Finding the perfect office space in London is a major milestone for any growing business. When your team reaches 35 people, you exit the early-stage startup phase and enter scale-up territory. At this size, your workspace needs change dramatically, especially if you operate a hybrid working model.
A 35-person hybrid team rarely needs 35 dedicated desks every single day. Instead, you need a dynamic environment that supports collaboration, focused work, and client meetings, all while keeping overheads manageable. This is where flexible offices and serviced workspaces in London come into their own.
In this guide, we explore how to choose the best flexible offices in London for a 35-person hybrid team, the top neighbourhoods to consider, and how to structure your space to support hybrid collaboration.
Why a 35-Person Team is the Sweet Spot for Flexible Offices
For a team of 35, committing to a traditional lease is often a costly mistake. Traditional leases usually require a three to five-year commitment, significant upfront capital for fit-out, and endless administrative hassle managing utilities, cleaning, and IT infrastructure.
Flexible offices, also known as serviced offices, offer a fully managed solution. You pay a single monthly fee that covers rent, business rates, service charges, utilities, cleaning, and high-speed internet. This allows your leadership team to focus on scaling the business rather than managing facilities.
Furthermore, flexible offices offer the agility that hybrid teams require. If your team is hybrid, you can optimise your real estate spend by choosing an office designed for a lower desk-to-headcount ratio. For example, you might opt for a 20-desk or 25-desk private office with ample collaborative space, rather than paying for 35 desks that are never fully occupied at the same time.
Top London Neighbourhoods for a 35-Person Hybrid Team
London is a collection of distinct business districts, each with its own character, transport links, and price points. Here are the top areas we recommend for teams of this size:
1. Farringdon and Clerkenwell
Farringdon has become one of the most sought-after office locations in London, largely thanks to the Elizabeth Line. It offers unparalleled connectivity for team members commuting from outside London or from east and west suburbs.
The area is famous for its creative and design heritage, making it popular with tech scale-ups, agencies, and professional services. You will find beautifully restored warehouse conversions alongside modern, high-spec serviced office buildings.
2. Shoreditch and Old Street
If your team thrives on energy, culture, and a vibrant social scene, Shoreditch remains the premier choice. It is the heart of London’s tech and creative sectors, offering excellent networking opportunities and an abundance of cafes, bars, and restaurants for post-work socialising.
Flexible offices here tend to have a more relaxed, design-led aesthetic, featuring communal rooftop terraces, wellness studios, and extensive breakout spaces.
3. Soho and Fitzrovia
For a central London location that appeals to media, entertainment, and venture capital firms, Soho and Fitzrovia are hard to beat. These neighbourhoods offer a prestigious address and are highly accessible from all corners of the capital.
While desk rates here are higher than in east London, the central location and premium building quality make it a powerful tool for talent attraction and retention.
4. The City of London
For professional services, fintech, and businesses that require a more corporate or prestigious environment, the City of London is the logical choice. Areas around Liverpool Street, Bank, and Monument offer some of the highest-quality flexible workspaces in the world.
These buildings often feature premium meeting rooms, client-facing boardrooms, and top-tier security systems, which are ideal if you regularly host external stakeholders.
Key Features to Look For in a Hybrid Office
When evaluating flexible offices for a 35-person hybrid team, do not just look at the number of desks. A successful hybrid office must serve as a collaboration hub. Look for workspaces that offer:
- Video-Enabled Meeting Rooms: With team members split between the office and home, high-quality video conferencing facilities are non-negotiable. Ensure the building has bookable meeting rooms equipped with modern screens, cameras, and microphones.
- Diverse Breakout Spaces: Your team will come to the office to collaborate, brainstorm, and socialise. Look for spaces that offer comfortable lounge areas, phone booths for private calls, and kitchen areas that double as informal workspaces.
- Customisation and Branding: At 35 people, company culture and brand identity are incredibly important. Many flexible office operators allow you to customise your private office with your own branding, paint colours, and furniture layouts.
- Excellent On-Site Amenities: Secure bike storage, showers, and on-site coffee bars are highly valued by employees and can significantly increase office attendance.
How to Calculate Your Space Requirements
Historically, office planners allocated around 100 square feet per person. For a 35-person team, that would mean a 3,500 square foot office. However, the rise of hybrid working has changed this calculation completely.
If your team works in the office two or three days a week on a rotational basis, your peak daily occupancy might only be 20 to 25 people. In this scenario, you can comfortably look for a flexible office space designed for 20 to 25 desks, provided it has sufficient breakout space and meeting rooms to handle busier days.
This approach can save your business thousands of pounds every month in rent, while still providing a spacious and productive environment for your team when they are on-site.
Let Flowspace Do the Legwork
Finding the right flexible office in London can easily become a full-time job. Between coordinating viewings, negotiating terms, and understanding what is included in the service charge, it is easy to feel overwhelmed.
At Flowspace, we simplify the entire process. Our database contains over 10,000 available offices across London and Europe. Our expert team takes the time to understand your team’s specific hybrid working patterns, curates a tailored shortlist of the best spaces, and negotiates the best possible rates on your behalf.
Whether you want a creative warehouse in Shoreditch or a premium corporate suite in the City, we do the legwork so you can focus on growing your business.
Ready to find your next workspace? Start your Flowspace office search today and let our team build your perfect shortlist.
FAQ
How much space does a 35-person hybrid team need in London?
A traditional 35-person office requires around 3,500 square feet. However, for a hybrid team where employees work from home part of the week, you can often opt for a space with 20 to 25 physical desks (around 2,000 to 2,500 square feet) combined with shared breakout areas and meeting rooms.
What is the average cost of a flexible office for 35 people in London?
Desk rates in London typically range from £450 to £900 per desk per month, depending on the location and building quality. For a 35-desk space, this equates to a monthly budget of approximately £15,750 to £31,500. If you optimise for a hybrid model with 25 desks, your monthly cost could drop to £11,250 to £22,500.
Are utilities and internet included in London flexible offices?
Yes. One of the main benefits of a flexible or serviced office is that utilities, high-speed internet, cleaning, building insurance, and business rates are bundled into a single monthly licence fee. This makes budgeting highly predictable.
Can we customise our private office with our own branding?
Absolutely. Most flexible office operators in London allow medium-sized teams to customise their private offices. This can range from adding your company logo on the glass doors to fully painting the walls and choosing custom furniture layouts to match your brand identity.
How long are the contract terms for flexible offices in London?
Unlike traditional leases which lock you in for five to ten years, flexible office agreements typically run on 12 to 24-month terms. Some operators even offer rolling monthly agreements, though longer commitments usually secure better monthly rates.