With a bottomless free cocktail bar and a diverse range of attendees, we’d say the inaugural Camden Cluster got off to a flyer.
Appropriately enough for the meet-up – which is aimed at anyone working or living in and around Camden Town – it was held at WorkLife, the brand new co-working space on Hawley Crescent.
As October’s free event, this time in the atmospheric former horse stables at Proud Camden, approaches (full details below), we speak to David Kosky and Elliot Gold, the guys behind the new workspace concept.
Their aim is to create the kind of homely, social environment that is a far cry from the sterile offices of old. It’s already proving popular with locals looking to swerve the gruelling commute, (let alone get stuck in to all the coffee, pizza and social events on offer too).
How did you guys enjoy hosting the first ever Camden Cluster?
David: “We were really excited to hold the debut event here, and I don’t think it could have gone much better. We had over 200 people sign up, from start-ups to bigger businesses and also some of our members like MTV and Dr Martens. Most importantly, everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and do some good networking too.”
Why does it matter for WorkLife to be a founding member of the organisation?
Elliot: “For us, the Cluster feels really like an extension of what we are doing in our space, bringing together a diverse group of creative businesses, so it made sense to support it from day one.
“Camden has an amazing, growing community of creative freelancers, start-ups and entrepreneurs so we’re delighted to give our members and the wider community a platform to meet up and get to know one another.”
Having a cocktail bar was an inspired idea, so what other plans for in-house events do you have?
David: “Well I’m sure the cocktail bar will be back by popular demand very soon. We plan to host a Cluster here once a quarter, so we have a bit of time to think about how we top it for the next one.
“Meanwhile, we run lots of different events for our members each week, from talks and screenings to art exhibitions and socials. The idea is that we give our community the opportunity to network, learn from each other and, most importantly, to enjoy every day in the office. (All of our events can be found on our Twitter @worklifecamden)”
What have your first weeks in Camden been like and what do you want to see happen next for your new space?
Elliot: “We opened our doors in early September and it’s been a busy month, to say the least. We’ve had a great reception from our founder members and are now full on all of our resident memberships and offices, so we’re already building up a waiting list for another site, hopefully opening close by. It just goes to show how much is going on in Camden and the number of creative companies and entrepreneurs that want to base themselves in the area. We never expected this to happen so quickly.
“In terms of what’s next, we recently launched WorkLife Flex, our brand new membership designed to offer freelancers and remote workers complete flexibility with pay-as-you-go workspace for just £3.50 per hour.
“We know there are a lot of freelancers trying to work from noisy coffee shops, but with this membership you get unlimited free coffee, super-fast wifi and are surrounded with a community of likeminded people, with the added advantage of private phone booths and access to meeting rooms.”
To find out more about WORKLIFE or to book a tour visit www.work.life or email info@work.life
