UrbanWorkSpace Go Live!

Great news! If you're looking for an office to rent in Birmingham, you can now visit the UrbanWorkSpace website to see the fantastic locations we have on offer today! Steward Street Business Lofts, Regent Place Creative Studios, Branston Court and Cuckoo Wharf Canalside offices all offer a  unique working environment tailored to suit your needs.

If you're creative, ambitious and have a desire to succeed, get in touch today to find the perfect space for you.

The Steward Street Business Lofts Are Complete!

It's been a very hectic few weeks for us all at UrbanWorkSpace, but we're proud to say that our brand new development is finally up and running. There are a few kinks to work out and one or two final details to attend to, but the Steward Street Business Lofts are officially operational and are looking fantastic!

It's been a long couple of years, but a lot has been accomplished by our hardworking team. Inspired by the New York business scene, the Steward Street Business Lofts are stylish and modern with a creative, quirky edge you won't find anywhere else in Birmingham! We're keen to see others follow in our footsteps and hope others will be inspired to create. 

Steward Street really is unique. With tenants already moved in, we've had a list of compliments about our creative design - not to mention a few eyes lighting up at the sight of our pool and table tennis tables set up in our makeshift games room. We're thinking of starting a tournament with our tenants. Not only will it be a great way to chill out and relax after a hard day of work, but it'll be a great way for everyone to get to know one another a bit better.

UrbanWorkSpace are always keen to begin new projects. We would like to think we are playing a small part in the important process of regnerating Birmingham. Having read through the Big City Plan, we can see just how much potential we have to bring life back to the city. Modernising Birmingham isn't just the responsibility of the local governing bodies - it is exceptionally important that private sector businesses get as involved as possible be that by providing jobs, donating funds or really getting stuck in and regenerating buildings with the potential to be focal aspects of local commiunities.

We want you to be involved in our vision. If you're looking for offices to rent in Birmingham, you've come to the right place. Don't miss out! Get in touch on 07775 762830 today to book a viewing!

Oh, and keep your eye on our website. It should be going live in 5...4...3...

Starting Your Own Business

If there's a place you want to move your business to, think Birmingham. As the United Kingdom's second city, Birmingham has earned its place as a centre of progression, a place where businesses can grow and develop and achieve great success supported by other businesses and the local community.

UrbanWorkSpace understands how difficult it can be to get started, which is why we are absolutely dedicated to helping your business stretch beyond its limits and achieve more than you thought possible. We want to find a place for you that's perfect, that doesn't involve hassle and red tape, a place where your business - whatever the type - fits in.

If you've got your business off the ground and you're looking to relocate or expand, you're no doubt tearing your hair out trying to find a space that works for you. Different to corporate office space providers, we listen very carefully to your needs and do our best to meet them. Our office space is unique, diverse and most importantly of all - affordable. We pride ourselves on keeping your costs low, which is why we will even pay your rates to give you an extra helping hand, something that is absoluely essential when you're just getting started.

Don't be discouraged by extortionate rents and rates! Follow your dreams and get in touch today to find the perfect working environment for you! Just call 07878 732025 for more info!

Brand New Business Centre: Coming Soon!

Our brand new business centre will be having a grand opening very soon! It's taken us a long time to get our newest project ready to go, but we can definitely see the finish line in sight and we know that our newest tenants are just as excited as we are to see the place finally up and running.

When the gates are open, our first tenants are going to experience the luxury of a stylish reception area to meet and greet guests and visitors, flanked by three modern and professional conference rooms available throughout your working day.

Not only that, but there is the added security of an on-site car park nestled right in the centre of the complex, so you don't need to worry about parking along the road. Plus, when everything is up and running, we will be adding a brand new level to the car park!

Steward Street also benefits from luxurious kitchen facilities, toilets, lifts, disabled access, a host of reception facilities and 24 hour security! It's the perfect place for professional enterprises that are just starting out, or are looking to move somewhere new that is spacious and affordable.

Don't forget, UrbanWorkSpace pay your rates, so you have fewer bills to worry about! Get in touch today for more info on 07878 732025 or 0121 554 6404!

The UrbanWorkSpace Ethic

From Global Network Stock Photos

We find it important to make new tenants feel welcome when they join the UrbanWorkSpace community. Any one of the companies we nestle beneath the safety of our wings will tell you the great efforts we go to to ensure you have everything you need to get started, right down to the simplest of things like a kettle to make a nice cuppa. Very little is too big of an ask, so don't hesitate to be a little bit cheeky here and there, because we're always very willing to lend a hand in any way we can.

UrbanWorkSpace are all about tailoring our services around you. Need somewhere to store a few files before you move in? We'll do the storing! Need pointing in the direction of the best telephone and internet service provider? We'll do the pointing! Need that partition shuffled over a few feet to allow space for that additional desk? We'll do the shuffling! Nothing is out of the question and we will always do our very best to see you are as happy as you can possibly be. We would love to have your business on board with us, great or small, and are keen to get you set up and running as speedily as possible with the minimum of hassle.

While we're getting our main site up and runnign, don't forget to check out the office space we have remaining on our Facebook page - but be quick, because it's going fast!




For affordable offices in Birmingham, choose UrbanWorkSpace. One Space, One Price, Great Value!

The Jewellery Quarter Development Trust

Working for a company that does the kind of work UrbanWorkSpace does has opened my eyes to the importance of regenerating parts of Birmingham and the West Midlands that require a little bit of TLC, in doing so offering a new lease of life both visually and spiritually. I firmly believe that we can bring communities together and help to provide a safe environment we are all proud to live and work in, but in order to achieve this, we all need to work together, businesses and communities alike.

Just one of Birmingham's many hidden gems, the Jewellery Quarter has seen a great deal of development over the past few years and now forms an essential part of the local history and heritage. Having once fell by the wayside, the Jewellery Quarter has benefitted from a great deal of investment to bring it back to life and once again is home to lively, bustling, creative industries that have flourished.

The Jewellery Quarter Development Trust is 'working towards a Business Improvement District', striving to achieve:

• 'an attractive, clean and safe environment
• more investment, job and training opportunities
• more business support and networking
• better access and connectivity
• sustainable and affordable housing
• better facilities and visitor attractions'

If you are interested in getting involved in this exciting new project, to help bring the Jewellery Quarter into a brand new 'phase in its development', visit the School of Jewellery, 82-86 Vittoria St., Birmingham B1 3PA from 4pm until 8pm on 15th September 2011. You can find out more about the JQDT plan and listen to some official speeces at 6:30 pm too, so come on down and get involved!

If you want to take a look at what the JQDT has been up to lately, or you just want more info, head over to www.jqdt.org.

Office Space Guide for Tenants

When you're looking for new premises, you need to take a few things into consideration in order to ensure you are moving to a place that will help to continue the success and progression of your business. Before embarking on your office space hunt, here are a few things you should be thinking about prior to making an decisions.

Location
Perhaps one of the most important questions is, where do you want your new business headquarters to be? Do you want to be in the city centre? Do you want to be on the outskirts of the city? Do you want to be in the local town? The answer to this question will depend upon the nature of your business. Remember, if you tend to have a lot of visitors, you will require a location that is easily accessed by public transport, or has plenty of parking available in the area. If not, you can be a little pickier about the office space you choose.

Space
There is a legal amount of space required for every member of staff you employ, so always take this into consideration when looking for new office space. You need to base your search on how many members of staff will be working in the office at any given time. If this is just yourself, you can go for a one-person office. If you require a larger space for a large team, make sure you know the square footage and how many desks will legally fit.

Price
Never ever go for the first place you find. Finding office space is no different to finding a place to live in terms of wanting the best deal. Remember, on top of renting a space, you will also need to pay bills. Some landlords, however, will happily pay many of your rates for you. Plus, you can often negotiate a price with the letting agent to achieve a better deal.

Type
The type of office space you choose is crucial. You want a space that is warm, safe and comfortable for yourself and your staff in an area that they are secure in - especially if they have to walk any distance to their cars after the working day. You should also consider what message your office space is sending to customers and clients who may visit. Is the area ideal? Is the space neat, tidy and professional?

Representation
You can use a Commercial Property Agent to help you find the best office space for you, but you don't have to. If anything, they will be able to do most of the legwork on your behalf, saving you the hassle of researching place after place, however, many people have no problem with going to the landlord direct.


If you're looking for office space in Birmingham, get in touch today on 07878 732025 or take a look at the Urban WorkSpace facebook page!

Part of the Community: Kancho Creative

The small but mighty Kancho Creative team consists of husband and wife Howard and Lisa, both graduates from Wolverhampton University. Starting out as a sign designer for Signs Now, Howard later moved on to become a pre-press mac operator and artworker at Alpha Graphics, an artworker with Greenwell and Co, an in-House Designer at Enta Media, an Art Director at OWB, all of which led him to become Director at Kancho Creative.

Lisa started off as advertising production assistant with Sans Serif, later moving on to become senior designer at Mooch before arriving at Kancho as co-director with husband Howard.

~"Graphic & interior designers based in Birmingham. We create intelligent visual solutions across a wide range of media from print, digital and interiors"~

Self-confessed cat people, oth Howard and Lisa are active young professionals, engaging in some pretty impressive recreational activities! Having trained for 22 years, Howard is a 4^th Dan Blackbelt in Shotokan Karate and has competed all over the world. Lisa is interested in Streetdance and performs in a number of charity shows throughout the year. She is also currently in training for the 5k Race for Life, as well as a 10k run later in the year.

The name ‘Kancho’ comes from the martial arts term for the highest possible rank and literally translates as ‘owner of dojo’. Initially Kancho came into being four years ago in 2007. Howard completed small jobs for friends and family and as word spread, his client base grew. After a lot of hard work and dedication, Howard was able to leave his full time job and set up on his own and, upon leaving her position at Mooch, Lisa too joined the Kancho team to form Kancho Creative in August 2009.

Kancho Creative’s most recent projects include branding and interior for a unique live music venue which will be opening 80 other venues nationwide, brand identity for a brand new wine range due to hit supermarkets later this year (we’ll definitely be looking out for that one!), interiors for a chain of pubs and an Asian takeaway outlet, a four bedroom residential house refurb and more! They also recently attended the launch event for a new Holiday Inn opening in Birmingham this month.

Kancho were also responsible for designing the brand identity and interior of Birmingham’s famous basement bar The Hairy Lemon. This was their first major project and set a standard they have kept up from one project to the next. The creative skills Howard and Lisa possess allow them to work harmoniously on major projects, giving them a definitive edge over other businesses.

We’re happy to have them under our roof at traditional grade listed building Regent Place. With thanks to a simple introduction and a tour around the building from our very own Gerry, Howard jokingly suggested he run Kancho from our premises. Only a year later, with thanks to UrbanWorkSpace’s excellent rates, informal, helpful staff and can-do attitude, that’s exactly where he was.

The Kancho Creative team love Birmingham. The Bullring, Wagamama, St. Paul’s Square, not to mention karaoke in The Hill on Friday Nights, are all just a selection of their favourite bits. Howard noted that his favourite bit about our home city is how Brum ‘reinvented itself’, transforming the Bullring and local shopping areas into modern, stylish and creative areas attracting attention from around the country. ‘It’s cosmopolitan and has lots of different areas like China Town and the Jewellery Quarter’. Just like us here at UrbanWorkSpace, Howard wants everyone to see how far Birmingham has come and for everyone to see everything it has to offer.

Grilled about plans for the future, Howard jokingly told us Kancho Creative will have offices in Monte Carlo and New York! In the mean time, they’re looking forward to growing and progressing and eventually employing a full-time team for larger projects in the future.

You can find Kancho Creative in the Jewellery Quarter’s Regent Place. If you’re looking for graphic and interior design, get in touch with them via the unique and charming Kancho Creative website today!

For more information on available UrbanWorkSpace offices, get in touch with us on 07878 732025. Check out our Facebook page for a sneaky peak at our creative studios and business centres.

Elusive Birmingham Office Space

Check out the UrbanWorkSpace facebook page to take a look at Birmingham offices available to rent today. Link

Lambert Smith Hampton recently suggested that Birmingham office space is getting more expensive and harder to find, a problem only set to intensify over the next 2-3 years. With property projects ongoing within the city one-by-one falling victim to the recession, it seems that quality office space for businesses is now becoming few and far between. If the latter is true, rents for Grade A office space are likely to rise, which means businesses that are already struggling to stay afloat are going to find difficulty finding affordable office space.

LSH senior surveyor Jon Hinton noted “Companies wanting to move to offices in Birmingham are looking at the four million square feet of space currently available and thinking – wrongly – that they can take their time making a decision. The opposite is true." With this on the horizon, many business are no doubt concerned about finding the ideal place to operate. It's hardly surprising that so many companies are focused on snatching up the best offices in the centre of the city, but many would be surprised by the quality of the properties to be found just outside.

The Jewellery Quarter is just one of the places offering affordable and modern office space in Birmingham, and is only a short hop from the city centre. If you're looking for low rates and sensible rent, the Jewellery Quarter offers a significant amount of newly built, regenerated and renovated properties that are not only affordable, but come with a little bit of history and charm. A short distance from the M5 and hosting a variety of public transport links, it's amazing so many local businesses are missing out on the potential of this idyllic area.

Wandering the Jewellery Quarter

I haven't always been too accustomed to the sights and sounds of Birmingham and it wasn't until I moved to the outskirts that I ever visited the place. Now I have the luxury of working near the city centre, right in the Jewellery Quarter, I've got the opportunity to discover more than ever before. With that in mind, this morning, armed with my trusty camera, I went exploring.

It always amazes me how much you miss when you drive everywhere you go, so it was nice to just amble and investigate and see what quirky things were around. I wanted to do the Birmingham Jewellery Quarter Heritage Trail, but I didn't really have time to visit and fully appreciate the museums and the business centre and all of those places the Jewellery Quarter is famous for (I'll just have to save that for another sunny day like this one!). Instead, I wandered down to St. Paul's Square to take a few shots.

This hidden gem is the only surviving Georgian square in Birmingham, developed in the 1770s. The church in the centre - St. Paul's Church - was constructed in 1771 to the design of Roger Eykyn and the spire was later added in 1824. Birmingham's Matthew Boulton and James Watt used to worship there! It's something you don't necessarily expect to see when you're walking down Caroline Street. The view is initially blocked by a row of greenery, but then you see the spire emerge, flanked by the BT Tower just beyond. An odd combination, but just another symbol of the diverse nature of Birmingham's architecture.

St. Paul's Square doesn't just have the delightful little church grounds to offer either. It's surrounded by modern and stylish, or quaint and quirky cafes and restaurants, so many that I have no idea how on Earth I am ever going to try them all! This fact extends to the entirety of the Jewellery Quarter, too. On every street there seems to be a gorgeous cafe, bar or restaurant. I had no idea the JQ was turning into such an urban village, whilst at the same time maintaining the industrial charm of its past. There are still teems of stunning jewellery stores up and down the historic streets as there were fifty or more years ago. The Jewellery Quarter even now remains responsible for 40% of British jewellery output, an achievement not many places can lay claim to.

At the same time, there's a sense that the place is changing. The Jewellery Quarter has the kind of creative atmosphere that you don't encounter very often and it's clear it's attracting healthy young minds eager to succeed. There's an eclectic mix of people here and it's exciting to see everyone always on the move, ambitious and motivated. It's infectious and it reminds me of what we're striving for here at UrbanWorkSpace; businesses that work together and alongside each other to create a working environment that benefits all of us and our stunning city.

Welcome!

In the coming months, here you're going to find an abundance of news related to our current and planned rebuilding, renovation and regeneration projects, plus details of events and introductions to businesses that have planned to or are soon to be welcomed to the UrbanWorkSpace neighbourhood! Our website is very nearly up and running, so please don't hesitate to get in touch with us if you want any information on our currently available and coming soon office space in Birmingham!

You can get in touch with us on 0121 554 6404 or call our letting agent directly 07878 732025.

Don't forget to like us on facebook and follow us on twitter too!