Real Estate

Equivalent of 60 Gherkins lie dormant as empty central London office space hits 15-year high

New world of hybrid working has left tenants with unused space

Central London has 31 million square feet of empty work space, latest figures suggest
Central London has 31 million square feet of empty work space, latest figures suggest Photo: Vuk Valcic/Getty Images

Space equivalent to 60 Gherkin skyscrapers is lying dormant, as central London's empty office space has hit its highest level in 15 years, according to reports.

Data from CoStar, the real estate information firm, cited by Bloomberg, suggests availability is up just over 50% since the end of 2019, rising from 20 million square feet to 31 million square feet as at August 2022.

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