Russian workspace firm to expand with two new Greater Manchester venues

Ziferblat, a provider of pay-as-you-stay work and social space, is set to expand its Greater Manchester footprint.

The firm plans to establish two new venues at as-yet undisclosed locations in the area, as part of a wider strategy to roll its concept out to every major UK city by 2021.

Founded in Moscow in 2011, Ziferblat’s services comprise a mix of office, event and café space, with visitor’s only paying for the time they spend at the venue under its pay-per-minute model.

Ziferblat already operates a branch on Edge Street in the Northern Quarter. Opened in January last year with support from Business Growth Hub, the venue has since achieved a turnover of £450k and grown its workforce to 35.

The company operates 14 European branches in total, including sites in the UK, Ukraine, Slovenia and Russia.

Ben Davies, Ziferblat’s marketing manager, said: “The success of our Edge Street venue reflects the customer appetite for the relaxed, community atmosphere we offer.

“The support we have received from Business Growth Hub has helped us to develop our growth strategy, expand our network and identify funding opportunities, allowing us to successfully start our business.”

He added: “We are now able to build on that success with new venues across Greater Manchester and the UK.”

Isabelle Farquhar, a startup growth advisor with the Business Growth Hub, assisted Ziferblat in researching its target market and competitor services while also offering legal and financial guidance.

Isabelle commented: “Ziferblat is an intriguing concept and one that has proven to be very popular on a global scale. It is not always easy to successfully apply a radically new business model to the UK market, but Ben and the team at Ziferblat have done so with great success.

“The business’ innovative model puts Ziferblat at the forefront of a new kind of environment, sitting somewhere between an office, home and a café.”

She continued: “The business has found a niche that has proven popular, giving it an entrepreneurial edge and a platform to expand.”

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