UK: London serviced apartment operator Cuckooz has announced plans to launch Cuckooz Nest, a co-working space with creche facilities in Farringdon.
The new concept combines flexible co-working offices with Ofsted-registered crèche facilities and is set to open this spring, with 100 parents already on the waiting list. A first for London, Cuckooz Nest will allow working parents to book office and crèche space on a pay-as-you-go basis, from as little as one hour a day.
The concept is the brainchild of Cuckooz‘ Charlie Rosier and her business partner Fabienne O’Neill, and came about after Rosier struggled to find affordable and flexible childcare when returning to work after having her first child.
The Cuckooz team also noticed that most of its long-term serviced apartment business now comes from “thirty-somethings who travel the world while working remotely over the internet. Realising that they are often working from the apartment or local coffee shops but needing access to a desk, printer, high- speed wi-fi and most importantly a community; the team believe they have found the perfect solution.”
Petra Hall, former head of operations for workspace specialist The Trampery, will head up the co-working space.
O’Neill said: “An emerging trend of self-employed workers, freelancers and entrepreneurs has translated into a worldwide explosion of co-working space, but one untapped area of this ‘gig economy’ is working parents, particularly female entrepreneurs and business owners. At Cuckooz we try to offer more than just an apartment and by having our own co-working space we can truly embrace our work + stay + play ethos.”
Cuckooz Nest has ambitious plans for growth, and has already identified its second and third premises, in mixed-use developments where the company will also operate its Cuckooz brand of serviced apartments on the upper floors.</p
