A guide to office space in Cardiff
The capital and largest city in Wales, Cardiff is the country’s chief commercial centre, making up about 20% of the Welsh GDP. Once a thriving port for the transport of coal, the city’s economy now revolves largely around finance and business services. The massive growth of the city has contributed to Cardiff becoming a centre for business and attracting a huge number of daily in-commuters from surrounding areas. It has also attracted large names in business including Legal & General, British Gas and BT and is home to a large media sector with BBCWales, S4C and ITV Wales all having studios within the city. The capital is also a tourism centre in the United Kingdom, attracting over 18 million visitors annually. Because of this, the tourism and retail industries in Cardiff are constantly growing, with one in five employees based in the distribution, hotel and restaurant sectors.
The location
The Cardiff urban area is made up of a number of districts, with Inner Cardiff consisting of Plasnewydd, Gabalfa, Roath, Cathays, Adamsdown and Splott on the north and east of the City Centre, and Butetown, Grangetown, Riverside and Canton to the south and west.
Districts north of the 'arc' have attracted a large student population, while Pontcanna is a favourite for young professionals.
The actual City Centre is where most business happens; it has seen a huge growth in the last decade with skyscrapers populating the CBD and Cardiff Bay.
Neighbouring areas - price comparisons, per person per month
| The prices given below are the minimum to maximum average cost for serviced offices, per person per month, derived from our Sales Team's knowledge. |
| Area | Indicative price range |
|---|---|
| Cardiff CBD | £230 – 270 |
| Cardiff Bay | £200 - 220 |
| Cardiff Gate | £200 – 230 |
| Cathedral Road |
£200 – 200 |
| Newport | £180 – 200 |
| Swansea | £170 - 200 |
Looking for an office in Cardiff
Since the end of the last century, Cardiff has seen significant development through Cardiff Bay as well as well as the city centre.
The city continues to change and develop with the launch of the new Central Square Development - one million sq. ft. of office, residential and retail space which will be prime stock and could potentially drive costs of surrounding offices up.
It is also set to create even more of a location preference, meaning offices further out of the city could become less desirable.
Instant Offices’ local sales expert, Jessica Colson suggests Cardiff Central for companies looking to set up in the city.
The value for money is good and you are close to transport links wherever you are.
Some offices also have parking, which is unusual for town centres.
Because of its central location, it is also an ideal area for firms dealing with clients.
The average price for office space in Cardiff is £170-£250 per person per month.
This price includes a range of amenities, from on-site cafés and showers to administrative support and virtual office options.
Many offices in Cardiff also offer on-site parking – a rarity in most capital cities.
Office sizes
Cardiff offers a range of large and small flexible office solutions.
There is a large demand for smaller serviced office space in the city with the majority of requests being for three- or four-man office spaces, often driven by companies looking for a regional base.
According to Jessica there is good availability for this requirement as well as larger workspaces.
Instant Offices is able to help find companies a suitable office space no matter their size, and are able to accommodate most enquiries, from a single desk to 100 or more.Five things you probably didn't know about Cardiff:
- Cardiff was only officially made the capital of Wales in 1955, making it one of the youngest capital cities in Europe
- Although it is one of the largest cities in the UK, Cardiff is also one of the smallest European capitals with a population of around 350,000
- Approximately 10% of Cardiff’s population speak Welsh compared to the national average of just over 18.5%
- Cardiff has one of the best university student retention rates in the UK; talent stays put
- Cardiff was the world’s first Fairtrade capital in 2014
Why choose Cardiff?
Cardiff is a relatively inexpensive capital city to live and work in, with rental prices much lower compared to other capitals.
The city was also recently labeled as the UK’s most sociable city and because of its small town centre, it is the perfect location to get to know - and keep - clients.
The city is also in good proximity to motorways and is close to other major business cities such as Newport.
A closer look at Cardiff
These are the most popular areas in which to rent office space:
Cardiff Central
- Cardiff Central is the city’s CBD
- The town centre itself is quite small and is popular with businesses in advertising, sports, and other consumer related industries due to its proximity to clients
- The city centre has seen a lot of redevelopment projects in recent years, notably St. David's 2, which has extended the area’s shopping district to include 1.3 million square feet of retail space
- The new St. David's Centre now has more retail space than the whole of Newport or Swansea, attracting a number of big names in retail including John Lewis
- The area is surrounded by the River Taff to the west, the Civic Centre to the north and Central and Queen Street to the south and east respectively
- Newport Road, the major road leading east from Queen Street towards the neighbouring city of Newport, is one of the prime office locations of Central Cardiff and is highly competitive
- It is also home to a number of buildings owned by Cardiff University
Cardiff Bay
- Once known as Tiger Bay, Cardiff Bay has been rebuilt over the past two decades as Europe's largest waterfront development
- Now a hub for culture, entertainment and nightlife, the area was once centred on industry and was a major port for the transport of coal
- Cardiff’s dockland district is Wales’ oldest multi-ethnic community and its regeneration is now widely regarded as one of the most successful regeneration projects in the UK
- It is an extremely popular choice with businesses because it is in close proximity to Cardiff Central
- As a popular foot-traffic destination it has attracted a lot of companies in the retail and entertainment sectors including the Wales Millennium Centre arts complex
Cardiff Gate
- Just 15 minutes northeast of the City Centre, Cardiff Gate is a popular international business park development
- The area has attracted a number of wholesale and industrial companies because of its easy access to motorways
- It is home to big brands such as Coca Cola, Ibis, Lloyds Banking Group and Mercedes-Benz
- The development offers businesses a range of modern office space and tailor-made options to suit different sized companies
*Last updated on 1 July 2015
For more information on the current state of the UK serviced office market check out our UK Serviced Office Review 2015.
Want to find out more?
If you’re looking to move into the area, or simply require more information, contact Instant Offices' specialist local consultants.
Email our team or call us and we'll be delighted to help you.