Local coworking space in your town

Freelancers, remote employees, small start-ups and local firms who want somewhere to work outside the home.

Monthly memberships for hot or fixed desks, private office rents, and meeting room hire by the hour or day, plus day passes and occasional event hire.

• Welcoming and good with people
• Organised, with simple bookkeeping
• Marketing to local businesses
• Basic IT and broadband know-how

• Lease length and break clauses, ask a solicitor to review before signing
• Whether the unit's permitted use suits a workspace, check with the landlord and your council
• Business rates, fire safety risk assessment, and accessibility requirements
• Public liability and contents insurance, plus employer's liability if you hire staff
• Empty desks in the early months, since rent is fixed while memberships build slowly
• Handling members' personal data and any CCTV in line with data protection rules

Estimates suggest startup costs typically around £15,000 to £60,000, depending on the unit, fit-out and equipment. Rent is fixed while memberships build slowly, so empty desks in the early months are a risk.

Check lease length and break clauses with a solicitor, and whether the unit's permitted use suits a workspace. Also check business rates, fire safety risk assessment, accessibility, insurance, and data protection rules for members' data and any CCTV.

Estimated monthly revenue is typically around £3,000 to £12,000, depending on desk numbers, membership take-up and meeting room use. Memberships may build slowly at first, while your rent stays fixed.