IWG has signed a new franchise deal with developer Ashley Group, which will see five further offices open under the company’s branding across north London in the coming years.
The company, which is the world’s biggest flexible office operator, will launch offices in Enfield, Barnet and Hertfordshire over the next four years, as part of a move to target more suburban locations.
IWG is basing this pivot on the assertion that office workers increasingly want to work from locations nearer to their home, rather than commuting to a central business district.
The deal is the latest in IWG’s plan to open between 800 and 1,200 new offices in suburbs, towns and villages across the UK by 2030, the majority through franchising.
It also marks a move into the flexible office sector by Ashley Group, which has previously focused on hotels. It joins a long list of companies looking to capitalise on the fast growth of the sector in the wake of the pandemic.
Julian Chambers, head of partnerships growth at IWG, said: “As more businesses adopt a hybrid model of working, now is the time for investors to begin exploring suburban areas that could benefit from flexible workspaces.
“We have seen an increase in enquiries across London, firmly pointing towards the growing appetite for this new way of life.”
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