Bucks &amp; Oxon


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/08/1-1000x667.jpg" alt="Unity Place in the centre of Milton Keynes" class="wp-image-194737" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/08/1-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/08/1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/08/1-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/08/1.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Unity Place in the centre of Milton Keynes</figcaption></figure>



<p>Sleek, buzzing, and just a few minutes’ walk from MK station, <a href="https://www.unityplace.co.uk/">Unity Place</a> is the city’s latest shiny all-day hangout. Think food hall, office space, rooftop bar – designed for everything from craft workshops with the kids to post-work martinis with mates.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-events">EVENTS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="800" height="600" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/08/2.jpg" alt="Delicious ice matcha latte and fruit pastry in the food hall" class="wp-image-194738" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/08/2.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/08/2-400x300.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Delicious ice matcha latte and fruit pastry in the food hall</figcaption></figure>



<p>I sensibly arrived by train (translation: I’d already earmarked that rooftop French Martini), and fuelled up with an iced matcha and pastry from Rye&#8217;s Deli in the Urban Food Market. Fortified, I headed to a candle-making workshop upstairs. Unity Place runs all sorts – quiz nights, craft clubs, live music – with a giant screen sometimes showing family films (top intel for rainy Sundays). My friend’s kids dived into glitter, my friend dived into relief, and I banked the brownie points.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-food-amp-drink">FOOD &amp; DRINK</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="800" height="525" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/08/Untitled-design-45.png" alt="Open space around the Food Market" class="wp-image-194733" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/08/Untitled-design-45.png 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/08/Untitled-design-45-400x263.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Open space around the Food Market is great for meeting friends</figcaption></figure>



<p>Once the candles were suitably adorned, it was back downstairs for lunch. The urban food market runs on a changing rota with stalls serving everything from burgers and baked potatoes to pizza and salads. They’ve even had sushi and poke bowls in the past (and yes, I’ll be back for when they return). I grabbed a duck and oyster mushroom pizza and claimed one of the huge window booths, which turned out to be perfect for a leisurely lunch.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="800" height="600" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/08/4.jpg" alt="Shredded duck and oyster mushroom pizza" class="wp-image-194739" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/08/4.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/08/4-400x300.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Shredded duck and oyster mushroom pizza at the Urban Food Market</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-office-space">OFFICE SPACE</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="656" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/08/Untitled-design-47-1000x656.png" alt="X+why co working space upstairs" class="wp-image-194736" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/08/Untitled-design-47-1000x656.png 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/08/Untitled-design-47-800x525.png 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/08/Untitled-design-47-400x263.png 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/08/Untitled-design-47.png 1440w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">X+why co-working space upstairs</figcaption></figure>



<p>When duty called, I shifted to the work café next to Santander’s banking hub. Free hot-desking tables, Wi-Fi, sockets galore – easy, unfussy, no booking faff. For something more structured, there’s the <strong><a href="https://www.xandwhy.co.uk/location/unity-place">x+why</a></strong> co-working upstairs, and for a small fee, there&#8217;s an on-site gym exclusive to building users only. (Yes, you can actually balance spreadsheets and biceps here.) Not a bad perk if you’re planning to make it a regular base.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rooftop-bar">ROOFTOP BAR</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="800" height="525" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/08/Untitled-design-46.png" alt="Sky lounge bar on the top floor" class="wp-image-194734" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/08/Untitled-design-46.png 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/08/Untitled-design-46-400x263.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Sky lounge bar on the top floor</figcaption></figure>



<p>Work done, it was time for the bit I’d been looking forward to all day – the Sky Lounge. On the seventh floor, it’s all floor-to-ceiling windows, skyline views, and cleverly placed charging points under the bar stools (genius). Happy Hour runs Thu-Fri, 4pm-7pm, and comes with grazing platters of meats, olives, and smoked almonds. My French Martini was mixed with flair, and there’s regular live music from local artists. Spoiler: you’ll stay longer than planned.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="900" height="900" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/08/Untitled-design-49.png" alt="Nibbles at the Sky lounge bar" class="wp-image-194744" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/08/Untitled-design-49.png 900w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/08/Untitled-design-49-800x800.png 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/08/Untitled-design-49-400x400.png 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/08/Untitled-design-49-500x500.png 500w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Nibbles at the Sky lounge bar</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-good-to-know">GOOD TO KNOW</h2>



<p>Parking? You’ll find two-hour free spaces outside, although they go fast, with paid options behind them. There’s also a community hall that local groups can book free of charge – choirs, radio stations, you name it. Always worth asking if you’re looking for a space.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-muddy-verdict">THE MUDDY VERDICT</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="900" height="900" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/08/Untitled-design-48.png" alt="Miranda drinks a cocktail at the bar" class="wp-image-194741" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/08/Untitled-design-48.png 900w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/08/Untitled-design-48-800x800.png 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/08/Untitled-design-48-400x400.png 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/08/Untitled-design-48-500x500.png 500w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Muddy&#8217;s Miranda sips on a well-deserved French Martini in the Sky Lounge bar</figcaption></figure>



<p><strong>GOOD FOR: </strong>Unity Place is more than a co-working hub – it’s a proper lifestyle destination. You could spend all day here: a morning event, lunch, a couple of hours’ hot-desking, then cocktails with a view. Spacious, family-friendly, polished but not intimidating. For anyone missing the London-style spontaneity of after-work drinks, MK finally has its answer.</p>



<p><strong>NOT FOR:</strong> Parents looking for a whole day of child entertainment. It’s more of a pit stop, boasting a free workspace, with events, and a bar.</p>



<p><strong>THE DAMAGE:</strong> Cocktails at the Sky Lounge are around £15. Lunch at the Urban Food Market is around £10, and events such as the &#8216;Family Henna Candle Crafting Experience&#8217; tickets are £8/£6 adult/child. Quiz night is just £2. If you need to boost your WFH productivity, a X+why co-working day pass is £25 + VAT, although co-working in the Santander Work Café is free (noted). </p>



<p><em><a href="http://www.unityplace.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Unity Place</a>, 200 Grafton Gate, Milton Keynes MK9 1UP. Tel: <a href="https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&amp;rls=en&amp;q=unity+place+address&amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;oe=UTF-8#">01908 018595</a>.</em></p>



<p>WORDS: MIRANDA LUKE</p>


Hot desks to happy hour, Muddy tries Milton Keynes’ new social hub

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