Tenants took up 2.4 million square feet in office space during the first three months of 2015, according to commercial estate agent Cushman & Wakefield.

The biggest growth in demand was seen in the City, as professional-services firm Deloitte struck the biggest deal, agreeing a major, 270,000 square feet, pre-let at 1 New Street Square. That deal pushed City lettings 34% ahead of the same time last year.

Cushman — itself put up for sale with a $2 billion (£1.35 billion) price tag by the billionaire Agnelli family — saw quieter letting activity in the West End as an acute shortage of space pushes vacancy rates down to just 2.3% — a level not seen since 2000.

That shortage has seen the private family office of the Nahmads — billionaire art dealers originating from Syria — bust the UK record for the highest London office rent ever paid — a reported £185 a square foot for the top floor of Green Property’s 8 St James’s Square development.

Andy Tyler, C&W’s head of West End office agency, said: “It is clear that rising rents and scarcity of product are leading to a redistribution of occupiers across central London, particularly West End occupiers.”