Facebook steps up expansion in West End

The extent of Facebook’s rapid UK expansion was laid bare today as the social-media giant took another London office just three months after a mass expansion in the capital.

The Evening Standard understands Facebook has signed a lease with The Office Group, to take all of its 34,000 square feet space at 2 Stephen Street. Owned by Derwent London, the building is just off Tottenham Court Road which will see a significant influx of staff and shoppers when Crossrail arrives in 2018.

It is expected to house some of Facebook’s engineering team, as well as a number of other staff from different departments.

The deal comes after the company nearly doubled the size of its Euston headquarters in March. It coincides with moves by Facebook to expand products it snapped up last year, such as WhatsApp and Oculus Rift.

Facebook’s attraction continues to grow with a daily average of 936 million users in March — up 17% on a year earlier. In April the US-based company said that revenue during the first quarter had jumped by 42% to $3.5 billion (£2.23 billion).

Facebook declined to comment on the new office deal.