Rural business hub could be the perfect compromise for future office working - Anna Thomson

Since the first lockdown online searches for rural properties have gone through the roof. According to ESPC, searches for property in East Lothian rose by 43 per cent between April and May 2020. It would appear that the countryside is more appealing than ever and that people are accepting of, or even enthused by, the fact that working from home might be here to stay.

Anna Thomson, Director, Wheatrig Business Hub

Certainly, working in a city centre office may not currently be possible for many, and is somewhat undesirable to others. However, working from your spare room or dining room table is, as thousands will attest, far from easy. Whilst fine in the short term, as a long-term solution home working has its drawbacks: domestic life can cause distractions, technology is not always reliable, and loneliness has been identified as a real issue over recent months.

Well known author and inspirational speaker, Simon Sinek, said in July 2020, “I do not believe it’s the end of the office. Because human beings crave each other so much”. Whilst perhaps the largest of offices will never be the same again, humans do indeed crave social interaction. A study by TotalJobs in August 2020 found that 67 per cent of workers felt that working from home during lockdown negatively affected the variety of their social interactions. Similarly, 52 per cent of UK workers rely on the workplace socially. Water cooler chats and kitchen catch ups, even with people we don’t know well, all help us to feel part of a community and if we work from our spare bedroom, all that is lost.

But what if there was a perfect compromise? Surely not much could be more inspiring than sitting at your desk and looking out over the rolling countryside? A new rural business hub is offering East Lothian and East Edinburgh residents just that – the opportunity to work close to home but without distractions and with added views!

This solution, Wheatrig Business Hub, near Longniddry, has created, in formerly redundant farm buildings, the perfect environment for office work: comfortable surroundings, total connectivity, social interaction when required and, as long as is needed, social distancing in place. No more long-distance commuting, parking is on the doorstep and the views are incredible - who could resist?

People have realised that they don’t need to be in a bland city centre office in order to be productive and that a lunchtime walk (or even a swim!) is far more conducive to achievement. Without doubt, the physical environment in such rural office hubs is truly inspiring. Sitting in these spaces can encourage people to be creative, let their minds wander and truly enjoy the experience of work.

Outside the building, there is empty space to take a break and take in the fresh air and when it’s time to go home there is the prospect of just a few minutes’ travel without the queues.

Working from a smaller space, or one in a more rural area, offers a host of new benefits, as well as holding on to some of the more established social ones, and could be the ideal solution for someone not planning on returning to corporate high rises but unable to contemplate a future that involves staying at home for the majority of the day.

Wheatrig Business Hub offers workspaces for lone workers and for businesses of up to eight people. The hub also includes a communal kitchen diner, free parking, showering facilities, green energy suppliers and a location that is only five minutes to Longniddry Station and 16 minutes by train into the centre of Edinburgh. See www.wheatrig.com

Anna Thomson, Director, Wheatrig Business Hub