Cornhill Office Space

Office space in Cornhill may refer to offices on the so-called thoroughfare, within the Ward of Cornhill, or both.

The streets within the Ward of Cornhill include Birchin Lane, Finch Lane, Lombard Street, Mansion House Street, and Threadneedle Street, in addition to Cornhill.

One of the 25 Wards of the City of London, it is named after one of the three ancient hills of Londonium – the other two being Ludgate Hill and Tower Hill.

Not so dramatic today due to the height of the surrounding buildings, the street rises to 58 feet (17.7 metres) above sea level, justifying its categorisation when the City was first inhabited.

Since then, it has been the financial heart of the City of London and home to important institutions such as the Bank of England and The Royal Exchange.

The Royal Exchange was established in 1565 by the merchant Sir Thomas Gresham to act as a centre of commerce for the City.

It was London’s first purpose-built centre for trading stocks, and Gresham Street was named after the financier in 1845.

The Bank of England was established in 1694, and the Bank sub-district refers to the streets and junction that the institution still dominates.

Cornhill was at the centre of the early development of the City and a 13^th century well was discovered on the street in the late 18^th century. Due to the demands of commerce, various companies paid to install a pump. A commemorative structure at the site can still be observed today.

St Michael’s Alley, just off Cornhill, is home to a plaque marking the site of London’s first coffee house, which opened in 1652.

Before offices were established as places of business, coffee houses were places where people met to discuss politics, business, and other matters.

Established by Pasqua Rosée to be close to The Royal Exchange, several hundred similar meeting spots existed throughout London by the early 1700s.

One of the most important of these was Lloyd’s Coffee House set up by Edward Lloyd on Tower Street in 1688. This evolved into Lloyds of London and influenced the type of occupier based in today’s EC3 district.

Because Cornhill is at the centre of the City, occupiers from many sectors choose to rent office space in the locale today, as well as insurance-related companies and institutions.

They can choose from a range of office buildings, including brand-new, prime office space skyscrapers and period buildings bequeathing charm and prestige that have been meticulously refashioned to provide contemporary luxury workspaces.

One such example is No.1 Cornhill which shares a return with Lombard Street. Facing the Bank of England, The Royal Exchange and the official residence of the Lord Mayor of London, the Grade I listed Mansion House, it was originally named the Royal Insurance Building when it was built in 1905.

Developed for the Liverpool and London and Globe Insurance company which became known as Royal Insurance Holdings before merging with Sun Alliance in 1996 to form the Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Group.

It, too, is a listed building with its Portland stone façade, Ionic columns and pilasters, rounded corner supporting dome, and other features being documented for protection.

Today’s custodians are luxury workspace providers who have elegantly transformed the property to offer self-contained private offices, luxury business lounges and premium meeting rooms, including The Dome Room, with a spectacular domed ceiling and vast round table.

There are several other examples of flexible workspace options both in historic buildings as well as new office buildings in Cornhill.

In contrast to leased office space, private serviced offices and managed office suites are held on short-term licences that offer the option to extend at the end of the term.

The flexible rental contracts also allow for the expansion into larger suites as business needs dictate, with many offices in Cornhill offering space for 250 desks and above.

As these are Cat A+ offices that are fully fitted and kitted out, little to no capital expenditure is required unless a custom office is required.

Another advantage to flexible office space is that they are priced all-inclusively, meaning that the monthly rent covers overheads such as utilities, cleaning, furnishings, reception services, refreshments and other items

The spaces are fitted with business lounges and meeting rooms that clients can use. The premium office spaces are designed and managed in ESG-considered ways, meaning that clients enjoy access to end-of-trip facilities such as bicycle storage and shower and changing facilities, for instance.

Office space occupiers in Cornhill enjoy excellent access to a wide range of retail and leisure amenities, including high-end shopping at The Royal Exchange, coffee shops, gyms, and traditional and modern bars and restaurants such as The Counting House, The Libertine, and Pitcher and Piano.

As well as great amenities, Cornhill office space occupiers enjoy superb transport links. Bank Station offers services on the Central, Northern and Waterloo & City lines; Monument Station offers services on the Circle and District lines. Cannon Street Station provides services on Circle and District lines, Moorgate Station offers services on the Circle, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan and Northen lines, and Liverpool Street Station provides services on the Central, Circle, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan and Crossrail Elizabeth lines.