New Amazon office opens in London

Amazon staff have started moving into the company’s new enormous office facility located on the cusp of Shoreditch and the City in London. The 600k square foot building is called Principal Place. However, whilst doubtless comfortable, it apparently won’t include the swimming pool, a basketball court and tennis court on the roof terrace seen in original promo shots.

The official opening party will be hosted at the facility by UK MD Doug Gurr on Wednesday. It’s expected that Amazon’s Holborn office will be taken over by Amazon Web Services. It adds to Amazon’s UK property footprint, but what else do they have?

There’s that large Amazon Holborn office near St Paul’s in London. Amazon research and development centres can be found in Edinburgh and Cambridge. And don’t forget those vast Amazon warehouses (14 in all?) across the country that hold product and fulfil orders. There’s also reportedly a secret delivery drone test site near Cambridge too. And all that doesn’t include all the partnership facilities that they have for Amazon Fulfilment.

This Shoreditch building will serve as the Amazon UK HQ, it seems. And it’s heartening that Amazon has been keen to establish itself in London so fully, even in the face of Brexit uncertainty. Amazon has said previously that they won’t be deterred and ditch London. Indeed they’ve actually reiterated their commitment to the UK and noted they have invested £6.4 billion in the UK since 2010. In 2017 they expect to create 5000 new permanent roles and have a full roster of staff totalling 24k.

Amazon said shortly after the referendum: “We are committed to supporting UK businesses selling in the UK, in Europe and worldwide, and to helping businesses worldwide sell in the U.K. and in Europe, now and in the future” This new office block would seem to express their commitment to that statement.