Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou's easyOffice business, designed to help entrepreneurs and start-ups with low-cost office space, is expanding with two new sites opening in London and Scotland.

 

Having proved the demand for affordable, flexible office rents at their premier site in Kensington High Street, easyOffice currently has builders working on a second location in Camden and a third in Glasgow city centre, both of which are set to open in the first week of 2009.
The move follows a successful first year for easyOffice, which saw the Kensington High Street site perform at 100% capacity only two months after the first booking in November 2007.

 

Sir Stelios, serial entrepreneur and founder of easyJet, appointed Mark Smith as the first easyOffice CEO in July and the former Regus director has taken the company from strength to strength.
Mark said: "easyOffice has taken off due to a clear need for simple, no frills office space at a cost that can accommodate a variety of small, start up and entrepreneurial businesses.

 

"This expansion sees us ahead of targets to deliver affordable office rates in great locations to major towns and cities in the UK.

 

"Opening in Scotland represents our strategic aim to take the easyOffcice concept out of London and make it accessible to entrepreneurs in other parts of the country.

 

"Glasgow is a thriving centre for dynamic small business and talent and we hope to be making more expansion announcements in Scotland soon.

 

"Throughout the country, it is vital to support business through the hard economic times ahead and easyOffice is a solution that can help keep costs down.

 

"Offices rent for as little as £99 a week payable by credit card and offer real flexibility as there is no binding six-month contract."

easyOffice in Camden will be located in the Rotunda Building on Gloucester Crescent - which is the former easyGroup HQ. The Glasgow easyOffice is the former John Smith's bookshop on St Vincent's Street in the heart of the city.
The business operates on a franchise model. Full details of how to get involved are available on the website click here

 

To book office space visit http://www.easyoffice.co.uk or call 0207 938 3504.

 

Stelios said: "Being an entrepreneur myself I know how important it is to control costs as you turn your idea into a developing company. EasyOffice, with its competitive rates, will keep office rent to a minimum."

easyOffice, the serviced office facility launched in November 2007 by serial entrepreneur Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, has appointed Mark Smith as its first CEO.

Mark brings with him more than 25 years experience driving growth and innovation within blue chip companies, latterly as a director of serviced office company Regus.

He will oversee the continued expansion of the highly successful easyOffice venture, which achieved more than 90% occupancy within two months of its launch as London’s first truly flexible serviced office space.

Prior to four years with Regus, Mark established a proven track record in operating at senior and Board level with a number of companies, including two years as CEO at Amtrak Ltd and 16 years with Securicor plc (now DHL), as both general manager and director.

During his period at Securicor, Mark implemented numerous transformation programmes and introduced several multi million pound businesses to the group.

easyOffice was conceived by Stelios to fulfil a demand from start-up businesses and entrepreneurs for flexible office space that could be rented in central London for as little as one week at a time, a move believed to be the first in the industry.

The Kensington High Street site comprises 35 specially designed private office units ranging from one to four desks and is available for booking online using upfront credit card payment with no monthly billing costs, creating low-risk flexibility for the occupier.

Another added value service is that telecom and IT systems can be set up at very competitive rates.

Said Mark: “easyOffice is a truly innovative approach to the serviced office sector, which in my opinion has not always been encouraging enough of smaller enterprises who perhaps cannot afford to sign up for protracted periods of time.

“These companies often need a non-residential office address and a place where they can meet with clients other than their own home or a hotel lobby.

“The easyOffice concept is one that has tremendous potential and I am delighted to have joined one of Sir Stelios’ fastest growing brands within easyGroup.

“In the present economic climate, we should be doing all we can to encourage start up businesses in the UK.”

The team at easyOffice has already identified two further centres, one each in central Glasgow and Edinburgh, which are planned to be available for occupation in the near future.

Further expansion of easyOffice is set to proceed throughout the UK in partnership with local investors by way of a franchise who will be able to take advantage of the easyGroup’s expertise in brand awareness, marketing and the web-based booking system.

These selected franchisees will offer an identical quality office solution aimed predominately at the small developing entrepreneur. Particular emphasis will be placed on the flexibility of the space its affordability and no hassle occupation.

Reaction from the Kensington High Street clients has been overwhelmingly positive with many looking to secure their space with further additional contracts.

Sir Stelios, the founder of easyGroup, which includes easyOffice.co.uk, has today issued defamation proceedings through Schillings (the leading law firm in reputation management) against Mark Dixon, CEO of international serviced office company Regus Group Plc, and the company itself, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange.

Sir Stelios is suing following claims made to the Financial Times in May 2008.

Sir Stelios said today: “I was called a liar to a publication I respect hugely and one that is very important in my business career. This is unacceptable to me and I have decided to take this legal step to clear my name and my reputation in the City.”

More detailed legal papers will be served in 14 days and Mark Dixon and Regus Group Plc will have a further 28 days in which to respond.

easyOffice in Kensington High Street is now open for business, offering serviced office space in the heart of London from as little as £99 a week, plus VAT. easyOffice is already attracting reviews in the press:

• The Independent
• The Daily Mirror
• Financial Times

Stelios, the serial entrepreneur and easyGroup chairman, will unveil the 17th easyGroup business tomorrow during his speech at the Business Start-up Exhibition and Conference at Excel in London . easyOffice.co.uk offers flexible and affordable office space solutions, primarily targeting start-up entrepreneurs.

 

Stelios has started 17 'easy' branded businesses himself and therefore understands the needs and aspirations of that target group better than most people. "This flexible office space solution is designed with the true start-up entrepreneur in mind who knows it's a smart business move not to waste money, especially at the start of a new venture. Starting from £100 per office room per week right in the heart of Kensington the value is unbeatable," he said.

 

www.easyOffice.co.uk will have two sides to the business, both accessible through the website.

 

One side of www.easyOffice.co.uk, which is already available online, functions as a brokerage service for third party operated serviced office space on a worldwide basis. This side is powered by Instant Offices, a specialist broker in the field, and has a database of serviced offices of all sizes in more than 4,000 centres making it the world's number one destination for office relocation.

 

"I am doubly delighted that this way we have a global reach from the very start," said Stelios.

 

The other side of www.easyOffice.co.uk will provide serviced office space which is owned and operated by the easyGroup. This part of the business will launch in November 2007 in London at 160-166 Kensington High Street. . Bookings for easyOffice in Kensington High Street will be possible online from June 2007.

 

Open during office hours, easyOffice in High Street Kensington will have 35 separate offices (private rooms) with between one and four workstations in each office. There will be one full time easyOffice employee on site servicing the offices during normal office hours. Prices will start at £100 for an office for a week and will rise as demand increases, in line with the yield management philosophy made famous by easyJet.

 

"Uniquely for this industry potential customers will be able to book online on our website and pay by credit card for a period as short as one week at a time. This offers unique flexibility to start-up entrepreneurs," said Stelios. "I am glad that by launching this business I can do my bit to make a difference in the lives of these budding entrepreneurs who may build businesses that one day may change the world!" he continued.

 

For more information please visit: www.easyOffice.co.uk

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