I
t is encouraging to see demand for office house in London beginning to edge up final month, as consultants JLL report at the moment.
I’m not shocked, the cranes hanging over the capital seem to have been as quite a few as ever. Today we reveal Landsec giving a vote of confidence in the way forward for offices by placing in plans for a £500 million growth close to Liverpool Street station.
Predictions that the standard workplace can be in terminal decline within the post-pandemic period seem like huge of the mark, even within the City. But it’s definitely true that what employers and employees need is about at a far increased bar than earlier than.
Outdoor terraces, gyms and yoga studios are de rigueur. The days of grim gray corridors, low suspended ceilings and undrinkable espresso in plastic cups have gone.
The employers’ attraction offensive appears to be working and occupancy charges are slowly returning to ranges not seen since earlier than Covid.
Figures from property firm Regional REIT at the moment counsel workers now spend a median of 4.2 days per week within the workplace. That feels a bit on the excessive aspect for central London however the route of journey is unmistakable.
That is nice news for the central London financial system, notably the City the place the streets solely now appear to be returning totally to life. But it isn’t all unalloyed pleasure.
It is now as much as the practice corporations to lift their game .
They want to ensure the passengers who wish to return to 4 or 5 days per week within the workplace are ready to take action with out struggling the distress that made commuting such hell for thus many earlier than the world was turned the wrong way up by Covid.