IWG Opens New Regus Centre in Taunton, as Demand for Hybrid Working Rises

• Viridor House, Taunton is an impressive 11,000 sq.ft Regus workspace complete with co-working spaces, private offices, meeting rooms and creative spaces

• New location is part of the drive to provide top class facilities in in a wide variety of locations as hybrid working becomes a reality for more workers

• This opening follows a partnership agreement with the building owner, who has invested in the IWG platform to create a branded flexible workspace in their building

• The location is a key milestone in IWG’s plan to add 1,000 new locations globally over the next year

Hybrid working growth

IWG, the world’s largest provider of hybrid working solutions with brands including Spaces and Regus, is opening a state-of-the-art flexible Regus workspace in Taunton as the demand for hybrid working rapidly accelerates. This centre, opening Q1 2023, is being delivered in partnership with the building owner, who chose the IWG flexible workspace platform and has entered into a management agreement with the Regus brand.

Unprecedented demand from companies of all sizes and workers looking for hybrid working solutions means IWG will add 1,000 new locations over the next year. Hybrid working offers companies a significantly lower cost base with an average saving of $11k per employee.

Taunton is one of Somerset’s most bustling towns. Demand for high-quality workspaces in the area has performed strongly, with the number of enquiries in Taunton for space in IWG locations continuing to sharply increase. By opening centres close to where people live, workers will be able to enjoy high-quality flexible working centres, enabling them to avoid long commutes and spend more time in local communities.

New location details

The building owners decided to invest in the IWG platform to maximise the return on their real estate space by capitalising on the rapidly expanding demand for hybrid working. With an annual investment of around £50m into its technology platform, IWG provides partners with access to all the company’s expertise as well as design and fit-out support and sales and marketing capabilities.

The new Regus location will be spread over three floors. Overlooking Somerset County cricket ground, Viridor House will boast a selection of high-quality office spaces, co-working areas, meeting room and creative spaces.

Situated on Priory Bridge Rd, and a six-minute walk from the train station, this new location is part of a drive by IWG to meet the sharply rising demand for top class flexible working space in the area. Viridor House is close to Taunton’s retail centre, with easy access to pubs, restaurants, and other amenities, allowing clients to connect with fellow co-workers.

The three-storey Regus centre will provide space for established firms and start-ups across a range of industries, while IWG’s Design Your Own Office service allows companies to tailor their space entirely to their requirements.

IWG is the world’s leading provider of flexible workspace – with 3,500 locations in more than 120 countries with members able to access all of the locations and business services via the IWG app.

Market trends and expansion

As the ongoing shift towards hybrid working accelerates, conventional office occupancy will continue to fall as businesses require less traditional space and turn to flexible workspace instead. In 2022, IWG welcomed hundreds of new partner locations and is on track to add around 1,000 over the course of the next year. IWG already counts 83 per cent of Fortune 500 companies among its customer base.

Mark Dixon, CEO & Founder of IWG, commented: “We are establishing a stronger and much-needed footprint in Somerset with this latest opening. As an important commuter hub, Taunton is a fantastic place for us to boost our expansion plans. The need for high-quality flexible workspaces continues to soar as hybrid working becomes the new normal.

“Our opening in Taunton comes at a time when more and more companies are discovering that flexible working boosts employee happiness and satisfaction, while helping the environment. Our workplace model is also proven to increase productivity and allows for a business to scale up or down at significantly reduced costs.”

Ian John, Director of Planning, Permitting & Estates, Viridor, added: *“Viridor, like all businesses, experienced considerable change during and following the Covid pandemic including embracing new ways of working. This has provided our employees with the flexibility to work from home and from the office. This combination not only suits our employees, but it has also been a contributing factor in Viridor recently being accredited as a Great Place to Work.

As a result of these changes, we have chosen to repurpose additional space at our Head Office in Taunton. Rather than leave this space empty, we are delighted to partner with IWG to allow other businesses to prosper from a high-quality office building.”

IWG’s multi-brand expansion strategy is designed to appeal to every type of business and entrepreneur. IWG creates personal, financial, and strategic value for businesses of every size, from some of the most exciting companies and well-known organisations on the planet, to individuals and the next generation of industry leaders. All of them harness the power of flexible working to increase their productivity, efficiency, agility, and market proximity.