Workspace plays down ‘death of the office’ concerns, and says businesses still seeking space

Landlord Workspace has played down reports about the death of the office, as it said there is still demand from businesses about taking space despite the pandemic.

 Graham Clemett, chief executive of Workspace which has 60 office sites in London, said: “Despite near-term uncertainty, we are seeing signs that customers are starting to look through the pandemic.”

 The boss said his firm has not been immune to the impacts from government guidance to work from home, and Workspace has seen tenants that are struggling exit leases.  

A number of bosses have put new office plans on hold during the virus crisis, while there are market concerns some firms could look to embrace remote working on a permanent basis.

Clemett told the Standard: “The death of the office is probably being significantly overstated, but people are more selective about what they want.”