Your guide to commercial property | Area guides

Notting Hill isn’t just a Hugh Grant romantic comedy – it’s also one of London’s most vibrant areas. It’s located in transport zone 2 and is part of the London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Its streets are brightly coloured and multi-cultural, making it the perfect place to host UK’s largest carnival, Notting Hill Carnival.

You’ll find Nine Elms in south east London, between Battersea and Vauxhall. It is across the river from Pimlico and Chelsea. At a time, Nine Elms was a prominent leisure destination thanks to Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, before becoming an industrial hub. The area is now entering a new phase as a social and business hotspot.

Mayfair is an upmarket area of London, located in transport zone one. It’s long been one of the most exclusive places to live and work in London, thanks to its central location and the large, historic buildings that line its streets.

Maida Vale is an upmarket area of London in transport zone two that’s part of the City of Westminster. It’s just north of Paddington, above Westway Road and is home to plenty of green space, as well as a scenic stretch of Regent’s Canal. Many of the buildings in Maida Vale are from the late Victorian and Edwardian period, giving the area plenty of charming character.

Marylebone is sandwiched between Mayfair and Regent’s Park. It’s a beautiful part of London, with grand Victorian and Georgian properties, leafy squares and easy access to the picturesque Regent’s Park. Businesses based in the area enjoy the best of both worlds – a well-connected central location and a calm atmosphere. 

Knightsbridge is an affluent area of London in zone one. It borders Hyde Park to the north, Belgravia to the east and Kensington to the west. High-end designer shops, five star hotels and some of London’s finest eateries line its leafy avenues, including the world famous Harrods.

Sunderland is a city in the North West, set on the banks of the River Wear between the cities of Durham and Newcastle-upon-Tyne. It’s one of the north’s most exciting cities and is home to a university, which sits close to the busy docks. If you’re looking to base your business in Sunderland, here’s everything you need to know about working and living in the thriving port city.

There’s more to King’s Cross than the major rail station. It’s home to art galleries, theatres, the British Library, lots of businesses and the charming Regent’s Canal. Just north of Clerkenwell and east of Camden Town, it’s an artsy, creative place. Yet it still attracts businesses from a range of sectors thanks to its enviable transport links.

The city of Leicester in the East Midlands is an exciting place to base your business, as it’s one of the most central places in the country. Its excellent transport links also make it easy to travel further afield for business and pleasure. Here’s our guide to living and working in the city of Leicester – where you can find out about everything from rail stations to restaurants.

Kentish Town is a vibrant area of London, located in transport zone two in the borough of Camden. Kentish Town started life as a small settlement along the banks of the River Fleet, but it’s grown into a thriving residential and commercial area in central London.

Kensington is an affluent area of London, west of Hyde Park and the political hub of Westminster. Together with the equally upmarket streets of Chelsea, it makes up the central Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It’s located in transport zone one and is just a 25-minute tube journey from the City of London.

Islington today is regarded as a relaxed, enjoyable place, as it has been for centuries. In the 17th and 18th centuries, it offered an escape from the city and became home to ale houses, theatres and several tea gardens. It still has an exuberant scene, with many theatres, comedy houses, cinemas and quirky bars thriving in the area.

Isleworth is a small, charming town in the London Borough of Hounslow in West London. The riverside settlement known as ‘Old Isleworth’ is where you can find plenty of pubs and restaurants with the picturesque backdrop of the Thames. Many locals enjoy walking around Syon Park and Hounslow Heath – the local nature reserve, where the hustle and bustle of the city melts away.

Northern Ireland’s capital sits on the banks of the River Lagan and the port city has emerged as a thriving commercial location despite its chequered past. Now, the city is where you’ll find many of the UK’s most important aerospace businesses, as well as lots of companies involved in the missiles industry.

Lively Hoxton is East London at its prime. The area neighbours Shoreditch and is home to some of the capital’s trendiest bars, restaurants and cafes, making it popular among residents and businesses alike. It is a distinctly creative zone, with many start-up tech and design businesses cropping up.

Coventry is a city in the Midlands, around 30 kilometres east of Birmingham. It’s a vibrant place to live and work for many and has a long history as a notable area, dating all the way back to the Roman years. Sitting at the geographical centre of the country, Coventry is within roughly 2 hours’ drive of lots of places, including London, Manchester, Sheffield, Bristol and Cambridge, making it the ideal central spot for businesses with a wide-spread clientele.

Holloway is a popular place for many in the world of media, arts and literature, thanks to its close proximity to central London and the prominent businesses in this field that are based nearby. It’s also known as a hotspot for London’s street artists, whose works give the area an edgier, urban feel than neighbouring districts.

Hounslow is a large town and borough in Greater London. It’s to the west of the city, bordered by Ealing, Richmond-upon-Thames, Hammersmith and Fulham and Hillingdon. Chiswick is part of Hounslow, which is a particularly popular and affluent area.

Holloway, in general, is popular with people who work in arts, media and literature, as it’s close to central London (where many notable businesses in these industries are based). Both areas of Holloway also boast a more urban, creative feel than surrounding neighbourhoods, typified by the area’s popularity with local street artists.

South Lanarkshire is one of Scotland’s 32 unitary authorities. It stretches from the south of Glasgow down to Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders. A number of Glasgow’s suburbs are in the authority, along with charming towns and villages in rural areas. The unitary authority is headquartered in Hamilton, which is a historic town in the north of the area.

Holland Park is an exciting place to base your business, as it’s just half an hour from central London by tube and you’ll be close to many of London’s wealthiest neighbourhoods. Our guide to Holland Park includes everything you need to know about living and working there.

Holborn is an affluent area in North London. Many see it as part of the West End. Neighbouring the hub of arts, Covent Garden, as well as the business centres of Kings Cross and Farringdon, it enjoys the best of both worlds – culture and commerce. It is understandably why lots of people have tried to rebrand the area as ‘Midtown’. Expect grand buildings and plenty of businesses in this central area of London.

East Riding (or East Riding of Yorkshire) is an area of northern England which runs from the coast inland to towns like Goole, Stamford Bridge and Snaith. It’s one of the three county subdivisions of Yorkshire (together with the West Riding and North Riding) that make up the county as a whole.

Highbury is a district in North London, sandwiched between Holloway, Islington and Stoke Newington. Explore the best of Highbury, including some of the most popular commercial properties on the market and where to go for a bite to eat when your business is based in the area.

Highgate is one of London’s prettiest and most affluent areas. It’s located in transport zone three in the London borough of Haringey, though some parts of the area spread out into Camden to the south west and Islington to the south east. Highgate sits at the top of North Hill and most properties in the area have excellent views across North and central London.