Jana Gibalova

The future of the office has never been more uncertain. After two years of hybrid working arrangements and often limited office usage, there remains no clear consensus on whether offices will continue to be the focal point of company culture, or whether virtual working will be a mainstay.

Edinburgh is a thriving and vibrant city situated in Lothian, a region of the Scottish Lowlands, on the southern shore of the Firth of Forth. The city is one of the most visited cities in Europe, known around the world for its cobbled medieval streets, beautiful architecture, exciting festivals, rich history, and friendly and welcoming people.

Almost every sector was heavily impacted by Covid-19 in 2021, and commercial real estate was no different. With home working prescribed by the Government at the beginning of the year, office space felt temporarily redundant for many. While some enjoyed having home comforts, others missed having a central place for people to come together as a team.

Vibrant, edgy, and brimming with Celtic charm, is Glasgow, Scotland’s biggest and friendliest city. Affectionately known as Scotland’s ‘dear green place’, Glasgow is Scotland’s beating heart. This is the city where grit and glamour, history and culture, industry and architecture come together to surprise and delight both visitors and residents alike.

With supply chains facing disruption and logistics firms looking for the right storage and distribution solutions in the UK, the industrial sector is at a moment of transformation. At CoStar’s recent webinar exploring the future of the UK industrial sector, the panel of experts discussed some of the biggest issues it will face in 2022.

Thanks to Leeds's fantastic career opportunities, thriving economy, good transport links, vibrant city centre and gorgeous surrounding countryside, the city has developed an enviable reputation as a great place to work, live, study or run a business.

After many years of decline, the city of Sheffield is undergoing a strong revival, moving on from its industrial past and diversifying its economy to focus on a variety of key sectors including advanced manufacturing and materials, business and professional services, creative and digital industries, healthcare, logistics, property and construction, retail, and sports, leisure and tourism.

The conversation about sustainability has never been louder, and it’s something we’re looking to amplify at Realla. Following CoStar’s recent webinar on the importance of ESG and the COP26 summit, here are nine of the most prominent ways that sustainability concerns are shaping trends within the real estate sector.

With Reading being so close to London, it’s a popular place for people to live and work. It’s also an attractive alternative to London for many young professionals, especially as it was recently found to be the seventh best place in the country to find employment. In addition, the town has been named one of the best 'cities' to live and work in the UK and was placed second in the UK for growth.

As well as the city’s great employment opportunities, residents are also attracted to Bristol because of the relaxed lifestyle it offers, the buzz of a vibrant and multicultural city alongside the allure of the beach and the countryside on its doorstep. The region is also one of the most desirable places to live in the UK, with 80 people per week re-locating to Bristol and Bath according to the Office of National Statistics.

While Aberdeen is famous for being the hub for Britain’s oil and gas sector, the city is now redefining itself as a haven for technology companies and continues to build a reputation as a great city to do business. From start-ups and SMEs to international corporations, Aberdeen offers an environment where businesses of all sizes can truly thrive and prosper.

The largest city in Hampshire, Southampton is situated 75 miles southwest of London and is one of the UK’s major ports. Today, Southampton is known as the “cruise capital of Europe”– and for being a city with ambition and alive with opportunity.

Although the retail sector has taken a knock during the pandemic, there will – of course – be winners and losers. Many local shops and producers have enjoyed an uplift in sales, as have businesses selling at-home activities, sports equipment, loungewear, technology and even cookware.

Situated on the edge of the South Downs National Park and hugging the coastline of East Sussex is Brighton and Hove. An energetic, cosmopolitan, modern city buzzing with cultural diversity, economic growth and creativity.

Nearly half of working adults in the UK spent at least some of their time working from home between 6th and 17th October 2021. Though the Covid-19 pandemic continues to change people’s attitudes towards office space, it remains in demand. What exactly are businesses looking for when they begin their hunt for office space now? Let’s find out.

Home to more Nobel Prize winners than any other city, today Cambridge is brimming with learning, culture and innovation. As a result, the city has developed an enviable reputation as a hub for technology, software development, electronics, and biotechnology. In fact, the Cambridge-based Silicon Fen is regarded as the UK’s answer to Silicon Valley, due to its large concentration of high-tech businesses.

Birmingham is the business hub of the West Midlands and one of the most important cities in the UK. Home to just under three million people, it’s bursting with some of the country’s best talent and exciting businesses operating in a huge range of sectors.

As a former European City of Culture, there is a lot going on in Liverpool. From its famous music scene to its beating nightlife and friendly, welcoming culture, Liverpool is an exciting place for any business – start-up or well established. You’ll have excellent networking opportunities with other major names based in the area, along with a big talent pool.

Central London is one of the most prestigious business areas in the world. Whether you work in media, financial services, technology or law, you’ll become part of a networking hub if you base yourself here. Being in the heart of the action also means you have fantastic transport links on your doorstep, world-class bars for team outings and the pick of top UK and, indeed, global talent.

A true hive of activity, Manchester is a bustling, yet charismatic hub of cultural variety. Steeped in history, it has played a huge role in the evolution of the UK, making it the powerhouse that it is today. Business truly flourishes here, and there's no shortage of exciting leisure activities, which demonstrate the city’s well-deserved, fun reputation.

The success or failure of a restaurant can often lie with the decisions you make long before the ribbons are cut on opening day. Customer satisfaction is not only shaped by what you’re serving, but where you’re serving it.

As we’re all well aware of by now, the office has been irrevocably changed by Covid-19. Now the pipe dream of remote work has become a reality for many workers, and office spaces are being used in entirely new ways. Gone are the days of coming to work with a cold and having to show that you were completely incapacitated to stay at home with your laptop.

Step away from the madness of central London and you’ll find a more leisurely pace of life in North West London. You’ll be surrounded by green space, from Hampstead Heath to Horsenden Hill, but it’s still within easy reach of key business districts. If you’re looking to be close to the commercial heart of many industries, without the tourists and premium rent costs, this could the ideal location for your business.

The leafy and lively area of South West London has a little bit of something for everyone. Nature lovers will feel at home taking a stroll around the many green spaces like Wimbledon Common, Richmond Park, Strawberry Hill and Kew Gardens. There are plenty of ponds to picnic by too, in places like Battersea Park, Clapham Common and Wimbledon Park.