Frequently Asked Questions

How does The Engine Room work?

  • The Engine Room is a group of creatives who MAKE, LEARN and DO things in our spaces. Most of our services are provided for members. Membership costs £50 per month which provides full-time access to our spaces and services.

What spaces do you have?

  • Our main hub is the Common Room, we also have a Large, Bright and Open Creators’ Studio upstairs with six 10m2 studio spaces available to lease. Up there is also a Virtual Learning Environment for hybrid and/or small events or courses. Next door we have a bookable Podcasting Suite, a Language Library, a 3D Printing Workshop, a Civics Laboratory and more. 

I don’t need all of that, so I guess this isn’t for me?

  • Most of our USERS are not full-time MEMBERS.

  • Our public-facing activities are usually done through CLUBS, EVENTS or COURSES – so, if you’re here for one of those, you’re in the right place!

  • A full list of clubs and events is available at our What’s On page

  • These include activities like

    • Chess club

    • Writers’ club

    • Botany club

    • Local history club

    • Sustainability club

    • Electronic music club

    • And more and more all the time

  • Clubs meet one or two times a month and cost £5-10 plus materials to join.

  • Clubs and events are hosted by members who organise and open the rooms.

  • If you have any questions about specific clubs, events or courses you should contact the organizer directly.

Who is in charge?

  • Technically, no one and everyone – the Engine Room was originally set up by sociologist Eric Lybeck, but he works full-time at the University of Manchester - now he’s one member among many. He’s in and out and usually turns up at the Soup Club on Thursdays if you want to chat informally – or you can email him at eric.lybeck@manchester.ac.uk for more formal queries – otherwise, everything that happens in and around The Engine Room is organised autonomously by members for members and the community.

  • So, if you have a question about hosting a one-off event, starting a club, becoming a member – ask a member – if the doors are open that means a member is around somewhere. If the doors are closed, you can email civedcic@gmail.com

  • We want everyone to feel welcome - so please do poke your nose in. However, please bear in mind that many of us are working as freelancers on something, so we might not always be free for an extended chat. That said, we can usually point you in the right direction of who you do need to speak to, or more likely, who you need to email.

Can I use the space if I’m not a member and I’m not in a club?

  • If you see a club or event in the diary, or if you’re flâneuse-ing through the arcade, and you find an open door, you are more than welcome to ‘pop in’ and grab an open seat and tea/coffee for an hour or two – just leave a donation of £2-5 via our cash box or contactless card reader. This is self-service.

  • However, if you definitely need access to a space at a specific time, to avoid disappointment, you should book in advance, coordinate with a member - or become a member yourself.

When are you open?

  • We can open any time morning, noon or night, weekends, whenever you need access.  But, only members can open up and we’re not always in.

  • We do have rooms and facilities available for one-off hire starting from £25 per 2.5 hours. We also have pop-up studio and retail spaces available starting from £150 pw. Email civedcic@gmail.com with your preferred dates to book and we’ll sort this for you.

  • Otherwise, we’re usually around most weekdays and weekends, but, not always at specific times - the only way to guarantee access is to become a member or pre-book.

  • Thursdays 12:30-2pm is Soup Club and we’re always open at that time, so if you want to get a sense of what it’s like, come by then and join us for a bowl of soup, bread and tea/coffee for £5. It’s a great opportunity to meet new people and get out of the house at least once a week.

Can I have a look at your spaces?

  • Yes, we give tours before and after Soup Club on Thursdays.

I can’t afford £50 for a membership or £300 for a studio!

  • Unfortunately, we do need a certain amount of cash to pay the rent and keep the lights on.

  • But, by organising activities for non-members in The Engine Room, you can actually cover the cost of some or all of your membership - can you run a course or set of courses, or workshops, or help to record or edit a podcast for us? or film an event, or help us clean up after a wine and cheese tasting or something else we haven’t thought of! 

  • Basically, by helping us run the space, you can lower your membership fee, so don’t let the price tag put you off joining. We want everyone who can benefit from The Engine Room to be able to get stuck in and make it work for themselves and others.

  • Don’t be shy – come in and let’s work out a way of covering the costs of membership together.

Who funds you? 

  • We fund ourselves – we don’t receive any regular public funding from Sefton Council, The Wayfarers Arcade, The University of Manchester, Southport BID and so on, though some of these organisations have supported us in the past for specific purposes or events. We hope they’ll support us again in future! ;) But, we are not funded by the government or other businesses - everything we do we fund ourselves mostly from membership fees, clubs, events and courses.

  • We are a Community Interest Company, which means we’re not run for profit - we’re a social enterprise - We’re listed on Companies House as ‘CivED CIC’ (13014553)

  • Our mission is to help everyone learn regardless of background. We would love to do more with young people, adult learners and creatives in the local community, so please do consider donating so we can put on more free events or offer free places on courses and so on.

  • Keep an eye out for fundraising campaigns and events. In the meantime, you can donate in person or via the link below

Do you serve food or alcohol?

  • We are not licensed, but you can bring your own food and drink into club events provided you tidy up after yourselves.  Usually, the club leader will handle this side of things – and, the same applies to one-off events – basically, we are a BYOB venue.

  • We can also help you find good quality catering if you need.  Speak to us at the time of booking for advice. You can also order in takeways and so on.

  • We have a fridge and a separate kitchen upstairs – there is space to prep and clean up before and after events.

How do I access the internet?

  • Ask a member for the login details – the password changes every so often for security purposes, so we have it written down on a paper somewhere.

Are children allowed in The Engine Room?

  • Yes. But, since it is a workplace, it’s not necessarily the funnest place to play. So unless there’s a specific club or course on - for example, we run language courses specifically for children on Saturdays - youngins’ might want to get out and run around outside. Just don’t feel you need to keep your kids hidden away or be embarrassed to bring in babies, teenagers, or whoever into the space – show them around, maybe they’ll work here one day! Feel free to set them up with a bit of homework or drawing at the end of the day. We’re all here to work and learn together whatever our age!

Are pets allowed?

  • Some people find pets distracting, so it would probably be better to leave them at home if you’re planning to work or learn.

  • Service animals and brief encounters with pets are of course always welcome - particularly turtles.

Can I take a Zoom meeting?

  • Yes – we have quieter and/or private spaces where you can have an online meeting.  In fact, we would generally prefer it if you did take calls and other especially loud conversations away from the ears of other people. One great thing about the arcade is that you can step outside and wander freely without getting rained on.

Are you wheelchair accessible? 

  • The main common room space and podcast studio are accessible by lift from the central part of the arcade. There is also an accessible toilet at this location. The second floor creator studios is only accessible by stairs unfortunately.

I can’t find Unit 44, where is it exactly?

  • Unit 44 is at the back of the Wayfarers Arcade, by the West Street Entrance.  If you arrive via Lord Street, walk all the way through the arcade to the rear flight of stairs over which it reads: ‘UPPER LEVEL SHOPPING’.  We are up the stairs on the right. There’s a sign in the window that says ‘The Engine Room’.

  • Our ‘What Three Words’ location is SMALL.TWICE.ASSURE: https://w3w.co/small.twice.assure

  • Our mailing address and contact information is listed in our webpage footer below.

Do you have free parking? 

  • No. However, the arcade has a pay and display parking lot accessible from West Street behind Beales Department Store. If you are running an event or need to unload, you can park briefly in the loading zone outside our unit.

  • There are a number of bicycle stands outside behind a bush - we can show you where they are - and remember we’re a 5 minute walk from the train station and most buses stop at Lord Street.

Are you descended from the ancient tribe known as the Brigantes?

  • Literally no one has ever asked us this question.