A guide looking at serviced offices, fitted and managed offices and office space for rent in Brentford as well as providing general information that may be useful if you are looking to rent office space in the town.
For further offices information or to search office space for rent in Brentford just click. Or please contact us with any other questions about office space.
History & Geography
Brentford is a suburban town in West London, part of the borough of Hounslow. The town is set on the confluence of the Thames and Brent rivers, approximately eight miles southwest of Charing Cross. The first mention of the town is in an Anglo-Saxon charter from 705 AD. In the charter, the town appears as ‘Breguntford’, meaning ‘ford over the river Brent’. It is likely that the ford was located where the main road crossed the river. However, Brentford has been around far longer than this first mention and is actually an older settlement than London, which was founded during the Roman occupation of Britain, whereas Brentford is a pre-Roman settlement. In fact, the quantity of Bronze Age pottery and flints suggests that Brentford was a fairly important meeting place for the tribes of Britain. In particular, one Iron Age piece, an intricately carved chariot fitting, has become known as the ‘Brentford Knot’. Brentford is also thought to be the site of a significant battle fought by Julius Caesar during his invasion of Britain in 54 BC. Through the centuries, the settlement continued to grow around the ford and became a significant trading centre.
In 1016, the town was the site of a large battle between Edmund Ironside and the Danes, led by Canute. In this case, Ironside won but was ultimately unsuccessful against the Danes. Over the subsequent centuries, the town did not grow significantly until the Grand Junction Canal was built in 1805, which increased Brentford’s access to the rest of Britain.
In 1855, Brentford Dock was constructed, and only a few years later, it was connected to the Great Western Railway main line at Southall. In 1884, the Boston Manor Underground Station was built, connecting Brentford directly to London. During this time, Brentford thrived as an industrial centre. The Brentford section of the Great West Road was dubbed the Golden Mile due to the number of factories it was home to. During the early 20th century, industry declined in the area; to this day, Brentford still retains some factories, though the economy is now mainly service-based.
Economy
Brentford has become a popular town for companies to base themselves. This is in large part due to the town’s convenient transport links to the rest of London and the UK. Among those that have chosen the town as their headquarters have been Brompton, Datapoint, E.M Tool Designs, and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). Kraft Foods International also has its European headquarters in Brentford at Intercchange Way, and Audi had its European headquarters in the old Lucozade building. GlaxoSmithKline has been, by far, the largest employer in Brentford historically, with a workforce of approximately 20,000 at its peak.
GlaxoSmithKline relocated from its Brentford HQ to a new space in Central London in 2024.
It was reported in March 2026 that Hounslow Council had granted permission for the redevelopment of GSK’s 13-acre Brentford Headquarters site.
The majority of the buildings were planned for demolition, and the main office tower would be redesigned. The scheme would provide over 2,000 new homes and over 300,000 square feet of commercial space, including office space, flexible business space, bars, a cinema, a theatre, and a dance hall.
Many people who live in Brentford commute to jobs in inner London, and the town is one of the largest in London’s commuter belt. Brentford also has a strong retail economy, with Brentford High Street among the most popular shopping destinations in the area.
Culture & Sites
Brentford has several cultural and historical sites popular with visitors. Chief among these is Syon House, the 18th-century residence of the Duke of Northumberland. The house is in Syon Park, which overlooks the River Thames across from Kew Gardens and boasts over 200 rare tree species. The park also contains the London Butterfly House, where visitors can see butterflies and moths emerging from chrysalises. Another historical house is the Boston Manor House, built in 1622, and is famous for its fine plasterwork ceilings. The largest local museum is the Gunnersbury Park Museum, which contains Roman and Viking weapons found in the area. The museum also features elaborate costume displays that reflect different eras and interesting local historical events. Another museum in the area is the Kew Bridge Steam Museum, featuring the world’s largest working beam engine. The most popular local sports club is Brentford FC, which plays in the Premier League. The club played at the historical Griffin Park until 2020, built in 1904 and known as the only football ground in the country with a pub on each corner. The club now plays its home games at the Gtech Community Stadium on Lionel Road South, TW8.
Transportation
Situated in West London, Brentford has excellent transport links to the rest of the capital. A range of tube stations serve the local area, including Boston Manor, South Ealing, Gunnersbury, and Northfields. The town is also served by several train stations, the main one being Brentford railway station. The station is on the Hounslow Loop Line in Travelcard Zone 4. Kew Bridge railway station and Syon Lane railway station also serve Brentford. Kew Bridge Station is in Travel Zone 3. Brentford is also served by a comprehensive bus network, which connects it to the rest of the city.
Office space for rent in Brentford
Brentford’s office market falls within the sphere of Greater London and, consequently, was not as badly affected as the rest of the country by the Great Recession.
In 2013, the area had a large supply of Grade A office space, and demand remained fairly steady.
Take-up was almost 50 per cent below the long-term average but was rising.
In the same year, prime office rent was £25 per square foot per year, and the vacancy rate was six per cent. Prime rent was expected to rise gradually over the next few years, and several new developments were in the pipeline.
In April 2023, there was no brand new office space available to rent in Brentford. The best refurbished space available was at The Mille at 1000 Great West Road.
Office space here was quoted at £29.50 per square foot, with air-conditioned workspace, and the building featured covered cycle racks and shower facilities.
Fitted and managed office space was also available at this property.
Other options included Great West House at 993 Great West Road, which was on the market for £25 per square foot, and Profile West at 950 Great West Road, which had a quoted office rental rate of £23.50 per square foot.
In 2026, there was a range of offices available to rent in Brentford. These were refurbished spaces and ranged from approximately £18,50 per square foot to approximately £26.50. The office buildings were on Great West Road, High Street, Kew Bridge Road, Market Place, and Ryan Drive.
There are also five serviced office providers and flexible workspace operators in Brentford that offer a range of flexible office solutions across six buildings, including private serviced office suites, furnished and managed offices, and coworking memberships.
These offer their agile business space solutions in various locations across Brentford, including Boston Manor Road, the Great West Quarter (GWQ) on Ealing Road, and the High Street. Profiles of all office providers in Brentford can be viewed here.
Unlike traditionally rented office space, these solutions offer space on flexible short-term contracts that allow occupiers to upsize or downsize floorspace during the term and, in the majority of cases, all-inclusive office rental with fixed overheads, such as utilities and cleaning, covered by the rent.
We provide a free office space search, and our advisory and acquisition services are always free. Our Brentford office space brokers and agents are globally regulated by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), ensuring the highest standards of commercial property advice and service at all times. We look forward to helping you find the best office space for rent for your business.