Department launches its search for founding members at new Leeds Dock workspace

Managed workspace concept, Department, is launching its search for founding members at its first Leeds site, which will be fully operational from October 2022.

The work, wellness and social concept will operate at the four-floor site at Leeds Dock, formerly a casino. 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 looking for ambitious creative, media and digital businesses to join a community of aspirational members who have plans to scale and grow. Department’s concept supports growth and agility with the flexibility to move and scale within the building.

Of the available space that remains 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 for businesses requiring privacy and larger requirements. Department also incorporates inspiring spaces, which welcome non-members, to host meetings, events and roundtables.

Work amenities include hot desks, resident desks, meeting and events spaces, private work studios, premium suites and state-of-the-art production and content creation studios. A dedicated community team are on site to provide an elevated experience to the workspace.

As part of Department’s mission to enable a work-life balance, members will also have access to Condition gym within the Leeds Dock district with daily fitness classes, changing facilities and bike storage directly on-site.

The social element of Department comes from Dept Coffee, a cinema, community events, Leeds Dock culture festivals, and most notably the unique food, drink and retail concept, Department Store. Department Store will be an immersive lifestyle destination designed to showcase independent brands and boutique retailers, with scheduled experiences for the creative community.

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.”

Brands and businesses looking to join Department will find themselves within a wider creative community at Leeds Dock. The district is operated by Allied London, property and placemaking group, and home to Sky Digital and Technology, Channel 4 and the daily Steph’s Packed Lunch, Journey Further, and a range of food and beverage outlets including The Canary Bar, North Star Coffee and Pizza Express.

Anthony Powell continued: “Department’s amenities allow work in all forms to be productive and exciting, whether that be individual or collaborative, desk-based or in a creative studio. Social and wellbeing amenities promote that all-important work-life balance that employees really value. We’re excited to be bringing our concept to Leeds and to support the creative and media communities.”

Department currently operates workplaces at Department Bonded Warehouse in Enterprise City, which has over 750 active members across 101 businesses, and Department XYZ in Spinningfields, both in Manchester. There are additional plans to open at London Road Fire Station near Manchester Piccadilly in 2023. The concept is based around the pillars of work, wellness and social, championing flexibility, work-life balance and supporting businesses as they grow.