Co Working Spaces Wakefield

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Now updated with 2-Work in Tileyard North

Moving to the Wakefield area as a freelancer I was keen to explore and discover the co-working spaces within the City. One of the drawbacks to freelancing is bouncing ideas off colleagues. It’s something I always miss; particularly when I’m working from home. Arriving in a new place; I was keen to meet new people. Like-minded digital workers to get that level of collaboration of sorts.

I must admit I was slightly disappointed with the lack of co-working spaces. There’s an excellent, thriving community of Digital entrepreneurs however it lacks co-working spaces where individuals can have a dedicated/hot desk in a shared office.

Since spotting the redevelopment of Rutland mills into Tileyard North I have been eagerly anticipating the opening of a co-working space within the facility. I regularly spoke with the team at Tileyard for updates but with delays due to Covid this was pushed back. Then one day I received an email from Natalie of 2 Work who had taken over the running of Co-Working at Tileyard North and wanted to invite me to a viewing. It’s fair to say I have a new favourite co-working space in Wakefield.

2-WORK @ TILEYARD NORTH

As a resident of Sandal, Tileyard North was always my preferred location for Co-Working. It’s on the right side of Wakefield, it’s 1.5 miles from my daughter’s school and it’s bikeable. It works for me on so many levels.

2-Work offers all potential new members a free trial which I took last week; just 5 days after the official opening. The location is fantastic. You are on the edge of the city so parking is readily available in a nearby car park and it’s very much walkable from the city centre (train station) or bikeable from all areas of Wakefield. The offices are also less than 100 yards from the Hepworth art gallery meaning you can enjoy the beautiful gardens or the artwork on your lunch break.

Having recently gone through house renovations at home to create an office space I aim to use the 2-Work co-working space once or twice a week as a change of scenery. It very much matched my expectations.

Desks & connectivity:

The space has a cool industrial vibe but is also incredibly welcoming. The hot desking area is comfortable with plenty of space for your belongings. There are USB chargers as well as conventional sockets. The chairs are comfortable and the desks are spacious.

Kitchen & drinks facilities:

The kitchen is well-equipped with a microwave, dishwasher and fridge. It’s small but has all you need to enjoy a packed lunch. There is also the Brassiere on-site at Tileyard as well as cafe facilities at the Hepworth meaning you are well-stocked if you want to eat out.

Perhaps the best part of the kitchen is the coffee machine. It’s a commercial quality bean-to-cup coffee machine with all types of coffees available. It even does hot chocolates. This was an excellent addition.

Meeting rooms & breakout areas:

The space has a nice meeting room which can be booked for members to conduct meetings as well as a breakout/phone call booth which is a funky little space for taking calls. This is such a subtle but useful touch!

Cost & membership options:

One of the best features of the 2-Work space is the flexibility of membership options. There are multiple options available including a permanent desk (with 24-hour access), monthly hot desking, day passes, 5-day passes and 10-day passes. There are options for everyone!

Given the facilities available, the quality of coffee and the location I think the cost is the most reasonable I have seen from a co-working space. I have opted for the 10-pass option which gives you 10 passes for just £90 (including VAT). This works out at just £9 a day and the passes never expire meaning you can use them at any time.

For more pricing information you can check out the official website.

Overall:

I am excited about the 2-Work space at Tileyard North and what it can become. At the time of visiting it was quiet but it’s just opened two weeks before the Christmas period. I fully expect occupancy to increase as and when more people find out about the space (hopefully this post helps!). If you are in the area and looking for a co-working spot then I highly recommend 2-Work in Tileyard North. It’s my new favourite spot by a long shot!

Please mention my name if you do sign up for a desk!

The Junction, Horbury:

I had the pleasure of visiting the Junction in Horbury recently to check out their service office and co-working space. From the initial dialogue, it seemed encouraging. On-site gym, terrace, break-out areas. They seemed to understand the need for vibrant, forward-thinking spaces.

Upon arrival, The Junction looks like a traditional warehouse in an industrial estate however as you park up you can see the instant quirky features with the roof terrace & coffee shop greeting you.

I was shown around the building by the team. The building is a mix of serviced offices, dedicated desk spaces and a hot-desking room. The hot-desking room is currently a little quiet however it doesn’t matter. With an on-site coffee shop and phase 1 of the building at 90% capacity, there’s a buzz around the place.

From speaking to the team you can sense the passion for the project; something I’ve not witnessed from other spaces.

Here are some of the perks available within the space:

• Outdoor roof terrace with full Wifi access
• A number of beautiful kitchens with dishwasher and American style fridges.
• Coffee machines are scattered throughout meeting rooms and filter coffee machines within the Kitchen areas.
• Yorkshire tea!
• FREE parking (a huge plus from many spaces I’ve visited).
• Cycle to work scheme with cycle shed.
• Electric car charging points
• Free Gym and personal trainer twice a week (subsidised)
• Wellbeing Room (Yoga & Pilates classes coming soon)
• Swill and fill cup (10% discount on coffee at the coffee shop)
• Chilled filtered water
• Superfast Wifi
• Numerous breakout & chill spaces
• 24-hour access
• Showers and changing rooms.

If you pick up a dedicated desk this includes all of the above as well as a lockable cupboard and of course your own dedicated desk.

Having visited the space I genuinely believe they are building an exciting culture at the Junction. The people are great and for me it’s the best co-working/hot-desking space within the Wakefield area.

Web: http://www.thejunctionhorbury.com/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheJunctionWF4

IndyCube:

Indycube dubs itself as a co-working space run by co-workers for co-workers which is far more encouraging than some of the other offerings in Wakefield currently. They also have a blog and regularly tweet about co-working which again highlights the passion they have for creating an inclusive space.

To become a full-time member it’s £180+VAT which gets you a dedicated desk, super-fast fibre internet and as much tea/coffee you can shake a stick at. You can also use the IndyCube offices as your personal business address.

They also offer flexible part-time packages and single-day rates of £12+VAT. All very reasonable.

I have yet to visit the space however I have spoken with the team and plan to in the future.

Web: https://coworkingwakefield.wordpress.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/icwakefield

Unity Works:

If you’re looking for a cool, hip working place then Unity works are probably the one for you. It boasts a cafe/bar, concert hall, dedicated offices and a co-working space. It’s in the centre of Wakefield in a beautifully restored building. It boasts a mix of Digital agencies, print media companies & freelancers. When I enquired about desk space within Unity Works the receptionist was unclear of the pricing. This was a tad disappointing and soured my plans to potentially get a desk within the Unity Works building. I also found the kitchen a tad small. I appreciate we are in the centre of Wakefield however I would have still expected a larger space.
Web: http://www.unityworks.co.uk/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Unity_Works

Now closed

Regus Trinity Walk:

If you are familiar with Wakefield then you will know of Trinity Walk. It’s a purpose-built shopping centre with high street brands including Next and Topshop. Regus has very recently (March 2016) opened a managed office space here which includes small office spaces, hot desks and dedicated co-working spaces. Not only was it modern and clinical but you also gained a ton of perks when becoming a Regus member. Signing up for a Regus office space gets you free tea and coffee, unlimited use of printing/photocopying facilities as well as FREE access to any Regus office in the world. If you happen to be working in London you can jump in a co-working space which Regus happens to have and grab a desk. A real perk for travelling freelancers.

UPDATE (PLEASE READ): Unfortunately I decided to take my trial a step further and sign for a three-month membership of the Regus co-working space. This was a huge mistake. The hospitality, environment, atmosphere and services are sub-par and Regus is an incredibly difficult company to deal with. This seems to be a nationwide problem as there is a website dedicated to the issues with Regus. http://www.regus-sucks.com.

Not only was the space empty but Regus doesn’t understand coworking nor do they have an environment conducive to productivity. Low occupancy, awful coffee and a soulless space. If you are looking for a coworking space in Wakefield I strongly suggest you stay away from Regus!

I am currently working my way around co-working spaces in Wakefield and will add to this list as I find more suitable spaces. If you have any in mind please drop me a note in the comments below.