IWG brings flex coworking to regional QLD

IWG has launched its first flexible working space in North Queensland, as the company expands into regional Queensland.

The new Townsville Regus centre, at 280 Flinders Street above the Northtown Flinders Street Mall, is in excess of 700sqm, with two, four and six plus workstation offices available for lease.

The Townsville site is owned by The Adams Group, following the franchise between IWG and the group in September 2020.

“The franchise concept offers our partners the unique opportunity to make an attractive, high-yield investment with the know-how of the market leader and their local expertise,” said Mark Bhardwaj, head of partnership growth in Australia and New Zealand, for IWG.

IWG is looking to expand into regional areas where demand for flexible work spaces is emerging amongst local businesses and entrepreneurs.

“Within Townsville is a strong entrepreneurial spirit and we are proud to foster that spirit through this new centre,” said Bhardwaj.

New locations will be established in the Sunshine Coast, Cairns, Noosa, Mackay, Rockhampton, Gladstone, Bundaberg, Hervey Bay and Airlie Beach, in addition to the Townsville centre.

“We have several centres located in suburban and regional areas, in addition with CBD locations. During the pandemic, IWG’s suburban centres performed on average 20 per cent better on total occupancy than those in the city network,” said Damien Sheehan, country head for IWG, Australia.

IWG currently has 71 locations in Australia, after opening to new sites in 2020, in Brisbane and Sydney.

“We have now seen post the pandemic that our suburban and regional centres are receiving more inquiries from those looking to work in an office closer to their place of residence,” said Sheehan.

Fellow flexible workspace operator, Hub Australia, most recently expanded its footprint with new locations in Melbourne and Adelaide.

While the co-working business recently teamed up with WOTSO to launch a pilot program to provide more than 25 flexible workspaces and open up their CBD and suburban offerings to a combined 7,000 members.

The first customers of IWG’s Townsville Regus centre were set to move in on 10 June, with official opening scheduled for 17 June.