The sweet spot between the City and the West End was formerly branded ‘midtown’ in 2010, but what we’re essentially talking about here is the area between Tottenham Court Road and Chancery Lane, including south Bloomsbury, Holborn and St Giles.
Lawyers and barristers are bedded in in this part of town, thanks to the proximity of the law courts. But it’s a much more diverse crowd than it used to be, with a handful of large corporates setting up HQs here and some media and publishing overspill from Soho, too.
There are lots of brilliant old pubs, tucked down passageways, as well as plenty of spots for long, elaborate client lunches, and all the thrills of Covent Garden.
Warner House – the Warner Bros European HQ – is on Theobalds Road, with a lease until at least 2034. Accounting and consulting firm Deloitte is based at New Street Square. British law firm Mishcon De Reya (part of the ‘silver circle’ of law firms) is based on Kingsway, near Holborn. Saatchi & Saatchi moved from Charlotte Street (where they’d been for 40 years) to Chancery Lane in 2017.
If you’ve got a client you want to impress, Cora Pearl in Covent Garden is the place. Complex comfort food (their words) includes ham and cheese toasties and fish stews. And the chips! Those chips alone are worth a team outing. Our clients in Mayfair speak highly of Cora’s sister restaurant, Kitty Fishers. Or, if you’re having one of those days when you want to spend £8 on something other than a tuna sandwich and a cappuccino, go to The Pie Room at Holborn Dining Room. Get a pie-to-go from the cold counter, surely one of the most extravagant things you can do in town for less than a tenner.
Down a very London alley called Little Turnstile, The Ship Tavern is a pub for all your after-work needs, especially in the winter. At the end of a big project, it feels like a hug in pub form, with all its deep red and mahogany, dramatic ceiling mouldings and candlelight. Rally the Friday night troops for real ales, the gin cabinet and Guinness and oyster combos (½ dozen oysters, ½ pint of Guinness). The Holborn Whippet is the place for craft beer and pizzas.
You know how London goes wild over the tiniest patch of grass as soon as the sun comes out? Escape the madness right next to The Ship Tavern at Lincoln’s Inn Fields – the biggest public square in the city. It was laid out in the 1630s as agricultural fields (so Little Turnstile was for actual cows). Or, sit on a bench with your coworkers and some sushi in the gardens of St Andrew Holborn.
Holborn Dining Room – Refuel
Holborn Dining Room – elegant, yet informal dining
Holborn Dining Room – catch up on news over a G&T
Close to London’s west end
Celebrate a deal in the Cora Pearl
St Andrews Garden – find some headspace
St. Andrew makes a good lunchtime sanctuary
AVERAGE
£517
Private office
£600
Fixed desks
£340
Hot desks
Want to see what the wider neighbourhood has to offer? Why not read our guides for the nearby areas.
Our experts understand the office market inside and out, and our team is on hand to guide you. So, whether you're planning a long-term HQ, or looking for flexible, private or leased office space, we'll help you find the right solution.
