It is no secret that property prices in London are far above prices for the rest of the country, so you will need to do your sums before deciding to locate your business there. However, if the benefit of being in the capital far outweighs the costs, you have some impressive spaces and locations to choose from.
Location Location Location
London is a great location for business, for its accessibility, transport, amenities, customer base and labour pool. In addition, it has locations to suit everyone whether they are looking for a rural feel, high tech business environments or historic settings and architecture; London can offer it all. For a countryside feel, you could locate your business in one of the many areas which boast picturesque parks and open spaces such as Hampstead or Richmond. If you want the thrill of big business and power settings, head for the City or Canary Wharf. Alternatively, if it’s historic surroundings you want, pick your favourite period building and there are sure to be office spaces close by.
Getting there
Nice as it would be to simply locate your business by choice of surroundings, you may have more practical considerations to address. Transport and accessibility are important if not just for your employees, then certainly for your clients. Choosing from the office space SW1 has to offer, for example, is a great choice due to its proximity to one of London’s main train stations, London Victoria, as well as the accompanying London Underground stop. The train station also has a bus terminus, so it really is a centre for good transport however you need to travel. Other London train stations also have plenty of office space within their reach, such as Euston, Liverpool Street, London Bridge and London Kings Cross/St. Pancras.
Your business community
As well as finding that businesses choose to locate themselves close to good transport, you will also find that they place themselves in areas where competitors and similar businesses are situated. Whether you are looking for a financial district, an area for legal practices or central hubs of creative and design agencies, there will be places with high concentrations of your type of business that you can immerse yourself in.
Once you’ve decided where you want to be, you can start enjoying viewing the many and varied spaces on offer. Whether you are looking for a managed office space or just a room or building to occupy, there will be something to meet your needs. However, it is advisable to prepare a list of priorities of what you need from your office space as it is all too easy to get carried away by beautifully designed and decorated spaces which might cloud your judgement on what is actually suitable for you and your staff. As well as priorities, you will need to keep a tight rein on your budget and be clear about all costs involved. Along with rental costs, you’ll have business rates and building maintenance or service charges to add on too. If you are lucky enough to find London offices with parking spaces, you need to be clear about whether this is included in the rental price or an additional cost.