[toyg]

The problem with coworking space, at least here in Manchester (UK), is that it's inflexible and expensive. If I could pay something like £20 for a day, without any subscription attached, and get free coffee, I'd use it a lot. As it is, you have to pay for weeks or months in advance (and more like £30 to £50 per day), so I might as well go to the coffee shop whenever I feel like.

[lightbritefight]

I like your plan, but I think you need a steady subscription cost. This subscription has the two fold advantage of giving the space a predictable income, and it makes the spaces participants less likely to engage in "not my problem" usage of the space itself, ala tragedy of the commons.

A hybrid system like what zipcar uses might work well. A small yearly membership rate (roughly £50/year) + reduced £15/day usage rate. Best of both worlds.

[basicallydan]

How would you feel about a credit-based hourly system? I.e., you put in £40 to your account, and you pay £2-£3 an hour for a desk which you can book a day or two in advance. Then you can order coffee from your desk which comes out of your account (but is, of course, cheaper than if you bought it using a card)?

[rhizome]

Just have a day-rate. Fill cards up with $100 or whatever, and it's $20/day (or whatever), come and go as you like. Like a transit card more than ZipCar.

[basicallydan]

That probably would be easier, but I wonder if there's still a number of people who might want to rent a desk for just a few hours.

[rhizome]

$20 still seems like a reasonable price for that. It would be more that the all-day'ers are getting a better deal. I'm sure prices would equalize regardless, and those who don't want to pay can continue their coffee-shop campouts.

[jacalata]

That sounds great. Make it group friendly and my friends and I would probably pay to use this space for evening hobby work if it existed in Seattle.

[basicallydan]

I'd totally do it in Seattle if I didn't live in London!