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Our management philosophy at 22 Bishopsgate has always been centred around four key commitments: the environment, wellness, inclusion and knowledge. The pandemic has emphasised just how important these values are and accelerated their wider societal recognition. Our aim is to create a campus in which community and collaborative behaviours are championed.
A big part of this vision is encouraging our occupiers to actively commute to work, whether that’s running, cycling or walking, and supporting all the attendant benefits by doing so. To achieve this we have ensured that the services we provide are fully inclusive and accessible to all our occupiers, not an elite ‘lycra-clad’ club centred around cleats and expensive road bikes – as it so often is. To be true to the 22 Bishopsgate values we believed the imperative was to deliver a user friendly, safe and welcoming environment with passionate hosts on hand to help out, whether you’re just starting out or sporting a well-worn sportif jersey or finishers t-shirt.
To cover every eventuality, we put our heads together and addressed all the excuses we could think of as to why people wouldn’t get to work this way, and then sought to address every single one – and hopefully a few others that may arise in the future.
Definitely – our onsite hosts are always on hand to help with any queries or questions. Additionally, 22 Bishopsgate has joined the RunSome campaign to actively encourage our teams and occupiers to run everyday journeys. Alongside the positive impacts on physical and mental health, this will have a positive impact on the environment too. We will be introducing running clubs for our occupiers, so everyone has the opportunity to meet likeminded people with similar goals.
We have the largest bike park in London, providing up to 1,700 bike spaces and over 1,300 lockers, so there will always be space for you to leave your bike and belongings inside.
3. It’s raining – I don’t want to have to queue for a shower and carry in all my toiletries. Where would I dry my clothes?
We have 75 showers with sustainable toiletries provided, dedicated drying rooms, a complimentary towel service, ironing facilities, changing areas and a sustainable dry-cleaning service to ensure you can transition from drenched active commuter to desk ready easily and in no time.
The 22 Bishopsgate App creates a seamless, quick entrance experience. Additionally, we have digital lockers alongside all the facilities and services mentioned above to make the transformation from runner to work ready as quick and easy as possible.
We deliberately named our facilities ‘The Active Commuter Park’ (affectionately known as the ACP) and not ‘The Bike Park’ to highlight that this space welcomes everyone, so however you choose to actively commute, this space is ready for you to use and enjoy. And if running or walking, remember is doesn’t always have to be from home – especially if you’re too far away - an alternative ‘end-of-trip’ option carries the same benefits. It all helps!
We have a team of dedicated hosts managing the ACP who are on hand for any questions. There are rider maintenance points with all essential tools so active commuters can carry out their own maintenance or minor repairs. For more comprehensive repairs, the ACP team will invite bike maintenance and repair specialists in for regular sessions. There is a bike washing station to keep your bike looking shiny and fresh.
And so, the ACP was born; for us, success will be seeing a place full during the day and empty at night, which means making it easy, making it fun and leaving you with no excuses.
