The West End is one of London’s most sought after destinations for office space. With Soho residing in the centre of this hub of activity, it is no wonder office rents there are not easily afforded. Soho has a long standing reputation for vibrant innovation and creativity, and its bohemian roots are still very much alive today. In order to continue flying the flag ingenuity, Soho has made use of the numerous entrepreneurs that have been naturally attracted to the area. Unlike other parts of London that have lost their originality, Soho invigorated its own through the continual support of its creative community.
The key behind the continual survival of these young creatives in one of London’s most expensive districts is the excellent supply of coworking and shared office space. Coworking is where a number of different businesses, freelancers and entrepreneurs all rent desk space in the same building. Traditionally this would consist of one large room with a number of desks, shared kitchen and toilet facilities and sometimes a printing and faxing station.
Since then, coworking offices have evolved rapidly and now place heavy emphasis on creating a collaborative community. They do this through large breakout areas, free weekly events and, more recently, through their own social media and technology; most notably the WeWork community app. Due to their popularity amongst the technology, media and creative sectors, many coworking spaces have styled themselves to cater to these suitors, and therefore you can expect to find bright colours, exposed brickwork and quirky features.
There has always been the fear that rising rents could stifle creativity in the area, and so in order to keep the creative juices flowing in Soho, new start-ups are utilising the value for money coworking office spaces that are currently available in Soho. Here are a few examples of some of the great options in the area:
Sohost
Sohost is a forward thinking, relaxed and energised workspace, designed for evolving businesses with the aim of unlocking their potential. Sohost’s inviting atmosphere works on a basis of collaboration between driven entrepreneurs in an inspiring environment.
Offering simple rolling monthly arrangements Sohost is an affordable alternative to a home office. Memberships include dedicated desk space, WiFi, meeting room space, printing/scanning/copying, shower facilities, tea and coffee, freshly made daily bread and delicious homemade cakes! And all for a reasonable £500 (excl VAT) per month.
What’s more, Sohost have also got their ethics right; green energy, Fair Trade products, re-purposed and locally made furniture and zero waste to landfills.
The Soho Collective
This stylish workspace dubs itself “the most gorgeous place to work in Soho” and we can hardly disagree. Situated on Old Compton Street above Ed’s Diner, this coworking space attracts them all – journalists, designers, film-makers and even a high end wine merchant!
The Soho Collective, in short, is a bunch of creatives sharing workspace and, when they can, scratching each other’s backs….and did we mention they had a bar?
Pricing for a month includes 24/7 access, Wifi, printing, tea and coffee, sweet treats and locker storage and starts from £410 per person.
The Timber Yard
The Timber Yard’s members floor offers a beautiful central brew bar plus 104 seats in approximately 2,000 sq ft of open plan workspace. Unlike the Old Street Branch, Timber Yard Soho has meeting room space in which members are able to rent out by the hour. The Timber Yard offer a flexible rolling monthly subscription which includes access to the members area, WiFi, priority bookings at all Timber Yard locations (with 25% discount) and 5 guest day passes per calendar month – so you can always bring a friend along with you.
The Den
The Den, opened just last year, offers workspace in a beautiful environment. Designed to inspire and energise its occupants, this creative workspace hosts regular events, provides mentorship and training workshops, and best of all, holds monthly drinks on their roof terrace.
The Den’s has its own in-house barista, fresh juices and healthy salads from Homegrown as well as all the basics; high speed internet, printing, showers, meeting rooms, reception services and events space.
Although not strictly in Soho (roughly a 10 minute walk away), we’ve included The Den as it is a cheaper alternative with a great community vibe. Full membership with unlimited access is around £200 per month.
Office Bloc
Situated on Dean Street, Office Bloc is an affordable and friendly serviced desk space that enjoys the buzz of Soho. Memberships are available for 2 months, 6 months and 12 months and offer a wide range of services. These include superfast (and super reliable) broadband, fully stocked kitchens with complimentary Fairtrade tea, coffee and squash, and an onsite meeting room; bookable through the online calendar at no additional cost.
The site is accessible 24/7 and can be set up for your arrival in minutes. Social events are put on throughout the year by the centre team providing networking opportunities amongst the variety of businesses based in the office.
Contact Us
Soho office space receive weekly updates on Soho’s office availability. To check our availability report against your office requirements please use the details below to get in touch with a member of our team.