Interview: Jane Schofield, co-founder of Manchester-based WorkPlace

With Manchester’s annual office take-up figures hitting 1.3m sq ft in October last year, it’s little wonder that some entrepreneurs are taking advantage of the boom.

WorkPlace, a provider of office and coworking space based on Oxford Street, is one such enterprise riding the commercial property wave.

One of the company’s directors and founders, Jane Schofield, told me the aim of the concept is to combine the business and hospitality worlds to create a unique working environment.

Jane said: “My business partners, Louise Pollard and Adrian Stevenson, and I wanted to get involved in a new project but we were unsure as to what that would be.

“So we started looking for office space for ourselves, but we couldn’t find anything we liked. The space was either not very welcoming or the contracts offered no flexibility.

We need to demonstrate that we have a good return on investment before we go out looking for funding

“We kept saying we wanted a venue that was designed like one of our hotels, [a place that] made us really want to be a part of where we were working and also had on-hand people to help and support us.”

That notion, she told me, gave the trio the idea of taking the hospitality sector’s typically high level of customer service and reshaping it to suit a coworking business.

Discussing the company’s decision to launch at Churchgate House, Jane said: “Finding the right space was also vital. [The building] has such a creative history; it used to weave silk, wool and cotton into handkerchiefs, scarves and ties.

“The idea behind WorkPlace is to encourage collaboration and inspire the people who work in it, so we felt it was a perfect fit.”

WorkPlace launched last Autumn and, since then, it’s had no trouble attracting businesses. Today, 75% of its offer has been snapped up.

We need to be turning a profit, but we also want to make sure we are delivering the level of service we want to

“Our meeting room space has also done exceptionally well, which is great,” Jane continued. “The big thing for us has been to get out into the city and network as much as possible and let people know we are here. This same mechanic will continue as we move forward.”

The business has ambitious growth plans, particularly since the Manchester hub’s opening months demonstrated a demand for their concept. Now, Jane and her co-directors are plotting a course for UK-wide expansion.

“We absolutely still want to grow,” Jane told me. “But we need to demonstrate that we have a good return on investment before we go out looking for funding. It’s important that our concept and model is solid.

“In terms of locations, we would like to open more space in Manchester as well as looking at other key business regions including Leeds, Birmingham and Milton Keynes.”

She added: “The only city we probably wouldn’t consider at the moment is London, as it’s so expensive and the market is already so saturated, but never say never.”

For small- and medium-sized businesses, short-term contracts are appealing because there is more opportunity for flexibility

I quizzed Jane about the biggest obstacles WorkPlace is having to overcome at the moment.

She explained: “Costs are always a big challenge when you are a startup. You always end up spending more initially [in comparison to] expanding an already established brand. We need to be turning a profit, but we also want to make sure we are delivering the level of service we want to.”

Sales, Jane said, will always be a top priority for the firm, which will need to be constantly proactive due to stiff competition in the city.

The WorkPlace business model avoids long-term contracts, which Jane believes is a big draw for SMEs.

We also want to see our members working together and collaborating to help grow their businesses

“I think long-term contracts will always play their part in business,” she said, “as bigger companies need the security that these kind of leases offer. However, for small- and medium-sized businesses, short-term contracts are appealing because there is more opportunity for flexibility if they needed to change their situation.

“For example, if they want to up-scale, down-scale or move offices they can without getting stuck in a contract.”

Over the next 10 years, Jane hopes to transform WorkPlace into an established national brand with a UK-wide network of offices.

“We want to be the go-to place for high-end boutique offices and coworking spaces,” Jane said, adding: “We also want to see our members working together and collaborating to help grow their businesses.”