Take a look inside new Hastings offices in former Debenhams building

The space is owned by Freedom Works, which runs several co-working spaces throughout Sussex and the south coast.

Once described as the Hastings Palace, the former Debenhams building housed the department store for many years.

William Plummer started out as a draper in Hastings and in 1871 had the store at 3 Robertson Street.

Freedom Works has kept the name - The Palace Workspace to create 15,000 sq ft of employment space for local businesses and freelancers to work from.

Freedom Works, which opened its first office in Worthing in September 2016, said it has witnessed a huge uplift in businesses and people wanting flexible offices and collaborative workspace along the coast, and Hastings is its ninth space.

The new workspace offers the small business and freelancer community with private offices, dedicated hot desks, hot desks, meeting rooms and a community breakout area.

Freedom Works said it has invested more than £170,000 into the fit-out, on top of a Town Fund deal grant of £112,000 to create the space, bringing the project to a £300,000 investment into the town centre.

Jon Trigg, Freedom Works founder and managing director, said: “We’ve seen first-hand the high demand for flexible office space and the attraction of co-working along the south coast, especially since the pandemic.

“We know from our other spaces that decent employment and collaborative workspace generates job creation, enhances growth and provides value to the local area, retaining talent.”

He said he believes that over the next three years, the additional workspace will help safeguard and create 94 full-time jobs in the town centre.

Prior to opening the demand for the office space has seen 40 per cent of offices taken prior to opening, Jon said.

These businesses range from marketing agencies; graphic designers; finance companies; digital specialists; accountants and publishers.

The facility provides 24-hour access, seven days a week for members; flexible membership packages including permanent dedicated desks or those who just wish to use a desk for an hour or two; enhanced security with CCTV; free tea, coffee and fresh fruit; access to workshops and networking events; and Free Beer Friday.

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