What makes West London a business hub, and a great one at that?

“West London, a business hub? Actually, you’ll find that’s Central London! You’re an idiot.” – you, probably.

Well guess what? West London actually has emerged as one of the UK’s key business hubs, and noticeably so – home to many of the UK’s largest headquarters and boldest startups, it is clear that it’s one of the places to be if you want to set up yourself. But what exactly makes it so great?

Why West London is a business hub

The West has long been the wealthier side of London, especially since the docks started to decline in the East. While not all parts are great (we have to be honest), some areas such as Chiswick and White City are home to a fantastic concentration of talent and resources. West London is a place where you can see the headquarters of many reputable firms, the birth of new and exciting startups, and considerable investment. However, one thing you won’t find in some parts is a coffee for under £5, luckily we have our own delicious (and cheap) coffee at Venture X.

Let’s get into what makes a West London business location so great:

Strategic West London Location and Connectivity

West London is strategically situated between the bustling financial centre in Central London, and some key transportation hubs in the west, notably Heathrow Airport, the Great Western Mainline, the South Western Mainline, and multiple motorway routes. This is particularly advantageous because it combines access to expertise and clients in Central London with far easier access to markets across the rest of the country and abroad.

West London has a Diverse and Skilled Workforce

The business hub of West London boasts a highly skilled and diverse workforce, with a significant concentration of professionals in finance, technology, and creative industries. This means that quality talent is rarely in short supply and ensures that firms have access to the necessary people. London in general is home to a number of top universities such as Imperial College London and UCL, with Oxford and Cambridge relatively accessible too, which ensures that the talent pool is always topped up with fresh faces.

Thriving Business Ecosystem

In terms of infrastructure, West London offers a range of modern office spaces, business parks, and coworking facilities (wink wink) to cater to the needs of businesses of all sizes. The area also features a number of business support services, networking events, and industry clusters, which is fantastic for the growth of businesses. We all know Deliveroo, right? If not, that might be a bit worrying. ;) Deliveroo is a fine example of a startup from West London – it started small and had the perfect environment to grow.

West London has excellent transport infrastructure

As described in detail further below, TfL is excellent at providing quality public transport across London – West London can be accessed well from all directions, usually by bus, mainline train, Overground or Tube.

Some Major Companies with a Presence in West London

Around the area there are many major companies with headquarters or key offices, making West London a business hub, and impressively so.

Amazon: the e-commerce giant has its UK headquarters in Paddington, West London.

Google: has a major office in White City, supporting its operations in the region.

BBC: the BBC’s famous headquarters, where they produce their declining content, is situated in White City.

Unilever: the consumer goods giant has its UK headquarters in Chiswick, West London.

Two notable locations within West London that are home to many of these big businesses and fantastic infrastructure are Chiswick Park and White City.

Chiswick Park is one of the UK’s most notable business parks. It’s designed as a series of 12 buildings surrounding an ‘inner garden’ with a lake, waterfall, and landscaped pathways, creating a serene atmosphere for the workforce. The park is home to a variety of high profile names, including Pokemon, CBS, Paramount Pictures, Foxtons, Starbucks, Swarovski, Danone and Discovery.

White City, on the other hand, has emerged as a hub for media and creative industries, partly due to the influence of the BBC. It’s also home to the UK headquarters of other companies such as L’Oreal and Expedia.

Wait – hang on a minute! Did we just mention Chiswick Park and White City? Well, I wonder who could possibly have offices in both of these business hubs…

Enough joking around, no prizes for guessing! The answer is obviously Venture X. Those fantastic coworking spaces we mentioned earlier with delicious coffee? Well, that’s our thing. If you’d like to know more about what that entails, have a look here.

Now, how exactly do you get to our locations?

Venture X Chiswick Park

By rail

Venture X Chiswick Park is conveniently located in West London, easily accessible from Central London and Heathrow Airport. With excellent rail and bus connections, reaching us from various London suburbs is a breeze (assuming TfL does as it’s supposed to).

Venture X Chiswick Park is well-served by three main train stations:

Gunnersbury: The nearest Tube station, Gunnersbury, is located just across the road from the Chiswick Park main entrance. Exit towards Chiswick High Road, turn right, and you’ll see the main entrance to Chiswick Park on the left. Venture X is located in Building 7, at the park’s end, right of the lakes. Gunnersbury is on the District Line’s Richmond branch and the London Overground, connecting to Kew, Richmond, Hammersmith, Acton, Willesden, West Hampstead and Central London.
Chiswick Park: On the District Line’s Ealing Broadway branch, Chiswick Park Tube station is also a short stroll from our location. Exit onto Bollo Lane, take the footpath left just before the bridge, and use it to cross over into Chiswick Park. Venture X is immediately on the right in Building 7. Chiswick Park is the most convenient station from Heathrow Airport, with a simple change at Acton Town from the Piccadilly Line to the District Line.
Kew Bridge: A 20-minute walk away, Kew Bridge is on the local mainline train route between London Waterloo and Hounslow, passing through Clapham Junction, Wandsworth, Putney, and Barnes. It’s also ideal for those coming from Berkshire or Surrey. From Kew Bridge, head left on Chiswick High Road, navigate the roundabout, continue past Gunnersbury station, and enter Chiswick Park. Venture X is straight ahead, to the right of the lakes, in Building 7.

By bus

Numerous bus routes service Chiswick Park:

Main Entrance: Buses 110, 237, 267, 440, and H91 stop by the main entrance. From here, walk straight past the lakes to find Venture X in Building 7.
Eastern Side: Buses 70 and 440 stop on the eastern side. Walk up the steps, and you’ll find Venture X beside you in Building 7.

Venture X White City

By rail

Shepherd’s Bush: A fairly short walk from our office on Ariel Way, Shepherd’s Bush is served by both the London Overground and the Central Line (however, on the latter, White City station is closer to our offices so we recommend using that instead). This allows for easy access from Clapham Junction (and therefore South and South West London), plus access from North London via Willesden Junction on the Overground. Our office is on the other side of Westfield from the station, but luckily you can avoid having to go through the centre itself!
White City: The closest Central Line station to our office, this is a fantastic link to Central London as well as the suburbs of Acton, Ealing, Greenford and Ruislip. After exiting, head left down Wood Lane, past Wood Lane station, to get to our offices.

Wood Lane: Adjacent to our offices and very close to White City station, Wood Lane is served by the Hammersmith & City and Circle Lines. These lines provide great access from Paddington station, as well as other areas such as Hammersmith and Baker Street.

Heathrow Travel: For international client meetings, our White City location is under an hour from Heathrow. Either take the Piccadilly Line from your airport terminal and change to one of the Hammersmith and City/Circle Lines at Hammersmith. Exit at Wood Lane station, and you’re a two-minute walk from our doors. Alternatively, take the Heathrow Express to Paddington, and change to the Hammersmith and City/Circle Lines, also getting off at Wood Lane.

By Bus:

Local Access: The White City bus station is a stone’s throw away, providing numerous bus routes to more local areas to our office.

So if you’re still unsure about coworking in one of the UK’s liveliest business hotspots, have a look at what coworking can offer you!