KWB acquires serviced offices in Birmingham for United Business Centres

United Business Centres, whose head office is based at Birmingham Airport, has opened four new serviced office centres so far this year, making a total of 17 business centres, and currently manages over 2,000 workstations nationally.

Following a comprehensive refurbishment and office fit out, 65 Church Street will provide new serviced offices in Birmingham city centre in a unique period property located in the heart of Birmingham’s financial and commercial district, with high quality office space and meeting rooms arranged over lower ground, ground floor and four upper floors.

Church Street in Birmingham has recently benefited from the creation of Church Street Square, a major pedestrian improvement plan widening pathways and installing seats and plants. This has formed part of Colmore BID’s community improvement plans in which it has invested more than £3 million on projects to enhance this Birmingham city centre district. Serviced office occupiers in 65 Church Street will continue to benefit from further projects to improve the area’s safety, environment, connectivity, community and brand.

Following the success of UBC Birmingham Hall Green – see ‘KWB acquires 47,000 sq ft of offices in Birmingham’, which opened last month, Tom Mulvaney, Managing Director of UBC, has welcomed the addition of this new serviced office centre: “The recent increase in enquiries for serviced offices in Birmingham city centre, together with the improvement in workstation rates and lack of top end serviced office space in Birmingham were the deciding factors for proceeding with this new serviced office centre.”

Furthermore, recent studies have shown that demand for flexible office space in Birmingham city centre has continued to grow over the last 12 months. Research has indicated a 40% increase in the number of businesses securing serviced offices in Birmingham in the first half of this year compared with the same period in 2012.

Serviced offices provide a flexible option to companies reluctant to commit to long term leases

In today’s economic climate, serviced offices provide a low risk option with known budgeting costs for businesses acquiring office space in Birmingham without the commitment to long term conventional office leases.

Serviced offices provide office occupiers with flexible, all-inclusive office space on a monthly licence. They appeal not only to the smaller growing businesses that require the ultimate in flexibility, but also to larger corporates including offshoot projects and regional offices. This low risk solution allows occupiers to benefit from fixed costs and a ready-made office infrastructure, with the option of professional administration and support services.

Normally calculated on a workstation basis, serviced offices also provide the flexibility to grow a business without the cost and upheaval of moving premises.

Serviced offices provide landlords with new revenue streams

Generating an income of approximately £230 per workstation per month and with companies signing for an average 9 month term, a serviced office solution can offer landlords and developers with new revenue streams and address the issue of vacant office space.

As one of the fastest growing areas of the office property arena, a serviced office solution is also likely to be of interest to companies who are seeking to offload office space due to downsizing or consolidation.

For further advice on serviced office solutions, please contact John Bryce on 0121 212 5988 or email jbryce@kwboffice.com.