Workplace offers flexi desks in Manchester
A NEW coworking office space is to open on Oxford Street in Manchester from October.
Workplace has signed a lease on around 8,300 sq ft of office space in Churchgate House in the city.
The owners, Louise Pollard, Adrian Stevenson and Jane Schofield, have invested £500,000 in the space and say they want to create a community for members, whatever their occupation.
Members will be able to choose from private self-contained offices, private desks in open spaces, hot-desks or a business lounge. They will also have access to conference and training rooms, reception and other business services with a business lounge available from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.
Payment is on a month-by-month basis and the business model has been created to ensure there are no long-term contracts. Prices range from £200 a month for a hot desk to £325 a desk for space within an office. Alternatively members can pay £150 for 10 visits over a 6 month period, with top-ups available.
Profits will be reinvested to fund the growth of Workplace, with future plans to open more offices in other UK cities.
Louise Pollard, sales director at Workplace, said: “Adrian, Jane and I have worked together for a number of years on a wide range of projects and we are really excited about this venture. We are taking our years of experience in business and hospitality to create a place to work and learn and a place people can call their own. Our expertise is in the customer experience and we understand that the office world is changing – coworking is on the rise and we want to grasp that concept and build a community.
“The beauty of Workplace is that our members will be free from the responsibilities of office management thus allowing them to focus on what they love to do. This is a place for all businesses who are looking to break routine and want exclusivity without isolation. We are creating a Workplace that has the feel of an inclusive members club, somewhere you want to be and know that it will enhance your productivity and business success.”
There will also be a programme of seminars for members on topics ranging from payroll to professional development, motivating the workforce to managing healthcare schemes, finance to filing patents.
Interior designer Space Invader is collaborating with Workplace’s operations director Adrian Stevenson on the look of the space, while commercial contractor Dragonfly is providing fixtures, fittings and equipment. Digital agency Cube 3 will handle the web design and digital marketing side of the business.
