Technology company Google is betting on an eventual return to the office with the £762.5 million ($1 billion) purchase of the London site where it is currently a tenant.
Due to Covid-19 lockdowns, the future of the office had been up in the air but on Friday, Google bet big on work eventually returning to normal.
“We want to reinvigorate the work environment. We're making this commitment to rebuild. We're buying these buildings and we're keen to see everybody come back in and see a vibrant workspace again,” said Google's UK boss Ronan Harris.
The purchase of the Central St Giles office is being made alongside a new development being built for the company in King's Cross.
Google said the move means it will have the capacity for 10,000 employees in the UK. It currently employs more than 6,400 people across the country.
The office will undergo the multimillion-pound refurbishment to create hybrid, flexible working spaces, as well as outdoor covered areas for people to work in the fresh air.
Google said it still expects about a fifth of its workforce to work remotely after the pandemic.
“We have been privileged to operate in the UK for nearly 20 years, and our purchase of the Central St Giles development reflects our continued commitment to the country's growth and success,” said Google senior vice president Ruth Porat.
“Our focus remains on creating flexible workspaces that foster innovation, creativity and inclusivity.”
As businesses look for new ways to work and stave off the effects of another lockdown or even the next pandemic, some sectors are more keen for a return to office life than others, particularly hospitality and brick-and-mortar retail.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak said: “This investment in jobs from Google is a big vote of confidence in the UK as a world-leading tech hub.
“It is also proof that this country continues to be one of the most attractive places in the world for leading firms to grow their business.
“The tech sector will play a pivotal role in our future economy and help drive forward our recovery from the pandemic and we are committed to creating the right environment to ensure it continues to thrive.”
London's Mayor Sadiq Khan, said: “Google's latest investment in London is fantastic news sending a clear message that our capital is a global draw for investment, business and talent. This will help London maintain its position as a world leading technology hub.”
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Stormy seas
Weather warnings show that Storm Eunice is soon to make landfall. The videographer and I are scrambling to return to the other side of the Channel before it does. As we race to the port of Calais, I see miles of wire fencing topped with barbed wire all around it, a silent ‘Keep Out’ sign for those who, unlike us, aren’t lucky enough to have the right to move freely and safely across borders.
We set sail on a giant ferry whose length dwarfs the dinghies migrants use by nearly a 100 times. Despite the windy rain lashing at the portholes, we arrive safely in Dover; grateful but acutely aware of the miserable conditions the people we’ve left behind are in and of the privilege of choice.
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Zakat definitions
Zakat: an Arabic word meaning ‘to cleanse’ or ‘purification’.
Nisab: the minimum amount that a Muslim must have before being obliged to pay zakat. Traditionally, the nisab threshold was 87.48 grams of gold, or 612.36 grams of silver. The monetary value of the nisab therefore varies by current prices and currencies.
Zakat Al Mal: the ‘cleansing’ of wealth, as one of the five pillars of Islam; a spiritual duty for all Muslims meeting the ‘nisab’ wealth criteria in a lunar year, to pay 2.5 per cent of their wealth in alms to the deserving and needy.
Zakat Al Fitr: a donation to charity given during Ramadan, before Eid Al Fitr, in the form of food. Every adult Muslim who possesses food in excess of the needs of themselves and their family must pay two qadahs (an old measure just over 2 kilograms) of flour, wheat, barley or rice from each person in a household, as a minimum.
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Race card
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m
6pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-1 Listed (PA) Dh230,000 (T) 1,600m
6.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,400m
7pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 (T) 2,400m
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
