A recent study has unveiled the UK’s costliest areas for renting office space, with London’s prestigious Mayfair neighborhood emerging as the priciest.
Mayfair, an affluent district known for its upscale restaurants and private clubs, commands a steep price of £1,000 per month per desk in a private office.
As lockdowns prompted many employees to work from home, employers have been striving to entice their staff back to the office. However, new research suggests that this return to traditional office spaces could come with a hefty price tag for professionals and business owners, with substantial disparities in rental costs across the UK.
Cambridge and Leeds follow closely behind with monthly averages of £440 and £417, respectively. For those seeking more budget-friendly options, Newcastle offers office spaces for as low as £174 per month.
Notably, London ranks as the most expensive city for renting a single office desk per month, though prices vary widely based on the borough chosen. According to data from FreeOfficeFinder, the average cost to rent one desk in a private serviced office space, including bills and service charges, is £508.
However, some London areas demand a considerably higher premium. Mayfair, for instance, boasts an average cost of £1,013 per month, slightly over two-thirds of the price to rent a typical one-bedroom flat in London. Soho comes in second with an average monthly rent of £967. On the other end of the spectrum, Vauxhall, located just south of the Thames, offers more affordable rates at around £445.
The study also indicates that considering locations in Greater London could be financially advantageous. For example, office prices in Enfield average £173 per month.
Co-working spaces have been on the rise since the pandemic, alongside remote and hybrid working arrangements. These spaces often cost around £200 per month, with slightly higher rates in the capital, averaging £291.
Nick Riesel, managing director of FreeOfficeFinder.com, noted, “We are seeing companies shun traditional leases of 5 to 10 years in length since COVID-19 and switch to the all-inclusive model of serviced offices. That demand has pushed prices up, but I predict price levels will remain much the same in the next 12 months.”
