Needspace Islington – the perfect home for your small business

An office space that can scale with your business

When the London Training and Employment Network (LTEN) was looking to downsize its office, Needspace Islington topped its list of prospective locations. Situated in the bustling heart of Islington, St Mark’s Studio offers the perfect blend of affordable office space and the flexibility to grow and scale as their charity looks to support more and more people – which explains why they haven’t looked back since signing their first lease in 2015.

LTEN, like any modern organisation, understands that having a physical office provides them with a real competitive advantage. By making St Mark’s Studio its home, LTEN has a prime physical location with excellent transport links and a bright, modern and welcoming workspace where its team can collaborate. To better understand why Needspace Islington is such a great place to work, we spoke to their CEO, Chloe, to discover more.

Why Needspace Islington stands out

Scalability meets affordability

The London Training and Employment Network seeks to advance the education and vocational training of residents of Islington and other areas of London, supporting unemployed and economically inactive people, potential entrepreneurs and new enterprises. To do this effectively, the firm needed to find a location that not only provides a great working environment but also one that could flex and adapt as their charity evolves.

Chloe outlined this: “When we were looking to move, we were faced with a challenge. While there were lots of options for us to choose from, we were all too aware that the majority of traditional office leases in Islington and elsewhere were often rigid and inflexible, leaving a growing organisation in a bind”.

She continued: “It was really important for us to find an office provider who could offer us both affordability and room to scale in the future”.

While this was a critical need in 2015, it resonates even more today with the changing dynamics of workplace thinking with the widescale adoption of hybrid working. With this being the case, there’s an ever-increasing demand for Islington office space that caters to the varied requirements of start-ups, established businesses and charities alike, as Chloe goes on to explain.

“Needspace really sets itself apart by offering a blend of affordability and scalability that ideally suits our charity. When we moved here, we were looking to downsize, and one of the most important criteria for our new office was to find a home where we can grow and scale. Having the potential to move to a larger office or adapt our space within the same building as our needs change is so important for us. Needspace, and especially the centre manager Tracey, couldn’t be more helpful. They feel like an extension of our team rather than our landlords and, as the leader of a small charity, this takes away a great deal of stress and allows me to focus our support on those who need our services the most.”

This sentiment resonates with others within our shared office space in Islington, and our office spaces throughout the South East. With Needspace, businesses can secure office space that evolves with their growth trajectory.

Transitioning with ease

“From the first time we saw St Mark’s Studios, we knew we wanted it to be our home,” Chloe said. “The lovingly restored listed building is packed full of characters as well as character.” But aesthetics aside, any office move brings with it logistical challenges. When Chloe was looking to move her charity to a smaller office, she was instantly drawn not only by the character of the office, but also the support offered by Needspace to make the transition an easy one.

This was thanks in no small part to the Needspace team’s helpfulness. Chloe explained: “Moving offices is a daunting process for many, but the process of office relocation was really simplified at Needspace. The team couldn’t have been more helpful, and I was really impressed with how they took care of the little things to ensure that the move was as stress-free as possible.”

Working in the heart of the community

The London Training and Employment Network, with its heartfelt commitment to education and employment, especially among the disadvantaged BAME communities, really represents all that is great about Islington. That said, the charity’s decision to choose Needspace wasn’t merely logistical but strategic.

“When we first considered relocating,” Chloe recalls, “we yearned for a co-working space in Islington that resonated with our values and would allow us to work alongside other charities and organisations with similar values. At Needspace, we found more than just an office: we discovered a community.”

She continues: “”St Mark’s Studio’s central location offers great transport links and means our office couldn’t be more accessible for our staff, partners and service users.” With overground, underground and bus links within a few minutes’ walk, the office is ideally placed for those commuting from both nearby or further afield to reach with ease.

The ripple effect: how office space impacts outreach

For a charity like LTEN, renting a modern and affordable office plays a pivotal role in their outreach. “Having a base in such a vibrant community not only positions us well logistically but also keeps us connected to the heart of our mission,” Chloe reflects. “It means that we are easy to find, but it also means that our team can enjoy all the benefits of working in such a vibrant part of London, standing side by side with those who need our help the most.”

Custom solutions for every business

Configurations for all

From start-ups to established enterprises, Needspace’s St Mark’s Studio offers configurations to suit everyone. Whether you’re a freelancer seeking a vibrant coworking space or an NGO requiring private suites, Needspace has it all.

But Needspace offers more than just an office space. While our fully serviced offices in Islington come equipped with all the amenities you’d expect, from meeting rooms and a newly designed communal space that fosters networking and collaboration, it’s working with a partner that cares about the businesses that call the office home that sets us apart, as Chloe describes. “When it comes to renting an office, there are many options to choose from, and while many providers can offer similar features, what sets Needspace apart is how they treat their customers. Covid was a real example of how Needspace showed a level of empathy we wouldn’t have received from other providers. It was evident to us and other tenants that Needspace weren’t just an office provider, but a partner that supports its tenants in good times and bad.”

Take the next step

If you’re looking to take your business forward and are seeking a new flexible office in Islington, then follow Chloe’s lead and book a visit with the Needspace team. We’ll happily show you around our centre and allow you to experience first-hand the advantages of our flexible workspaces and tick finding a new office off your to-do list.

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