Facebook secures new offices in London’s Covent Garden, and it’s currently recruiting

Facebook is growing its UK operation, and it’s moving into a bigger office space in London’s West End in early 2012.

As the Telegraph reports today, the social network is moving from its current address by Carnaby Street in Soho to Covent Garden, where it is renting a 36,000 square-foot listed building.

So it seems that Facebook is shunning London’s Silicon Roundabout area, which has emerged as one of the biggest technology company clusters in Europe, in favor of a prestigious postcode in London’s West End. The move is expected to happen in January 2012.

Joanna Shields, the company’s vice-president and managing direct of Europe, the Middle East and Africa, told the Telegraph:

“As Facebook’s growth continues, we are delighted to be expanding our operations in the UK with a move to a larger office in central London next year. With over 30 million people using Facebook every month in the UK, and over 750 million globally, we’re excited about the next phase in our development.”

Facebook opened its first London office back in 2007, and it currently employs seventy people, predominantly focusing on advertising sales.

Twitter is also thought to be opening its first European office in London some time this year, with Tony Wang relocating to the UK capital to set-up shop. It’s not clear as of yet where Twitter will base itself in the city.