Office lettings in London dropped off 57% in the second quarter of this year compared to the previous quarter, according to research by DeVono Cresa.

Some 1.2m sq ft of office space was leased across central London between April and June.

The average deal size in the second quarter was 8,160 sq ft compared to 5,785 sq ft in quarter one of 2020.

Office availability in the second quarter rose by 8%, with 14.9m sq ft available across central London. The greatest increase in availability was in the West End, which was up by 15%. In the City, office availability rose by 8% (5.3m sq ft).

“Our data from Q2 2020 has shown that demand for office space has not disappeared, and with a number of deals already signed in July, businesses continue to commit to future office space and look for opportunities in the market,” said Shaun Dawson, head of insights at DeVono Cresa.

“As a result of the ongoing pandemic, we expect demand for leasehold space to remain subdued compared with historical levels mixed with an increased appreciation of flexible office space”.