- World Sailing are to terminate their present lease on the London office at the end of November 2021
- The lease for smaller office space in London will provide a saving of £420,000 per annum
It cost a fortune to heat (and cool) and the cleaning never stopped, but did they really need that boardroom to accommodate 30 people or 60-people theatre style, the Open plan kitchen area equipped with a living wall, the reception area featuring the latest sailing content from across the globe.
Or that Open plan office area, accommodating 36 pods for World Sailing staff, three phone booths and TV screens.
Finally, reluctantly, World Sailing has had to bite the bullet and match their needs to their income . . . and let’s face it a £420,000 a year saving is not to be ignored in these times of rocketing running costs.
World Sailing are to terminate their present lease on the London office at the end of November 2021 and downsize to a smaller office space.
While remaining in London the move is expected to slash the actual costs (rent, rates, utilities and services) to under £170,000 per annum, compared to current costs which are around £590,000 per annum.
World Sailing relocated from Southampton to London in January 2017 to quote – ‘A location that enabled World Sailing’s members and stakeholders ease of access to the new facility and allowed international diversity with a high quality, multilingual employment base.’
At the time of the move to London, the organisation came under considerable media criticism over the office size and the increased costs.
Despite dismissing the comments at the time and desperately attempting to justify the location in one of the most expensive cities in the world. World Sailing has now bowed to that criticism and found that they can exist in a smaller area.
But unfortunately, this moment of madness has cost the members some £2.1 million.
World Sailing has negotiated a short new term (3-5 years) lease for smaller office space in London.
If the agreement is approved by the board, actual costs (rent, rates, utilities and services) are expected to be under £170 per annum, compared to current costs which are around £590,000 per annum . . . a £420,000 annual saving.
At the end of its 2021 Annual Conference, held virtually for the second successive year due to ongoing travel restrictions, World Sailing announced that the 2022 Mid-Year Meeting and the 2022 Annual Conference will be held in person in Abu Dhabi.
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