IWG sees visits to central London offices rise 80%

IWG has reported a major increase in visitors to its central London offices. The flex and workspace operator said visits to its Mayfair, Paddington and Monument bases increased by as much as 80% in February, with Wednesdays and Thursdays being particularly busy. It added that the data appeared to show that workers were moving towards a set routine. The Wednesday and Thursday spikes were also seen in January. IWG said footfall at the Clubhouse Mayfair was up by 89%, Regus Paddington by 80%, Spaces Monument by 79% and Spaces Victoria up by 64%. It added that several other locations saw increases of more than 50% in February. Visits across IWG’s entire UK network increased by 18% in February, with suburban and rural workspaces also experiencing higher usage. Founder and chief executive Mark Dixon said the trend was also being seen across the international portfolio. “We are seeing in real time more and more people in our network of workspaces, not only in London, but across the more than 120 countries in which we operate.” Dixon said the data showed that the office was far from dead. “The latest data shows there is strong appetite to spend time in an office environment, particularly those that offer collaborative workspaces and networking facilities.” The increase in central London locations also appears to refute suggestions that suburban locations would outpace central ones. “Demand for rural and suburban locations grew significantly during the pandemic and now we are seeing central London enjoying a resurgence too,” Dixon said. “The magnetic pull of the capital will always draw people in for collaboration and its unrivalled entertainment and cultural offer, with employees coming in for meetings and to socialise with colleagues. “However, workers are no longer commuting to central London on a daily basis, instead embracing the hybrid working week, splitting their time between home, a local workspace as well as the HQ, supporting the IWG vision and business model.” To send feedback, e-mail piers.wehner@eg.co.uk or tweet @PiersWehner or @EGPropertyNews Photo from IWG Discover which agents are doing the most office deals in London with our On-Demand Rankings >>