Written by Jamie Pitman, Communications Manager of Create.net as part of the Wired Sussex guest blog month.
Many people choose to locate their business and employment in Brighton to avoid the stress, dirty fingernails and expensive rents associated with working in the big smoke. The sea breeze, nearby ice creams and kudos of being a cool, Brighton-based business can be a great enticement, but often finding affordable office space can be a real challenge in this town.
So why not set up your business just outside the city? That’s what Create.net did, locating our offices in the award-winning, environmentally friendly Westergate Business Centre. Here are some of the reasons why basing your business just outside of the city limits could work for you.
SPACE IS THE PLACE
If Brighton isn’t quite reaching critical mass it’s certainly getting near it, with mounting pressure on land owners develop their empty buildings into viable office spaces rather than residential, although those are in demand too!
Tech and digital companies are attracted to this burgeoning ‘Silicon Beach’ on a daily basis and they’re finding it harder and harder to find office space that fits their growing needs.
Offices and industrial estates outside Brighton offer far more spacious working environments which allow flexibility and gives staff the opportunity to stretch their legs and room to breathe.
You can obviously do a lot more for your workforce with the extra space. Create.net makes use of the whole top floor of our building, with a main working office, team room, informal and formal meeting rooms and the all-important store room. This gives staff the opportunity to spread out even more and work in whatever way suits them.
MAKE YOUR MONEY TRAVEL
Coupled with the larger size of offices outside the centre is the added bonus of extra value for money. Rent costs on the sun-dappled streets of Brighton City Centre are notoriously high, meaning it can be very difficult to find affordable office space, especially for start-ups on a tight budget. Basing your business in one of the many suburbs outside Brighton is a good way of getting more space for your pound.
YES PARKING
One of the more obvious reasons for setting up shop outside the centre is the abundance of parking spaces there are compared to the sardine-packed main streets of Brighton. With NCP and seafront parking prices going if not through the roof, then at least uncomfortably near it, having designated spaces outside the office and even more on the relatively clear roads is an everyday blessing for those willing to relocate to ‘the sticks’.
THE GREAT OUTDOORS
Depending on your location, an escape from the city can also bring with it nearby parks, fields and open spaces. At Create.net, we’re regularly picnicking or relaxing in the park over the road, or taking quick trips up to Ditchling Beacon to take in the inspiring view.
The great outdoors also brings with it the opportunity for staff to enjoy exercise. Create.net team members run, skate, blade and bike like troubled teens through the surrounding environs of Mouslecoomb and it makes a huge difference to their wellbeing.
NOISES OFF
Brighton is often described as ‘vibrant’, and true as this is, some of this description must partly be down to the ongoing vibrations of construction work regularly carried out in the centre. Other noises to savour are the sounds of revellers enjoying their day off as you jealously fester behind your desk, and wailing buskers loudly sharing their three-song set, again and again and again...
Of course, it’s a city, and cities never sleep or stop growing, but getting away from the buzz of busy people makes for clear heads and a happier, noise-free environment.
TAKE CARE OF THE PENNIES…
Admittedly, it’s a strange ‘pro’ to bring up, but not being near the temptation of the coffee shops, department stores, pubs and bars of Brighton city centre means you can save a lot of money by not wandering into town and shopping over lunch breaks. Being out-of-towners means you can save a penny rather than spend it.
That’s not to say you’ll go hungry, though. If you base your business in a small industrial estate, as Create.net has, you’ll be visited by all manner of lunchtime vans offering fruit, vegetables, pastries and snacks galore!
It wouldn’t be fair to list the things that are so great about basing your office outside the city centre without pointing out some of the obvious ‘cons’. For starters, if you like walking to work you’ll need to get up early or move out of the city centre, and if your out-of-town office isn’t near transport links like bus stops or train stations your non-driving staff might find it difficult to get into work unless they cycle.
There is also the fact that being based outside Brighton city centre means it’s not quite as much of a doddle to get involved in the amazing tech community that Wired Sussex helps to foster. But all it takes is a little more effort to get back into town for the great events and meetups on offer.
Finally: snow. Cars don’t like it. Buses don’t like it. Employers hate it. But if their office isn’t within walking distance, employees secretly love it. It’s not a dealbreaker but it’s out there, and remember: Winter Is Coming.
AUTHOR BIO
Jamie Pitman is Communications Manager at Create.net, which now hosts over 10,000 websites and online shops built with its applications. Check out the Create.net Web Designer’s Kit to use the system for your own easy bespoke builds and take advantage of continued customer support for your clients.