Freedom Works backs it’s view on people going back to work by purchasing 33,000sqft ‘Fairways House’ Business Centre in Southampton.

Independently owned Co-working and Flexible office space operator, Freedom Works, which runs modern and creative co-working & flexible office spaces across the south coast is backing up their belief that people will come back into the office, but want to stay local to home by opening up their 5th space in central Southampton.  

Founded just over 4 years ago, where they opened their first co-working space in Worthing, the demand for community based and flexible workspace had grown to a community of just under 1,800 freelancers and businesses just prior to Lockdown last March, ahead of the current economic crisis, to over 2,300 freelancers and businesses.  

Based on the growing view that the ‘new normal’ still requires face to face interaction in business, and the increased demand for the ability for talent to work locally to where they live, Freedom Works have invested significantly in their 5th site in the port city of Southampton, by purchasing the 33,000sqft Fairways House Business centre on the former Meridian TV studios site.  

“We’ve seen first-hand the high demand for flexible office space and the attraction of co-working in our Sussex based communities,” comments Jon Trigg, Freedom Works Founder and Managing Director.  ”And although we are in uncertain waters, we have seen a big demand for businesses who need flexible terms and a safe and collaborative place to work from”, explains Trigg.  

The plan is to turn the traditional business centre on the banks of the River Itchen into a collaborative community based workspace which offers their members;  24/7 access, High speed internet, modernised offices and breakout areas with a cafe to encourage collaboration, as well as being part of a wider community to work within.

“Is it a gamble to invest, when coming out of the worst recession for 300 years?”, asks Trigg to himself. “Possibly.  But, having watched how our and the wider business community have rallied around over the last year and the driving demand to decentralise teams, coupled with benefits of being around ‘like-minded’ people, we believe this is a worthwhile investment into the business community of Southampton”, concludes Trigg. 

Freedom Works will be looking to offer the small business community based in the Solent area the chance to better serve their customer-base with private offices, dedicated hot desks, and a community breakout area on flexible terms.

The facility will eventually provide a 24-hour access, 7 days a week for dedicated members; flexible membership packages including permanent dedicated desks or those who just wish to use a desk for an hour or two; 1Gb Super Fast internet/WIFI, enhanced security with CCTV; free tea, coffee and fresh fruit; access to workshops and networking events; and Free Beer Friday. 

One of the main attractions of the Freedom Works model, as we come out of this pandemic, is it’s flexibility - there are no long term commitments, but a rolling membership agreement which enables businesses to scale up and down without being locked into lengthy contracts.  The membership fee is inclusive of everything - no hidden charges, with prices ranging from as little as £2 per hour for hot desking. 

“We feel that there’s a gap in Southampton and the surrounding areas that needs to be filled, and none more so as we look to recover out of the last year” adds Trigg.  “You cannot discount the value of collaboration. The graphic designers in our co-working spaces are working closely with the copywriters who are also working closely with the marketing agencies and web developers who are also working with the business consultants. It’s a cycle of productivity which, in turn, is helping each business and the local area to flourish and grow.”

The true benefit of coworking and flexible office  space which is driving demand is the community aspect - where having a collective of businesses working together under one roof only increases the potential for collaboration and working within the local community.   “That’s why one of our aims is to keep 'home grown talent at home',” comments Trigg. “By having the new space in Southampton, we believe this offers an option to those now not wishing to head up to London to work and provides a place for local talent to integrate on a daily basis.”

The overarching objective behind Freedom Works is to produce a network of co-working spaces throughout the South of England to create a network of environments which encourages productivity and collaboration amongst the local communities. 

Please contact us to find out more at [email protected] 
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