Most retail landlords consider re-purposing property September 18, 2019 Most retail landlords are considering redeveloping their properties for other uses in a further blow for the struggling UK high street. In total, 18 per cent of landlords have already completed a re-purposing project and a further 75 per cent are considering making the move, according to a survey by estate agent Savills. Read more: [...]
Phonebooth startup Room launches in UK as it dials in to coworking boom September 17, 2019 Room, the US startup specialising in phonebooths for open plan offices, launched in the UK today as it looks to cash in on the rising popularity of coworking spaces. The New-York based firm, which counts Google, Uber, Amazon and Apple among its clients, is also rolling out in six other European countries amid growing demand [...]
Debate: With its valuation in question, is WeWork’s IPO really a good idea? September 10, 2019 With its valuation in question, is WeWork’s IPO really a good idea? Yes – Andrew Boyle is founder and chief executive of LGB & Co. WeWork’s objectives of establishing a dominant market position and global brand demand substantial funding, so an IPO makes sense from the firm’s perspective. For investors, it offers a chance to [...]
DEBATE: Are ‘women-only’ spaces the answer to preventing sexism in the workplace? August 28, 2019 Could “women-only” spaces be the answer to preventing sexism in the workplace? YES, says Ksenia Tkacheva, the co-founder of Superfood Bakery. In our experience, “women-only” spaces work. A key cause of sexism is an unfounded lack of respect for the opposite sex. But when you have a women-only workplace, it results in fundamental respect for [...]
Let’s call time on poisonous workspaces that are causing stress August 28, 2019 When we feel in control, we can grow, develop, and become better people. Surely this state of mind is crucial for an effective working environment? An increasing focus on workplace wellbeing suggests that there is a shift in the right direction, but can stress and anxiety really be solved with table tennis and free pizza? [...]
Workspace firm IWG in talks to list standalone US business in New York August 24, 2019 Founder of International Workplace Group (IWG), Mark Dixon, is in talks with investment banks to create a spin off its US business to be listed as a separate company in New York, according to Sky News. Dixon’s standalone business would become a publicly traded rival to WeWork, which is targeting a valuation of $50bn from [...]
Spaces opens its largest London flexible office centre August 22, 2019 Spaces has opened its largest London co-working centre to date, in the latest sign of a current boom in demand from flexible workspace operators across the capital. Read more: Property developers urge calm as Hong Kong protests continue The office provider is occupying over 80,000 square feet across seven floors in London Victoria. Flexible workspace [...]
Wework rival Knotel secures unicorn status with $400m funding August 21, 2019 Knotel, the flexible workspace rival to Wework, today said it has achieved “unicorn” status after securing a fresh round of funding worth $400m (£329m). The New York-based startup bagged the bumper cash injection in a round led by Wafra, the investment arm of Kuwait’s sovereign wealth fund. Read more: Wework lost $700m in first half, [...]
Venture Capital funding hits record high August 14, 2019 Venture capital (VC) funding in the UK soared to a record high during the first half of this year, bolstered by a growing appetite for tech investments. Funding in VC rose to £4.3bn during the first half of 2019, rising 45 per cent on the same period last year. Read more: Barclays stops banking cryptocurrency [...]
Workspace giant IWG launches £100m share buyback scheme August 6, 2019 Office space provider IWG has launched a £100m share buyback and increased its dividend. The company, which operates under the Regus brand, increased its interim dividend 10.3 per cent to 2.15p per share as it announced it would repurchase £100m worth of shares by 5 August next year. Read more: Workspace giant IWG posts double [...]