What was The Buzz in March?
Our monthly roundup of real estate industry news.
From bold operator initiatives to a packed Cannes conference, March showed that the real estate sector has plenty of momentum. Here’s what caught our attention.
x+why backs female founders with new “Build the Future” initiative
Support for female founders is moving from gesture to action. Premium workspace provider x+why has launched a monthly programme running May through December, giving eight female founders per month access to meeting rooms, event space and podcast studio time across its sites.
The initiative arrives against a stark backdrop – female founders still receive just 2p for every £1 of venture investment in the UK. By committing to consistent, practical support throughout the year, x+why is also reflecting a broader shift in how flex operators are positioning themselves: less as landlords, more as active participants in the growth of the businesses they house.
Secret Cinema sets its sights on a permanent London home
After 18 years of staging immersive experiences across shifting locations, Secret Cinema is planning to put down roots at Greenwich Peninsula. The company, which has produced shows for up to 1.5 million people worldwide, hopes to open its new Thames-side flagship before the end of the year, subject to planning permission.
The move is another signal of how cultural and experiential occupiers are increasingly being seen as placemaking anchors — capable of driving footfall, identity and long-term value to emerging districts in ways more traditional uses cannot.
British Land’s Becky Gardiner to join Fora
A notable move in the flex space sector, as Becky Gardiner – head of British Land’s flexible office brand Storey – announces her departure after 15 years to join workspace operator Fora as director of partnerships this June.
Her focus will be on joint ventures and management agreements, bringing deep experience from one of the UK’s most established real estate businesses. The appointment reflects the growing ambition of flex operators to pursue more strategic, partnership-led growth models.
MIPIM 2026: resilience, realism and the long game
The industry’s biggest annual gathering took place in Cannes this month, with 20,000 delegates from 90 countries convening against a backdrop of geopolitical uncertainty. The mood was cautious on arrival – but the focus quickly returned to fundamentals.
Capital remains active, transactional appetite has not evaporated, and logistics, residential and data centres all drew strong investor interest. Meanwhile, London’s need for 88,000 new homes per year – set against around 4,000 starts last year – was a sobering reminder of the gap between housing demand and delivery that planning reform will need to address.
