MCN Coworking Hubs are not your typical coworking space where anyone who is looking for an alternative solution to homeworking can rent a desk. They are pretty exclusive, and only available to those in the Armed Forces community. Our hubs have been set up solely for use by military spouses or partners.
Our Military Coworking Hubs are just one of our many responses to the challenges we face as military partners. They offer a place where we can work together, independently; a place where to finally realise career ambitions and dreams; somewhere to meet like-minded people; and a chance to belong to a very special community that looks out for each other.
Why are our coworking spaces so great?
Excellent value for money
Did you know that the average cost of using a commercial coworking space in 2023 is around £200 per month? Okay, depending on your location you might be able to get it a bit cheaper, but nowhere in the UK will you find a coworking space that costs less per session than the fancy moccachinofrappelatte coffee you bought on your way to work. Yep, you can use one of our Coworking Hubs for LESS than £1 per day, and if that doesn't represent exceptional value for money then I'll eat my car pass! In addition to the extremely cost effective membership price, when you work in an MCN Hub you not only do you get to sit at a proper desk in a contemporary office space, but you can drink as much complimentary tea & coffee as you like!
We've revamped our membership offer for this year because as you know the Military Coworking Network is a Pilot Project which comes to an end in September 2023. Although we’re still not 100% sure what the initiative will look like beyond then, we are very hopeful it will continue without disruption.
The 2023 Membership Plan will run until September 2023 no matter when you buy it – so the sooner you buy, the lower the cost per use. The 2023 Plan costs £30 and for that you can access 300 x 3-hour hot desking slots (900 hrs). Full details can be found here
We've banished magnolia
We’ve done our best to remove all traces of military life from our hubs. Magnolia walls are a thing of the past. Instead, you’ll find vibrant colours and a professionally designed interior. Bright, colourful posters adorn the walls to inspire and motivate you. And all our Hubs have kitchen facilities and a comfortable break out area with sofas and easy chairs to encourage members to refuel, relax, and take a moment to connect with coworking colleagues over a coffee. We’ve created spaces to work that suit every need, from a more collaborative set-up to one that supports a more confidential or head-down approach, because we recognise that we all work differently.
MCN Hubs are our spaces - they're on base but they're not military. This is a place where we are all equal, irrespective of our partner’s rank. Whether you are the spouse of a new soldier, sailor, or aviator, or the Head of the Service, your status is the same in our world.
Not just for people with a job
Clearly, our Coworking Hubs are great spaces to work in. But you don’t need to have a job or run a business to use one of our hubs:
They are the perfect place to go if you just want a quiet place to focus – somewhere to do your personal emails or get on top of all those home admin tasks, and there are plenty of them.
Perhaps you are studying for a degree or a vocational qualification and need somewhere for quiet, focused study.
Maybe you are looking for a job and just need somewhere to be able to focus on that away from the distractions of home, get that CV updated or compose that cover letter.
Perhaps you are one step further and need to prep for an interview.
You could be a teacher looking for that quiet space to mark all that homework, or to do your lesson planning.
You have a big meeting coming up and need to prepare for that outside office hours but away from the kids?
Or maybe you are just looking for some great company.
Our flexible hub membership caters for all these scenarios, from just a few hours a week to the equivalent of a full-time job. Whatever your needs, we have the solution for you.
Flexible Working
Typically, our Hubs are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. The beauty of this is that you really can structure your day around your personal preferences and commitments. If you prefer to work a standard working day, no problem. If you’re a night owl, that’s fine too. If you can only get away from the family at weekends, we can accommodate that as well. And if you’d like a mixture of all three, you’ve come to the right place.
More than just a place to work
Our Coworking Hubs are more than a shared office space. They are the gateway to a very special kind of community, one that is built on mutual support, respect, and trust. We're big fans of the ‘Musketeer Approach’ – all for one, and one for all – which means, we share everything, from experience to advice, skills to knowledge, problems to solutions.
Our Central Team works closely with our hub members and the wider community to facilitate this through the organisation of events, some with a professional focus, others just about having fun and getting to know people - giving our members a chance to grow their support networks and make some fantastic friendships along the way.
Another Place to Advertise your Business
Each hub is equipped with a large notice board, where all our hub members are invited to advertise their businesses. This is in addition to our online Business Directory and is a great opportunity to get your name out to the local community – never underestimate the power of word of mouth.
Pop in for a free trial
Our Coworking Hubs present military spouses or partners with a fantastic opportunity to rediscover their own identities and independence and create fulfilling lives. Just over half of the respondents to the Evaluation of the Military Coworking Hubs Pilot Project: First Phase believe that being part of a military family has had a negative effect on their career and income level. However 80% of MCN Coworking Hub users who participated in the evaluation told us that they had connected with new people, 76% said the Hubs had helped them make new friends, and almost three quarters of hub users confirmed that the Hub has helped their mental wellbeing.
For those in a Coworking Hub location (Akrotiri, Blandford, Bovington, Bulford, Clyde, Chivenor, Leuchars, Sandhurst, and Valley) please get in touch via our Hub Page to book a free trial to see what our coworking spaces can offer you.
You can also click here to sign the Hub Register to get your location to the top of the list for a new Hub when the MCN moves into its next iteration.
Can’t wait to see you there!