Coworking Space needed in SE23

Would you consider working away from the office at times?

Many of us now either work at home part or full time, but working from home has disadvantages as well as the obvious benefits. It can be quite lonely, you need to sort out many technical issues and space can be an issue.

I’ve worked from home for years, and would desperately like a more social environment from time to time.

One of the things that Forest Hill and Honor Oak need, in order to generate more daytime business for all the fantastic restaurants, sandwich and coffee shops, is more people working in the area.

I have no specific plan, but I am looking to see if there is demand for a local ‘coworking’ space that could be available on a regular or occasional basis to the MANY professionals, business owners, freelancers, authors and also commuters that live in SE23. A cool space might even encourage those outside of SE23 to come here during the day to work.

It might be something that could be incorporated into plans for the Community Library or other similar developments (The Capitol?). It could be a use for existing empty commercial property. Who knows?

Would you be willing to support this? Anyone have practical ideas for putting this in place?

Good idea. When I lived in Belsize Park, volunteers took over the running of the library there, and they ran it as a co-working space for a while (seems not any more though). I worked there a bit when I was trying to launch my (solo) startup - it helped me meet local people and get involved in the community.

I’ll be taking a few days out of my day job to work on SE23.life over the summer and I would love to have a space to go - especially if you and others on this site were there. I’d happily pay a fee for using a hotdesk and the wifi. Fees like this could help support the community library.

I did find a reference to this in @Pauline’s draft proposal (linked to on another thread):

“We would use the additional rooms to the front and rear of the library as studios and workspace areas, rented out to carefully selected tenants in order to increase our community offering, but also to generate a long term revenue stream. V22’s waiting list at Louise House is long; a studios, workspace and residency programme at the library will provide further affordable workspace for local artists and creative businesses and will contribute to paying for the core services of the library so that the building can be sustainable from the start and into the long term.” (p2)

My concern is that this sounds like a relatively small provision and I’m picturing something possibly larger and more permanent. Maybe someone involved could clarify? If so, it gives us all an extra reason to support that bid.

If our library bid is successful the upstairs rooms will be rented out to permanent tenants so that guaranteed revenue is generated for the running costs.

We would relocate the stock from the back room on the left hand side to the main library and this may well be used for hotdesks.

There’s also a basement we’ve yet to explore…

I’m adding the others from our bid group as I didn’t work on this part of our bid & they may be able to give more info
@JohnRussell @Michael @Simon @V22_Louise_House

May be of interest - a study was commissioned a couple of years ago looking at the supply of workspace (Incubators, Accelerators and Co-working spaces) within London (Link). The study also produced a useful map of workspace within London (Link)- clearly shows a lack of provision within proximity of SE23 and wider area.

Very interesting, thanks @Nomis46 - even discovered “The Print Room” that I’d never heard about locally. Wonder if it is still going?

As you say, not a lot anywhere near us, but we are easily reachable so could probably attract a decent number of residents from this and nearby areas

There’s The Fold Space

The fold space on Clyde Terrace is well worth checking out. Great place to work, good atmosphere and facilities and very reasonably priced. I’m based there at the moment and I love it.

I had no idea that existed. How long had it been there? Potentially very useful, though not sure about the monthly fee format

Probably a year or two. Cynthia & Gareth run it & are really nice, they also run The Fold Studios.

I’m really interested in finding more Coworking spaces that allow you to pay on a per-day basis. Have you seen / been to Ziferblat @thirstforwine? It’s a bit like a living / common room space and it charges on a per hour basis. It has wifi and tables for work and a stocked kitchen for you to make teas and coffees. There are also a few comfy chairs in the corner for just general relaxing / breaks - books, games, a guitar, that sort of thing… i.e. things to break down barriers and encourage people to talk to one another. People volunteer to work there in return for free hours of usage. Somewhere like that round here would be amazing!

I’m in the process of setting up an office and meetings room space in Ladywell on the site of the old Adhesive Plastics site (now flats) opposite the station. We are are hoping to have the meetings room space available from the 3rd of September with a capacity for up to 12 - 15 people - it certainly could be be booked by any group as a co-worker space - wifi / broadband & tea / coffee included. A little further down the road from SE23 I know but it may be of interest. I’ll post some more details when the contractors are finished in a couple of weeks. Any questions please get in touch.

Regarding co-working spaces this may be of interest: On Friday 1st July, the top two floors of the old Lewisham Town Hall will be turned over to Small Business Centre to become a co-working hub, offices and open art studios.

http://ourhithergreen.com/2016/06/dek-catford-new-office-hub-for-start-ups-freelancers-lonely-home-workers/

Thanks @stephenshillito! I’ve sent them an enquiry.

Might be a bit far off forest hill centre but the old fire station is up for rent as office space and looks like a cool space for an office , not sure how to post a link but it is on right move

@V22Collection have a new offering:

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We have recently had new desk space built in the back room at the library. If anyone is interested in renting affordable desk space please get in contact via our website www.fhlibrary.co.uk

Hi, I’m a mum of 2 preschoolers and I work from home 2 days per week. The work space creche in Dalston V22 sounds amazing. Would there be space / interest to trial something similar at Louise House or the library in FH?

Unfortunately we just have no room. Many of V22’s sites are quite large and relatively new, they have capacity for all sorts of amenities. Louise House and the library simply do not have enough space however, and I suspect that even if they did, the listing building status and planning etc would prove to difficult to navigate.

This is all very much a shame as I would be first in line with my youngest if we had the facility!

Hi, this was something we were keen on doing & looked at when we were putting our bid together, but unfortunately it wouldn’t be financially viable as we are limited with spaces to generate the running costs for the library.

Hi Simon, exactly! It seems like such a good idea. As Pauline says, maybe it’s a cost / returns issue that has stopped someone doing it round here. Shame!

Completely agree, I would have loved to have this within the library & Tara wanted it too. But we couldn’t have this unless we ate into the library space & none of us were prepared to do this.

From the start we all agreed we would work together to keep our library a library, so I don’t think any of us will back off on this in any way.

Good for you guys! You’re doing an amazing thing P.S. Apologies for hijacking this thread! All the best with getting the co-working space sorted… (@thirstforwine - There’s a relatively new rent-a-desk space in one of the shops on Kirkdale SE26, next to the roundabout for Dartmouth Road that might be worth checking out)

We have an “Early Bird Offer” on the desk space at the library

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Worried you may have missed out on this “Early Bird” offer?

WELL DON’T BE!

Pop in to my shop for a chat & it can be extended within reason

ETA We are also open to possibly having peeps booking by the day or half day, so if this is of interest to you let us know please

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