There's a growing feeling that the long-term effects of the Covid pandemic could prompt a radical shift in working behaviour.

As more and more people work from the comforts (or discomforts) of their homes and dispense with tiresome commuting, enforced change has delivered a number of opportunities for local businesses.

Hitchin has long been a commuter town, the easy access to London making it an ideal destination for young and old alike.

But the chore of the daily grind into the city has become increasingly unattractive for younger generations, especially as technology has made connectivity so much easier.

Flexible working is the name of the game these days and co-working environments have become very popular and economical.

A group of Hitchin small business owners, mostly from the creative industries, have responded to demand and established a location in the heart of the town – the Shared Space just off the market square.

Mark Sharp, better known for design agency Inky Design, and Dan Bramall, aka Dan the Scribbler, are two of the driving forces behind the facility.

Mark explains they were meeting a need within the town given the number of freelancers who were using coffee shops as improvised workspaces. "Dan and I thought it was a good idea to set-up something that provided people with a place to share ideas, collaborate and create new contacts while also supporting each other," he says.

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The pandemic lockdown has certainly helped to drive enthusiasm for an alternative to the spare bedroom or kitchen table office.

Says Dan: "We have taken on a number of new hot deskers who were climbing the walls at home and needed somewhere better to concentrate and also enjoy interaction with other like-minded people. Some have had to rebuild their businesses due to the lockdown."

It's a facility that appeals to a broad range of professionals, ranging from garden designer Rebecca Morgan to Astro physicist Dr Stuart Clark.

A number of writers, journalists and designers have walked through the door of Shared Space, tucked behind the Corn Exchange and Coopers Yard.

Some have transitioned from occasional to permanent users.

One of the important elements of the project was to make it affordable to freelancers, especially in an age when corporates may start to downsize and off-load real estate portfolios. "This has the benefit of allowing workers to claw-back time and also to improve the work/life balance," adds Dan.

Mark believes co-working can help transform town centres that have been under financial pressure in recent years. "Our location can create more opportunities because we are right in the thick of it, enabling us to make lots of new contacts.

"We also have a shop for local creatives, enabling them to sell their products without paying extortionate commissions. We like to think the Shared Space may have arrived at the right place at the right time."

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As town centres struggle to adapt to a new and complex business landscape, the Shared Space highlights that creativity is alive and well in Hitchin – and you don't have to go to London to benefit from a dynamic working environment.