Supply Issues As Weybridge’s Office Market Thrives

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Leafy Weybridge in Surrey continues to punch well above its weight in the office space market but a growing mismatch between supply and demand could prove crucial, says a regional commercial property specialist.

Charlie Nicholson, regional managing partner for property consultancy Vail Williams, says the town’s unique blend of high-quality, competitively priced office accommodation and exceptional connectivity continues to underpin office market demand.

The Weybridge office market has performed well amid evolving occupier requirements and ongoing workplace recalibration, helped by the combination of its lifestyle offer, top schools and good transport links to London, Heathrow and Gatwick.

Global occupiers such as Samsung and Sony have long-established operations in and around the town, cementing Weybridge’s role as a genuine hub-and-spoke location for international businesses.

Charlie said:

“However, we are seeing office outcomes in Weybridge become increasingly polarised. Buildings that have benefitted from investment continue to perform strongly; meanwhile older or less flexible stock has experienced slower rates of absorption. That’s why building specification and presentation matter more than ever.”

“There is also a clear shortage of modern, fitted Cat A+ and ‘oven-ready’ accommodation, particularly at the smaller end of the market. Suites within the 1,500 to 10,000 sq ft range are experiencing sustained levels of demand, but availability remains limited.”

Charlie, who has more than 20 years’ regional commercial property experience, added:

“Where landlords have invested in high-quality fitted office space in Weybridge, results have been encouraging. The multi-let buildings at The Heights demonstrate that when space is delivered in the right format conventional offices can and do let well here."

“This creates a clear opportunity for landlords and investors. Splitting larger floorplates and committing capital to Cat A+ refurbishments is making the difference between space sitting idle and space letting quickly.”

In 2025, there were 12 significant office lettings in Weybridge, totalling approximately 33,217 sq ft. This represented a significant increase in total square footage leased compared with 2024, reflecting ongoing occupier right-sizing trends but also a renewed transactional momentum.

Office demand remains centred on Weybridge’s established business park locations which benefit from strong access to the M25 and have a proven ability to attract major corporates. These locations have continued to anchor significant occupiers over the last 12 months, notably at The Heights Brooklands and Bourne Business Park.

Headline rents at The Heights are now moving into the early £40s per sq ft, with prime refurbished space typically achieving £38 to £40 per sq ft. Meanwhile the average net effective rents across wider Weybridge in 2025 sat closer to £30 per sq ft. This reinforces the town’s value proposition when compared with many outer London locations.

Charlie said:

“Looking ahead, at one end of the market, demand is emerging for bespoke, pre-let solutions from larger corporates with specific operational requirements."

“At the other end of the market, smaller and mid-sized occupiers continue to drive transactional activity, provided space is delivered in a format that supports immediate occupation and modern working practices."

“Also, flexible workspace providers have also responded to this demand by delivering amenity-rich environments that appeal to experience-led occupiers, helping to provide an incubator offering to start-ups alongside more established corporate occupiers in the area."

“From an office market investment perspective, Weybridge continues to offer long-term development and investment potential. The Local Plan identifies opportunities for intensification of office delivery across established commercial areas, including parts of The Heights campus."

“Not only this, as some older office buildings transition to residential use, those that remain are capable of profitable turnaround through refurbishment, reconfiguration or redevelopment, and are expected to attract sustained occupier and investor interest."

“For global occupiers, Weybridge provides a cost-effective gateway to UK and European markets, meanwhile, for landlords and investors, office demand will continue to flow, if capital is deployed intelligently and space is aligned with modern occupier expectations."

“Of course, Weybridge is not immune to wider economic pressures as we look ahead, but the office market here is underpinned by strong fundamentals – international appeal, excellent connectivity, a compelling lifestyle offer and consistent demand for high-quality space. Few locations within the Surrey office market combine these advantages so close to London.”

Vail Williams, based in Woking, has had a presence in Surrey since the late 1980s and over the years, we have played a pivotal role in some of the region’s major commercial and residential developments.

The firm’s full-service property advice includes commercial agency, investment and development advice, building consultancy, property valuation, planning, lease advisory, property asset management, business rates and occupier consultancy.

Photo: Hitting the Heights: Weybridge in Surrey continues to punch well above its weight in the office space market but a growing mismatch between supply and demand could prove crucial. Pictured is The Heights where rents are now moving into the early £40s per sq ft.

Categories

Jun 20, 2023
5 min read

Updated: Oct 27, 2023

In 1996 Chris Salisbury founded Canvasman in the tiny cellar of his Victorian terraced house in Leeds. From its humble beginnings as a one-man-band, the company has since grown to a dedicated team of expert designers, cutters, sewing machinists and fitters, now based in the charming Yorkshire town of Baildon.

As well as boat covers, they design and manufacture shade sails, shop canopies, vehicle covers and much more. In fact, this business is all about the canvas so if it can be made out of canvas, Canvasman is the place to go. Paul Andrews went to speak to Chris and his wife Fran and find out more.

The journey started before 1996 as Chris left school and was employed by a caravan awnings company where repairs needed to be made and he taught himself to sew before doing a deal to go it alone and the Canvasman was born. Chris loves the great outdoors, so the business was the perfect fit, allowing him to pursue his personal goals of traveling whilst repairing tents and awnings and earning a living. Jobs were completed and he was asked to do bespoke projects such as making custom sized boat covers. The business grew and eventually became too big to operate from home, so they leased a workshop before buying their first premises and as the business has grown further moved into their current home a few years ago.

As well as boat covers, awnings, and outdoor garden products the business has diversified with safety beds and Pop tops to name a few. The new factory has enabled them to develop new products and provide the space to automate where they can and develop their own bespoke software programme to help manage each and every job too.

Chris and his wife Fran now run the business together, with complimentary skills that enable roles and responsibilities to be shared which plays to both their strengths. Family values are firmly embedded in the culture of this Yorkshire family firm, as well as being proudly displayed on the walls for all to see, but as Chris explains, they come into play each and every day.

“We manage the business according to the values and it helps us all to be aligned with a shared purpose, underpinned by a consistent and values-based approach. The values were created by Fran from a team day where every member of the team had an input so they came from within the business, were shaped and agreed and are now the values we work to. It certainly helps when it comes to working in teams and making sure that we are all doing the right thing too,” he continues.

The core values that underpin this business:

Caring

We believe in fair and equal treatment of others.
We are conscious of our responsibility to produce products that add value through clever design and longevity and are considerate of the impact that our service and products have on others and our planet.
We are committed to creating an environment of inclusivity with shared knowledge, honest communication, and flexibility.

Committed

We are reliable and trustworthy, delivering products and service on time and fit for purpose.
We make good decisions and consider how they will affect others.
We set high standards for ourselves in order to achieve outstanding results.

Consistent

We take pride in exceeding our customers’ expectations through the quality of our service, designs, and products.
We value efficiency and seek to focus on the best use of our time, energy, and resources
We act on feedback and criticism to improve ourselves, our service, and our products.

Curious

We are creative and innovative and willing to experiment, supporting adaptability and agility in the workplace.
We listen to our colleagues and clients to understand their needs so we can help them better.
We have a hunger for knowledge and to learn new things and understand that continuous learning is key to improve ourselves as well as the overall performance of our team and company.

Collaborative

We nurture camaraderie with each other and our customers by helping people, planet, and community when we can.
We value each other’s strengths and differences as key links in the chain, and we can rely on each other for support.
We provide open and honest communication with each other and will listen and respect the interaction from others so that we are all connected.

This is a family business that has thought through an approach that works for them with values at their heart. “We like to recruit people that fit our culture,” explains Fran, “as the culture is so important with a team our size. We like a ‘can do’ attitude and know that we can train anyone with the necessary technical skills to do their role.”

Canvasman is also keen to do business the right way and has a sustainable agenda at their core. “We try to do the right thing and act in a way that is as kind to the environment as it can be,” continues Chris. “We are much more aware of our energy use than we were a few years ago and are constantly looking at ways to reduce consumption. We are pushing suppliers to make sustainable fabrics, reducing wate, repairing products rather than replacing them and making sure we embrace as many opportunities as possible, such as a grant to help with the installation of solar panels on the roof which generates half of our required electricity annually.”

This is a family firm that wants to be seen as the best example of a manufacturing business that it can be and the drive is certainly coming from the top as both Chris and Fran believe that is the only way to succeed, to drive change and embrace opportunity but they are also empowering others to make their own impact and help on the journey. The embedded values and culture certainly help in this regard. As Fran continues:

“We are always looking to make things better and to improve what we do and how we do it. We might be a small business but want to be a shining beacon for the manufacturing sector and somewhere that people want to come to work and enjoy their time at work too.”

For Chris and Fran, knowing that their team are happy at work is important and part of their DNA. “We make great products that last and we are known for the quality and craftsmanship in what we do and having a happy team is not only good for morale and the culture of the business but helps with production and customer service too,” continues Chris, adding that:

“We want to be sustainable as a business in our own right and not add to some of the prevailing environmental challenges and if by doing so, creating a nice environment in which to work, happy teams and the right culture continuing to produce great outcomes for our clients then it is a win all round.”

Work-life balance is part of the culture and part of this business. There are ambitions to grow, to diversify into new products and to take Canvasman to the next level. The desire to grow responsibly is tangible and will undoubtedly happen and we look forward to seeing the continuing journey of this great family business.

Watch this space – Canvasman is on the rise – a proud family business who believe in creating great products for great people.

Find out more at www.canvasman.co.uk