Co-working in Haslemere town centre
Since the middle of August my daily commute has been a walk into Haslemere town centre, to HasleWorks, a new co-working space just off the High Street. En route, I cross the railway line which has had such a dominant effect on the fortunes of the town. At the end of the nineteenth century it brought an influx of new people from London whose influence and ambitions saw Haslemere become a centre for the Arts and Crafts movement. I marvel at the ambition of Barclay Lewis Day who created Haslemere Hall and always look up at its decorative minaret silhouetted against the sky.
The walk down West Street provides a welcome reminder of the number of independent shops that have survived the last eighteen months. This includes R Miles and Son, a family run business that began operating in the town in 1896 and has been a regular destination for us as we have equipped HasleWorks. The stop at the traffic lights on the High Street provides a glimpse of activity at Heidi and, most days, of the dogs sitting patiently with their owners at the outdoor tables.
On the other side of the traffic lights work is underway in one of the buildings which has been empty for a while but will bring an art gallery to the High Street. The town is about both continuity and change and it is good to see new businesses choose to invest in Haslemere, including the Coppa Club which will bring renewed life and purpose to the Georgian Hotel (and a very welcome bar!).
Turning off the High Street into Petworth Road our new business, HasleWorks, is an encouraging sight with its recently installed awnings displaying our Arts and Crafts inspired logo. We have repurposed a building which has served most recently as a travel agency, a toy shop and a showroom for electrical goods. Today it offers state-of-the-art co-working facilities with good WiFi and audio visual equipment, well designed office furniture manufactured in the UK and privacy booths which are much in demand for the Zoom calls, now a permanent feature of contemporary work life.
If HasleWorks represents the twenty first century phenomenon of co-working, bringing people from an increasing range of sectors together to work under one roof, it is also a new business which acknowledges the richness of our local cultural history. A copy of a tapestry of the Tree of Life, produced in Haslemere in 1896 hangs on a wall on our ground floor, a reminder of a time when the town was a hive of creative industry. Although the nature of work may have changed dramatically over the last century our members represent a diverse range of creative, entrepreneurial and corporate expertise which benefits any community. They also bring increased energy and business to a town centre which we all very much value and which deserves to thrive.