Co-working to expand across UK

FREELANCERS and self-employed people across the UK will soon be able to take advantage of a new support network being set up by Cardiff-based co-working firm Indycube.

The company set up its first coworking space at Culverhouse Cross in 2010, and has since expanded into other venues in Castle Arcade and elsewhere.

Now founder and director Mark Hooper is planning to provide a new service for Britain’s legions of freelance workers by developing a UKwide community for the selfemployed, using what it has learnt from its experiences in Wales.

Mr Hooper said: “We’re concerned about how precarious work is becoming, and we are in a position to improve the lives of the self employed, freelancers and those in the gig economy.”

Following a substantial investment from Community Union, Indycube has announced plans to expand its network across the whole of the UK, with a support network of connectors keeping differing communities synced.

Over the coming years, Indycube expects to see rapid expansion across the UK, with 300 larger spaces with capacity for more than 25 co-workers and 900 smaller spaces with capacity for between five and 10.

In addition, it hopes to sign up 100,000 members to its community package. The company’s aim is to have a co-working space near to anyone who needs it.

Last September, Indycube transferred from being a community interest company to a co-operativelyowned model. For £1 a month, anyone can own a share of the society.

Initial sign-ups are also being given the opportunity to test the community membership, which will be launched on June 1. To support these changes, Indycube has doubled its team in the last month, hiring three new staff members and two interns.

Ceri Davies has come on board from a 17-year career in government to manage operations across the society.

Having spent much of his career developing and delivering public policy, including the pioneering 5p carrier bag charge, Mr Davies will be a key player in Indycube’s communications as it rolls out the new community membership this summer.

Sarah Scotcher, co-founder of Rowanvale Books, has taken over as operations manager for Wales, bringing her small business knowledge and experiences to the team.

Wiard Sterk, originally from the Netherlands, has been employed as one of Indycube’s “connectors”, a crucial role which marks out the Indycube approach which will pave the way for the development of the growing indycube community.

Mr Sterk will be field-based, working as a point of contact for users and scouting new potential co-working offices.