UK Office Space News

Deka Immobilien has purchased a prestigious office property in Birmingham.

The group paid €25 million for Direct Line House in the city’s business district.

Deka Immobilien GmbH has purchased Direct Line House in Birmingham’s business district for €25 million according to reports out this week. The group purchased the property from a fund managed by Signature Fund Management Limited.

Situated at 10 Livery Street, the office property provides more than 63,000 sq ft of Grade A office space in a prime West Midlands location. Completed in 2001, the property is currently fully let to insurance provider Direct Line for another 10 years. (more…)

Scottish office take ups have beaten industry expectations

Both Aberdeen and Edinburgh have shown signs of improvement

A report based on office space in Scotland has shown that the take up in Aberdeen this year has already exceeded that of 2009 and 2010.

The report by property advisory firm CBRE, states that the availability in the city of 731,631 sq ft of office space is mostly second hand with new, grade A developments accounting for just 17% of the total space.

Other Scottish cities have also seen a rise in the amount of office space available.

Edinburgh has seen availability rise 15% on this quarter from last year’s figures and Glasgow has experienced a slight 4% increase since 2010. (more…)

Mindjet survey reveals today’s office worker is drowning in data.

Almost a third of emails received each day remain unread according to the report by the software developer.

A new survey has revealed that today’s office worker is effectively drowning in data from multiple platforms, with almost a third of emails sent remaining unread every day. OnePoll on behalf of Mindjet polled 2000 office workers and found that two thirds claimed the volume of data they received every day had a negative impact on their work.

The poll found that the average worker receives 36 emails, 5 calls and attends one meeting every day, resulting in 65% feeling completely overwhelmed. In addition to this data, the survey shows that average workers usually spend around 16 minutes using social media sites, 67 minutes talking to colleagues face to face and usually watch at least two online videos a day. (more…)

BUPA is on the look out for new office space in the UK.

The healthcare insurance company is looking for new commercial property ahead of their lease expirations in 2015.

Healthcare insurance provider BUPA is rumoured to be searching for new office space within the UK. The group is believed to have appointed agents to scope out potential property options for a possible relocation in 2015.

BUPA currently lease more than 140,000 sq ft of office space in Salford Quays but with both leases due to expire in three years, there is still uncertainty about whether the firm will choose to stay in the Greater Manchester location. (more…)

Engineers Hoare Lee agree to relocate its London HQ to new office space at King’s Cross.

The company will lease more than 20,000 sq ft of office space in the Western Transit Shed.

The award-winning engineering firm Hoare Lea has agreed to relocate its flagship London HQ to a new office property in King’s Cross. The firm has confirmed it will rent more than 20,000 sq ft of office space on a 15 year lease in the Western Transit Shed.

The innovative 67 acre site is currently still in development and Hoare Lee is believed to be working closely with the developer Argent to create the best possible space for its expansion. It’s thought the engineering firm is keen to create large, well equipped office space and roomy break out areas in the property ahead of its move in autumn 2012. (more…)

A business park in Manchester has been sold for £47 million.

The Towers in Didsbury has been purchased by a joint venture between Moorfield Group and Property Alliance Group.

The Towers business park in Manchester has been sold for £47 million to a joint venture between Moorfield Group and Property Alliance Group.

The sale marks the first acquisition for the partnership which was originally formed in 2010. The nine storey development in Didsbury was purchased from Wereldhave and consists of 290,000 sq ft set in 19 acres of landscaped gardens. (more…)

Top tips to avoid ending up with an office you don’t like or one that gives the wrong impression about your business.

The second part of our guide to renting an office space that’s ideal for you looks at how to keep costs down and how higher rents might not always make you worse off in the long run.

Having the right office will define your business, it is where your greatest business ideas are generated, where best practices are developed and where  potential clients get an insight into your businesses.

Don’t let expenses get in the way of functionality and practicality, It is easy to get caught up in the costs that are involved when looking for office space for rent. It’s always easy, especially in times of austerity to go for the cheapest option. A business decision made poorly can end up in affecting your company for the worst in the long term.

You may often find that the most economical offices may have slightly higher rent, but offer a better location, greater flexibility and have all the facilities you require in one place. You also need to consider fit out costs, incurred travel expenses and additional space requirements such as meeting rooms all need to be considered with your office lease.

It may sound obvious but it’s essential never to forget that your staff are a vital asset to your business. Always consider their needs when looking at potential office spaces to rent.

It’s important to ask whether your new office has the equipment necessary for all your business activities, and if it doesn’t how easy is it to put the required infrastructure in place.

Perhaps most importantly don’t get trapped into only thinking about the present state of your business. Furthermore, the majority of companies are looking to grow so consider how your new office space will cater to all future business needs you may have.

It would also be wise to consider the other end of the spectrum that if you require it will your new space allow you to downsize.

By avoiding and following these pitfalls you can prevent unnecessary conflicts that can be associated with renting office space.

We look at the best way to go about renting a new commercial property and how to avoid pitfalls that could be disastrous.

Renting an office space that is suitable for you can make or break your company, these tips on how to do it the smart way could make or break your business.

Making the decision to move your business and find new offices can be a time consuming and daunting experience. It’s not a process that you will want to rush, you’ll need to choose an office space which suits your flourishing business, accommodates your future needs and is well-matched to your working practices.

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A popular travel company has found that British people find it hard to switch off from work when away.

A Trip advisor survey reveals the true loyalty that the British have for their work place and how difficult people find it to truly relax.

Britain’s workforce is under increasing pressure to stay connected to work, even while on holiday, new research by Travel site Trip advisor has revealed.

Since last year, the proportion of British Workers checking emails on holiday has increased to 48 per cent, up from 38 per cent.

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Top tips to help you keep your office space clean and healthy.

The second of our two blog guides on how you can keep your office space clean looks at sprays and gels you can utilise to maximise cleanliness in your workplace.

Continuing on from the previous blog looking at ways you can help prevent yourself falling foul to cold or flu this Winter we have five more great tips for you today.

The combination of these five points, coupled with those featured in part one and some common sense should ensure that you and your colleagues all keep the germs at bay this season.

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