A guide to office space in London's West End
Developed in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, London’s West End was originally built as a series of palaces, expensive town houses, fashionable shops and places of entertainment for the fashionable rich, as it was usually upwind of the smoke drifting from the crowded City. Today, this vibrant area of Central London retains its fine architecture, and is packed with tourist attractions, businesses, and shopping centres. The West End is the main commercial and entertainment centre of the city.
The location
Most Londoners would consider the West End as the area north of Charing Cross, and north east of Hyde Park Corner. It includes Oxford Street, Regent Street, Covent Garden, Mayfair, Soho, Noho, Leicester Square, and Piccadilly.
Neighbouring areas - price comparisons, per person per month
| Below are the prices of serviced offices given on a per person per month basis in the city, and are based on a minimum to maximum average, derived from our Sales Team's knowledge. |
| Area | Indicative price range |
|---|---|
| Mayfair | £900 – 2000 |
| Oxford Circus | £900 – 1400 |
| Belgravia | £800 – 1000 |
| Soho | £700 – 900 |
| Fitzrovia | £700 – 900 |
| Covent Garden | £650 – 900 |
| Piccadilly | £600 – 900 |
Looking for an office in London's West End
Costs
If you’re considering a serviced office or co-working environment, prices are based ‘per person’, which normally equates to approximately 60 sq ft for a fully-furnished and cabled office on a ‘ready-to-go’ basis The only additional charges are IT (£70 – 99 per person per month) and VAT. You can expect to find a private office for these prices in a shared business centre, with communal areas such as kitchens, breakout spaces and a fully-staffed reception.
Supply and demand
The West End market is fairly stable, and prices do not fluctuate much — many buildings are 'listed' so further development isn’t allowed, which means there isn’t a regular supply of new offices.
What kinds of buildings can you expect to find?
Many of the offices in the West End are in beautiful historic period buildings – Victorian, Edwardian and Georgian – which have been elegantly restored and refurbished to provide high-quality workspace. These business centres also boast all the modern amenities you could possibly need to run your business. Although development in the area is limited, there are still a number of modern, stylish office blocks as well — such as the 32-storey office tower in New Oxford Street.
Transport
The West End is well served by a number of Tube stations, buses and overground trains, making for a convenient work commute.
Why choose London's West End?
- Prestigious location for exclusive office property
- Central part of the city
- Great transport links
- Many investment companies and law firms are located here
A closer look at London's West End
Soho
The Soho/Noho area in the West End is incredibly popular, due to its status as a creative hub within the city. A number of companies have made this area their home
Media Thomson Reuters, WPP, Pearson
Fashion Burberry, Mulberry, Ted Baker
Design Imagination, Reading Room, Elmwood
Advertising & PR Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, Bartle Bogle Hegarty, Publicis London
Mayfair
For exclusive office property, boutique style and a prestigious postcode, then Mayfair is the ideal solution. Many hedge funds, finance and investment companies and law firms can be found in this part of the West End. With a Mayfair address, companies are guaranteed to impress clients and bolster their reputation. Offices in Berkeley Street, for example, are some of the most sought-after in London. Industries in this area include
Hedge funds Odey Asset Management, Spinnaker Capital, Egerton Capital
Finance & Investment PricewaterhouseCoopers, Barclays Private Banking, Lloyds TSB Private Banking
Law Ronald Fletcher Baker, Fladgate, Covent Garden Family Law
Covent Garden
As for the versatile Covent Garden, the area is attractive for both financial and creative firms. Defence companies and the MOD also have a presence in Covent Garden, and the location is particularly popular with American businesses, including Facebook, who opened their first engineering services office outside of the US here in 2012.
For more information on the current state of the UK serviced office market check out our UK Flexible Workspace Review 2016.
Why do people love London's West End?
If you’re looking for history, character, period buildings and a prestigious location, then do consider becoming a tenant in the West End. Quite apart from its business credentials, there are a number of award-winning restaurants, fantastic shopping opportunities and excellent transport links in the area. You don’t just have to take our word for it — we’ve asked a number of businesses in the area why they love working in the West End.
“The beautiful architecture of our surroundings and diverse range of flagship stores makes Regent Street an incredible place.”
Regent Street Online (A community business site), from their Twitter account.
“I love its vibrancy and quirkiness. There is always something fun and surprising happening. There is no other place like it! It's a world-class destination, and the epicentre of power and influence, along with fashion, shopping and dining.”
Joel Porter, Paramount (Restaurant, bar and events space at the top of Centre Point)
“The West End is instantly recognisable across the world, so being able to pinpoint our business in this area is fantastic. W1 allows us easy access to anything and everything available in London through its great transport links – we’re only a tube ride away!”
Bryony, Girl Meets Dress (Ecommerce business renting out designer clothing)
“The West End has so much going for it: the glamour and glitz, old school elegance, a diverse mix of people, and great bars and restaurants.”
Jenny Maynard, Landmark Plc (Office space provider)
“We can walk to many meetings from where we are and, of course, we are surrounded by the best restaurants and shops in the world!" As for what makes the West End great? “Traditional landmarks mixed with culture, mixed with commerce, mixed with retail. It's got everything.”
Sarah Pollard, Communications Director, Bartle Bogle Hegarty (Advertising agency in Soho)
We've created an entire post around why people love the West End — from the best places to go for your morning coffee to perfect post-work drink spots, you can discover exactly what it is about the West End that makes it so attractive for visitors and businesses alike.
Want to find out more?
If you’re looking to move into the area, or simply require more information, contact Instant Offices' specialist local consultants.
Email our team or call us and we'll be delighted to help you.