Flexible workspace provider Grafter expands into London market with Bloomsbury townhouse

Irish company set up last year by Emma Kennedy specialises in luxury office space in restored buildings

Flexible workspace provider Grafter has opened its first location in London, with a refurbished five-storey period townhouse in Bloomsbury joining its portfolio of two restored buildings in Dublin.

The Irish company, founded in 2021 by its chief executive Emma Kennedy, specialises in the luxury end of the flexible and serviced office market.

The London location, known as Bedford House with an address at 23 Bedford Square, offers almost 5,500sq ft of private offices, customised workspaces and larger floor areas that “cater for every aspect of modern working”, it said.

Bedford House occupants are supported by an on-site reception and concierge team, with the building featuring a private courtyard, stocked kitchen and ornate roof window above its staircase, as well as high-speed fibre connectivity, videoconferencing services and Bluetooth-controlled sit/stand desks.

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“We are very excited to announce our expansion into the UK. Our members frequently travel back and forth between Ireland and the UK, so we felt it was important to have a base in central London,” said Ms Kennedy, noting Bloomsbury’s historic cultural role and its proximity to Soho and Mayfair.

“We very much look forward to welcoming our new local members to this location.”

The Grafter boss said the company was “actively looking” for new houses in London to grow its footprint further over the coming months and years.

Grafter also operates fully serviced office buildings in Leeson House, located at 41 Lower Leeson Street in Dublin, and Ely House, located at 10 Ely Place. Both are Georgian properties of about 5,000sq ft.

Laura Slattery

Laura Slattery

Laura Slattery is an Irish Times journalist writing about media, advertising and other business topics