We recently released some new, exclusive data, showing that startups and growing SMEs are leaving the traditional tech hotspots, Shoreditch and Soho, for south of the river.
One of the hot spots for this migration is SE1 – an increasingly popular postcode that encompasses the vibrant, foodie areas in and around London Bridge, Southwark, Borough, and Bermondsey. Indeed, our search data shows that London Bridge is the most popular location in London for companies searching for flexible office space this year, counting 29% of all searches in 2018 so far – a huge rise from 2017’s figure, 3.7%. This statistic means that the area even beats Shoreditch in terms of popularity, which only accounts for 27% of all searches.
But with the demand increasing, how’s the supply looking? The simple answer: pretty damn good. SE1 has proven that despite its historical roots, it’s not one to get complacent – and the postcode is now home to some of London’s coolest workspaces, offering everything from stunning vistas to innovation labs, and capacity for one to hundreds of people.
So, with that in mind, let’s take a look at SE1’s hottest offerings right now, area by area:
Borough, Southbank, London Bridge, Waterloo, Southwark, Bermondsey
Borough
UNCOMMON – Borough
UNCOMMON is exactly what it says on the tin: unique office space that pushes the boundaries of what you think a workspace can be. The team here have made the whole environment both innovative and inspirational; they’ve got a stylish yet relaxed coffee lounge (above), they promote activity based working (encouraging movement between spaces to get the most out of your environment), and have constructed a ‘Creative Lab’, filled with the latest tech gadgets to kickstart different ways of thinking. On top of all that, they also hold weekly events for members, including Tuesday Tea Time and Thursday Drinks, giving members a well-deserved chance to wind down and socialise around their work.
Hot desks for £350 pp/month. Private offices for up to 42 people starting at £3,000/month.
Fora – Borough
This bright, stylish workspace is the brand new Borough addition to the Fora family, due to open in July 2018. With a view of the tube from the entrance, the space is ideally located, and promises to provide spacious workspace over six floors – each beautifully decorated with an array of hand-painted tiles – which can be multi-tenanted for smaller requirements or self-contained to individual clients. The facilities are also typical of Fora’s high standards: from the incredible roof terrace looking out over SE1 and beyond, to the restaurant using ingredients sourced from local Borough market, to the onsite gym included in the membership. It even has a “call-free” reading room tucked away on a mezzanine level of the top floor, for members to nab some peace and quiet.
Private offices for up to 45 people starting at £4,000/month.
BE offices – Borough
BE offices in Borough offer the best of both worlds: all the benefits of a flexible office contract, and the possibility to make the space your own. At present, their SE1 location has four floors up for grabs, which can either be used by four separate companies or combined to fit one large team. Whatever the format you need, the space is then a blank canvas that BE will fit out as you wish – from the colour scheme to the furniture. What’s more, it’s located right next to Borough station, and the newly refurbished building even has a roof terrace boasting beautiful views of the city.
Private offices for up to 96 people starting at £16,800/month.
Southbank
WeWork Southbank Central
The mighty WeWork have done it again – this time, in SE1. As always, the facilities are top-notch: you’ve got your high-speed internet, meeting rooms, cool breakout areas, and event space – but then there’s the extras that make going to work all the sweeter. Some of the best perks include free beer on tap from midday (every day), an onsite barista, regular popups run by cool, up-and-coming brands, a courtyard with various food vans, and free breakfast on Mondays. They even have a hairdresser and masseuse that frequent the place! And that’s alongside all the weekly events on offer to take your business to the next level.
Hot + fixed desks from £450 pp/month. Private offices for up to 93 people starting at £887/month.
London Bridge
Maltings Place
This characterful private office near London Bridge has years of history, as it was formerly the Sarsons Vinegar Warehouse. But the atmosphere in this Grade II listed building right by Bermondsey Street is now noticeably less acidic: it’s currently home to a young and small but growing tech company, who are looking for a dynamic team of people to join them in the cool tech-focused office. As well as friendly colleagues, workspace here also comes with an attractive, secured courtyard area, a shared reception with pool table, a breakout area and a fully equipped T-bar glazed meeting room. It’s also great value for the location!
Fixed desks for £395 pp/month.
Workspace Leather Market
Workspace: Leather Market is a beautiful addition to the SE1 workspace scene, situated within an incredible restored Victorian building. The name hollers to its history, and as is often the case with Workspace buildings, the team have worked hard to retain an element of the building’s past – but no fear: the interiors are still modern, efficient, and attractive. They have a huge range of workspaces available, all situated around a central open air courtyard, but the breakout areas are just as welcoming for when you need a change of scenery.
Hot + fixed desks from £300 pp/month. Private offices for up to 36 people starting at £2,000/month.
Waterloo
Capital Tower
Ideal for commuters both in and out of London, Capital Tower is located directly opposite the entrance to the station on Waterloo Road. But it’s not just where it is that makes this place such an attractive option – the building has also recently undergone a major refurbishment, meaning that each floor is now finished to an exceptional standard, including the stunning rooftop terrace. Amenities are excellent, and include car park access, board rooms for up to 30 people, full-time receptionists and 24-hour access. And if that weren’t enough, each office also boasts striking views across London!
Private offices for up to 16 people starting at £1,350/month.
Southwark
Paris Gardens
This 75,000 sq ft, Grade A building on Paris Garden brings four floors of exceptionally designed space to Southwark in a brand new refurbishment. It’s just three minutes from Southwark Station, and has enormous capacity – with private offices for over 200 people available right now – but it’s just as great if you’re an individual looking for a fixed desk. They also allow pets, have their own event space and breakout areas, they’ve got a cafe, showers, lockers…you could basically move in here if you wanted to.
Fixed desks for £450 pp/month. Private offices for up to 220 people starting at £2,600/month.
Bermondsey
Work.Life
Work.Life spaces offer all the office essentials that you could ever need – from ninja-fast WiFi to unlimited coffee – and have a personable membership team, dedicated to creating a tight-knit community of fellow entrepreneurs. All Work.Life memberships include access to all their other locations, plus printing and meeting room credits. They’re also dog-friendly and offer fun perks including free yoga, breakfast, and beer and pizza nights every week!
Check out the fantastic offer they have on at the moment: when you take a private office with them for six months or more, they’ll kit out your office with plants from Patch for free!
Hot desks for £275 pp/month. Private offices for up to 40 people starting at £1,160/month.
Vauxhall
TOG Tintagel House
The short three minute walk from Vauxhall station to this stunning eleven floor workspace by The Office Group will take you past MI6 – but there’s no keeping Tintagel House a secret. The whole place is brand new, and when it comes to the facilities, they have genuinely thought of everything: thinking of conducting an event where you’ll need a screen and some tiered seating? Easy. Want a personalised digital message to greet your important client upon arrival? Just say the word. Need an apartment where you can rest your head following a long day of work/play? Got it.
For the competitive, they also have a contest which involves running from the ground floor to the tenth floor as fast as possible. The record when we last heard was 36 seconds…
Hot + fixed desks from £375 pp/month. Private offices for up to 100 people starting at £1,000/month.
