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 5000 sq ft (460 sq m) - our current place is 2600 sq ft.
• In Zone 1 or 2. No further than 2 miles 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 £75,000/year (inc. service charge & VAT) - i.e. less than £17.50/sq ft.
• No more than 0.5 miles to a tube/overground station
• Ground floor OR goods lift
• Separate entrance. Landlord has to be comfortable with hundreds of people having access.
• 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
• Fantastic views

Long list

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

Downsides

• Noise could be an issue.
• 900sqft more than our current space.

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"
• Shaw & Co
• Prime Location aggregator