A guide to serviced and managed offices and office space for rent in Southampton, as well as general information that may be useful if you are thinking of renting office space in Southampton.
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History & Geography
One of the UK’s largest ports, Southampton is located in southern England at the northern tip of Southampton Water, an estuary formed by the convergence of the Test and Itchen Rivers. The city also lies close to the southern edge of the New Forest, the largest area of pastureland, heathland and forest in southern England. As with many cities in England, the first permanent settlement on the site was a Roman fortress called Clausentum. Clausentum was eventually abandoned in the fifth century after the departure of the Romans from Britain and was replaced with an Anglo-Saxon settlement in what is now the St Mary’s area of Southampton.
By the 10th century, the settlement had been fortified against Viking raids, and the city’s beginnings were emerging. Following the Norman conquest of England, Southampton grew significantly in size and importance, becoming the main port of transit between England and Normandy. During the Middle Ages, the city grew ever larger, and shipbuilding became a major industry, with Southampton being the site of the construction of Henry V’s famous flagship, HMS Grace Dieu.
Subsequently, Southampton became the main point of embarkation for all of England’s wars over the next few centuries, including the 18th-century wars against France, the Crimean War, the Boer War and WWI. The port was also the point of departure for the Mayflower and the RMS Titanic.
During the 19th century, Southampton expanded even more, with the port facilities rebuilt and the Southampton Docks Company founded.
During WWII, the city suffered extensive bombing by the Luftwaffe because the famous fighter, the Spitfire, was designed and built in the city.
Much of Southampton was destroyed, and today there are few areas with pre-war architecture. The city has been extensively redeveloped, however, and today, it is one of the busiest ports in England and a thriving city in its own right.
Economy
Southampton has a diverse and healthy economy that has evolved from being largely reliant on its port to encompass many other industries. Today, Southampton Port is still the largest freight port on the channel and the fourth-largest UK port by tonnage. Unlike Liverpool and London, the port is still a major employer in the city, and Southampton has kept much of its inner-city industry. Southampton is also a major cruise ship centre, functioning as the home port for many of the world’s largest cruise liners. The port is home to the Cunard Line as well as the Carnival Line. Southampton was also the launch port of Cunard’s recently built cruise liner Queen Victoria.
The city is also home to the aircraft and car industry, as well as electrical engineering products and petrochemicals. Some of the biggest employers in the city are Southampton Airport, the Ford Transit factory, Ordnance Survey, the BBC and the NHS.
Southampton is also a major retail centre, with WestQuay Shopping Centre among the largest in the country.
A survey found that Southampton is one of the best places in the country for those aged 18 to 30 to live, thanks to the city’s low cost of living and affordable transport.
Culture & Tourism
Southampton is not one of England’s tourist hotspots, but the city does see a fair number of visitors and has a vibrant culture all its own. Despite the damage inflicted during WWII, Southampton boasts the longest-surviving stretch of medieval walls in England. It also has several historically themed museums set in architecturally significant buildings, such as the Tudor House and Medieval Merchants House.
Additionally, the Solent Sky Museum shows the history of aviation in the area. The city also hosts several events each year, attracting visitors, the primary one being the Southampton Boat Show, held in September.
Southampton also has a lively theatre scene, with the largest venue, the Mayflower Theatre, routinely hosting West End shows. Also, due to its high student population and the plethora of bars and clubs, Southampton has a thriving nightlife and is known as one of the best places for a night out in the country.
Transport
Southampton has excellent transport links across the country and an efficient city transport system. The city is served by Southampton Central railway station, which runs services to Portsmouth, Cardiff, Salisbury, Weymouth, Dorchester, Poole, and Bournemouth, as well as to more local towns.
Southampton Airport is located in Eastleigh, just north of the city, and offers flights to Europe and the rest of the UK. The airport is connected to the city via Southampton Airport station, the train station. Most local public transport in Southampton is provided by the city’s extensive bus network. The tram system that was in place in the early part of the century has long been scrapped.
Office space to rent in Southampton
In 2012, the total office space available in Southampton was 697,185 square feet, of which approximately 25 per cent was Grade A. Prime rents currently stood at £18 per square foot, down from 2010 and 2011. This was mostly due to relatively low demand, a situation that was not expected to change in the near future. The vacancy rate in the city stood at 11 per cent, unchanged from 2010.
In 2012, on a typical 10-year lease, a 12 to 24-month rent-free period was the average incentive rate.
10 years on, take-up had recovered quickly to pre-pandemic levels in 2021 and 2022.
In 2023, there was a lack of new Grade A office space, so landlords were increasingly refurbishing properties to meet the demand. Examples of these schemes included Charlotte Place, Frobisher House at Nelson Gate, Solent Business Park and Twenty3 Brunswick Place. The latter, owned by Fidelity International, was transformed into the most energy-efficient office building in Southampton, achieving BREEAM Excellent accreditation.
At the beginning of 2022, global engineering, architecture, and consultancy company Ramboll was one of Twenty3 Brunswick Place’s first tenants following the refurbishment, after signing a 10-year lease at the property.
Prime office rents in Southampton city centre were quoted at £28 per square foot, and out-of-town locations at £21 per square foot in 2022.
Southampton’s prime office rents rose to £29 per square foot per annum at the end of 2023.
In the second half of 2025, it was reported that two lettings were completed at Twenty3 Brunswick in Southampton, totalling a cumulative 26,000 square feet.
It was also reported that office demand in central Southampton remained strong, aided by recent regeneration efforts.
As in most other towns and cities across the UK and globally, developers faced considerable challenges as they entered 2026, which were further exacerbated by the Middle Eastern conflict.
It was predicted that this would stifle the development of new office space in the near future and create upward pressure on rents as occupiers increasingly seek best-in-class ESG-considered office space.
There are 11 flexible space providers in Southampton that offer a range of flexible office and workspace solutions, including private serviced offices, managed office spaces, and coworking membership plans.
These solutions offer an alternative to renting office space under traditional leases, with short-term contracts and all-inclusive, fixed-cost pricing.
These are available in 13 buildings across Southampton, in locations including Andersons Road, Cumberland Place, Grosvenor Square, Ocean Village, and Rockstone Place.
Profiles of these providers and operators can be seen here.
We carry out a free office space search, and our advisory and acquisition services are also free, always. Our Southampton 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.
The Office Providers are Regulated by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)