The priciest place to rent a desk in the UK revealed…And it isn’t London

Leeds has been found to be the most expensive UK city to rent a desk, based on average daily rates per person, according to new findings from takepayments.

To support small businesses which may be looking to hire desk spaces, takepayments’ new research reveals average prices for desk hire in major UK cities. While many would assume London would be hardest on the purse strings, the capital actually ranks third most expensive at £26.04, behind Leeds (£26.79) and Southampton (£26.67).

UK workers are going into the office an average of 1.5 days a week, according to new research from the Consultancy Advanced Workplace Associates. Their recent survey also suggests that Fridays are the quietest days of the week, with only 13% making the commute and going into the office. On average, office attendance is 29%, with a peak of 39% mid-week.

Sandra Rowley, Head of Marketing at takepayments, says, “With statistics showing that most people commute to work mid-week, co-working facilities across the UK are most likely to be busier on these days, which will inevitably lead to higher footfall in city and town centres. This is promising news for high street business owners who could be offering mid-week specials and deals to encourage customers to visit.”

The average price to rent a desk in the UK is £21.79, however there are a number of spaces that exceed this and offer plenty of perks. The most expensive space found in the research is Building Bloqs in London, costing £60 per person per day to hire a desk. For this price, guests can enjoy free parking in central London, an on-site barista, standing desks and even a 3D printer.

Meanwhile, Wolverhampton is home to the cheapest desk rental: The Hub at Ashmore Park at just £3 per person per day. Amenities here are much more limited of course, but still offer guests everything they need for a productive day in the office.

Prices aside, recent research has found demand for flexible workspaces is on a significant upward trajectory. So, where are the hidden hotspots across the UK which are meeting this demand?

As to be expected, London offers the highest density of co-working spaces. However, regional hubs are starting to emerge, with Leeds, Bristol, Brighton and Newcastle all offering plenty of choice. Brighton is in fact home to the highest volume of office spaces per 1,000 people, followed by Chichester, Bath, Exeter and Newcastle.

Sandra Rowley, Head of Marketing at takepayments, shares what these findings mean for small businesses in 2022: “Coworking spaces are no longer exclusive to London. We’ve seen demand for this type of office space steadily increase for some time, and naturally the pandemic has accelerated that growth.

“It’s encouraging to see hubs emerging in regions across the UK, providing small business owners and managers with the valuable space they need to collaborate and deliver for their customers. We hope that by doing the number crunching and sharing the average prices to expect, we can support our customers in making an informed decision when looking to rent desk space.”