A new kind of business class

Once upon a time, London’s private members’ clubs were no work and all play. But could the rise of the business club be set to change all of that? Emily Wright rounds up five of the most sought-after membership packages in the capital that take serviced offices from dull to desirable Soho Works, E1 Best for…creatives Preppy and collegiate, Soho House’s first business club is all about industrial workspace chic. Specifically designed with creative freelancers and start-ups in mind, hot-desking rates start at £50 a day or £350 a month (£200 for the night owl package) with food add-ons. On-site extras include a photo studio, 3D printer, library and reading room, roof terrace and showers. Plus it is open 24/7. Perfect for early birds and late-night brain storming. www.sohoworks.com 12 Hay Hill, W1 Best for…executives The club class of co-working. With a Michelin star chef, cigar terrace and 11 plush meeting rooms available to hire for £25 an hour, everything at 12 Hay Hill is geared towards impeccable service – right down to the doorman Claude, who spent 27 years on the door at Annabel’s. Drop-in rates start at £150 a month on top of the £500 membership fee. Private office hire is  around £6,000 a month. But you get what you pay for, and these guys have a gold wellington boot umbrella stand in reception. So… www.12hayhill.com 14 Bedford Square, WC1 Best for…launches An accelerator in a Grade I listed Georgian mansion on Bedford Square with a co-working hub called The Den that transforms into a nightclub at the weekends. Run by 27-year old entrepreneur Reza Merchant, and with hot-desk space starting from £198 a month, this place is all about hard work, dedication and smoothies by day and debauchery by night. Everything young businesses need to get started, from seed funding to mentoring – with a few world-famous DJs and rooftop parties thrown in for good measure. www.thecollective.co.uk NeueHouse, WC2 Best for…A-list ambition The NeueHouse brand in New York and, as of last December, LA has become synonymous with culture, creativity and commerce. And London is next on the list as the group will be taking 66,000 sq ft in the Adelphi Building on the Strand in the autumn. With drop-in rates starting at £200 a month the space will be designed to feel like “your great friend’s very sophisticated home”, according to founding partner James O’Reilly. The London outpost will balance stripped back simplicity with a homey vibe to attract a more grown-up breed of start-up. “This is for people slightly more developed than two kids launching a start-up from their garage,” adds O’Reilly. www.neuehouse.com The Office Group, London Best for…flexibility Great for anyone who does not want to be tied to one location. These guys have more than 20 buildings in London in some amazing locations including the Shard, SE1, and from next year the White Collar Factory, EC1. Starting at £250 per month there is a choice between either a Homeroom or Everyroom membership – the former grants access to just one outpost and the latter gets members into them all. Every location is different but the attention to detail across the portfolio is staggering – as demonstrated by the existence of a playlist manager. www.theofficegroup.co.uk To send feedback, email emily.wright@estatesgazette.com or tweet @EmilyW_9 or @estatesgazette