Serial entrepreneur Sara Harrod has taken a leap of faith and is on the eve of opening her third business – Nook & Huddle on Malmesbury’s High Street.
It has been a long-held dream for Sara to set up a collaborative co-working space in her hometown and to play a more active role in the local business community. She found the premises – a library many moons ago and, in more recent years, a charity shop – and secured a grant for £12,000 to bring her vision to life.
“I’ve been working from my home office, which also serves as my children’s playroom, for the past three years, and I’m ready to find a better balance between work and life. I also long for an environment surrounded by like-minded, inspiring businesses, which is what sparked the idea for Nook and Huddle.” Sara said.
“I am so grateful to the ‘Fit for the Future’ programme grant, which provided seed funding to get the idea off the ground, and we will be ready to open our doors next month.”
Nook and Huddle will be a flexible business space located at 44 High Street in Malmesbury, giving local small businesses and home workers the high street presence and workspace they may otherwise not have access to, or afford on their own.
There will be hot desks for day guests and members, soft seating areas for business chats, semi-private work pods for permanent desk space, and a flexible space for relaxed business meetings or for community groups to hire. Sara is keen for the space to meet the needs of those living in and around the town whether that be for student study evenings, hobby groups at weekends or business workshops.
The concept is focused on offering convenience and comfort with bookings being made online, which integrate with the smart locks on the doors, granting you access to the premises through your smartphone.
Sara will also have her own desk during working hours on site to run her two other businesses: her brand and marketing consultancy No Name, Extra Brain and her drinks business Mogul Drinks which she runs with business partner Robert Hobbs.
“I want this space to feel like a home office for anyone who uses it with a cosy and welcoming feel. It will be relaxed with access to a small kitchen for drinks and with comfy chairs for chatting or meeting up with clients or business contacts. I don’t know how the community will use the space yet, I will learn and adapt to what’s required once we are open.”
Sara has been supported by the UKSPF (UK Shared Prosperity Fund) through Wiltshire Council, which is managed by a consortium led by the University of Bath, techSPARK and The Future Smiths. It’s part of the Business Fit for Future programme and supports people who want to start a business or who have been running a business in the Wiltshire Council area for less than two years.
Lucy Paine said: “It’s great to see Sara’s project coming to life with support from the Start-Ups fund. This idea has been bubbling away for a few years, and I know it’s going to be a fantastic asset for the Malmesbury community.”
The team runs free online workshops offering support and education around running and growing a business. Grant applications are now closed; however, the next free virtual workshops take place in March. For further information and to secure your place, visit https://www.wiltshirestartup.co.uk/