I’ll be honest with you, when James (our co-owner) and I first started talking about opening a coworking space in Ely, I got a lot of raised eyebrows. “In Ely? Do people actually do that here?” The answer, as it turns out, is a very enthusiastic yes. But I get it, for a lot of people, coworking still sounds like a vague, slightly trendy concept that belongs in a glossy magazine about London startups. So let me break it down what it actually is, why it works, and why Ely might just be the best place in the country to do it.
So, What Actually is Coworking?
Coworking is simply the idea of working alongside other people in a shared space – people who aren’t necessarily your colleagues, but who are all there with the same goal: to get things done. It’s not an office you rent from a faceless corporation. It’s not a coffee shop where you’re side-eyeing the barista every time you need another hour on the WiFi. It’s a purpose-built space designed around the needs of people who work independently – freelancers, remote workers, entrepreneurs, small business owners, and everyone in between.
At Ely Work Collective, coworking means having a beautiful, well-designed space in a convenient location, with fast WiFi, great locally sourced coffee, and being part of a community of interesting, hardworking people around you. It means having access to meeting rooms when you need to look professional, flexibility to work in a quiet space for concentration, or busier areas if you want more connection, a content studio when you need to create, and a convenient, well-equipped kitchen that doesn’t involve cleaning or remembering to buy the milk!
Simple, right? And yet, somehow transformative.
The Benefits of Coworking – And They’re More Than You Think
People often come to coworking for the desk. They stay for everything else.
Here’s what actually changes when you start coworking:
- Productivity goes up – there’s something about being around other focused, motivated people that makes it very hard to spend the morning watching TV or doing the chores! The ambient energy of a good coworking space is genuinely one of the best productivity tools I know.
- The isolation disappears – working from home can be incredibly lonely – and loneliness has a real impact on your mental health, your motivation, and ultimately your work. Coworking gives you human contact without the noise and politics of a traditional office.
- Your work-life balance actually works – when you work from home, the boundaries blur. You’re never quite at work, and you’re never quite not at work. Having a place to go and a place to leave changes everything.
- Unexpected things happen – collaborations, referrals, new customers, new friends. The informal conversations over coffee that turn into something much bigger. You can’t manufacture it, but you can put yourself in the room where it happens.
It’s About Community (Not Just a Desk)
James and I care deeply about the community side of what we’re building at Ely Work Collective, and I mean that in the most un-corporate way possible! This isn’t a buzzword. It’s the whole point.
When we designed this space, we thought hard about the kind of environment that makes people feel genuinely welcome. The kind of place where you walk in, someone says good morning and actually means it, and where you leave at the end of the day feeling a little more energised than when you arrived.
That means regular events that provide real value for our members. It means introducing members to each other when we think they might click. It means getting to know everyone and celebrating each other’s wins – because when you work for yourself, there’s often nobody else around to do that. It means having a space with real personality, not the sterile anonymity of a corporate office park.
The people who work at Ely Work Collective are brilliant – coaches, designers, marketers, therapists, accountants, creatives, and business owners of every kind. The community that’s forming here is one of the things I’m most proud of.
Who Is Coworking Actually for in Ely?
Short answer: Probably you!
Longer answer: Coworking in Ely works beautifully for:
- Freelancers and sole traders who are done with the kitchen table
- Remote workers whose employers are based elsewhere – London, Cambridge, further afield
- Small business owners who need a professional space and meeting rooms without the overhead of a full office lease
- Entrepreneurs building something and needing room (literal and metaphorical) to grow
- Anyone who moved to Ely for the quality of life but doesn’t want to sacrifice their career for it
That last one is close to my heart. Ely is a genuinely wonderful place to live – the cathedral, the market, the river, the community. But for years, living in Ely and having a fulfilling professional life felt like they were in tension. You either commuted to Cambridge or London and gave up your evenings, or you stayed local and felt like you were missing out. We’re here to change that.
Cut the Commute. Keep the Career.
Let’s talk about commuting for a moment, because I think it’s one of the most underappreciated reasons to consider coworking. Believe me, I personally know this one as I have done it for long enough.
The average UK commute is around 59 minutes each way. That’s nearly two hours a day, ten hours a week! That’s time you’re not spending with your friends and family, on your health, on your hobbies, or simply on rest.
For people who work remotely or run their own businesses, cutting the commute doesn’t have to mean working from home. It can mean working from somewhere five minutes from where you live – a beautifully designed space, with everything you need, right here in Ely.
The commute to Ely Work Collective for most of our members is a short drive, a quick cycle, or a pleasant walk. And that changes your whole relationship with your working day.
A Note on Corporate Day Passes
One thing I want to mention, because it’s genuinely underused right now: if you’re employed by a company based elsewhere but working remotely, it’s worth asking your employer about covering the cost of a coworking space.
Many forward-thinking companies now recognise that remote workers perform better when they have a proper workspace – and a day pass or membership at Ely Work Collective is a small cost for a significant productivity gain. We have corporate day pass options that work well for exactly this situation. If you’re not sure where to start, come and have a coffee with us and we’ll help you build the case!
Come and See What We’re Building
James and I started Ely Work Collective because we believed and still believe that Ely deserves a space like this. A space with real warmth and personality. A space that makes you better at your work and happier in your life. A space that connects the brilliant people who already live and work here.
We’re still early on this journey, and there’s so much more to come. But if you’ve been curious, if you’ve been working from home and feeling it, if you’re a remote worker who’s tired of the commute, or if you just want to be part of something good being built in this city, the door is open. Literally!
Come for a free tour. Book a day or half-day pass and try it out. Or just drop us a message, and we’ll have a chat.
We genuinely can’t wait to meet you.
Cathrine Evans
Co-Owner, Ely Work Collective
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