Found yourself with a few hours to spare in London? Or looking to get out of the home-office for a day but on a budget? Not to worry, we’ve compiled a list of all the best free coworking space London has to offer.
And there’s plenty! London is a bustling capital city with hotels, coffee shops, and coworking spaces on almost every corner.
Choosing where to work will completely depend on your style: do you thrive in busy environments or do you prefer to work in silence? Once you crack down on which is the best environment for you, you’ll be ticking off your lengthy to-do list with ease.
Why working away from home can be beneficial
With remote working, the days are exactly what you make them to be. Having this flexibility is a major blessing, but it’s no good if you’re left feeling unmotivated and miserable.
Getting out and about can be a great way to refresh your working day. For those who work in their tiny box room of an office (I’m talking to me here…) or those who hunch over their kitchen island each day, there are various other environments you can visit to help change it up.
Whether that means working from a new place for half of the week or even just one day, it could entirely change your perspective on the working week.
You never know which new faces will grace your path, or who you’ll network with. Being in a new location can provide you with the inspiration you’ve been missing.
Best free coworking space: Traditional coworking spots
Looking for a coworking office, but without the price tag?
Look no further than The Coffice, The Barbican Centre, and Look Mum no Hands!…
The Coffice by The Brew
While they offer paid-for memberships to their set-up offices, they also encourage small business owners, freelancers, creatives, and tech entrepreneurs to work from their completely free coworking cafe.
This is a sociable but chilled place to work. Adorned with industrial style exposed brickwork, the space exudes creativity.
Open between 9am and 5pm, this hybrid coffee and workplace is known for getting your creative juices flowing.
P.S. Try their lunchtime toastie! They have a breakfast and brunch menu (plus nibbles) and tasty locally sourced coffee on hand.
Barbican Centre
This performing arts centre, the largest of its kind in Europe, is right in the centre of London.
Aside from hosting contemporary music concerts, theatre performances, film screenings, and art exhibitions, they’ve also teamed up with Culture Mile to offer working spaces to young creatives and freelancers – for free!
This beautiful location has opened up their doors to support freelancers in the creative fields.
They operate on a slot basis, with morning and afternoon slots open each day with various seats and desks available to pre-book.
If they’re fully booked, they do have a second floor library which is perfect for reading and relaxation.
If you get tired of the daily grind, it’s free to walk around the building and check out the various exhibits taking place. It’s the perfect location to soak up some art and culture.
Look Mum No Hands!
This is a cool hybrid-space, where people gather daily to taste excellent coffee, make use of the desk spaces, and get their bikes fixed.
Yep, you read that right. Look Mum No Hands is a part-time coffee shop, part-time workspace (unofficially), and part-time bike shop. This all comes together to create a unique workshop.
They have four mechanics on hand at all times (well, between opening times of 08:30am and 6:00pm) to help with any bike issues.
So while the experienced mechanics work on your hydraulic brakes, you can be typing away to your clients.
They do accept walk-ins, but prefer you reach out first to let them know you’re swinging by!
Classic library locations
If you’re anything like me, you need total silence when the stress kicks in. This is where libraries come in very handy – especially if your work is research-based, with a plethora of materials on hand at any given moment.
But for those who simply want to get some emails sent off, some to-do’s checked, and anything but a video call, libraries are a great alternative to the modern workspace.
There are many across London, but here are our top two picks:
The Reading Room by Wellcome Collection
Another hybrid on the list, (love em’!) The Reading Room is both a library and a museum.
It’s free to enter and open between 10am and 6pm most days. There are galleries, the library, kitchen, and cafe.
The Reading Room (library) provides a comfortable space to sit back amongst some literary geniuses while working in complete silence. If you do have to take a call, though, simply head to the Wellcome Cafe.
They even have a free cloakroom so you can store your coat and belongings while you work.
Canada Water Library
If you’re in South-East London, in Canada Water, this library is the place for you.
It’s completely free to enter (as are most UK libraries and museums) and is very modern – it only opened in 2011.
It’s home to a multi-purpose community and performance space, as well as meeting rooms, a cafe, and education rooms.
There’ll be no tilting the screen away from the sun in this building, either. The steep 60 degree angle, along with the vertically inset windows, means it benefits from sun protection, overheating, and glare.
Coffee shops bursting with flavor
There’s not much better than accomplishing your tasks while sipping on a lovely roasted coffee.
Working from a coffee shop is one of my favorite weekday pastimes, it really does make all the difference to my energy levels (thanks coffee) and gives me that human interaction I often miss out on while working remotely.
London is home to some of the best coffee shops, here are the top picks for free coworking space:
Ginger & White
Looking for a cozy sofa that you can sink into while sipping all-day? Ginger & White is one of my go-to options.
Their coffee menu carries the usuals and it packs a punch. The beans are hand roasted in small batches in East London and the milk comes from cows at Northiam Dairy. In fact, all ingredients on the menu are sourced directly from British farmers.
P.S. Quick tip: If you’re in a rush or keen to sit down quickly, you can skip the queue and pre-order.
Mare Street Market
A little different from a traditional coffee store, but Mare Street Market is just too good to miss out.
You can definitely get your coffee fix here – through Flying Horse Coffee, the bar, or the open kitchen.
But you can also get your hair-cut or a tattoo (or pick up some flowers or a new record) this market-place has it all. It’s a really fun location in Hackney, with reliable WiFi.
Luxurious hotel living
If none of the above are quite your vibe, what about the classic hotel lobby?
These are often underused – so tend to be very quiet – making it a good place to take those pesky business calls.
If you’re staying in London overnight, your hotel may be the most accessible option – super handy with your luggage upstairs.
But if not, you can still work from a lobby. They are free, often open long hours, and offer comfy spaces to sit and crack open the laptop
The Standard
The Standard is a firm London-favorite. It’s especially good for commuters as it’s a short couple minutes away from London King’s Cross and St Pancras.
It’s home to an in-house library, a sound studio, and a sprawling bar and terrace.
Design wise it’s really unique, with incredibly well-thought out decor in each room.
After working, visit Decimo – the hotel restaurant run by Michelin-starred chef Peter Sanchez-Iglesias.
Hampton by Hilton London Waterloo
The Hilton is a well-known hotel chain, with various people popping by to check out the bar or remote working space each and every day.
This hotel, in Waterloo, has various seating options and free WiFi. There’s also meeting rooms to book out should you need one of those.
When you get hungry, check out the juice bar just past the check-in counters.
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