Workspace programme – update October 2008

The initial Somerset Rural Renaissance Workspace Programme has come to an end, with investments in 10 projects totalling some £360,000 over the 2006-08 period.  These projects are now reporting on their outputs of jobs created/safeguarded and businesses created and expanded.  More details about individual projects can be found under the Workspace Programme .

The MonksYard has been a tremendous success, developed from redundant farm buildings at Horton Cross Farm near Ilminster.  Just off the A303 it has had a constant stream of visitors to the café since opening and word is spreading of the attractive meeting venues available.  The final part of this project is a business hub with services including internet access.  It is envisaged that this will be particularly attractive to people working from home, enabling them to rent space on an ad hoc basis and taking advantage of a networking opportunity that is limited when one works alone.  Please see www.themonksyard.co.uk for more information. You can read about the development of this project and see the farm buildings before conversion at Horton Cross Farm .

The Somerset Workspace Panel used the Monks Yard Events Room to hold a workshop in July for potential applicants to the current 2008/9 programme.  The current workspace programme 2008/9 has five applications competing for £200,000. 

With the current economic climate it is interesting to see that all of these applicants are looking to expand their existing business rather than speculative workspace being created as in the 06-08 programme where there is the risk that these could stand empty.   Applications are coming from across the county and include projects from both the tourism and food & drink sectors. Decisions will be taken in the next few weeks with contracts in place by end November as investments must all be spent by March 2009.

For more information about the Workspace Programme please contact Chris Langford 01458 257419.