Archive:New Space Search 2012

We're looking for a new space to move in once we've got some savings in the bank. We won't be in such a rush to move as last time.

The right space could allow us to run things such as a permanent licensed bar, which could be a boon to the community and also increase our revenue.

Requirements

With a continued rate of growth we will hopefully see an increase in recurring revenue from the current level of £4,800/month to around £6,000/month.

Ideally we should be looking for somewhere which is less shiny than our current location, so we can make our own mark on the space without having to undo a lot of work when we leave. Think factories and warehouses more than offices.

We'll probably want to keep approximately the same split of areas as our current space, without reducing any of them in size.

High level requirements

• At least 4000 sq ft (370 sq m) - our current place is 2600 sq ft.
• In Zone 1 or 2. (We don't want to move too far from our current location, because it could cause a disruptive change in our membership when we want it least.)
• B1 or B2 use class
• Price less than £70,000/year (inc. service charge & VAT) - i.e. less than £17.50/sq ft.
• No more than 0.5 miles to a tube station
• Ground floor, or a goods lift
• Noise allowed. We make a lot of noise, and a residential area isn't going to cut it.

Possible requirements (wishlist)

We won't be able to satisfy all of these, but the more the better.

• A building to ourselves, we'd rather not be renting a unit.
• Roof access
• somewhere secure for bikes
• usable outside area; ideally large enough for firing trebuchet/rockets/pigs.
• convenient parking for motorbikes, cars, etc

Non-functional requirements

• Friendly landlord
• Easy access, preferably ground floor
• Fantastic views

Agents

• Stirling Ackroyd
  • I visited them yesterday and obtained a few properties, they don't seem to have anything better on their website. Robert 11:50, 13 July 2011 (UTC)

Long list

Here's a google map to visualise where the list of candidates are: [1]

341-345 Old Street, EC1V 9LL [2] (1,945 - 5,871 sqft., £20/sqft., £78,520 pa.)

These appear to be three completely bare units on Old Street of approximately 1,950 sqft. each.

The suitability of this in terms of noise is unclear, and the letting document indicates a reception so access requirements would need to be confirmed.

Transport:

• Old Street (0.3 miles)
• Shoreditch High Street (0.3 miles)
• Hoxton (0.4 miles)

181 Cannon Street Road, E1 2LX [3] (3,167 sqft., £16/sqft., £50,672 pa.)

Although they are marketed as "media styled office space" they appear to be two mostly empty floors, situated above a shop but with separate access.

Price does not include service charge.

Transport:

• Shadwell (0.3 miles)
• Whitechapel (0.5 miles)
• Aldgate East (0.5 miles)

101 Commercial Road, E1 1RD [4] (3,500 sqft., £15.20/sqft., £53,200 pa.)

Looks to be kitted out as an office, but the description indicates e.g. partitions could be removed. Access arrangements are not obvious.

Noise could be an issue.

Transport:

• Aldgate East (0.4 miles)
• Shadwell (0.5 miles)
• Whitechapel (0.5 miles)
• Aldgate (0.5 miles)

Cheshire Street, E2 (6,865 sqft., £52,000 pa.)

Massive warehouse, fridge, and office space. Warehouse space could be partitioned to improve heating.

Transport:

• Shoreditch High Street (0.2 miles)
• Bethnal Green (0.3 miles)
• Whitechapel (0.4 miles)

Advanced planning

Move

Moving will be an enormous task, and will take at least an entire weekend (and probably a week's worth of time in preparation).

Build-out of new space

There's no guarantee that any location we find will have all the amenities we need, so it's likely we'll have to budget for things such as fitting the kitchen, installing partitions, installing new flooring. Fortunately we should have a decent level of cash on hand.

Leaving Cremer Street

We need to return the two units to how they were when we arrived, which will require quite a bit of work.

• Kitchen conversion can probably stay as long as it's fully completed.
• Wall needs replacement breeze blocks (£???) + a day's building + painting.
• All(/most?) walls and doors need repainting. (They do? I'm not sure thats true. --jonty)
• Wet room and storage rooms need reinstating as toilets. Walls do not need to be rebuilt.

Links

Self-referential thread of interest; New space?

Places to Look

• Space Station
• City & Urban
• Camden council
• Hackney council
• Tower Hamlets council
• Southwark council
• City of London council - includes other boroughs and spreadsheet
• Spacia (TfL arches aren't attractive because they require a director of the company to personally guarantee the rent. If there's a particularly good deal we might consider it, though.)
• Stirling Ackroyd
• Strettons
• Gumtree (Looks like mainly nice offices)
• Pearl & Coutts
• Workspace Group
• Estate Office
• Copping Joyce
• Pater Goodman Merriman
• Richard Susskind
• London Warehouses
• Dominion Limited (Some warehouses and railway arches)
• Amazing space mix of stuff, maybe we could split one of there places?
• Drivers Commercial
• Meanwhile Space CIC "experts on meanwhile uses for empty spaces"
• The Place Station "introduces owners of land and buildings across the UK to social and community entrepreneurs with ideas for transforming their local area"