6 Of The Best Flexible Coworking Spaces In London Right Now

Lockdowns and, for some, never-ending WFH has made co-working an even more attractive choice than in the recent past. We're desperate to get out there and work around other humans. Even smelly, strange-looking ones.

Paying for a desk in London isn’t always the right choice – and working from a chain coffee shop isn’t always the right solution. Luckily there are some superb places to work in London that deliver an experience equal to, or very close to, that of a London coworking space (like Runway East!).

If you are a freelancer, entrepreneur or startup looking for coworking space that has that little bit extra then read on.

1. Hart Shoreditch Hotel – Shoreditch

Hart Shoreditch (or "Hart Shoreditch Hotel London, Curio Collection by Hilton" to give it its full name) is a chic, swanky hotel that also (slightly secretly) offers workspace.
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Community type: Secretive and high-class

Plus points about Ace Hotel:

• Open 24hrs
• Beautiful spaces
• Great food and drink

Check out Hart Shoreditch.

2. Barbican Centre – Barbican

You don’t need to pay extraordinary prices to work in extraordinary places. The Barbican centre offers a plethora of art-based entertainment and venue hire but it also provides a free workspace for those who love the buzz of central London.

Free WiFi and a multitude of cafes make this an exciting place to get your work done. It’s not very often that you might be able to enjoy an exhibition during your lunch break.

Community type: Freelancers, Artists, students

Plus points about Barbican Centre:

• Central London location
• Fantastic event and venue space
• 2nd floor library for quiet reading and relaxation

Opening hours: 9am-11pm (Mon – Sat) 11am-11pm (Sun)

See the Barbican Centre.

3. Southbank Centre – Southbank

The Southbank Centre provides a cultural setting for you to conduct your work and meetings with an opportunity to explore some of the capital’s finest art.

Located south of the river, the Southbank Centre boasts wonderful views of the Thames whilst you work on that next pitch, sipping on a coffee or a cocktail.

Community type: Artists, freelancers, startups

Plus points about Southbank Centre:

• Incredible food choices that will impress your associates
• Open until 11pm
• National Poetry Library for quiet working

Opening hours: Depends on which part of the centre you wish to visit please see the full listing.

4. Look Mum No Hands! – Old Street

Looking for a cool place to work with friendly people and a great vibe? How about somewhere that could get your bike fixed at the same time? Well, this is the place for you.

OK, it's a bit small, and when it comes to coffee shops, there are plenty of competitors around here (including the superb Ozone Coffee Roasters). But there's something special about LMNH (our own abbreviation).

Community type: Bike nuts, cool kids

Plus points about Look Mum No Hands

• Great vibe
• Excellent coffee
• Great food
• A handy place to get your bike fixed

Opening hours: 8am-10pm (Mon-Fri)

5. The Reading Room, Wellcome Collection – Euston

Based within the Wellcome Collection, the Reading Room is a comfortable, inspiring space to browse books and objects, work or relax.

Community type: Freelancers, students, book-nerds

Plus points about public libraries:

• The silence! Bask in it!
• Plenty of useful books surrounding you and a knowledge-base you can’t beat

Opening hours: 10am-5pm

See The Reading Room.

6. Tate Modern – Southbank

To finish with, why not work amongst the most iconic art in London? The Tate Modern ticks a number of boxes to make it a great location to work in.

Excellent views of the city? Tick. World-renowned art exhibitions? Tick. Delicious food? Tick. Free WiFi? Nah... Just kidding, imagine somewhere without free WiFi! Sitting right by the river in the centre of the capital with a cafe and bar on the top floor, it's a fantastic location for big fancy meetings and great views over your laptop.

Community type: Artists and freelancers

Plus points about Tate Modern:

• Free collection displays to explore during your work breaks
• Impressive views of the city
• Free WiFi (obvs)

Opening hours: 10am-6pm (Sun-Thurs) 10am-10pm (Fri & Sat)

...and last but not least: Runway East

Obviously we couldn't have a list of the best spaces in London and no include ourselves! With hot desks and dedicated desks available across a number of our sites, there really isn't anywhere better (in our EXPERT opinion) to grow your brand from.

Depending on availability, we can offer day passes at some or all of our sites – just use our live chat to ask our team.

Community type: Startups, growing businesses and freelancers galore!

Plus points about Runway East:

• Free (decent) tea & coffee + meeting room access
• Convenient locations right next to transport links
• Top-notch service and stellar startup connections
• 24-hour building access
• Cake Wednesdays, drinks trolley on a Friday and dogs on demand

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