Exeter welcomes flexible workspace operator Clockwise
Flexible workspace operator Clockwise is opening its newest building in Exeter this week, expanding its footprint into the South West’s beating heart of tech and innovation.
As Clockwise’s tenth space, the opening marks another step in the business’ rapid growth across the UK and speaks to its strategy to open spaces in cities emerging as hubs for tech and innovation. The 2021 Tech Nation scale ratio report suggests Exeter, alongside Belfast – home to Clockwise’s space in River House - and Dundee, are the most likely cities to become leading UK tech hubs.
Set over three floors and providing a functional, flexible space for businesses to collaborate and thrive, Clockwise Exeter spans 38,600sqft in total, including private offices and desks, breakout areas and club lounges, created to support different styles of working. Members will also have access to meeting rooms, a podcast recording room and onsite artisan café, Two Hands.
Situated in the middle of the city in the Castle Quarter, Clockwise Exeter at Broadwalk House is a bright and airy building with a prime spot on the prestigious Southernhay, one of the most attractive, tree-lined streets in Devon. Nestled between grand Georgian houses and boutique hotels, and around the corner from the thriving high street, the new space is in close proximity to transport links and a number of restaurants and bars.
The space has been carefully designed to specifically promote members’ productivity and wellbeing. Outdoor space is utilised with terraces and biophilic design incorporated. Surrounding views are celebrated and natural light filtration maximised. Fostering community and collaboration is key, through design Clockwise creates opportunities for a collision culture to flourish; breakout spaces and the communal café inspire social interaction and those ‘water cooler’ moments. The space also reflects the changing nature of work, with flexible leases and technology enabling seamless communication between those at home or in office spaces, including the Clockwise portal and in-house A/V.
Clockwise is set to significantly increase its portfolio this year, reaching over half a million sq. ft of workspace covering the breadth of the UK from Glasgow to Exeter via London, and expanding into mainland Europe with the opening of Brussels.
The new site in Exeter will be complemented by further openings in the south of England to form a hub, with the addition of Bristol and Southampton spaces later this year. This southern hub is mirrored by the three Northern locations in Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool. The forging of these hubs will advantage each of the spaces and their communities, creating opportunities for greater exchange of communication, enhanced infrastructure and pooled resources.
Alexandra Brunner, Chief Operating Officer at Clockwise, said: “Exeter is one of the most exciting cities in the UK for tech and innovation – it was a natural choice to open a space here. We already have a building in Belfast, another city sited as a leading tech hub, and we’ve seen great success within this community who have benefited from having a dedicated space for work and access to a collaborative environment. The government’s levelling up agenda is in full swing, and we’re here to accommodate the huge number of startups that have formed in the last year, up and down the UK.
“It will come as no surprise to anyone that after a year at home, more flexible working practices have become increasingly important – although businesses still need central spaces that allow for productivity, collaboration and employee wellbeing, all in equal measure.
“We designed Exeter, and every other Clockwise site, as a space for the future, meeting a need for flexibility and wellbeing. We want the people who use our spaces to feel inspired, productive, and safe in equal measure, and can’t wait to see the exciting work that is produced here.”
