As the central location for the Northern Powerhouse, Manchester is a bustling community of career-minded folk, home to thousands of the UK’s brightest and best start-ups.
With 1.3 million people in employment and up to 40% lower operational costs than London, it makes sense that if you want to start a business, this is where you would go – surely there’s no better place to network, develop and grow your business.
And where do these start-ups go when they need to get their head down and work on their business? Well we had a look into all of the freelancer-friendly coworking spaces Manchester has to offer, and picked the top five.
The Assembly Co-working
Based in the Northern Quarter at the top of Oldham Street, The Assembly Co-working is ideally placed for freelancers looking for somewhere accessible.
Offering spaces to startups, freelancers, young professionals and SMEs, there will be no difficulty in finding someone to connect with. Networking is the ultimate draw here, and hot desking for as little or long as you need will give you sufficient opportunity to build up that all-important contact book.
Prices for hot desking start at just £10 a day.
You can find The Assembly at: The Assembly, 3rd Floor Virginia House, Northern Quarter, Manchester, M4 5AD
Or you can visit their website here: https://assemblymcr.com
Beehive Lofts
Not far from The Assembly is Beehive Lofts, perfect for anyone looking for a coworking space with a luxurious twist.
Their stunning rooms of brickwork, beams, hammocks and skylights are both stylish and relaxing, providing freelancers with a comfortable atmosphere to go ahead with their daily duties.
The founding couple have gone out of their way to create not just a coworking space, but a community of business owners who socialise outside their daily duties. With your membership you’ll be able to take part in shared lunches, Friday night beers, book clubs, movie nights and pub quizzes, to name just a few.
Memberships for Beehive Lofts begin at £250 a month.
Beehive Lofts are located at: Beehive Mill, Jersey Street, Ancoats Urban Village, Manchester, M4 6JG
You can visit their website here: https://beehivelofts.co.uk/
Colony
Situated in up and coming Ancoats Urban Village, is Colony, the coworking space for thinkers, doers and creators.
The space is available 24/7 for members, so whatever your freelancing schedule is you’ll be able to get work done in a relaxing, work-orientated environment.
Colony offers a variety of spaces to work in, from one of their collaboration zones to focus areas. You can even head to their roof terrace to get your work done in the backdrop of the historic mills of Ancoats.
Their sociable kitchen also provides the perfect place for you to chat to other freelancers and network in a relaxed environment, while making the most of the free tea and coffee!
You can grab a day pass for Colony for £20 plus VAT or a full time membership from £200 plus VAT per month.
You can drop in at Colony here: Jactin House, 24 Hood Street, Ancoats Urban Village, Manchester, M4 6WX
Or have a look at their website here: http://colonyco.work/
Accelerate Places
If a central location is key to your freelancing needs, Accelerate Places Manchester will be the perfect solution for you. Located within walking distance of Piccadilly station and Oxford Road station, this is ideal if you’re getting to town by train.
For those looking to network and get their name heard within their chosen industry, this central location will be the perfect starting point for you to make those all-important contacts within a buzzing community. Accelerate Places Manchester also offer in-house services to their space users, including access to seminars and events as well as legal, HR, accounting and tax advisory services.
Lisa Murgatroyd, community manager of Accelerate Place, said: “From freelance tech experts all the way through to photographers, we know that Manchester is a hotbed of creative and innovative freelance activity and this is what drove us to create our amazing space, right in the heart of the city.”
You can get a day pass for Accelerate Places Manchester for £19.50 or keep a desk for the month for £295.
Find Accelerate Places at: 101 Princess Street, Manchester, M1 6DD
Or check out their space online at: https://www.accelerateplaces.com/locations/manchester/
North Tea Power
For those freelancers just after a somewhere to head for an hour or two to get out of the house while putting the finishing touches to a project, North Tea Power should be your first port of call.
The humble café can be perfect if you’re looking to experience some of the hustle and bustle of city life without being distracted from your work. North Tea Power have a huge selection of teas and coffees, along with a mouth-watering all-day breakfast and brunch menu – put us down for a chorizo sandwich and a chai latte!
You can visit North Tea Power at: G22 Smithfield Building, 36 Tib Street, Manchester, M4 1LA
Or you can sniff around their website first here: http://www.northteapower.co.uk/
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