London’s wide choice of co-working spaces are dotted across the length and breadth of the city, stretching from the bustling centre all the way out to the suburbs.
(Photo: Work.Life)
With the numbers of self-employed expected to prolong its upwards trend over the coming years, the impetus to adjust our working habits and patterns accordingly is gaining pace. One significant way in which this has already happened has been in the growth of co-working spaces, where freelancers, entrepreneurs and small companies can hire desks and offices in communal settings – a particularly popular choice for visitors seeking somewhere sociable and productive to work for a temporary period. Here are 20 of the capital’s best.
Work.Life
This co-working company’s nine London venues feature a mix of private offices and hot desks, along with meeting rooms, private phone booths, fast Wi-Fi, an event space, a bike rack, showers, and a fully equipped kitchen. After-hours entertainment comes in the form of beer and pizza nights and regular socials, and visitors can also indulge in monthly massage treatments and free yoga sessions. For maximum flexibility, you can do anything from pop in for a couple of hours for just £7 per hour, or sign up on a month-to-month basis, with unlimited hot-desking starting at £350 per month.
Venues in Bermondsey, Camden, Farringdon, Fitzrovia, Hammersmith, Holborn, Liverpool Street & Old Street / You can get a free tour of these spaces via Rubberdesk
x+why
With four workspaces scattered across East London, x+why is home to a community of purpose-driven businesses, all sharing a vision for how companies can be a force for good. Their spaces offer a range of membership packages, with monthly membership starting at £250 per month for unlimited hot-desking, while cheaper flexi-passes allow members to commit to just 4 or 10 days a month on a rolling basis. Day passes are priced at £25. On-site facilities and other perks include courtyards, kitchens, complimentary fruit and tea/coffee, cafés, wellness areas, and changing/shower rooms with bathroom products. There are also regular workshops and social events including weekly drinks and running clubs.
Venues in Whitechapel, Spitalfields, Holborn & Chiswick / www.xandwhy.co.uk
(Photo: x+why)
Techspace
Founded in 2012, in the heart of Old Street’s thriving technology ecosystem, Techspace has evolved from a small fledgling community of startups into a dynamic hub for pioneering tech across Europe. Their four (soon to be five) modern London locations offer flexible workspaces including hot desks, dedicated desks and self-contained private offices, as well as event spaces and meeting rooms, all equipped with best-in-class networking and IT infrastructure. Work spaces can be booked via a dedicated app. All members can also benefit from leadership courses, community events, breakfasts, socials and dinners.
Venues in Aldgate, Shoreditch & Whitechapel / www.techspace.co
(Photo: Techspace)
Huckletree
Huckletree has several venues across the city, each based on a specific theme or sector. Their workspaces are designed around how you work, rather than where, with a focus on sharing skills and driving industry change. For example, Huckletree Shoreditch is an accelerator housed in the historic Alphabeta building and catering to East London’s ChallengerTech community. All of the spaces offer varying membership packages, starting at £175 per month for 10 days a month hot-desking, rising to £215 per month for full-time access. Day passes are £35. All members gain access to amenities including breakout spaces, workshops, and panel discussions, plus weekly yoga and meditation sessions.
Venues in Oxford Circus, Shoreditch, Soho, White City & Westminster / You can get a free tour of these spaces via Rubberdesk
(Photo: Huckletree)
Fora
Fora have a wide range of tailored workspaces available in all shapes and sizes across the capital, from roomy private offices to flexible hot-desking areas. These premium workspaces feature wellness facilities and fully-stocked kitchens. Those seeking a hot-desking solution can opt for the Open Desk membership, which starts at £350 per month. This membership gives you a guaranteed spot within any Fora co-working hub, as well as access to a full range of services and amenities including complimentary drinks, snacks and meeting room credits.
Venues in Old Street, Southwark, Brick Lane, Shoreditch, Spitalfields, Clerkenwell, Fitzrovia, Soho, Borough & Victoria / www.foraspace.com
Regus
A globally renowned coworking operator, Regus have a wide number of venues dotted across the capital. Many feature dedicated business lounges, making them popular with business travellers needing to host on-site meetings, and there are custom Business Plan memberships that include unlimited access to any Regus business lounge starting at £80 per month. All Regus venues also offer open-plan spaces or shared offices, with membership rates for hotdesking starting at £179 per month. All membership packages include access to amenities and facilities including printers, scanners and photocopiers, plus invites to regular networking and community events. Contracts can be on a monthly rolling basis, or you can reduce your monthly payments by locking into a long-term contract up to 24 months.
Venues in Goodge Street, Piccadilly Circus, Oxford Street, Old Street & more / www.regus.com
(Photo: Regus)
Mindspace
Mindspace bring enterprises, startups, entrepreneurs and freelancers together in Shoreditch and Hammersmith – two of London’s most happening neighbourhoods. Teams of all sizes are housed in the heart of the action with a tight-knit community of experts to collaborate with and leverage, as well as the freedom to work from all of Mindspace’s European locations at no extra charge. They offer flexible rental agreements and all-inclusive pricing, with everything included in one invoice so there’s no need to worry about cleaning or maintenance costs, stocking the fridge, or even putting on social events for your teams. Shared or dedicated desk membership starts at £300 per month at the Hammersmith venue and £400 at Shoreditch. Members also gain access to tech talks, weekly happy hours, movie nights, professional consulting sessions, and other community events.
Venues in Shoreditch & Hammersmith / www.minspace.me
(Photo: Mindspace)
The Trampery
The Trampery is a London-based social enterprise with six locations scattered across London, each specialising in shared workspaces and support for entrepreneurs and creative businesses. Since founding Shoreditch’s first startup workspace in 2009, they have cultivated an ecosystem of acclaimed shared workspaces and sector-focused facilities throughout the capital. Building on this, The Trampery has made a strategic shift towards co-developing ‘innovation districts’ that combine workspace, housing and lifestyle facilities. Monthly membership prices start at £110 per month.
Venues in Tower Hamlets, Shoreditch, Tottenham, Hackney Wick, East India Dock & Fish Island Village / www.thetrampery.com
(Photo: The Trampery)
Us&Co
Us&Co’s two London co-working venues offer a wide range of excellent amenities, including a lavish penthouse club space and roof terrace overlooking the Thames at its Monument hub. All floors have their own informal meeting spaces, private bookable meeting rooms, and breakout areas where you can help yourself to fresh ground coffee, tea and still and sparkling water. Hot-desks are available as a day drop-in for £25 per day, and monthly fixed desk membership is £450.
Venues in Monument & Stratford / www.usandco.com
(Photo: Us&Co)
Runway
Runway East has four London co-working spaces, including their flagship venue smack bang in the middle of Soho’s buzzing Old Compton Street with a beautiful rooftop terrace. Amenities across all four spaces include meeting rooms, breakout areas, cafés, showers, and fully-functional podcast studios. Fixed desk membership rates start at £325 per month, giving you a single dedicated desk in one of the space’s designated co-working areas.
Venues in Aldgate East, Shoreditch, Soho, London Bridge, Borough Market, Finsbury Park / www.runwayea.st
Second Home
Second Home provides flexible workspaces in open, light-filled environments peppered with plants and trees. Pricing starts at £250 per month which gives you a hot-desk with unlimited access, as well as the chance to make the most of the venue’s cultural programme and wellness classes. Day passes start at £18. Open 24/7, other amenities include private meeting rooms and telephone conferencing facilities, multiple break-out spaces, printing and scanning equipment, free filter coffee and organic teas, in-house restaurants for breakfast and lunch, evening bars, private lockers, bike parking and fibre-optic broadband.
Venues in Spitalfields, London Fields, Clerkenwell Green & Holland Park / www.secondhome.io
(Photo: Second Home)
Plexal
Plexal is the home of innovators – an inclusive community sharing a mission to solve society’s challenges through collaboration. They now have over 800 members at Plexal Stratford, the state-of-the-art coworking space at the Here East campus on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Member benefits include weekly socials, 1-2-1s with Plexal’s CEO, mentoring, networking, podcast kit and meeting room hire, showers, bike racks. They also include superfast internet, kitchens, phone booths, and all the tea and coffee you can drink. Membership starts at £240/month, with day passes at £30. At Plexal Shoreditch near Liverpool Street Station and Spitalfields Market you can also get £30 hot desk day pass.
Venues in Stratford & Shoreditch / www.plexal.com
(Photo: Plexal)
Central Working
Central Working fosters a collaborative atmosphere, with plenty going on out of hours too. Open 24/7, drop-in membership offers anyone needing a part-time hot-desk access for up to 40 hours per month, including complimentary use of meeting rooms, with prices starting at £169 per month. More expensive ‘resident’ memberships offer unlimited access, but tie you in for at least two months. Facilities include Wi-Fi and printing, meetings rooms, break-out areas, showers and kitchens.
Venues in Bloomsbury, White City & Victoria / / You can get a free tour of these spaces via Rubberdesk
The Greenhouse
The Greenhouse is a creative co-working space with a strong focus on the local community. Its four London venues feature a mix of rustic, recycled character and thoughtful design throughout. Members benefit from a designated desk with lockable storage, super-fast broadband, meeting rooms, and printing. Other facilities include meeting rooms with presentation equipment, and private phone booths, cafes, and yoga studios that host daily classes and workshops. Membership works on a rolling monthly basis, starting at £200 per month for hot-desking with 24/7 access.
Venues in Newington Green, Tottenham, Hackney & Bethnal Green / www.thegreenhouselondon.com
(Photo: The Greenhouse)
Uncommon
A self-proclaimed “co-working space with a difference” this popular co-working operator is open 24/7, with pricing for hot-desking starting at £209 per month and day passes available for £40. Amenities include super-fast internet, coffee lounges, meeting rooms, bike storage, and showers. There are also kitchenettes, communal quiet areas and outdoor spaces where you can get a breath of fresh air and work outside. Regular daily and evening events include fitness classes, BBQs and drinks socials.
Venues in Highbury & Islington, Borough, Fulham & Liverpool Street / www.uncommon.co.uk
Market Peckham
Housed in a 1908 Edwardian building that also features a restaurant, rooftop bar, shops and a live music venue, Market Peckham is a shared workspace for independent people and businesses. With its mix of professional, cultural and social spaces, the entire venue is designed to support a balanced working lifestyle, with a variety of desk and communal spaces suited to different moods and styles of working. Hot-desks are currently offered on a weekly basis priced at £90 per month for 7 days’ monthly access, rising to £250 for unlimited access. All workspace residents gain access to fast broadband, printers, showers, bike storage and meeting rooms.
133a Rye Lane, Peckham (Overground: Peckham Rye) www.marketpeckham.com
(Photo: Market Peckham)
BoomZone
This west London co-working space offers flexibility and comfort in a warm and inclusive working environment. It’s easily accessible from the city centre thank to nearby tube and bus links, while the new Crossrail service will add convenience for those travelling in from other parts of the city and beyond. Facilities include conference and meeting rooms, super-fast connectivity, a break out zone, a communal kitchen, a free snack zone, and lockers and showers. BoomZone doesn’t require you to become a member, with its space and services available to all-comers on request. Hot-desk pricing is £25 per day, £150 per fortnight and £250 per month.
22 Uxbridge Road, Ealing (Tube: Ealing Common) www.boomzone.co.uk
(Photo: BoomZone)
Wimbletech
Founded by an internet entrepreneur keen to address the demand for flexible and affordable work-space in the Wimbledon area. Wimbletech transforms under-utilised libraries and public spaces into affordable, accessible co-working hubs that support and adapt to the needs of their members. Spread across four venues, the Wimbledon Reference Library site offer high-speed Wi-Fi, free tea, coffee and biscuits, along with quiet areas, a lounge and chill space, a kitchen with a microwave and fridge, access to meeting rooms and monthly events including group meet-up sessions. Pricing starts at £85 per month for a hot desk.
Wimbledon Reference Library, Wimbledon Hill Road, Wimbledon (Tube: Wimbledon Park) / www.wimbletech.com
Makerversity
Located within Somerset House, one of London’s most cherished buildings, Makerversity is more than your average co-working space. As well as offering desk space, the members-only venue is also home to workspaces tailored for creative trades such as textiles, digital photography and sound recording, and come equipped with a range of tools and machinery. Other amenities include regular talk and events, meeting rooms, and kitchen facilities. Rates start at £240 per month for a Roaming membership which includes anything from 60 hours per month hot-desk use. Under 25s can also benefit from a generous ‘first three months free’ offering.
Somerset House, Strand, West Goods Entrance (Tube: Covent Garden) / www.makerversity.org
(Photo: Makerversity)
ARK
Positioned in Kings Cross, with excellent transport links nearby including the Eurostar on its doorstep, ARK offers a selection of membership options, from floating desks for individual freelancers and creatives, through to fixed desks for startups, small businesses and social enterprises. Rates start at £50 per month for 1 day a week hot-desking, and unlimited weekday use is £225 per month. Day passes are also available for £20. The venue also has a selection of bookable meeting rooms for private meetings, plus a kitchen, lockers, bike storage and showers.
237 Pentonville Road (Tube: Kings Cross) / www.arkcoworking.com
(Photo: ARK coworking)