Fora Flexible Workspace Review, Brick Lane
(This post is an Ad with Fora but, as always, all opinions are 100% my own)
Walking through east London and into Fora’s spacious lobby, I quickly knew that this was a place I could feel at home. For context: Fora is a premium flexible workspace with locations across London, and they very kindly invited me to spend the day at their building in Brick Lane. Of course, I was ecstatic, and couldn’t wait to experience what they had to offer.
Upon my arrival, I ascended the red staircase that spirals through the centre of the building, and slowly explored the four floors that residents can work from. Each level is somewhat alike, adorned with a number of hotdesking spaces, comfy spots to curl up in, and homely kitchens filled with snacks. The top floor, however, was easily my favourite of the lot. During the day it’s flooded with natural light, and I found myself a comfy working spot right next to the kitchen, like the Hufflepuff I am. There’s also a little terrace that would be lovely to work from in the summer, or even just have a little read with a cup of tea in the sunshine.
Being a premium workspace, there’s a lot more here than just a collection of desks, and Fora have thought of all the little extras that you may need. For example, each kitchen is furnished with a different selection of snacks stashed away in glass jars, and, as I learnt during the afternoon, they’re actually changed throughout the day to provide a bit of variety. There’s biscuits, fruit and even popcorn, plus cupboards that are filled with a selection of T2 teas. Not a tea drinker? Make yourself a micro-roasted coffee, and find a whole range of different milks in the fridge. Yes, you bet I was impressed.
Despite the magically refilling kitchens, my favourite part of the building just had to be their wonderful little library. Nestled away in a corner of the first floor, the library houses a number of comfy chairs, low lighting, and a collection of books tailored to their east London location. Curated by the wonderful Foyles bookshop themselves, the titles range from large coffee table books to novels and essay collections such as Brick Lane by Monica Ali and Feminists Don’t Wear Pink (and Other Lies) by Scarlett Curtis. There are business books, and fun non-fiction books based on East London. All in all, a fantastic range whether you’re looking for some work related inspiration, or a fun lunchtime read.
Other complimentary extras that come with a Fora membership include access to their wellness suites, meeting room credits, and a full concierge service. They’ll take care of your post, and organise a number of events each month so that you can get to know your fellow residents. Other hotel inspired perks include fluffy towels in the changing rooms, complimentary toiletries, umbrellas, tyre repair kits and all day housekeeping - it’s a pretty sweet deal.
Getting to Fora
Wherever you’re coming from, Fora Brick Lane is very accessible.
The space is just a short 15 - 20 minute walk from either Shoreditch High Street, an Overground station, or London Liverpool Street, which serves the Central, Circle, Hammersmith and City, and Metropolitan lines, as well as the London Overground and TFL Rail.
If that doesn’t work for you but you’d still like a desk at Fora, then take a look at their website as they have many other locations scattered throughout the city.
What is there to do nearby?
There’s no doubt that east London is a fun place to be. Not only are there lots of trendy eateries to explore, but there are so many bookshops to spend your lunch breaks perusing in! Brick Lane Bookshop and Libreria are both just a five minute walk from the space, and you also have Artwords Bookshop and Pages Cheshire Street all within easy reach.
Me being me, I wandered over to Shoreditch High Street to grab myself a Wasabi for lunch, but there are all sorts of more exciting options in the area. Grab a coffee from Nude Espresso, TRADE or The Canvas Café, and pick up lunch at the Old Spitalfields Market or Brick Lane Food Hall. Don’t forget about the huge selection of excellent curry houses that are also on your doorstep - in this part of London, you’re really spoilt for choice.
After lunch I wandered down to the nearest wellness suite based in the Spitalfields Fora space. There I found a small but perfectly formed gym, ideal for a mid-afternoon workout.
So tell me, how do I get myself a desk here?
Memberships operate on a monthly basis, and there are three levels that you can choose from depending on your needs.
The first is an open desk membership, which starts from £375 per desk, per month and means that you will get a guaranteed spot in the workspace.
Conversely, the owned desk membership costs £575 per desk, per month and will give you a dedicated desk, complete with an ergonomic chair and lockable storage. You can even leave your monitor here and have access to Fora facilities across the entire network at no extra cost.
For anyone who owns a small business with two or more employees, the owned office may be the perfect fit for you. It costs £725 per desk, per month and will provide you with your own closed home at Fora. You can add your own branding, and size up whenever you like.
I’m sure I’ve made this pretty clear by now, but I had such a fab day working at Fora. Their space is truly wonderful - definitely somewhere that I could see myself returning day after day, inspired to do my best work. Their thoughtful touches easily make the price worthwhile, and I can see it being the perfect place for creative freelancers to make their home.
If you’re thinking about making the leap and investing in a membership to a flexible workspace, then I’d definitely recommend Fora Brick Lane. For further details, and to book a tour of the space, make sure you take a look at their website here.
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