- Long-standing global property group, Grosvenor Britain & Ireland, makes its first foray into coworking alongside Central Working
- The new site in Belgravia, London, targets startups and round-the-clock entrepreneurs with flexible workspace and on-site sleep pods
- “Collaborative environments that allow fledgling startups to mingle with global firms are the future of the workplace” – Grant Powell, Central Working
Grosvenor, one of the world’s largest privately-owned property businesses, has partnered with Central Working to launch a new ‘lifestyle’ coworking space in London.
Grosvenor Britain & Ireland owns and manages property in more than 60 cities around the world, and its partnership with flexible workspace brand, Central Working, marks a new direction for the long-standing property group.
The new 28,000 sq ft site at Ecclestons Yard in London is already up and running with several businesses in situ. The space can accommodate 500 people and features a mix of workspace, lifestyle elements and a 70-seat auditorium for events.
The site marks Grosvenor’s first foray into the coworking market, which it bills “London’s first new destination hub to be anchored by a shared workspace provider”.
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Designed in partnership with Kinnersley Kent Design and managed by Central Working, the coworking space provides an “all-inclusive hospitality-first approach” targeting startups and entrepreneurs who “don’t conform to the nine-to-five” mentality, complete with the provision of sleep pods.
“Creating more active, integrated neighbourhoods is a key part of Grosvenor’s reinvigorated retail and commercial strategy,” said Charles Howard, Head of Commercial Leasing at Grosvenor Britain & Ireland.
“While anchor tenants are traditionally retail brands, we believe that designing a development around a shared workspace will help create a vibrant mix of young and established businesses.”
Central Working, which launched in 2011, operates 8 flexible workspace locations across the UK and accommodates 3,500 businesses.
Grant Powell, CEO of Central Working, said: “Belgravia has traditionally been the stomping ground of grand, multinational companies, so we’re very excited to provide the growing business community with a supportive foothold in the area.
“More than half a million new companies are launched in the UK each year, and this community presents a huge opportunity for commercial property developers. Collaborative environments that allow fledgling startups to mingle with global firms are the future of the workplace.”
Grosvenor Britain & Ireland creates and manages sustainable mixed-use urban neighbourhoods, and currently has £5.1bn of assets under management. Ecclestons Yard is one such development, and Central Working is now the exclusive commercial tenant in the 80,000 sq ft estate, which also hosts 19 units for food, fashion, retail and wellbeing.
