New stretch target
Having secured our future in West Croydon, our attention turns firmly to our other premises. Wait, you didn't know about it? Well, it’s barely had a mention since 2020 as we’ve been at a loss with what to do with it!
Our workspace premises is double the size of our West Croydon location. It’s tucked away round the back of Surrey Street market and has been a labour of love (and sometimes hate) since 2015. A derelict ground floor premises, full of builders waste was gradually transformed into a low cost workspace for creatives. By February 2020 it was 100% occupied, so we boldly signed a new 25 year lease. Then the pandemic struck and everyone started working from home.
Our landlord in this location has been great throughout our time in the space and has recently agreed a brief rent free period to help us reinvent it for the post-pandemic world where coworking, hot-desking and small offices are less on trend than they once were.
Our plans for the first half of 2023 are to move the soft play and kids cafe over to this site which is all on one level and much better suited to parents, toddlers and pushchairs. The soft-play will be upgraded and expanded and we will host more birthdays, more soft play sessions and activities suited to older kids too. Think rhyme time, story time, craft clubs, art clubs, youth clubs and similar activities, all delivered with that magical Matthews Yard vibe so many of us seem to love.
Of course, while kids will be the focus here, big people won’t be neglected. You can expect top notch coffee, sourced from our favourite suppliers over at 80 Stone. A selection of scrumptious cakes and snacks and, did we mention there’s already 1GB fibre on site, so the laptop brigade will be able to pitch up for the day and rinse our internet at lightning speed (average 750mb up and download speeds!) Oh, not to mention the dedicated Yoga studio which already operates on site!
The best bit about it all is that this hidden gem has been gradually refurbished since we took on the space. There isn’t the same mountains to climb as we have had at Maplin. Some plumbing, some painting and decorating and a few tweaks here and there, plus some new equipment and we will be good to go early in the Spring!
So, check out the range of rewards we will be adding to help fund this space and help make sure Matthews Yard has a stable long-term future in Croydon, regardless of what happens in West Croydon in the years ahead.
Thanks for the love and we look forward to seeing and serving you at Matthews Yard West Croydon, or in our Old Town premises in 2023!