Business guide
Business unit, shop or coworking
which suits your business?
When a business outgrows home, the three usual options are a small unit, a shop or a coworking desk. Each is right for some businesses and wrong for others. This guide helps you work out which one fits the way you actually work.
Start with how you work
The best premises are the ones that match your daily routine. Before looking at prices, answer four questions honestly.
- Do customers need to find you by walking past, or do they come by arrangement?
- Do you need space for stock, tools or materials, or just a laptop?
- Do you make noise, mess or dust?
- When do you work: office hours, or early, late and at weekends?
Your answers usually point clearly at one option.
Be honest about the future too. If you expect to hire someone within a year, take on more stock or start running workshops, choose a space that can grow with you, or terms flexible enough to let you move without penalty.
The three options side by side
| Factor | Small unit | High street shop | Coworking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passing trade | Little or none | Yes, the main benefit | None |
| Storage for stock and tools | Yes | Some, often limited | Usually very little |
| Messy or noisy work | Often possible, with approval | Depends on the lease | Rarely |
| Typical commitment | Often flexible | Often a longer lease | Often flexible |
| Fit-out cost | Low | Can be high | None |
| Company and networking | Some, from other tenants | Customers | Plenty |
These are general patterns. Individual properties vary, so always read the actual terms.
When a shop makes sense
A shop earns its higher costs when people buying on impulse are a big part of your sales. Gift shops, cafes and some services live on footfall. In a seaside town, that footfall can also be strongly seasonal, which our guide to running a seasonal business in Blackpool looks at in more detail.
The trade-offs are usually commitment and overheads. Shop leases are often longer, and you may be responsible for repairs, shopfitting and business rates. Before you sign, GOV.UK's guidance on renting business property explains the main tenant responsibilities, and a solicitor should review any lease.
When coworking makes sense
Coworking suits people whose business fits in a laptop bag: designers, consultants, bookkeepers and remote workers. You get a desk, internet, company and often meeting rooms, without managing a property.
It works less well if you hold stock, use tools or need privacy for client work. Shared spaces also have house rules about noise, phone calls and hours. If you want to appear on Google Maps from a coworking address, note that Google only accepts that in limited circumstances.
When a small unit makes sense
A unit is the practical middle ground. You get a private, lockable space for stock and tools, room to do hands-on work, and the freedom to come and go when you like, without paying for a shop front you do not need.
Units suit online sellers, repairers, makers, tradespeople and anyone whose customers come by appointment or never visit at all. The trade-off is visibility: you will need to bring customers to you through your website, Google and word of mouth.
At The Rock Factory, ground-floor units run from 150 sq ft at £65 a week to a 300 sq ft two-storey unit with an upstairs room at £130 a week. All have lighting, electricity and Wi-Fi connected, 24-hour access and rolling monthly terms. Two separate offices at £70 a week each are being refurbished for January 2027, if a desk-based space suits you better.
Look past the headline price
Comparing weekly rents alone can mislead. Build a full monthly picture for each option.
- RentConvert everything to the same period. A weekly figure times 52, divided by 12, gives the monthly equivalent.
- UtilitiesCheck whether electricity, internet and water are included, metered or extra.
- Rates and service chargesAsk whether business rates apply and whether any service charge is added.
- Set-upDeposits, fit-out, signage and moving costs.
- ExitHow much notice you must give, and any costs to leave.
Our prices explained page shows how this works for our units, and our guide to business rates for small units covers the rates question.
You can mix and match
You do not have to pick only one. Some businesses keep a unit for stock and production and sell through markets or pop-ups. Others work from home most days and use a unit for tools, deliveries and client visits. Starting with flexible space means you can change course without being tied to a long lease.
Whatever you choose, revisit the decision every six months or so. A business that needed a desk last year might need a workshop now, and the reverse happens too. The right premises are the ones that suit you today, with an easy way out when they no longer do.
Three quick examples
Real decisions are rarely neat, so here are three typical situations and how the choice often plays out.
The online seller
Sales happen on a marketplace, and nobody needs to visit. The priority is somewhere to store, pack and photograph stock. A shop would be paying for footfall that never comes, and coworking has no room for boxes. A small unit with a roller shutter for courier collections fits naturally.
The bookkeeper
The work is a laptop and the occasional client meeting. There is no stock and no mess. Coworking or a small office makes sense here, with a meeting room booked when needed.
The furniture restorer
Needs a bench, tools and space for pieces in progress, but also wants customers to see finished work. A unit for the workshop, with selling through markets, social media and occasional pop-ups, often beats paying shop rent year round.
If you see yourself in one of these, the small business unit ideas page has more examples of what works from a unit.
Before you act on this
This is general information, not legal or financial advice. Leases and licences vary widely, and the comparisons above are typical patterns rather than rules. Read any agreement carefully and get professional advice before signing a commercial lease.
Questions
Is a small unit cheaper than a shop?
Often, because you are not paying for a prime frontage, though it depends on the properties you compare. Add up rent, utilities, rates and set-up costs for each before deciding.
Can customers visit me at a unit?
At The Rock Factory, yes. Tenants can receive clients and mail at the unit, which suits appointment-based businesses.
Can I run a retail shop from a Rock Factory unit?
All business use needs our prior approval. Units are windowless and set back from the street, so they suit appointment-based or online businesses better than walk-in retail. Ask us about your plans.
What if I outgrow my first space?
With flexible terms, you can move. At The Rock Factory, you can swap to a bigger or smaller unit any time, subject to availability, and some units have interconnecting doors so you can rent adjoining space.
Is coworking cheaper than a unit?
Not always. A desk can look cheap per day, but costs add up if you are there full time, and you may still need to pay for storage elsewhere. Compare the full monthly cost for the way you would actually use each space.
Can I use a unit as an office?
Yes, if it suits you, though our ground-floor units are windowless. If you want a dedicated office, two separate offices at £70 a week each are being refurbished for January 2027.
Sources and official guidance
- Renting business property: tenant responsibilities (GOV.UK)
- Business rates: overview (GOV.UK)
- Guidelines for representing your business on Google (Google Business Profile Help)
Prices are subject to availability. Minimum rental term: one month, then one month’s notice to leave. Electricity usage is charged separately at the supplier rate, with no markup. Business use needs prior approval. Car storage is not permitted.
