Office Space in London: Are You Getting Branding Value?
- By Leigh Peters
- Published 01/31/2012
- Business
- Unrated
Leigh Peters
Leigh Peters works for Pearl & Coutts, a very long-established letting agent specialising in prime office space in London plus associated commercial property in Greater London, surrounding areas and selected UK locations.
View all articles by Leigh Peters
London is ranked alongside New York as one of the foremost cities in the world for business today. The office space and any ancillary commercial property will create an instant and indeed lasting impression for your clients and business colleagues alike. This article gives you important pointers for sourcing the right kind of office space in London to maximise on the potential for added branding value.
Getting The ‘Timeless Effect’
In some of the prime property areas of London, there are the most exquisite period properties which can create instant positive associations for anyone visiting, including those who see your premises online. The right premises can lend you some important, unspoken associations with your business: for example, “solid” “dependable”, and “superior”. Unfortunately, it’s true that London is currently suffering a widely acknowledged shortage of commercial property. It helps therefore to work with one of the longer established letting agents, since their local connections can allow you to view a wider selection of quality properties, usually including original period features. These features can help you make the most of the ‘timeless effect’, by conveying a sense of being a “long established” (and therefore “trusted”) firm, lending your offices “dependable” and “solid” connotations. A good example here might be a firm of solicitors choosing to rent period property in Clerkenwell or Holborn. It is important to be certain the building is well-maintained, particularly with these older premises. Good transport link, facilities, natural light and tasteful refurbishments are still important even if the exterior façade is perfect - simply change letting agents if you’re not being offered suitable properties here.
Could A Modern Property Better Reflect
Your Industry?
Companies reliant on a cutting-edge image could find a contemporary ambience far more beneficial - but again London is suffering a relative shortage of quality new builds and modern commercial property. Some property insiders have speculated that London is simply not at the next final phase in the development cycle, which would allow more new properties to be released onto the market. You will probably find the longer established letting agents have a better choice to offer and those with a solid in-house acquisitions strategy can be at a distinct advantage here.
When you’re looking for more contemporary premises, you are particularly advised to consider whether locations beyond the prime areas could suit your business needs. The better agents should be able to source you both prime and ‘Greater London’ properties at competitive pricing. If you do feel that indeed one of the prime locations would suit you best, you really should team up with a letting agent who specialises in it.
Is It Ever Only All About Location?
The reality is that for office space in London location is vital but there are equally numerous other factors that have a substantial impact upon your corporate image. If your clients cannot reach your premises easily this will undoubtedly let you down - so do expect your letting agent to only show you premises with nearby parking and public transport and do change if you’re not satisfied. Presentation of communal areas and on site maintenance is also very important to enquire about as again it contributes to an overall impression of your business.
Cost per square foot is obviously a prime consideration yet considered alone it neglects the intangible branding value you could be gaining from the right office space in London. From this perspective, commercial property is as much an asset as any other, so make sure your agent is genuinely offering you competitively priced rather than ‘cheap’ premises.
Getting The ‘Timeless Effect’
In some of the prime property areas of London, there are the most exquisite period properties which can create instant positive associations for anyone visiting, including those who see your premises online. The right premises can lend you some important, unspoken associations with your business: for example, “solid” “dependable”, and “superior”. Unfortunately, it’s true that London is currently suffering a widely acknowledged shortage of commercial property. It helps therefore to work with one of the longer established letting agents, since their local connections can allow you to view a wider selection of quality properties, usually including original period features. These features can help you make the most of the ‘timeless effect’, by conveying a sense of being a “long established” (and therefore “trusted”) firm, lending your offices “dependable” and “solid” connotations. A good example here might be a firm of solicitors choosing to rent period property in Clerkenwell or Holborn. It is important to be certain the building is well-maintained, particularly with these older premises. Good transport link, facilities, natural light and tasteful refurbishments are still important even if the exterior façade is perfect - simply change letting agents if you’re not being offered suitable properties here.
Could A Modern Property Better Reflect
Companies reliant on a cutting-edge image could find a contemporary ambience far more beneficial - but again London is suffering a relative shortage of quality new builds and modern commercial property. Some property insiders have speculated that London is simply not at the next final phase in the development cycle, which would allow more new properties to be released onto the market. You will probably find the longer established letting agents have a better choice to offer and those with a solid in-house acquisitions strategy can be at a distinct advantage here.
When you’re looking for more contemporary premises, you are particularly advised to consider whether locations beyond the prime areas could suit your business needs. The better agents should be able to source you both prime and ‘Greater London’ properties at competitive pricing. If you do feel that indeed one of the prime locations would suit you best, you really should team up with a letting agent who specialises in it.
Is It Ever Only All About Location?
The reality is that for office space in London location is vital but there are equally numerous other factors that have a substantial impact upon your corporate image. If your clients cannot reach your premises easily this will undoubtedly let you down - so do expect your letting agent to only show you premises with nearby parking and public transport and do change if you’re not satisfied. Presentation of communal areas and on site maintenance is also very important to enquire about as again it contributes to an overall impression of your business.
Cost per square foot is obviously a prime consideration yet considered alone it neglects the intangible branding value you could be gaining from the right office space in London. From this perspective, commercial property is as much an asset as any other, so make sure your agent is genuinely offering you competitively priced rather than ‘cheap’ premises.
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