The world’s largest provider of hybrid working office space is opening a new facility in Coleraine.
The International Workplace Group (IWG), which owns the Regus and Spaces brands, has set up at the River House Business Centre, overlooking the River Bann.
The new workspace site expected to go live within the next two months.
The company said the move is in response the acceleration in the adoption of hybrid working across the Causeway Coast.
The north coast has experienced a significant increase in demand for housing the post-covid era as people embraced remote working.
The average price of a house in the Causeway Coast and Glens district has increased by around £61,000 (40%) to £208,000 in the four years since the pandemic was declared.
IWG said said the new Coleraine is “enabling local people to experience living in a ‘15-minute’ city, allowing workers to work close to their homes without commuting far from where they live”.
The new Regus space at River House will include private offices, meeting rooms, co-working and creative spaces.
IWG is forecasting that 30% of all commercial real estate will be flexible workspace by 2030.
It cites research which estimates hybrid working can save some firms an average of £9,000 per employee.
The group has signed up for 465 new locations worldwide in the first half of 2024.
“We are establishing a stronger and much-needed footprint in Causeway Coast and Glens with this latest opening,” said Mark Dixon, founder and chief executive of IWG plc.
“As an important business hub Coleraine is a fantastic place for us to boost our expansion plans.
“The need for high-quality flexible workspaces continues to soar as hybrid working becomes the new normal.
“We are very pleased to work with partners to develop the Regus brand under a management agreement that will add a cutting-edge workspace to their building.
“Our opening in Coleraine comes at a time when more and more companies are discovering that flexible working boosts employee happiness and satisfaction, while helping the environment.
“Our workplace model is also proven to increase productivity and allows for a business to scale up or down at significantly reduced costs.”
Robert Wilson of River House added: “In an era of rapidly rising overheads and constant change, this new Regus flexible workspace from International Workplace Group offers an efficient and impressive alternative to large fixed-term premises renting.
“This has been our strategy since 2012 and River House has been over 90% occupied since.”
Founded as Regus in Brussels during 1989, IWG is now headquartered in Jersey and has more than 4,000 workspaces in 120 countries.