New office space will enable ‘truly flexible working’

NEW office space has opened in Festival House, near Waitrose, in Cheltenham.

The site is occupied by Flexible workspace operator Clockwise and covers 20,000 sq ft, spanning four floors, with 224 desks and 37 offices, each catering for between one and 12 people.

The space incorporates breakout areas, club lounges and event spaces, a coffee shop and resident amenities, including showers, bike storage and on-site private parking.

The facility will make possible “truly flexible working” through technology and by offering 24/7 access.

A number of companies have changed the way they operate since the start of the pandemic.

Alexandra Brunner, chief operating offer at Clockwise, said: “The pandemic has shifted working culture and we’re seeing a growing trend in businesses moving away from traditional offices and towards more flexible practices.

“While working from home has its perks, we believe people need a central space away from home to truly reach their potential.”

She added: “At Clockwise, we’re firm believers that innovation and enterprise are not limited to central London or gateway cities, and we have a real estate strategy that reflects this.

“We’re passionate about enabling regional businesses to achieve their potential and are also well-placed to support the businesses who have made the move out of London as a result of the pandemic. Our existing locations across the UK are home to a broad client mix of entrepreneurs, start-ups, scale-ups and established businesses from a cross-section of industries, and we’re looking forward to reflecting this in Cheltenham.”

To mark its opening, Clockwise is donating £5,000 to Cheltenham Foodbank to support people affected by the Covid-19 crisis.

Pete Verry, manager of Cheltenham Foodbank said this was something that “can help towards planning and keeping us local”.