Everything you need to know about WeWork

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In this article, we’ll cover:

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What is WeWork?

Worth a reported $40bn, global workspace provider WeWork has grown to run hundreds of locations worldwide – including in Asia, South America, Europe, the US, Canada and Australia – since its inception in 2010.

Founded by Adam Neumann and Miguel McKelvey, WeWork’s first location opened in New York’s SoHo district, and was very much inspired by the times in which it was born.

Reflecting, Neumann told the New York Daily News: “During the economic crises, there were these empty buildings and these people freelancing or starting companies. I knew there was a way to match the two. What separates us, though, is community.”

Now with UK locations across London and Manchester, WeWork is known for its sleek glass walls (which it says provide privacy without limiting natural light) and its modern, attractive and unique common spaces.
A driving success story in the world of coworking spaces, WeWork now provides thousands of UK start-ups with “dynamic environments for creativity, focus, and connection”.

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Who is WeWork for?

Whether you’re a one man band or the leader of a team of 50, WeWork could be the right workspace provider for you.

The provider aims to cater to ambitious entrepreneurs, start-ups and small businesses, and with a mix of hot desks, fixed desks and private offices on offer, WeWork can house businesses with teams of one to over 100 employees.

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The benefits of a WeWork membership

Regular members’ events

WeWork runs a programme of regular events for its members, whether informative sessions to incite business growth or social activities designed to help members meet and blow off steam.

WeWork’s regular events include:

• Office hours: One-to-one sessions with investors and industry leaders
• Lunch and learns: Catered lunches during which members can share their experiences, expertise and advice with one another
• Networking events: Events in which to mix, mingle and make connections with other WeWork members
• Wellness events: Wellbeing-focused classes, such as meditation and kickboxing

A dedicated members’ app

For $45 (roughly £35) a month, WeWork members can sign up to We, a dedicated app through which users can collaborate with, learn from, and share expertise with fellow members.

The app – which is available on iOS and Android – comes complete with a social feed that displays updates and announcements from your building’s community managers.

Using We, members can:

• Book space in meeting rooms and working spaces at any WeWork location
• RSVP to WeWork events
• Post advertisements for jobs in their business

Access to a global community

Travelling in Beijing and need a place to stop and get some work done? Fancy expanding your business into France, and want a place in Paris in which to get set up and chat to local entrepreneurs?

With a WeWork membership, you can hot desk at any of the provider’s hundreds of locations in key cities across the world. So, no matter where you are, it’s likely that there’ll be a space for you to do some work in just around the corner.

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WeWork’s amenities

Enjoying more than just an attractive workspace, members also benefit a range of amenities that, WeWork says, “make a business day run smoothly”.

Such features include:

Super fast internet 24/7 building access Office supplies Stylish meeting rooms Private phone booths Business-class printers

Front desk service Personalised help and support IT support Mail and package handling

Micro-roasted coffee Fresh fruit water Craft beer on draft Daily cleaning Attractive common areas Table football and ping pong

Bike storage

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WeWork’s UK locations

NB: As a fast-growing provider, WeWork is opening new locations all the time – so be sure to double check the website for the most up-to-date information.

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WeWork’s Manchester locations

Location name	Nearest stations
Dalton Place	St Peter’s Square Metro, Manchester Piccadilly
One St Peter’s Square	Machester Oxford Road, Manchester Deansgate, Manchester Piccadilly
No. 1 Spinningfields	Salford Central, Manchester Deansgate, Manchester Oxford Road

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WeWork’s London locations

The majority of WeWork’s London locations are based in and around the capital’s fast-growing Tech City, attracting both start-ups and established businesses in finance, media, and a wide variety of fields.

The areas in which WeWork sites can be found include:

Old Street	Poultry	Waterloo
Hoxton	Moorgate	Monument
Bishopsgate	Shoreditch	London Fields
Finsbury	Hammersmith	Spitalfields
Aldgate	Victoria	Chancery Lane
Paddington	Soho	Tower Bridge
Marylebone	South Bank

Location name	Nearest stations
5 Merchant Square	Paddington
The Monument	Monument, Tower Hill, London Fenchurch Street, Bank
Moor Place	Moorgate, Bank and Liverpool Street
1 Waterhouse Square	Chancery Lane, Holborn, Farringdon
138 Holborn	Chancery Lane, Farringdon, Holborn
131 Finsbury Pavement	Moorgate, Liverpool Street, Bank
New Kings Beam House	Blackfriars, Southwark, Waterloo
Two Southbank Place	Waterloo, Embankment, Charing Cross
The Stage – Hewett Tower	Liverpool Street, Moorgate
Shoreditch – The Stage	Liverpool Street, Moorgate
120 Moorgate	Moorgate, Liverpool Street, Bank
41 Blackfriars Road	Southwark, Waterloo
21 Soho Square	Tottenham Court Road, Oxford Circus, Bond Street
Linen Court	Old Street
97 Hackney Road	Hoxton, Liverpool Street
77 Leadenhall Street	Fenchurch Street, Aldgate, Tower Gateway
26 Hatton Garden	Farringdon, Chancery Lane
123 Buckingham Palace Road	Victoria, Sloane Square
16 Great Chapel Street	Tottenham Court Road, Oxford Circus
184 Shepherds Bush Road	Hammersmith, Shepherds Bush
Keltan House	London Fields, Cambridge Heath, Hackney Central
Aldgate Tower	Aldgate East, Aldgate, London Fenchurch Street
1 Primrose Street	Liverpool Street, Shoreditch High Street
70 Wilson Street	Liverpool Street, Moorgate, Old Street
Fox Court	Chancery Lane, Holborn, St. Pauls
9 Devonshire Square	Liverpool Street
No 1 Poultry	Bank, Cannon Street, Liverpool Street
41 Corsham Street	Old Street
1 St Katharine’s Way	Tower Hill, Tower Gateway
145 City Road	Old Street, Angel
1 Mark Square	Old Street, Shoreditch High Street, Liverpool Street
8 Devonshire Square	Liverpool Street, Fenchurch Street, Bank
Medius House	Oxford Circus, Tottenham Court Road, Piccadilly Circus, Charing Cross
15 Bishopsgate	Liverpool Street, Aldgate, Monument, Bank
Aldwych House	Covent Garden, Temple, Holborn
Aviation House	Holborn, Tottenham Court Road, Chancery Lane
12 Hammersmith Grove	Hammersmith
The Cursitor	Chancery Lane
30 Stamford Street	Blackfriars, Southwark, Waterloo
33 Queen Street	Cannon Street, Mansion House, Bank, Monument
2 Eastbourne Terrace	Lancaster Gate, Paddington
North West House	Marylebone, Baker Street, Edgware Road
Kings Place	Kings Cross, St. Pancras
The Bower	Old Street, Liverpool Street, Moorgate
10 Devonshire Square	Liverpool Street, Aldgate, Aldgate East

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WeWork’s membership plans and prices

Package type	Price	What is it?	Who's it for?
Hot desks and fixed desks	Start at £200 per person, per month	Either a flexible hot desk or a dedicated desk in one of WeWork’s shared workspaces	Solopreneurs, freelancers, consultants, remote workers, and start-ups
Private offices	Start at £460 per month	An enclosed, lockable office complete with desks, chairs and cabinets	Teams of one to 100-plus members
Office suites	Pricing available on request	A premium private office with its own meeting rooms, lounges and executive officers	Teams of over 25 members
HQ by WeWork	Pricing available on request	A private location entirely branded and staffed by your company, with no shared spaces	Teams of 20 to 250 members

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Real members’ experiences of WeWork

Russell Teale, CEO and co-founder of tech start-up FiTR, says:

“We are based in WeWork in Spinningfields, Manchester, and we came to this decision for two main reasons: To be part of the Manchester professional community, and to take part in the many events that WeWork hold, focused on the start-up community.

“WeWork has a great vibe, with lots of other exciting businesses around the place that are happy to support and collaborate with you.

“However, you need to like the sound of other people talking, dogs walking around the building, and table tennis and table football being played, as these are common occurrences.

“The theory around productivity is great, however in practice it can be quite challenging! It’s beneficial to bring your headphones to drown out the people cheering as another goal goes in on the table football!

“The network is fantastic. A lot of events are held here, therefore you are constantly given the opportunity to attend value-add workshops that either help the thinking around your business or your network, particularly around investment.

“The free beer is great and aside from this obvious perk, it definitely promotes social working and a happy and collaborative environment.

“Overall, WeWork is a great place to start your business journey. An affordable, flexible option that provides you with a platform to build from.”

Nigel Sarbutts, founder of PR start-up The PR Cavalry, says:

“I worked in WeWork in Spinningfields Manchester for about five months. It’s an impressive building (in contrast to the WeWork in London I visited recently) and the wow factor is undeniable.

“WeWork occupies three floors and the other 17 are occupied by well-known professional services firms, so the foyer buzzes.

“Being a new building, the design and fit out is fresh and for a tech start-up in the PR and communications market – like The PR Cavalry – that’s important.

“The front desk team are good – professional and friendly.

“Our business matches PR and comms freelancers to clients via algorithm, so it’s been useful to have a lot of PR and digital marketing businesses around – but once you’ve connected, that advantage fades.

“I’ve recently moved to another coworking space as I became frustrated with WeWork Spinningfields as somewhere to do serious work. The common areas are not really work-friendly; table football might seem cool, but it’s comically loud – as is the music sometimes.

“If I ran a call centre business that needs to attract young people who are impressed by free beer and games, WeWork’s probably ideal. For me, it’s been fun but the party is over. I’ve got work to do.”

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How to join WeWork

In order to join WeWork, you’ll need to get in touch with the company directly. You can:

• Click the ‘Contact Us’ button on the website, and fill in the contact form the appears
• Call +44 203 695 7895
• Fill in the dedicated contact form on your favourite WeWork location’s page

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What’s next?

If you found this review of WeWork useful, try taking a look at our other detailed articles on popular coworking space providers:

• TechHub
• Mindspace
• Central Working
• Containerville
• The Office Group

Or, for more suggestions, you can also read our guide to the best clubs, hubs and coworking spaces for entrepreneurs in the UK.

Alternatively, for help with finding the best coworking space for you, try filling in the form at the top of this page to receive quotes and offers from coworking spaces in particular UK regions.

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The information in this article is correct as of January 2019

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