The North East’s office sector is defying the tentativeness of the broader market thanks to the vibrancy of its town centres and the region’s strong transport links, according to Patrick Matheson, partner at Knight Frank’s Newcastle office. Matheson is the UK’s highest-placed office agent in the Radius On Demand Rankings for January, with 38,727 sq ft transacted across seven deals. He believes occupiers are now more settled in how they want to operate space post-pandemic, and says workers are welcoming the return thanks to the ease of commute and the pull of the city centre. Although availability in Newcastle city centre is tightening, Matheson says there are requirements for a further 230,000 sq ft of space across the North East, making him optimistic about the year ahead.