large industrial properties.
  • Excess retail space continued pouring into the market, with the exception of retail businesses deemed essential (i.e., homewares, grocery, and discount shops).
  • A sustained flight-to-quality, which was more evident in the office sub-market but also present in industrial properties.

Overall, the market was stable and showed greater resilience than expected. The quarter ended on a strong note and displaying moderate signs of improvement. Continue reading “Overview of The London Commercial Property Market Q1 2021” →

Overview of The London Commercial Property Market 2nd Quarter 2020

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Following the slowdown of the London’s commercial real estate market due to onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, activity levels have resumed during Q2, although cautiously. Transactions proceeded very slowly over the past three months, since fewer lenders are active and most tenants are on a wait-and-see mode. As a result, only a handful of transactions took place between April and June.

According to market analysts, it is still too early to quantify the true impact of the pandemic on commercial real estate, but the following observations ring true for the city: Continue reading “Overview of The London Commercial Property Market 2nd Quarter 2020” →

London Office Space in Strong Demand

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Demand For Office Space In London

London is a premium office market at a global level, and as such, demand for office space in the British capital is always on the rise. Demand for office space in London is evenly distributed across three sub-market categories:

Established markets are in centrally located areas, like the City of London, London Bridge, Canary Wharf, Tech City/ Shoreditch, Aldgate, and Clerkenwell. In the West End, in-demand sub-markets include Westminster, Paddington, St James, and Mayfair. Other more recently established office markets are King’s Cross and Southbank.

Up-and-coming or emerging office sub-markets are mainly located in South and East London. In South London, demand is stronger in Battersea, Vauxhall, Nine Elms and the Greenwich Peninsula, where many new high-spec offices are being built alongside residential buildings. Continue reading “London Office Space in Strong Demand” →

Overview of the London Commercial Property Market in 2016

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During the last quarter of 2016, and much in line with the rest of the year, a cautious approach has been the predominant theme in London’s commercial property market. Broadly speaking, the market saw a consolidation of the trends that were evidenced earlier in the year, namely weak occupier demand (particularly in the office sector), moderate rental growth levels, and a surge in the number of occupiers looking for flexible lease terms.

Office Market

Political uncertainty and fluctuations in the value of the pound caused a slow-down of the office market during Q4. However, while take-up rates were down when compared to the long-term average, they noticeably picked up towards the end of the year. With regards to the causes behind this slow-down, market analysts at Green Street Advisors have drawn attention to factors other than the current political climate. For instance, the implementation of advanced technologies and automation is expected to have far-reaching effects in industry fields that are considered major office occupiers, ranging from finance to customer service.

The main office market indicators behind end-of-year data showed that Grade A absorption and take-up rates were down when compared to the city’s 10-year average. At the same time, availability rates for office properties across the city increased, and rental values remained stable. Market indicators for West End office units followed this pattern with the exception of rental rates, which evidence a slight decrease of 5.2 per cent, mainly in Marylebone, Knightsbridge, and Bloomsbury. In other parts of the West End, rental values remained stable thanks to a combination of flexible incentive packages and low vacancy rates. The highest rental rates were in Mayfair and St James’ (£118 / sq ft), whereas the lowest were in Paddington and Bloomsbury (£67.50 and £68.50 respectively). Vacancy rates were at their highest in St James’ (close to 10 per cent), Paddington and Bloomsbury (6 per cent). Key occupiers were business services, media, tech, and finance. Continue reading “Overview of the London Commercial Property Market in 2016” →

London Office Space Growth Areas 2015: King’s Cross

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Despite high political tensions in 2015 as general and mayoral elections loom – and particularly as the EU referendum comes ever closer – confidence in London as a commercial hub appears to remain stable. However, construction levels are slowly coming to a standstill as projects finish and no new ones begin, causing rental rates in the West End to begin rising significantly. As such, businesses looking for commercial property in London are beginning to broaden their horizons in terms of office markets.

London office space rates remained at a steady level in 2014, with investments totalling just under £20 billion being pumped into the sector. That being said, 2014 ended with some surprises as some of London’s ‘trophy assets’ were seen to change hands – for example the famous Gherkin, which was purchased last year by the Brazilian/New York dynasty Safra. Indeed, with rental prices continually on the increase, a second surprise was seen as some of the previously more obscure sub-markets of London began to billow with success. Continue reading “London Office Space Growth Areas 2015: King’s Cross” →

Focus on Business in Lambeth and Southwark

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Are you planning to do business in Lambeth and Southwark? Office space in the two London boroughs are plentiful, with the advantage of being in close proximity to the iconic London Eye, the Southbank cultural area, and within a quick walk of London’s vast bus, rail and tube network.

Major Industries and Employers in Lambeth and Southwark

Two of the biggest employers in Lambeth and Southwark are NHS foundation trust hospitals. Guy’s Hospital at London Bridge, and St Thomas’ Hospital at Waterloo are two of the largest in London, servicing the South East boroughs. The Novotel London Waterloo in Lambeth Road puts a premier hotel establishment in the vicinity, which is attractive to business travellers. Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, the Tate Modern, Borough Markets, The London Eye, and surrounding retail and restaurant establishments provide a flourishing local employment market. Easy access to the Palace of Westminster and surrounding offices makes locating in Lambeth and Southwark attractive for businesses.

More famous office space for let in Lambeth and Southwark is The Shard, London’s tallest building, and a design icon. Other buildings include Westminster Business Square, Chester House (within the huge Kennington Business Centre complex), Southbank House, Lincoln House and Union Court (to name a few).

New Developments Planned for Lambeth and Southwark Business Area Continue reading “Focus on Business in Lambeth and Southwark” →

London Office Space 2015: Expected Growth Areas

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Expected London Office Market Growth Areas in 2015

Last year was undoubtedly a positive year for landlords and tenants in the London commercial property market. Towards the end of the year, real estate experts released their forecasts for 2015. The predictions are full of positive and encouraging figures and point at a healthy market where growth is set to dominate. Take a look at some of the most important trends regarding the key growth areas for the commercial property market in London during 2015.

2015 Outlook: What landlords and investors need to know

According to market analysts at Schroders, during 2015 a number of factors will result in a very attractive property market for landlords and investors interested in London properties. A recovering economy, decreasing unemployment rates, and a limited development pipeline are set to drive demand for existing floor space and to push commercial property values even further. For investors, this means that property yields can reach double digit levels, although all the predictions point at the commercial rental market as the best performing over the next 12 months. According to data from the Investment Property Forum Consensus Forecast, total returns could be as high as 15 per cent during 2015. Rising interest rates are not expected to become a possibility until 2016.

London office space market growth areas in 2015 infographic

Continue reading “London Office Space 2015: Expected Growth Areas” →

Who’s Taking London Office Space in 2015?

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Principal occupier industries for office space for 2015

Being one of the world’s economic powerhouses, the British capital attracts a wide range of talented individuals, wealthy investors, and real estate agents from all over the world. The city’s thriving economy and great expansion rates have had an indirect effect on the commercial property market, which has just experienced one of its most promising years since the onset of the recession. According to real estate experts, what in 2014 were promising trends will become strong and continued levels of growth during 2015. In fact, the commercial property market in London is set to experience the highest levels of rental growth since 2007.

In particular, the real estate office market is expected to be one of the best performing sectors this year. This is mainly due to the fact that an important number of jobs are being created in certain industry sectors that are traditionally office-based. This report provides an overview of the principal occupier industries for office space in London.

Sectors to watch out for in 2015

The financial and banking industries have been slowly recovering from the effects of the recession, but according to market analysts, other industry sectors are set to surpass the office take-up rates of these traditionally important industries. The creative sector is among the key industries that have profiled themselves as some of the main occupiers in London. For the past five years, this sector has been booming across London, and especially in areas like the northern city fringe (Shoreditch, Old Street, Clerkenwell, etc.). Continue reading “Who’s Taking London Office Space in 2015?” →

Focus on Business in Canary Wharf

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Focus on Business in Canary Wharf from LondonOfficeSpace.comKnown worldwide for the important role it plays in London’s Central Business District, Canary Wharf is one of the UK’s financial hubs. Although it has a reputation for being home to stockbrokers, insurance firms, and other financial magnates, you will also find an array of retail giants and leisure firms there.

The Main Types of Businesses in Canary Wharf

From accountants and stockbrokers through to architects and designers, Canary Wharf certainly isn’t short on professional talent. It forms a significant part of London’s service industry, with investment firms appearing to reign supreme amongst all the others. With between 25,000 to 75,000 financial jobs per square mile in the area, it’s clear that Canary Wharf’s monetary reputation is accurate and well deserved.

In addition to investment firms, a significant proportion of the world’s industrial insurance is brokered in Canary Wharf. Alongside the City of London, this area accounts for 183,000 members of staff in the financial sector. As London is seen as a key investment centre worldwide, it attracts some of the globe’s greatest banking talents. With plans for 3,000 new homes in Canary Wharf and Tower Hamlets, it seems as though business is expected to grow.

As anybody with a keen interest in the area may already know, Canary Wharf was born after the closing of the India trading docks in the 1980s. While it has seen significant progress in terms of jobs and investment opportunities, the government is always looking for ways to enhance this. Another plan in the works is a high-speed rail link called the Crossrail, which is due for completion in 2018. This, plus an increasing number of jobs in the area, means that property development is also set to flourish. Continue reading “Focus on Business in Canary Wharf” →

Focus on Business in Westminster

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Focus on Business in Westminster from LondonOfficeSpace.com @officeinlondonAlthough Westminster is best known for its political affiliations, it is actually home to more enterprises and employees than any other borough in London. With part of the borough covering the world-famous West End, it is known globally for its contribution to the UK’s retail sector. Creative industries and knowledge economy are also big in Westminster, including the presence of the BBC’s main building.

The Biggest Industries in Westminster

Whereas most boroughs in London feature between 5,000 and 12,000 enterprises, Westminster is home to more than 46,000. Since the economic recession of 2008, Westminster has lost 2.8% of its enterprises. However, the retail industry continues to thrive there, with people around the world seeing this part of London as an excellent shopping destination.

One of the most significant employers in Westminster continues to be public administration and defence. Although they only share 40 enterprises between them, they employ over 50,000 people, primarily within large government departments that can be found at parliament, Whitehall, and other such buildings.

In addition to public administration and defence, Westminster is home to 70,000 employees working in the food and accommodation sectors. Owing to its popularity as a destination for tourists with a strong interest in shopping and its central location to key tourist attractions, Westminster features an abundance of hotels. The nighttime economy in Westminster is strong, as there is a considerable number of bars, clubs, and pubs present. In fact, tourism expenditure in Westminster accounts for around 15% of London’s tourism economy.

Around 85 percent of Westminster’s enterprises feature less than 10 employees, which is higher than the London average. This shows that it is a place where small businesses can happily thrive, although the cost of running a business there tests whether the majority of small businesses can manage this.

The Biggest Employer’s in Westminster

With 7 of the global 500 being based in Westminster, it’s clear that the borough is an attractive base for large businesses too. There is a significant media presence within the borough. Not only will you find the BBC’s headquarters there, you’ll also come across Pearson PLC and the Penguin Group, The Economist, and Kingfisher PLC. Travel and tourism giants include Easy Group, Korean Air, and Iraq Airways. Oil magnates also appear to be attracted to the area, with BP and Gulf Oil both having head offices there. Finally, there are brands that cater to the tastes of those who love delicate food, including Marks and Spencer and Pre-a-Manger. Continue reading “Focus on Business in Westminster” →