Close to the popular ‘Silicon Roundabout’ Shoreditch has been an up and coming area of east London for the past few years. Now better known as ‘Tech City’, Shoreditch is continuing to see its popularity rise as a place to not only work but also live.
So what makes Shoreditch a great place to open your office?
There are a wealth of reasons why you should consider establishing an office in Shoreditch but here are our top 4.
1. An Amazing Pool Of New and Existing Talent
Shoreditch is surrounded by a wealth of higher education facilities and universities providing an endless stream of new, highly talented and driven professionals just waiting for a company to take them on, or to share their skills with. Typically Shoreditch has been thought of as a technical hub and is known to be bursting with coders and developers. However, it also has one of the most thriving creative communities within London. Universities that call Shoreditch and the surrounding area home include:
- City University London, with its Sir John Cass Business School, ranked in the top 1% by the Financial Times.
- London Metropolitan University, with its wealth of highly skilled international students and programmes
- University of the Arts London, EU’s largest specialist art and design university; known for its fashion, art, performing and communication programmes
And finally:
- Chicago Booth University which is known for its focus on business, economics, marketing and finance.
As a result, regardless of which industry your company is in, Shoreditch can offer a stream of newly qualified, keen and driven professionals who want to get into your industry.
Among these highly qualified, ambitious and self-motivated graduates, some may choose to take a more entrepreneurial approach; setting themself up as a contractor or small business.
Consequently, Shoreditch is bursting with young, small business owners keen to make their mark on the world; many of whom would welcome working with a larger or more experienced organisation. This form of collaboration or coworking benefits all those involved.
2. Cheaper Commercial Properties: A Coworker’s Dream
One of the key advantages in choosing to establish an office in Shoreditch is its cheaper commercial properties, in comparison to other popular areas in London. For example, many would love to work in London's central boroughs such as Westminster but find themselves simply priced out of the market.
The accessibility of more affordable rents (compared to other areas of London) in Shoreditch is down to the type of buildings in the area and how they have been utilised. In the case of Shoreditch, this is warehouses; a type of building which has proven to be easily converted. This has allowed companies to easily create not only fantastic living accommodation but also ideal office spaces, particularly for technical and creative based organisations. These open office spaces have always been loved within the creative and arts community; offering high ceilings, large windows and plenty of natural light and space. However, with the increasing popularity in office sharing and coworking these open spaces can become massive melting pots of talent, all working together although not necessarily for each other.
The flexibility and cost-effectiveness of commercial office spaces in the Shoreditch area are well suited to new-gen upstarts. This is done by encouraging small companies into the area, fostering relationships between budding entrepreneurs and encouraging networking between all sizes and specialism of business. This atmosphere has proven to be mutually beneficial for all sizes of business involved, bringing new skills and the opportunity of new work.
3. Cut The Commute
One reason that Shoreditch has sprung up in popularity is down to the simple fact that it is a great area in which to work and live; as well as being affordable!
Shoreditch is ideally situated for public transport and is accessible by both underground and overground train networks, including the DLR route, offering trains every few minutes. With the addition of the new Crossrail, the Elizabeth Line (due to open in 2021), commuters can get to and from Canary Wharf (also known as London’s financial district) in as little as 4 minutes and the West End in 12 Minutes. As a result, having an office based in Shoreditch facilitates easy commuting for staff and access to a range of potential and existing client offices.
With that said, Shoreditch has become one of ‘the’ places to live. With stunning living accommodation and a wealth of galleries, pubs, bars and restaurants it ticks many young professionals’ boxes. This has also meant that many have moved into Shoreditch not only for work but also the lifestyle, allowing them to limit their need to commute.
Something that does differentiate Shoreditch from many other London boroughs is that it is also a low emission neighbourhood. This means that only ultra-low emission vehicles and local permit vehicles are allowed (including only ‘green’ taxis).
This is an incentive to both those looking to live or work within the area. As a low emission neighbourhood, Shoreditch boasts light traffic density levels and lower pollution levels than many areas of London; something which is attractive to anyone looking to live there. Similarly, this same approach has been embraced by companies looking to lower or offset their carbon emission footprint through more sustainable offices and encouraging all staff to commute via public transport.
For those that like to build some exercise into their daily routine, the Cycle Super Highway connects Shoreditch to Tottenham. This cycle route offers an appealing, environmentally friendly alternative to using buses or trains. Commuting by bike is supported throughout the area and by local offices, offering secure cycle parking or bike storage facilities with minimal fees. For example, a secure bike hanger with Hackney council starts from as little as £30 a year.
4. The Community
There is a strong sense of community within Shoreditch and the surrounding borough of Hackney both socially and in business. On a social aspect, there is a wide range of community events based in the surrounding green area and parks. These include an open-air, outdoor cinema and events based on the river, which is a short 15 minutes walk away. These events are also typically supported by local businesses and are commonly used to network socially and within the business community.
As previously stated the pure nature of the area fosters and encourages innovators, creatives and ‘techies’. As a result, industry super weights, such as Amazon EU, have moved their headquarters into the Shoreditch area. This creative and tech influence has also influenced the nightlife in the area, becoming the home to London's first dedicated video game and e-sports bar. This demonstrates the open nature that Shoreditch and the surrounding area tries to create and maintain.
In Summary
Shoreditch and the surrounding area boast more affordable accommodation and commercial spaces than many other areas in London, while actively encouraging a strong sense of community throughout. The most common type of building (for accommodation and commercial) in the area is converted warehouses which are fantastic for office sharing and coworking as well as for creative businesses offering high ceilings, open plan spaces and plenty of natural light. In addition, the range of amazing restaurants and bars nearby means that lunches, that sneaky afternoon coffee and a snack or relaxed spaces for client meetings are abundant. So, YUM!
In a nutshell, whether you are looking to start up a business, expand into a new area, work with like-minded companies or simply want a buzzing, vibrant co-working space; Shoreditch is for you!
