Neo House Serviced Offices Aberdeen
[Updated March 2023] A guide to serviced offices and office space to rent in Aberdeen as well as general information that may be useful if you are thinking of renting office space in the city.
For further office information or to search office space for rent in Aberdeen just click. Or contact us for any other office space query.
History & Geography
Scotland’s third largest city is located on the northeast coast of the country between the River Dee and the River Don. The city is built in a hilly area featuring many craggy cliff formations and shingle beaches. Originally Aberdeen was two separate cities – Old Aberdeen, sitting on the mouth of the River Don, and New Aberdeen, located where the Denburn waterway enters the Dee estuary. In 1136 the Scottish King David I developed New Aberdeen, which was then granted an official charter by King William the Lion in 1179. It was the legendary Scottish leader Robert the Bruce who transformed the city into a financially independent and property-owning entity with his Great Charger in 1319. It was the people of Aberdeen who sheltered Robert the Bruce when he was a fugitive from the English, and who fought for him in the Battle of Barra. In 1336 Edward III of England burned Aberdeen, but the city was quickly rebuilt. Aberdeen was occupied and sacked a number of times during the wars of the 17th century between the Royalists and Covenanters. The bubonic plague also decimated the city’s population in 1647 and approximately a quarter of the population died. The 18th century, especially the latter half, saw Aberdeen improve and expanded, with new roads built and land levelled. The 19th century saw this expansion continue and Aberdeen become an economic power through its fishing and shipbuilding industries. Because of this Aberdeen extended its harbour and built the Victoria Dock and South Breakwater which exist today. The 19th century also saw a sewage system built and street lighting installed. Aberdeen was bombed fairly extensively during WWII in what became known as the Aberdeen Blitz. Today New Aberdeen and Old Aberdeen have long since merged as one and the city is one of the foremost in Scotland, both economically and culturally.
Economy
The traditional industries of Aberdeen have been shipbuilding, fishing and papermaking. For a long time, the city was also famous for its granite quarries and exported the stone to all parts of the world. However, this industry ceased in 1971. In fact, most of Aberdeen’s traditional industries have fallen off and been superseded by others. The oil industry especially has been instrumental in Aberdeen’s boom during the last thirty years or so. When massive oil deposits in the North Sea were discovered the city became the hub of Europe’s oil industry and has been dubbed the Oil Capital of Europe. An estimated half a million jobs have been created in the area from the oil and energy industry alone. However as reserves in the North Sea have already reached their peak production, an effort is being made to turn Aberdeen into a research base, not simply a base for offshore drilling. Agricultural and fishing research are also mainstays of the economy with Aberdeen being home to the famed Macaulay Institute, which carries out agricultural and soil research. Fishing itself is still important to Aberdeen, though the nearby towns of Peterhead and Fraserburgh have long since eclipsed Aberdeen in this regard. High technology and electronics design are also very prevalent in the Aberdeen economy.
Tourism & Culture
Aberdeen is a culturally vibrant city and has a range of sites and activities for visitors. The city is well supplied with museums, one of the most popular of which is the Aberdeen Maritime Museum which chronicles the city’s maritime folklore, from the days of clipper ships to cutting-edge oil exploration. The Gordon Highlanders Museum chronicles the adventures of one of Scotland’s oldest and best-known regiments, and Provost Ross’ House, built in 1593, has been turned into a medieval-themed museum. A large draw for visitors is the Aberdeen International Youth Festival, which is the world’s largest arts festival for young performers. Aberdeen also boasts a high number of venues for live music, with the pubs along Belmont Street, in particular, is known for hosting events. There are also many Ceilidhs which take place in the city, traditional Gaelic social gatherings where Gaelic music is played. Aberdeen’s physical setting is also a reason to visit, with many hikers and campers exploring the nearby coastal paths and beaches.
Transportation
Aberdeen is served by Aberdeen Airport, which is in the north of the city and serves domestic as well as international destinations. Based at the airport is also one of the busiest heliports in the world, serving the oil industry and local rescue services. Aberdeen railway station has service to all major English and Scottish cities as well as the Caledonian Sleeper, one of only two sleeper services still running in the UK. Aberdeen Harbour runs ferry services to Orkney and Shetland and is one of the oldest in Britain. The main form of transport in the city is the bus service, however, cycling is becoming an increasingly popular form of transport.
Office space to rent in Aberdeen
Leased office space take-up totalled 385,000 square feet spread across 56 lettings in 2022. This represented a 95% improvement on the previous year.
190,000 square feet of the take-up was for prime Grade A space, which equated to 49% of the take-up. The largest Grade A letting in 2022 was Shell’s 100,000-square-foot acquisition at the Silver Fin building, which was the largest deal in Aberdeen since 2020.
Prime office rent increased by 3.2% between 2016 and 2022 and currently sits at £32.50 per square foot for rented office space.
There are 13 flex space providers in Aberdeen and these include nationwide and international operators such as Citibase and Regus, as well as local operators such as Neospace and 46 Queens Road.
These offer a range of workspace options ranging from private serviced offices, full floor managed offices and coworking membership options for corporates and individuals.
Profiles of all Aberdeen flex space providers can be seen here.
We carry out a free office space search and our advisory and acquisition services are also free, always. Our Aberdeen 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)