The Coworking Diaries #3 - The Office Group Holborn

Museums, quaint cafes & literary heritage - this week, I coworked in The Bloomsbury Building, Holborn.

Poised right on the intersection of Museum Street and New Oxford Street, The Office Group's Bloomsbury Building location exudes style and poise. After battling my way through the revolving doors and signing in at the swish ground floor reception, I made my way up to the first floor to begin the days' work!

The Coworking Area

After my tour of the building, I settled down to work in my chosen spot- a comfortable and spacious corner desk complete with a reading lamp. As well as shared coworking space, the building also consists of individual offices for businesses of 4 to 50 people. Around a quarter of the large room is dedicated to fixed desks; the rest are hotdesks. There are two kitchens on the first floor where you can help yourself to hot beverages and lemon/lime-infused water.

It doesn't end there. Private phone booths provide quiet places to make calls, and the building even has its very own library, with a range of books and comfy chairs creating a relaxed working environment. But the star of the show has to be the card room, containing a piano fit for recitals and a polka table perfect for post-work unwinding...

My desk for the morning!

Tasteful music is played at a low volume to aid concentration and distract from conversations in the coworking area.

Memberships

One of the best things about coworking is the ability to become a member and gain access to a network of talent. Here, there are four types of membership on offer (I was trailing the co-working option).

Virtual

For £50 a month, you get access to a prestigious business address, as well as mail and phone handling services. Discover the benefits of a serviced office here.

Lounge

This option is perfect for freelancers or remote employees and is an absolute bargain at £50. What's included? Drop-in workspace for up to 32 hours a month across a choice of 22 locations.

Coworking

There are various options within the coworking umbrella. A 'Hot Desk' comes in at £300pcm, a 'Named Desk' is £550, and for creatives, studio space can be rented.

Office

As previously mentioned, private office are available for companies of 4 to 50. That said, other locations do offer larger requirements!

The coworking area is comprised of individuals working independently and small teams collaborating on projects.

I also got serious cocktail chair envy and couldn't decide which I liked best!

The perfect lunch-break

More often than not, my lunch-break consists of me wandering around Mayfair for half an hour trying to decide what food to buy. Today, I knew I had some serious exploring to do so grabbed a Meal Deal from Sainsburys (a one minute walk to the Holborn branch) and headed in the direction of Museum Street to the British Museum (also a one minute walk away).

I managed to catch one free exhibition- Places of the mind, British watercolour landscapes 18-50-1950, which I would highly recommend to anyone in the area!

The building itself is steeped in history: in 1947 it housed the Ministry of Defense, before changing hands and undergoing a refurbishment.

Three key takeaways

1. It's cool

From the sophisticated card room to well-dressed team of building staff, everything at this location exudes cool.

2. It's stylish

This location sports what is by far the coolest furniture I've seen in any office, ever.

TOG collaborated with Buckley Gray Yeoman on the interior design, who - as you can see in details like the rich colour scheme - were inspired by the artistic sophistication Bloomsbury set and the 1920s Art Deco movement.

3. It's perfectly located

The British Museum and its surrounding quirky cafes are quite literally around the corner, Holborn is the closest station providing links to the City via the Central Line, and a mere five minute walk takes you to the West End!

...In keeping with the theme, the space is also bookable for readings and recitals!

To book a viewing at this workspace, or others in the area, give the team a call on 0800 524 4315

More in the series:

#1 WeWork @ London Fields

#2 FORA @ Clerkenwell