Co-working space bids to reverse rural exodus of talent

A new co-working space which rivals its city-based counterparts has opened its doors in Cumbria.

Herdwork, in Kirkby Lonsdale, is set in 5,000 acres of open countryside on the 14th-century Underley Estate, along the River Lune.

It was designed to help creatives, freelancers, start-ups and established brands flourish in a rural setting.

The space offers an open plan lounge, kitchen, co-working areas, offices, meeting rooms and a courtyard.

Herdwork, which also has a sister site in Windermere, was the brainchild of Cumbria couple Zoe and Matt Spence.

Living in the Lake District, with businesses in Manchester and London, Zoe and Matt had grown tired of the polarising differences between their rural offices and their city-based ones.

Zoe said: “What started as a journey to create a better office space in Cumbria has established our mission to give rural Britain the workspaces and co-working its businesses deserve.

“Herdwork is a new way of working, offering flexible access to distinctly different workspaces in rural locations that make people and organisations more productive for more of the time.”

She added: “Herdwork is a place for businesses and talent to thrive in stunning rural locations.

“It’s an innovative work environment, built around the needs of a talented community and flexible memberships.

Herdwork

“We believe it’s time to stop the young talent exodus from rural Britain and offer a solution to work-life balance. You can live and work in the countryside – and you can do it in a workspace that rivals those in Manchester and London.”

Businesses and freelancers can choose from a selection of different packages, without restrictive contracts.

The options include part-time, hot desk, dedicated desk and private office. There is also the option for day access and bookable meeting rooms.