Department, which already operates two managed workspace and studio sites for creative, tech and media professionals in Manchester, is looking for founding members at its first Leeds site, which will be fully operational from October 2022.
Department Leeds Dock will operate at a four-floor former casino site at Leeds Dock. Among the already confirmed founding members is Glean, an educational technology business that has relocated its workforce of 80 people to join Department’s community. Department Leeds Dock is now looking for more ambitious creative, media and digital businesses to join the community.
In the space that remains available in Department Leeds Dock, businesses of up to 70 team members can be catered for with flexible memberships, from hot desks and resident desks to bespoke suites, meeting and events spaces, private work studios and state-of-the-art production and content creation studios. A dedicated community team are also on site to assist.
As part of Department’s mission to achieve work-life balance, members will have access to Condition gym within the Leeds Dock district with daily fitness classes, changing facilities and bike storage directly on-site, while the social element of Department comes from Dept Coffee, a cinema, community events, Leeds Dock culture festivals, and the food, drink and retail space, Department Store.
Brands and businesses looking to join Department will find themselves within a wider creative community at Leeds Dock. The district is already home to Sky Digital and Technology, Channel 4 and the daily Steph’s Packed Lunch.
Anthony Powell, managing director at Department, said: “Relationships with workspaces are completely different to how they were two years ago. Now, businesses need adaptability, flexibility and somewhere that is more than a workplace. We’ve had great success in Manchester with Department Bonded Warehouse, forming communities of businesses that share facilities, and therefore ideas and creativity, and giving workforces added value from their working days.”
Department will ultimately operate nationally in the heart of three UK cities – Manchester, London and Leeds. Manchester is currently home to two operations – Department XYZ and Department Bonded Warehouse, with Department London Road planned to be fully operating in 2023. Department Leeds Dock will open in October 2022 and Department Savile Row, London will open in 2023.
