The UK’s top 50 co-working spaces for creative freelancers and entrepreneurs
Whether searching for an affordable office nearby, or if in need of a desk for the day, co-working spaces offer the perfect chance to escape from your home or hotel bedroom and get stuff done. And the UK has so much to offer nationally. It is not just in London where co-working spaces are becoming popular, it is all over the UK.
Put together below, is a list of 50 of some of the best co-working spaces, broken down by region, so a suitable space can be easily found nearby. It is all about sharing the kind of places that we would feel comfortable working from. The genuine, authentic collaborative communities that offer so much more than simply an interesting graphic on a wall. Below is a brief paragraph about each and it shows that there are co-working spaces all over the UK.
North West UK
1. Central Working, Manchester
Central Working on Deansgate is tailored to people so that they are not paying for anything they do not need. Whether it is a private office space in Manchester with a shared desk in another (they have locations elsewhere – six in London), they will find the combination that isright for the individual.
2. Basecamp, Liverpool
Basecamp is a vibrant community of like-minded entrepreneurs; a supportive environment where members benefit from co-working by sharing knowledge, ideas, connections and forming long lasting friendships as well as opportunities to grow their respective businesses.
3. Launch22, Liverpool
Launch22 has recently opened its second site in Liverpool, offering an incubator space for startups and early entrepreneurs a space to grow. They offer a fully serviced work space, on-site mentoring and a lot of startup events.
4. The Assembly, Manchester
Based on Great Ancoats Street in Manchester, The Assembly is a place that aims to offer collaboration and a sense of community. Founded by people who love co-working so much they decided to create their own space.
5. Industry, Chester
Situated in the creative canal side garden quarter of Chester, opposite Telford’s Warehouse, Industry is a friendly community creative hub with seven desks for an informal co-working environment. A vibrant place, you can easily book a desk online and work alongside like-minded creatives.
6. altspace, Altrincham, Cheshire
altspace offers affordable desk space and flexible memberships to small businesses, entrepreneurs and freelancers. Based in Altrincham, it is an alternative solution from working from home or the formal office and allows people to work with like-minded people in a creative, collaborative environment.
North East and Yorkshire & The Humber UK
7. Campus North, Newcastle upon Tyne
Located in Newcastle upon Tyne, Campus North is recognised as one of the best co-working and event spaces for tech meet-ups, startups and established businesses in Europe.
8. Duke Studios, Leeds
If you work in the creative industries, then Duke Studios is an ideal co-working space. Providing work spaces, creative services and facilities, it is a collaborative and open co-working space in the city centre of Leeds – that puts first, and business second.
9. Union St, Sheffield
Located in the centre of Sheffield, Union St is a four-storey building offering co-working, hot desking, meeting rooms, event spaces, roof garden, professional kitchen and pop-up cafe, it designed with collaboration in mind for people developing self employment, start-ups, entrepreneurs, contractors, social enterprises and freelancers.
10. The Egg Factory, Hebden Bridge
The Egg Factory is a creative co-working space in the middle of Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire. Offering desk space, for either half days or full, along with facilities such as screen printing and product photography studio – it is the perfect spot if you live locally and want to become part of a thriving community of creatives.
11. Co Up, Huddersfield
Co Up is a new kind of creative hub located in Yorkshire. They offer a professional co-working space to do business as a freelancer, entrepreneur, micro or small startup. There meeting rooms, commercial photography studio, exhibition spaces, pop-up retail and event areas – all available for hire within the space.
Midlands and East of England
The Transfer at The Old Print Works, Birmingham
The Transfer is a co-working space based inside The Old Print Works to the south of the city. They really care about sustainability, localism and community well-being. Hosting artists, makers and creative freelancers, it is only a short walk from Moseley and is open five days a week with comfortable sofas and a range of desks to choose to work from.
13. The Loft, Birmingham
The Loft is a charity-backed venture offering co-working space and excellent facilities for small business owners in Birmingham. The Loft also offers a whole range of other services, so you can turn up and be safe in the knowledge that you can grow your business with them.
14. Common Space, Stoke-on-Trent
Common Space is a new co-working space for creatives, entrepreneurs, freelancers, startups and micro businesses in the middle of the Potteries. Enjoy a sense of community, your own desk, super fast wifi, printing facilities, tea and coffee, plus a community of friendly people.
15. Karl Studio, Nottingham
Founded by freelancer Chris Allwood, Karl Studio is a collaborative co-working studio based in Cobden Chambers, Nottingham. Comprised of designers, developers, copywriters and illustrators.
16. White Space, Norwich
Whitespace is a not-for-profit co-working space based at St James Mill in Norwich. It has a fast-growing network of entrepreneurs, investors, mentors and influencers. The Whitespace network encourages collaboration and growth within a supportive and like-minded community of tech and digital innovators.
South West
17. Mild Bunch, Bristol
Mild Bunch is a home away from home. With a friendly community of people who have fun working together and frequently hanging out, it is a hybrid studio space and office, offering a really comfortable and relaxed place for co-working. With custom-designed shared desks, comfy chairs and plenty of natural light, it is the perfect creative space for creative people.
18. Desk Lodge, Bristol
Based in the former Evening Post building in Bristol, Desk Lodge is minutes from Temple Meads train station, Cabot Circus and Castle Park, with beautiful views from many of its windows. The light, bright space offers hot desking, fixed desks, private offices and meeting rooms. There is the option to simply drop in and pay by the hour or becoming a member. It is spread out over two floors, and this is a very elegant space with super fast internet and great coffee and tea facilities.
19. 11 Backfields Lane, Bristol
11 Backfields Lane is a co-working desk share space, set up by the founders of online design shop Howkapow, Rog and Cat How. It is located on a cobbled lane in the centre of Bristol’s creative quarter, Stokes Croft. Surrounded by many other independent businesses it is a great location for fledgling enterprise and business collaborations.
20. The Generator, Exeter
The Generator is Exeter’s first and biggest co-working space offering flexible and affordable office space in an open plan environment. It is a great place to work with a friendly community of people.
21. The Guild, Bath
The Guild offers a mixture of creative work spaces and meeting rooms. Based in the Grade I listed former Tech College at the Guildhall, it offers co-working for those in either the tech or creative industries within an inspirational environment.
South East
22. Cohub, Eastbourne
Cohub is a co-working community in Eastbourne with a whole host of members – consisting of entrepreneurs and freelancers to remote workers that need to work somewhere away from home. There are no joining fees and no minimum term contracts.
23. The Skiff, Brighton & Hove
The Skiff is notjust a workplace, it is a community and a second home. Ellen de Vries explains: “Working at the Skiff makes me back the money I spend on it in terms of my productivity, getting work contacts, getting business questions answered and being able to collaborate with others.”
24. The Werks, Brighton & Hove
The Werks Group offers a work space to a host great creative companies and freelancers with a built-in support network and events.
25. Fruitworks, Canterbury
Fruitworks is a co-working space very close Canterbury city centre and is the only co-working space in the city. Work with like-minded people in a quirky environment and choose from 80 desks on a permanent basis or hot desking basis within two open plan rooms. There are chill-out areas that come with pool and ping-pong tables that can also be enjoyed throughout the day.
London
26. Central Working, Bloomsbury
With six offices across London, Central Working provides a suitable space for co-working. Flexibility, connections, clarity and environment are the key values of the Central Working offices, inviting individuals and groups to “get things done better, faster, and seize new opportunities” within their vibrant environment. Their offices are located in the City of London, Farringdon, Paddington, Shoreditch, Whitechapel and Bloomsbury.
27. Club Workspace, London Bridge
Club Workspace is continuing to grow its network of creative work spaces all over London. The London Bridge Hub offices are more official than some other co-working spaces, allowing individuals or early-stage businesses access to their own mailbox, lockers, and meeting or events spaces. Located right next to The Shard, the space is in a revamped period building, which retains the original tannery features of exposed brickwork and beams, that provides a place for important projects or meetings, without the corporate feel.
28. Huckletree, Clerkenwell
Light and spacious, Huckletree leads innovation and community in their shared work space in Clerkenwell. The hub particularly encourages startups and entrepreneurs, with many designers heading here to rethink technologies and recreate technologies. The office is also committed to sustainability, so there will be lots of plants, energy-saving equipment, and furniture created from recycled materials.
29. Greenhouse N16, Newington Green
Greenhouse N16 is a unique co-working, event and well-being space in the centre of Newington Green. Designed to inspire, it meets business requirements, with super fast fibre-optic connectivity, media editing suite, seminar space, conference space and event facilities all under one beautiful glass roof.
30. Rainmaking Loft, St Katharine’s & Wapping
London is one of three trendy Rainmaking co-working office spaces, with other spaces in Berlin and Copenhagen. Driven by a fun ethos, the Rainmaking Loft opens up to tech entrepreneurs and company builders, focusing on cultivating the potential of early stage tech startups. There are many areas with fun and games to play during the day to add to this fun and vibrant environment.
31. TechHub, Shoreditch
Sharing their space with a Google Campus, aspiring techs head to TechHub to be part of a powerful collaborative tech network. Their London studios have received a name for being at the centre of the UK’s biggest technology cluster in London. Tech startups and entrepreneurs are welcomed into the three East London homes on Bonhill Street (Campus), Old Street, and Shoreditch. The studios also host a variety of events and workshops at their main Campus base, to keep people inspired for their latest projects.
32. Uber Office, Silvertown
Only three minutes away from Victoria Station, Uber Office is in a useful central location. The office offers a place to meet, work and create, within a comfortable and practical environment. There are plenty of fashionable chairs and bright colours to keep people happy and inspired throughout the day on their personal projects, or meeting rooms for collaborations.
33. Warner Yard, Clerkenwell
Welcoming technology entrepreneurs, investors, and tech stars Warner Yard is based in the centre of the design capital of Clerkenwell. It aims to target funding companies as well as early-stage investors, and is home to many tech geniuses within its modern office space. The hanging light bulbs and crisp interiors look like something straight out of a beautiful Scandinavian design magazine.
34. We Work, Soho
We Work’s London office spaces are the ideal platform for creatives and creators. With beautifully designed offices in Soho and South Bank, and all over London, they are the perfect location for any creative freelancer on the move. Expect some exciting wall art, interesting furniture and vintage touches to maintain inspiration.
35. Winkley Street Studios, Bethnal Green
The open-plan studios at Winkley Street in Bethnal Green offer a friendly and peaceful work space for creative individuals. The studio is collection of old wooden school desks and chairs, vintage armchairs and lots of plants. It is the ideal studio if you’re looking to reduce stress. There is even an outside space with a relaxing seating area.
36. THECUBE, Shoreditch
This is one of the first co-working spaces on the London scene, THECUBE aims to be more than just a collection of desks; it aims to help and support freelancers, entrepreneurs and businesses with an interest in science, technology and design. It strives to be an incubator for start up and small business, finding ways to help them grow.
37. Beehive, Stoke Newington
The Beehive is a vibrant and creative co-working space in the middle of Stoke Newington and Hackney. It offers a collaborative and inspiring working environment situated just a minute walk from Stoke Newington station at the start of Belfast Rd. The space is an elegantly refurbished Victorian warehouse with high ceilings, a lot of natural light and a spacious open plan work space.
Scotland
40. The Melting Pot, Edinburgh
As Scotland’s Centre for Social Innovation, The Melting Pot is one of the first co-working spaces in the UK and a true pioneer of the international co-working movement. It is home to an inspiring and diverse range of organisations and businesses of all sizes. They are ideal for those needing an Edinburgh base or branch office and/or for self-employed people, lone workers and start-ups looking for an alternative to working from home.
www.themeltingpotedinburgh.org.uk
41. Tribe Porty, Edinburgh
At Tribe, community is very important to the way that they work. Their co-working space is specifically designed to encourage and enhance creativity – the random collision of people and ideas that generate innovation, exchange and connectivity. Tribe Porty suits the evolving working styles of freelancers, entrepreneurs, start-ups and the creative people who require a flexible work space.
42. The Distillery, Glasgow
The Distillery is a co-working space for Glasgow’s creative community. It has been designed to suit the evolving working styles of freelancers, entrepreneurs, start-ups and people who require a flexible work space as a creative individual.
43. Rookie Oven, Glasgow
Fairfield Shipyard has been a hub of engineering excellence for over 150 years. Its light and airy co-working space is based in the shipyard drawing offices which have undergone extensive restoration. It offers a home to the Glasgow tech community, and hosts a range of events such as meetups and streams, not forgetting regular social gatherings and of course first class tech space to work from.
44. The Old Flour Mill, Dundee
Located at Exchange Court, in the centre of Dundee, The Old Flour Mill lies in a distinctive Grade B listed old mill building, built in the early 1800’s which has been extensively refurbished to provide modern flexible co-working office accommodation over three floors.
45. Hill Street Design House, Edinburgh
Located in Edinburgh’s New Town, Hill Street Design House provides eight creative grand studios, over four floors, resided by a mix of upcoming and established design-led businesses. Whether looking to rent a whole studio or share a space with other creatives, Hill Street has an inclusive environment designed to inspire collaboration, enhance design practice, and provide a professional location for client meetings, conferences and workshops.
Wales
46. Rabble Studio, Cardiff
Rabble Studio is a new co-working creative community located in Cardiff, Wales, based in an old Victorian building with very high ceilings, wooden floors and a lot of natural light. The co-working studio is located on the third floor with a communal lounge/work area, a kitchen, a meeting room and 16+ work stations. They are always on the search for people to join them and make Rabble Studio their work home. Designers, filmmakers, illustrators, developers, writers, photographers, creative producers, architects, art directors, makers – anyone who works in a creative field is welcome to join The Rabble where they will fit in perfectly with the creative community.
47. IndyCube, Swansea
IndyCube is a leading co-working provider with locations all around Wales. At the Swansea hub, the team there believe working for yourself should not mean working alone. In this space in central Swansea you can work your own way amongst good company within a collaborative community.
48. The Sustainable Studio, Cardiff
The Sustainable Studio is an open co-working community in the centre of Cardiff. There is a love for recycling and all things creative so it is not your standard work space. All of their furniture, fixtures and fittings have had a previous life somewhere else, so there is a hope that this interesting space will inspire others to do something amazing within a group of like-minded individuals.
Northern Ireland
49. WabiSabi, Belfast
WabiSabi is all about “The Pursuit of Happiness” at Work. Working from home can be lonely. Loneliness can lead to isolation, which reduces confidence with work. In turn this decreases productivity and ultimately sales. Enter a brand new co-working space in the centre of Belfast. A community of entrepreneurial individuals working in an atmosphere where community, entrepreneurship, focus, connections, learning, serendipity, events and creativity can thrive.
50. The Foundry, Belfast
The Foundry is a lot more than just a desk with internet access, it is an energising environment that adopts collaboration in a shared and supportive environment. Offering the flexibility of a range of co-working space options, it is designed to facilitate part time and full time entrepreneurs who want to make use of the space.
