Time for the next instalment of Search Office Space’s ‘Things to do in London’! Our expert knowledge of London locations means that we have the inside info on some of the top attractions, gigs and exhibitions taking place between April 21st-28th 2012.

Saturday 21st April
Catch the second and last day of the ‘Vogue Festival 2012’, held at the Royal Geographical Society in South Kensington, SW7. This unique event celebrates 120 of the iconic fashion magazine with catwalks and seminars from some of the world’s most famous designers.

Sunday 22nd April
If you’re a fan of Bugsy Malone make sure to check out ‘Fat Sam’s Grand Slam’ held at The Troxy on Commercial Road, London E1. This Future Cinema extravaganza pays homage to the all singing, all dancing film, encouraging fans to dress up as flappers and gangsters and take part in a huge food fight!

Monday 23rd April
If you’re bored of pretentious modern art, why not take a trip to the Hayward Gallery, in London SE1, and visit David Shrigley’s Brain Activity exhibition. It certainly doesn’t take itself too seriously, which is a breath of fresh air in terms of modern art.

Tuesday 24th April
Tuesday is your chance to see the big Hollywood star, Cate Blanchett, on a small stage! Ms Blanchette appears in the theatre production Gross und Klein (Big and Small) at the Barbican Centre, EC2. The post-modern plot follows a woman’s romantic and ideological adventures through life – a must see!

Wednesday 25th April
If you’re looking for all round family entertainment, head to the O2 Centre, London SE10 to see In the Night Garden (Live) on it’s first night – Back by popular demand! This musical theatre extravaganza is both enchanting and breathtaking for parents and children.

Thursday 26th April
As we all know, Thursday is the new Friday, so why not make a night of it at Comedy Club, Jongleurs, in Kingston upon Thames. The venue serves up food and drink, not to mention a whole host of up and coming and well known stand-up comics.

Friday 27th April
For an evening of culture and wonder, experience Monteverdi Vespers and St Paul’s Church, Covent Garden. Monteverdi Vespers are one of London’s most regarded choirs, and this performance is all in aid of charity.

Saturday 28th April
Lastly, If you can’t get enough caffeine in your diet, head to The London Coffee Festival in Brick Lane, E1 on Saturday to celebrate London’s hot beverage culture!

Keep an eye on our ‘What’s on in London’ guide to find out about next month’s up and coming events in 2012 that may interest you.

Centuries ago, Shoreditch (EC2) and the surrounding areas of Hackney and Spitalfields were notorious for their poverty stricken streets and slums, one in particular being the Old Nichol slum.

Old Nichol was a dense network of 30 streets, which included Boundary Street, Church Street, Half Nichol Street and areas of Bethanl Green. Home to around 5,700 people, Old Nichol had a notorious and often ‘evil’ reputation due to the poor conditions and somewhat ‘un-savoury’ inhabitants.

In 1890, the London County Council called for the demolition
of Old Nichol, and the construction of London’s first social housing project. The block of flats that were erected around the area of Arnold Circus are still standing today, distinctive in terms of their location and design. Today, these buildings have become Grade II listed, and remain part of the 21st century regeneration of the Shoreditch we see transforming
in front of our eyes.

Thinking back to Old Nichol and the Boundary Street of the 16th century, its hard to imagine that property around these locations is now priced between £400,000 and £3,000,000. However, over the last decade or so, Shoreditch and the surrounding areas of Old Street and Hoxton, have undergone large scale regeneration and seen an influx of upmarket restaurants, shops and an underground nightlife scene which attracts visitors from opposite ends of the Capital.

Shoreditch has become one of London’s most fashionable and sough after residential locations, especially for young professionals and City workers – thanks to the excellent transport links – and it doesn’t stop there. East London is now the place to be for technology companies. Dubbed the ‘Tech City’ and home to the Silicon Roundabout (London’s version of the Silicon Valley in San Francisco), Shoreditch and Old Street continue to lure technology, IT and creative businesses, due to their stylish and open plan forms of office space.

Property developers are itching to get their hands on East London. This week, Londonewcastle resubmitted plans to Tower Hamlets Council for a 25-storey mixed use development, including ground-floor commercial office space and over 100 apartments on the Huntingdon Estate in Weavers Ward.

Further evidence of EC2’s popularity comes from the increasing number of IT and technology companies calling the Shoreditch Triangle home. This area is well known for it’s Victorian and Edwardian properties which have been turned into ideal office space solutions, with high ceilings and cheap rental rates when compared to office space in the City of London.

Internet giants, Google, have also taken to Shoreditch and the Silicon Roundabout, opening 25,000sqft of office space near Old Street later this year. Companies including Cisco, Intel and Facebook have also opted to rent office space in Shoreditch.

Future developments are also set to have a positive effect on Shoreditch. For example, with the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games on the horizon, East London is set to become even more popular with international investment and property buyers hoping to get a slice of London’s Tech City. Also, 2018 should see the arrival of Crossrail which will provide even better transport links to the City of London, thus increasing the desirability of East London.

If you’re thinking about renting office space anywhere in East London, contact Search Office Space today on 0800 524 4649 to discuss your requirements.

Search Office Space is an expert on serviced office space – but our expertise do not stop there. With thousands of office space locations in London, we also have some inside knowledge on the best events and attractions in the Capital. So, if you’re stuck for something to do between March 23rd-29th, take a look at our weekly round up of things to do in London!

Friday 23rd March
London’s ‘Theatreland’ is a great place to visit for some entertainment, education and culture. With so many shows, it’s hard to pick just one, but this Friday, Search Office Space recommends a new edition to the Duke of York’s Theatre on St Martin’s Lane, WC2N. All New People stars the hilarious Zach Braff (of Scrubs fame) in this angst-fuelled US comedy smash hit.

Saturday 24th March
The final night of Live Music at The Roof Gardens in Kensington, W8. This event has been running for one month, but this Saturday is the last chance for you to see some of the UK’s hottest up and coming artists from the folk, hip hop, indie, jazz and pop scene.

Sunday 25th March
If you fancy a laid back, leisurely Sunday, why not take a stroll around The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games Medals Display at The British Museum, Great Russell Street, WC1. It’s the only place where you can see this years victory medals on public display. 

Monday 26th March
Get rid of those Monday blues with some stand up comedy at the Soho Comedy Club, St Martin’s Court, WC2. Monday is New Material Night, where you can see unknown comics and comedy legends try out their new material.

Tuesday 27th March
If you’re in need of a new, designer party dress, head to the Home House Members Club on Portman Square, W1 for the BuyMyFrock event. Tickets can be purchased on the door or £7, but to avoid disappointment, buy your tickets in advance.

Wednesday 28th March
For a family day out, why not try March Madness at the Pottery Cafe on Northcote Road, SW11. With Easter coming up, its the perfect time to make some hand made gifts such as personalised egg cups and pottery for your home.

Thursday 29th March
We all know that Thursday’s are the new Friday’s – so with this in mind, Tweetbox at The Book Club on Leonard Street, EC2A, offers a new breed of social media inspired club nights. You become the DJ and tweet your song choices to the Book Club’s twitter page. Definitely worth checking out for those of you who like to tweet and consider yourself to be somewhat of a DJ!

In this new feature, Search Office Space will bring our weekly ‘What’s On This Week’ round up of things to do in some of the UK’s major cities – so if you’re stuck out and about, we are on hand to help!

Last year, Yorkshire was hit hard by economic slowdown and public sector cuts. However, 2011 provides some interesting statistics that suggest Leeds is making a comeback within the serviced office sector.

Throughout 2010, Yorkshire battled against a visible problem of oversupply, with office space developments including No 1 Leeds and The Mint, hugely under occupied. 2011 however, has seen some big deals in the serviced office industry, with Asda now renting 40,000sqft of office space at The Mint at a rate of £21 per square foot.

In addition to this, i2 Offices are now occupying 15,000sqft at No 1 Leeds, and UBS have taken 1,000sqft of office space at 1 City Square, which has the highest rental rate of 2011, at £25 per square foot.

In the third quarter of 2011, business centres in Leeds city centre were leasing 115,970sqft of office space to tenants, which is up from 69,140sqft during the same period in 2010. This means that Leeds is now on course to reach 400,000sqft of occupied space by the end of this year.

However, it may not be plain sailing just yet, as the regional development agency, Yorkshire Forward, is being scrapped in 2012, meaning 20,00sqft of office space will be vacant at their Victoria House headquarters. 

Another set back to contend with may be the abolishment of the Government Office for Yorkshire and Humber, which will be vacating their 60,000sqft Lateral Building headquarters next year – although the government intends to backfill this centre immediately.

Even with these obstacles, and the slow development of business centres such as City Square House, Lumiere and Wellington Place, predictions indicate that new occupiers will be on the lookout for office space in early 2012.

Leeds is also the largest centre for financial and business services outside of London, with 116,500 people working within these sectors. This means Leeds is an excellent location for businesses to rent office space.

To find out more about office space in the City of Leeds, talk to Search Office Space now on 0800740 80 80 to discuss your requirements.

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Liverpool is a large city in the metropolitan borough of Merseyside, which lies to the West of England. The name Liverpool stems from its humble beginnings in 1190 as a tidal pool next to the Mersey. Historians believe that locals would have called this small pool the ‘Liuerpul’, meaning muddy pool.

The origins of city names are often lost in translation or to the depths of history. However, areas in Liverpool can be dated back to their first days of discovery, as historians have official documents from the Domesday Book, or knowledge concerning why certain places are called what they are today.

Records of Birkenhead, for example, date back to 1150, when the Mersey Ferry began operating from this location – in modern day Wirral. The name Birkenhead is believed to of come from the Old English word, Bircen, meaning birch tree – of which there were many in the area.

Areas such as Garston and Speke, which are known for their agricultural land as well as their shipping ports, are thought to derive from Old English words. Garston was called ‘Gaerstun’ meaning ‘grazing settlement’, and Speke (pronounced Speak), was once known as ‘Spec’ meaning ‘brushwood’.

Some areas of Liverpool, such as St Helens, did not exist as towns until the 19^th century, due to complexities surrounding the Industrial Revolution. However, the name St Helens, dates back to 1552, and is thought to stem from the St Elyns Chapel. Furthermore, Haydock, a village within St Helens is believed to come from Celtic origins – ‘Heidd’ and ‘Heidiog’ meaning ‘barley/wheat’. The village is also colloquially known as ‘Yick’ and its inhabitants as ‘Yickers’.

Being a major port, the inhabitants of Liverpool are hugely diverse, with the oldest African and Chinese community in Europe. During the 20^th century and after World War II, many of these immigrants settled in the inner city area of Toxteth. Natives of Liverpool are known as Liverpudlians, or colloquially referred to as ‘Scousers’, which references a traditional stew dish, known as ‘scouse’.

Liverpool was once again put on the map during the 20^th century, not for its trade or manufacturing industry, but for its music scene – known as ‘Merseybeat’. The 1960’s saw iconic bands including The Beatles, Gerry & the Pacemakers, and The Searchers. This scene was then respectively known as ‘Brumbeat’ in Birmingham and the ‘Tottenham Sound’ in London.

In recent history, Liverpool’s city centre underwent a massive property development, originally known as The Paradise Project, but today as Liverpool ONE. This £920million project helped to transform 42 acres of the city centre into a commercial, residential, leisure and retail hub. New skyscrapers were also erected in the city centre, with West Tower becoming Liverpool’s tallest building at 140m. During this time, Liverpool was named the European Capital of Culture for 2008, along with Stavanger in Norway.

Singapore’s office property market appeared to have averted an overheating situation, with office rents in the second quarter this year maintaining at single-digit growth.

According to the latest quarterly office property market research report by Colliers International, this comes amid the continued easing of occupancy rate.

Average monthly gross rents of Grade A office space in Singapore recorded the third consecutive quarter of moderation in quarter-on-quarter growth at six per cent.

In particular, average monthly gross rents of Grade A office space in the Raffles Place and New Downtown micro-market grew by seven per cent to reach S$10.40 per square foot per month.

This is slightly less than the eight per cent gain recorded in the first quarter this year.

Colliers said the current office market is experiencing a rising supply of space stemmed from the gradual completion of new office developments.

In addition, the widening gap in rental expectations, as a result of landlords continuing to raise asking rents to leverage the up-cycle in the office property market, has started to meet with some resistance from tenants.

This trend has in turn contributed to a moderation in the leasing exuberance.

Looking forward, Colliers said the office sector would continue to be supported by drivers such as the banking and professional services sectors, where corporate hirings are likely to remain on the growth trajectory, due to Singapore’s established infrastructure and strategic location near emerging markets.

Source:channelnewsasia

Find Office Space to rent in Singapore

The high-tech firm, a longtime fixture in the Telecom Corridor, has rented 260,000 square feet of the former Nortel Networks Corp. campus on U.S. Highway 75 north of Campbell Road.

Ericsson leased the prime office space from real estate firm Pillar Commercial, which just bought the buildings.

“When we purchased this campus, we believed it truly was one of the premier commercial properties in the region, and this commitment from Ericsson is a testament to that belief,” Pillar CEO Manny Ybarra said Monday in a written statement.

Pillar Commercial began working on the Ericsson deal after it had the buildings under contract to purchase, a Pillar spokesman said.

Ericsson already occupies 200,000 square feet in the complex at 2201-2221 Lakeside Blvd.

The company has 1,100 employees in the old Nortel buildings.

“In the past two years, Ericsson has grown from some 2,000 employees to more than 4,000 in the Dallas area,” said Rob Elston, director of external communications for Ericsson North America . “The new space will accommodate roughly 1,400 personnel and is in addition to our North American headquarters in Plano.”

Ericsson’s U.S. operations are owned by the Swedish parent company, which has been in business since the 1800s.

Mike Wyatt and Ken Johnston of Cushman & Wakefield Inc. negotiated the lease for Ericsson with Pillar Commercial.

“This facility, because of Nortel’s prior capital investment in the project, had some of the most robust power and telecommunications infrastructure of any property in the area,” Wyatt said.

Wyatt said he couldn’t provide any further details on the transaction.

John Jacobs, senior vice president of economic development with the Richardson Chamber of Commerce, said Ericsson has had operations in the city since the mid-1980s.

“They seem to be one of the most healthy [firms] and a major survivor in the telecommunications equipment business,” Jacobs said.

The just-signed office lease is one of the largest in North Texas in 2011.

“We look at vacant office space as inventory we can sell,” Jacobs said. “Hopefully, this deal will get the momentum going” in the Telecom Corridor.

Pillar Commercial bought Nortel’s old U.S. headquarters complex out of bankruptcy for more than $43 million.

The 800,000-square-foot office complex has the largest block of vacant space in the Telecom Corridor.

The 16-story office tower and adjoining research and laboratory buildings have been up for sale since early this year.

Along with Ericsson, Avaya Inc. also rents space in the buildings, which were constructed in 1991 and at one time housed thousands of Nortel workers. Nortel filed for bankruptcy in 2009 and has been liquidating assets.

Pillar Commercial has been in business since 2004 and specializes in purchasing and repositioning underperforming commercial properties.

Staff writer Victor Godinez contributed to this report.

Source:dallasnews

Find Office Space in Richardson, Dallas

Innovative infrastructure is combined with sustainable development in a creative and peaceful atmosphere.

The Hawk Creative Business Park in historic York, North Yorkshire provides eco-friendly and sustainable office space for those seeking an environment that stimulates creative and productive thinking.

Business Centre

The centre consists of 15 business units/ office spaces ranging in size from 400 sq ft to 130, 000 sq ft with flexible rental packages available. There is also an on-site gym, lecture theatre, easy access for disabled persons and car parking for both employees and visitors. Virtual offices can also be rented here for those wishing to reduce costs.

Sustainability

• Central Heating- powered by locally grown wood from the sustainable short rotation coppice on site.
• Passive Cooling- Sustainably designed interior and exterior to prevent the need for costly air conditioning Ventilation is controlled by the latest hi-tech computer systems.
• Low Energy Lighting- Environmentally friendly light bulbs used with adjustable light levels.
• Grey Water- roof water is collected and recycled to provide water features and toilets.

Location

Hawk Creative Business Park is surrounded by beautiful countryside- lakes, wooded areas and walking trails; an ideal working location away from the noise, congestion and pollution of traditional commercial centres. York town centre is located approximately 20 minutes drive away and the beautiful North Yorkshire Moors are around 25 minutes north of the property.

Further Information

If you are interested in renting office space at the Hawk Creative Business Park or you would like more information, please call us on 0800 740 8080 or visit http://www.searchofficespace.com/uk/office-space/office-ref-10104.html

At SOS> Search Office Space, we encourage environmentally friendly and sustainable practices.

Click here to view The Rainforest Alliances’ Sustainability in the Office brochure.

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‘Thriving, rich in culture and economically diverse’

Leeds has one of the ‘best in value’ office space markets in the whole of Europe and is one of the UK’s leading business locations.

The UK’s third largest city has a diverse economy with strengths in financial services, the legal sector, manufacturing, biotech and the creative industries.

Both Leeds Metropolitan University and the University of Leeds are considered top places to study and have exceptional research facilities, which contributes towards the high amount of quality and skilled workers in the city.

In the last 10 years, £3.2 billion has been invested in commercial property in Leeds and there is a further £7.2 billion to be spent on future projects.

SOS> Search Office Space have an extensive list of serviced offices, desk spaces and virtual offices available for rent in Leeds. Click here to view.

Leeds Business Centres

Wellington Place

A new, purpose built property occupying a prominent position on Wellington Place – a new development in the heart of Leeds with a dynamic mix of offices, shops and restaurants along the River Aire. Facilities include, temperature control, state-of-the-art technology, communal break-out and kitchen areas, plus on-demand meeting rooms. Located just a five minute walk from Leeds train station, this property enjoys a prime city centre location close to a variety of art galleries, inspiring public places, piazzas and leisure facilities.

South Parade

A 1930′s art deco building on South Parade which has undergone extensive refurbishment to provide high quality office accommodation. Each floor is approximately 5000 sq. ft. in size and boasts excellent views of the City Centre including South Parade, the Central Library, Museum and Town Hall. The property has been designed to provide easy access for disabled persons and those who work here have access to state-of-the-art technologies such as videoconferencing. Virtual offices can also be rented here. Fantastically located close by to Leeds Art Gallery and only 8 minutes walk from Leeds train station.

Princes Square

A stunning triangular glass building, located in central Leeds, offers serviced offices, furnished to a high standard and available on flexible terms. Additional services provided include secure underground parking, air conditioning, 24hr access and on-demand meeting rooms as standard. The business centre at Princes Exchange is easily reached from the M1, M62 & A1, with convenient access by public transport. Leeds & Bradford Airport are approximately a 30 minute drive from the Centre.

For more information or to arrange a viewing, please contact one of our friendly and experienced consultants today to find out more: 0800 740 8080

Home to London’s thriving theatre district, twinkling lights, excited crowds and the god of requited love statue, Anteros.

A brief history

The name ‘Piccadilly’ dates back to the late 1700’s when a London Tailor named Robert Baker made his living from selling picardilis/ stiff collars. He then bought the piece of land we now call Piccadilly and built a house which was originally named Piccadilly Mansion.

Piccadilly Circus was also the site of a grand house and garden belonging to a Lady Hutton until British architect, John Nash transformed the area in the 1820’s into the thriving Piccadilly Circus we know today.

The first electric adverts appeared in Piccadilly 1910 and from the early 1920’s onwards, billboards were installed on the façade of the London Pavilion and other properties surrounding the area. Only 1 wall of illuminated ads now remains and although unnamed, it is often referred to as ‘Monico’.

Location

Piccadilly Circus is an intersection where 5 major roads meet and in the center space, lies the Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain and the Statue of Eros. The area is surrounded by beautiful architecture and theatres such as the Criterion Theatre, major retailers and world renowned museums, such as the National Portrait Gallery and the Royal Academy of Arts.

Leicester Square, Green Park, Soho and the West End are also only a short walk away. Starting from the heart of Piccadilly and walking down the A4/ Piccadilly Place leads to Green Park after about 10 minutes- a beautiful area of wooded meadows, mature trees and different species of bird.

Piccadilly Circus tube station, now connected to the London Pavilion lies at the heart of Piccadilly. Other nearby tube stations include: Green Park (Piccadilly, Victoria, Jubilee lines), Oxford Circus (Central, Bakerloo, Victoria lines), Leicester Square (Piccadilly, Northern lines) and Tottenham Court Road (Central, Northern lines).

Piccadilly Circus Business Centres

Along with the West End, SOS> Search Office Space has found that Piccadilly Circus has always been a popular spot to rent serviced office space. Click here to view our extensive list of business centres in Piccadilly- from beautiful listed buildings to properties overlooking the landscaped gardens of the Royal Academy of Arts

One of my favourites is the environmentally focussed and sustainable business centre on Broadwick Street between Piccadilly Circus and Soho. The interior has been artistically designed to create a fun and vibrant atmosphere housing state-of-the-art equipment and a fantastic range of services. The property was also one of the first carbon neutral business centres in Britain!