Is Mammersmith or right by Westfield the more upmarket location for an office?

[W6orW10]

Some advice please! However, this is more about commercial property!

I am self employed in a business where I have a lot of meetings in the office.

I want to give an upmarket kind of feel to my business. I believe location is important.

There are two offices, one right by Westfield in West London (it's in an annexed building kind of) and the other in Hammersmith. Both near tubes and easily accessible. Both offices/buildings are good looking, pretty impressive, and business clients would feel good there, I think, anyway. I would!

Those of you with some knowledge of either or both areas, which would you say is more impressive a location in general?! This is a big deal for me, I will be signing for 12 months and I need to make this work!!

Please give me your thoughts, I really appreciate them.

What is the walk like from the tube to each of the offices? Would one walk have a nicer feel than the other?

Thank you = not really. 5 minutes for both, both quite busy places so roads quite busy, and I'd say equally safe for women.

My clients are generally professionals aged 25 to 50.

Hammersmith office is on offer ar 50% off for £1000 pcm. Westfield one is £1500 pcm.

My feeling is that the Westfield one lends on the Westfield branding, but at 50% more, I wonder whether it is 50% more 'wow', well, not really wow, but you know, noteworthy nice!

leans, not lends, sorry.

Bump?!

I would go with the Hammersmith property as it is a cheaper rent and nothing wrong with Hammersmith at all.

£500 extra per month is another £6,000 off your profit each year. Look at the economics of it and go with the more affordable option.

Hammersmith too

Great feedback.

How long is the 50% offer for? A year? What sort of business? Will your clients need parking? Hammersmith and Westfield are almost interchangeable. What about Chiswick or Kensington for example. Without knowing the business or clients it’s hard to make suggestions.

Which part of Hammersmith? Both are fine really but I think it probably depends one what kind of business it is. Will Westfield costs be more likely to increase year on year? I'm assuming it is the section closer to White City tube rather than Shepherds Bush station?

Frankly, I would say neither was particularly upmarket, but of the two I'd take Hammersmith over Westfields.

It's a coaching business.

I've gone with the Westfield building as it's close to Wood Lane station (Hammersmith and City Line, Circle, and Central line at White City). It is also much closer to my children's school. 8 minute drive, this allows me to squeeze one more client in perhaps, as Hammersmith is 15 minute drive away on top in morning traffic. The building is actually nicer than the Hammersmith building, in that the walk from reception to the office at Hammersmith is a narrow corridor that feels quite corporate like and includes passing by some bins and a kitchen. I fear that at some times during the day these might look messy - I want quite a slick feel.

The Hammersmith building however, had a roof terrace (would my clients ever use that?) and a squash court (would i ever use that?!) and leisure passes included and is on the Piccadilly and District line, as well as H&C and circle.

I like that they can kill time in Westfield if they come to see me at the office. They can also take a co-working space if they arrive early or have a virtual meeting straight after meeting with me. I like that. Apparently, I also get 10% to 20% off stores in Westfield (I'm not a huge buyer of fancy things, but I bet it would add up and my family and friends could use it). The Westfield building is also quite beautiful inside, done really well, always muffins and cakes out, my clients would feel very comfy. Nice toilets (important!) I think it might be more in line with how I want to brand myself, so ultimately the punt I am taking is that it will make me more money.

The building I absolutely loved was a new one near Latimer Road, which came is at around £1400 pcm but only for a year, when it would go up to £2000. I didn't want the hassle of feeling I had to stay or moving again if things didn't work out, but my word what a stunning building: Studio Y – Creative Workspace 1st Floor, Yellow Building, Notting Dale Campus, W11 4AN - Complete Office Search

I'm beginning to rethink, now!

The Hammersmith 50% off was for one year only, too. The Westfield rent is exactly what it is.

With Westfield however, i do not have a window, but from my office a window can be seen, and given the whole thing is quite private... It is a smaller room, but the one I am in is quite small too, and it is really only ever me and the other person or me on a virtual call, so...

There, that's everything, I didn't imagine I would bore you all so with the details...

Have you see the houses near Westfield? It’s a dump, yet the houses are worth millions.

Your point would lead me to think more about the Studio Y place.

I'm just wondering how much the houses will influence my business. Anyone coming to visit me won't be walking down a residential street. They'd exit the tube and walk 120 seconds on Wood Lane past one of those chichi rooftop bar / eaterie places...

AARRGGHH! the anti-Westfield sentiment has worried me, now!

I would be seriously put off with an office space without a window.

Artificial light is horrible the whole time.

I think you also have to take a balanced view about the office space and recognise that clients don't always want to think that they are paying for your luxury surroundings. Certainly they don't want to visit you in some awful surroundings, but neither do they want to think that they are paying for all the luxury trappings of your surroundings. They are conscious of what their fee to you is buying.

(It is mostly companies that buy my services, but yes, thank you).

I have not yet signed on the line, so I am glad as this has given me lots for reflection. Thank you all so much.

I was really only thinking about the clients, I currently have a space in Putney that people still make their way to, but I wanted to offer them something better. I wanted it to be an experience for them, so everything about what they get from me feels good, you know?!

But do you need to move out of your Putney premises? Is the lease up etc?

Are you looking to move for the sake of it?

What is the difference in monthly rental from these new ones and your current premises?

The Westfield option sounds find to me. Latimer Road would put me off - I hate the area round the tube station. it feels so cramped, gloomy and grimy. You don't seem to like the Hammersmith option that much so scrap that idea. Who cares what the houses are like near Westfield? They aren't that bad and the section your office is in has all the new shiny flats anyway. So really, the only negative is the lack of window in the room that looks outside but there is one that looks into another room? I imagine this will be more of an issue for you rather than a client who will only spend a short while with you. Westfield is probably more of an appealing travel journey than Putney for most people with all the of the public transport options. Will it mean you having to increase your fees to clients?

I think I will attract more clients when I am in another location (and the district line to putney often shuts down or is delayed). It is also closer to my children's school, which means I get more tie in the office, and we do generally exchange time for money (I'm working on that, though).

I'm relaunching and offering therapy and coaching in a very different way, of a package, and I want a better location and nicer offices to support that.

in business, you have to try a few things!

Putney - management is doing a terrible job of managing the building. Lift out of order for a month. Not had a kitchen for 2 months..... Time to move on. I took that office when I was just starting out alone, and so needed quite c heap rent and got a great deal. I am now more confident about how much I can make. The risk is this new way of doing things.

Ok so it's time to move on and that makes sense.

Personally I prefer Hammersmith. BUT you need to rent what suits you best and if the Westfield option is nearer to your DC's school then perhaps that is a better fit for you.

Having run my own business for many years, I always look at the bottom line though! To me you are taking £6k off your profit with the Westfield option. Is it worth the £6k drop in profit to you? Only you can answer that.

Honestly, I'm so glad of this conversation, as I have pivoted and got in contact with the Hammersmith office. AND maybe I will use their gym....! AND Hammersmith has Wasabi (just sayin')