Knights Templar-inspired office building gets green light Property Plans to build a mixed-use office scheme in Holborn on the site of the former Knights Templar Church have been approved by the City of London Corporation. The new building will replace the existing Holborn Gate, Heron House and 44 Southampton Buildings on Chancery Lane. It will include a 300-person capacity immersive auditorium as well [...]
Lazard relocates UK headquarters after 20 years Property Financial services firm Lazard has opened a new UK headquarters in Marylebone as it looks to extend its presence in London. The new, larger site at 20 Manchester Square will become one of its three major global offices alongside New York and Paris. CEO Jeremy Taylor said the site was “more than just a new [...]
Avison Young loses over £100m for a second year as more jobs cut Property More than £100m has been lost for a second consecutive year by the UK and European arm of global commercial real estate services firm Avison Young as it continued to cut jobs, it has been revealed. The Birmingham-headquartered division has reported a pre-tax loss of £101.8m for 2024, having posted the same total for 2023. [...]
London crowned most expensive city for office refits after ‘perfect storm’ of costs May 7, 2025 Demand for high-quality facilities and specialist skills has made London the most expensive city in the world to refit an office, according to new research. The average high specification project in London costs £4,671 ($5,932) per square metre, four per cent higher than runner-up New York and eight per cent higher than third-place Zurich, Turner [...]
‘Once you legislate, people will rebel’: Why a vibes-based WFH policy is working for Vitality February 13, 2025 The debate-stirring issue of working from home (WFH) has never been far from the headlines so far in 2025. The likes of FTSE 100 giant WPP, Lord Alan Sugar and London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan have all made waves with where they stand on the topic. Now Neville Koopowitz, the chief executive of health and [...]
‘Prohibitive building costs’ stunting UK growth projects – Deloitte February 4, 2025 “Prohibitive costs” involved in construction projects in major UK cities led to a sharp decline in the number of new developments breaking ground in 2024, according to a new report from Deloitte. Deloitte’s latest Regional Crane Surveys, which covers the central areas of Belfast, Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester, has revealed the number of new starts [...]
City rents rise as return to the office drives up demand for prime locations December 3, 2024 Available office space in London’s most sought-after areas has slumped to near record lows as businesses continue to reverse pandemic-era working from home rules. According to global property consultancy Knight Frank, availability in newly constructed office buildings has fallen to 0.3 per cent in the West End Core – which includes Mayfair and St James’s [...]
Wework: UK firm owes almost £840m to bankruptcy-hit US owner November 28, 2024 The UK arm of troubled US co-working startup Wework lost almost £150m in the year before its parent company filed for bankruptcy. The division suffered a pre-tax loss of £147.9m in 2023, according to newly-filed accounts with Companies House. The latest figure comes after the arm racked up a pre-tax loss of £122.6m in 2022. [...]
Leeds landmark sold for almost £80m in city’s biggest deal for over five years October 8, 2024 A landmark building in the heart of Leeds’ financial district has been sold for almost £80m in the city’s largest office deal for more than five years. Ashtrom Properties UK has acquired Central Square, which is home to the likes of M&S, PwC an Sky, for £78m. Central Square comprises 217,249 sq ft of office [...]
Office Depot owner loses over £50m ahead of quitting UK thanks to working from home trend October 2, 2024 OT Group, the owner of Office Depot and the Spicers wholesale brand, lost more than £50m in the year before it revealed plans to quit the UK. The Greater Manchester-headquartered group has posted a pre-tax loss of £52.5m for 2023, having also lost £15.8m in 2022. Newly-filed accounts with Companies House also reveal that turnover [...]