Looking back at WeWork's arrival in London in 2014 one West End leasing agent recalls how the US co-working business was quickly on the radar of the capital's huge office market. He says there was excitable chatter about this new concept offering free beer on tap as part of the service: It raised a smile. And when this quirky workspace provider signed up on new leases, "without so much as a haggle", it "raised eyebrows".
There was some serious other raising that followed relating to WeWork globally: capital to the tune of billions of dollars; its profile as a go-to for freelancers and start-ups; 'member' numbers; building locations.
