Flex and The City Awards Night 2025:
The biggest night in flex history

For its second year running, The Flex and The City Awards returned with a bang - this time taking over the iconic Ministry of Sound for what has fast become the most anticipated night in flex. Here's the full lowdown...

With over 400 industry professionals in attendance - including the UK’s top operators, landlords, agents and brokers - the Flex and The City Awards brought together the very best of the sector to celebrate another remarkable year for flexible workspace.

Stepping things up from last year’s debut at The Underglobe, this year’s event went bigger, louder, and even more spectacular - and, in true FATC fashion, swapped the traditional sit-down gala for a contemporary cocktail party.

Guests indulged in food stands serving everything from handmade pizza and Italian small plates to American-style burgers, plus dessert tricycles piled high with waffles, crêpes and rolled ice cream. The open bar flowed late into the night, as Ministry’s resident DJ, joined by live saxophonist, singers, disco dancers and LED stilt walkers weaved through the crowd for a night to remember.

Sponsored by a lineup of leading brands including Landmark, Pelham Interiors, Yardi, Canvas Offices and Techspace, the evening celebrated excellence across 13 award categories, honouring the visionaries, innovators and trailblazers shaping the future of the flex industry.

“Flex and The City are big fans of democracy”, announced co-founders Tiger-Lily Beck and Demi Smith. This year’s awards opened nominations to the entire industry - inviting operators, brokers, landlords and suppliers to put themselves or their peers in the spotlight. The final winners were chosen through an industry-wide public vote, ensuring the results reflected the voice of the community itself.

This year’s winners showcased the evolution of the sector - with established leaders like Fora, x+why, and GPE continuing to set the benchmark, and fast-growing names such as Spacemade and KOBA defining the next generation of flex.

1.  Best New Regional Flex Space 2025 – Sponsored by Landmark:

WINNER: KOBA. Manchester. Celebrated for achieving the world’s first WELL Coworking Rated workspace - with community at its core, sustainability truly in action, KOBA, Manchester has set a northern benchmark for how exceptional regional flex can be. 

Short-list:
2. ⁠Runway East, Bath
3. Orega, Broadgate Leeds

2. Best New London Flex Space 2025 - Presented by Flex and The City:

WINNER: Fora, The Jellicoe. Spanning an incredible 176,000 sq ft, The Jellicoe not only marks Fora’s fifth launch in the King's Cross region but represents one of Europe’s largest management agreements, a masterpiece in amenity-led workspace design. 

Short-list:
2. x+why, Arding & Hobbs
3. ⁠Tide by NewFlex
4. ⁠Halkin, Mainframe
⁠5. MYO, King’s Cross

3. Broker Excellence Award - Sponsored by Canvas:

WINNER: Glen Giles, Office Freedom - recognised for his exceptional professionalism, market expertise and ability to forge lasting client relationships. Widely regarded as one of the industry’s most trusted and respected brokers, Glen’s integrity, positivity and genuine approach make him a truly deserving recipient of the Broker Excellence Award.

Short-list:
2. Leigh Blanks, Making Moves
3. Robyn Osborne, Compton
4. Stacey Banks, Office Hub

4. Best Fit Out - Sponsored by Pelham Interiors:

WINNER: x+why, Arding & Hobbs (W.RE). The operator masterfully transformed a Grade II-listed landmark, combining heritage architecture with cutting-edge design, sustainability and craftsmanship to deliver a workspace of true distinction.

Short-list:
2. Halkin, King William Street
3. Huckletree, 8 Bishopsgate (Loop Interiors)

5. Operator Sales Leader - Sponsored by Yardi:

WINNER: Nathan Carpenter,  Head of Central Sales, NewFlex. A true cornerstone of the company’s success, Nathan has been a driving force behind NewFlex’s growth and momentum for over a decade.

Short-list:
2. Alex Latham, The Ministry
3. Freddie Bailey, Halkin
4. Poppy Barker, Kitt
⁠5. Craig Cagehin, Workpad

6. FATC Female of The Year - Presented by Flex and The City:

WINNER: Jane Erasmus, Sales & Marketing Director, UBC. This award honours an exceptional woman whose leadership has made a defining impact on the industry. With a remarkable 20 years at UBC, Jane embodies deep-rooted industry expertise, and her unwavering dedication continues to shape and elevate the flexible workspace sector.

Short-list:
2. Amelia Woolley, OSIT
3. Sophie Turnbull, Orega

7. Best Managed Product - Sponsored by Yardi

WINNER: GPE. This award celebrates an exceptional managed solution that stands out in a particularly overcrowded market. This year, GPE took home the crown for its ever-growing portfolio of managed spaces that feel considered, intuitive and effortlessly high-end, raising the bar for landlord-led workspace in London.

Short-list:
2. Metspace
3. ⁠Kitt Offices

8. Rising Operator - Presented by Flex and The City:

WINNER: Spacemade. The operator has swiftly built an impressive 300,000 sq ft portfolio of design-led neighbourhood workspaces. This year alone, Spacemade has launched a remarkable array, including the fashion and beauty-focused Studio Y, health-focused Hale House and flagship site Ellise, crystallising its rising operator status. 

Short-list:
2. Oneder
3. Flex by Grosvenor

9. Sustainable Excellence - Sponsored by Techspace:

WINNER: Projects. This operator is a true example of a B-Corp workspace driving systemic change - weaving sustainability into every layer, from solar power to zero waste. This year they’ve spearheaded smarter carbon tracking, upcycling and energy efficiency investments - setting a new standard for purpose-driven flex space.

RUNNER-UP: x+why

10. The Legacy Award - Presented by last year's winner, Craig Haggerty, CEO and Co-founder of Business Cube:

WINNER: Amy Taylor, International Partner and Head of the UK's Flexible Office Advisory. Having pioneered a flex advisory at one of the world’s leading real estate firms, Amy has spent the past decade guiding landlords and occupiers through a seismic shift in how they approach flexible workspace - cementing her position as one of the industry’s true trailblazers.

Short-list:
2. Dan Brown, Workthere
3. Bob Toor, Office Freedom

11. Supplier Innovation Award - Presented by Flex and The City:

WINNER: Yardi. This award celebrates the innovators behind the scenes whose products, design and technology empower operators and landlords to deliver exceptional workspaces. Trusted by leading operators worldwide, Yardi powers end-to-end operations for flex operators and landlords through its Kube and CoworkingCafe platforms - enabling them to scale efficiently, operate seamlessly and deliver data-driven excellence across their portfolios.

Short-list:
2. Uniti AI
3. Sidekick

12. Operator of The Year - Sponsored by Pelham Interiors

WINNER: FORA. This award celebrates an exceptional brand that this year, has set the standard for excellence across every facet of flexible workspace. In 2025, Fora has delivered a breakthrough year of large-scale expansion and elevated experience. With world-class design, wellness-led amenities and community-driven environments, Fora is reshaping what it means to work flexibly in the modern era.

Short-list:
2. x+why
3. Halkin

13. Flex Agency of The Year - Sponsored by Landmark

WINNER: Making Moves. With over a decade of rapid growth, Making Moves has built a reputation for its commitment to occupiers, sharp market insight and end-to-end expertise in sourcing and delivering workspace strategies.

Short-list:
2. Office Freedom
3. Hubble

With a dance floor packed late into the night, 2025's Flex and The City Awards closed on a high - a true celebration of an industry that continues to grow, adapt, and thrive.

As FATC continues to expand its event portfolio and community initiatives into 2026, the stage is set for even bigger collaborations, new categories and more opportunities to spotlight excellence across the sector.

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