What our customers say about our workshops  

Our workshops are purpose built for businesses that make, create or manufacture. They are also used by a growing number of e-commerce businesses that need to combine office space with stock storage and order fulfilment. Over the years, we’ve talked to a number of our workshop customers – here’s what they say about how our flexible workspaces and licences, as well as our dedicated centre management teams, help support their businesses.  

Our workshops all offer roller shutter doors to allow easy access for heavy machinery, raw materials or large deliveries. Our workshop customers include tradespeople, manufacturers and makers. All our workshops can be customised, including the potential to install mezzanine levels.  

Professional, welcoming workspaces  

Likes our offices and studios, our workshops are professional, welcoming workspaces that make you want to come to work.  

“One of our previous workspaces, I could only stay in for about a month before I moved out. I hated it. It was like a box: it was cold and miserable and people were always complaining,” remembers co-founder Callum Briscoe of C & B Electrical Contractors Ltd, based at our Milton Keynes Business Centre. “We were drawn to Capital Space because it’s such a smart business park and our experience so far has been so different to what we have experienced before.” 

Sam Campins Vicente of Legend PPF UK based at Greenway Business Centre in Harlow agrees: “Some of the units we looked at just looked a bit run down, with really high, fixed-term leases. By contrast, the units in Greenway Business Centre are really clean and professional.” 

This theme is picked up by Nicky, the founder of Pius Vita Superfoods based at Capital Business Centre in Croydon: “When I visited the centre, I thought this looks neat and comfortable. I wanted something simple, tidy and easy to get to.”  

For the Operations Manager of MD Glass Partitions, Richard Lawrence, the presentability of Greenway Business Centre in Harlow was what drew them to it: “It suits all the industrial purposes, but also doesn’t look like an industrial estate; it looks nice. So there’s no problem bringing clients here – we’ve got a little meeting room in our offices, and there’s no worry about bringing people over to see it. We also chose it based on recommendations from people we knew who were on the site. It’s very convenient for us as we live quite close by, so it’s just a really good space to work at, especially with all the parking available.” 

Dual-purpose workspaces  

One of the key benefits of our workshops is the ability to create dual-purpose workspaces. That was a key attraction for Pius Vita Superfoods. “I use the space as a warehouse. But also, I’ve kept a little bit of space for my office, so I’ve got my desk and computer set up. We do a bit of packaging in there and shipping,” explains Nicky. 

Sam Campins Vicente has similarly created distinct zones within her workshop: “We have a workshop, with two desks and then space to store our stock as well as new machinery which is due to arrive soon.”  

Customisable workshops  

All of Capital Space workshops can be customised in terms of both layout and branding, enabling our SME business customers to create a space tailored for their needs.  

“We finally built the office the way we wanted it. We’ve got our external branding on the windows, our sign up and then inside we’ve been able to optimise the space in our unit with both storage and office space. It’s worked out really well,” enthuses Callum Briscoe.  

Reef Exotics based in Colchester Business & Seedbed Centre have not one, but two units. They launched in August 2020 with a single 1,500 sq ft workshop, but when the neighbouring unit became available, founder David Austin snapped it up, investing £80,000 in tailoring his space to maximise efficiency and comfort, including installing new lighting, flooring, and a mezzanine for storage. He lowered and insulated ceilings to retain heat and reduce energy costs and plans to install French doors to further improve efficiency. These changes not only cut overheads but also ensure the tropical fish that he sells to enthusiasts from across Essex thrive in optimal conditions: “Most of the money is in heating the water, so if you can keep the room as warm as possible, the tanks will be warm as well.”  

Flexible, affordable, inclusive monthly license  

Like our offices and studios, our workshops benefit from our easy-in, easy-out rolling monthly licenses, giving entrepreneurs and business owners the flexibility to scale up and down as needed.  

“As an entrepreneur, the flexibility is great because if it’s not working out, I can just say I’ve got to go. And if I want to expand, I can always say, I need a bigger space. So, I’d say that the flexibility is kind of what made me say, actually, I think we found it,” explains Nicky.  

The flexible monthly licence was a game-changer for David Austin as well, and gave him the confidence to expand into a second unit without long-term risk: “It’s very reasonably priced. You get superfast Wi-Fi, there’s no service charge, and it’s nicely maintained. If it doesn’t work out, next month you can just say ‘I am not going to carry on’ rather than try to get out of a 5 or 10-year lease – it 100% helps.”  

It’s a sentiment shared by Sam Campins Vicente: “Touch wood things will continue to work out well, but if they don’t we know we only have to give a month’s notice.” 

For the owner of Power Cheer and Dance, Sydni Hall, the combination of an affordable workspace and our monthly license that makes budgeting simple proved a winning combination that persuaded her to base her cheerleading, dance and gymnastics club at Waterhouse Business Centre: “Chelmsford is an expensive city to rent in, especially for the type of space and height requirements needed to run the club.  

“Coming to Waterhouse Business Centre has given me greater control over my expenses as I can budget easily with the monthly licence, and I have the facility to manage how I like and be creative in how I expand our offering. The only other overhead I have is for staff.”  

Additional business benefits of our workshops  

As well as offering professional, welcoming, customisable workshops without the need for a complicated, long-term lease, our business centres in Chelmsford, Milton Keynes, Harlow, Croydon, Colchester, Loughton, Sittingbourne and Southend also offer small businesses a number of other benefits.  

“There’s loads of parking, especially at the weekends. People don’t have to worry about walking far or paying to park. They can pull up right outside,” says David Austin, who also enjoys the community feel of the Colchester Business & Seedbed Centre: “Customers help each other out. I take deliveries for our neighbours – a prom shop – and I’ve bought some fascias from an onsite business.”  

For Sam Campins Vicente, there was another key consideration: “The security at Greenway Business Centre was also important as our stock needs to be stored in a clean environment and is a high value asset.” 

 Supportive business centre management teams  

One of the key attractions across all our business centres, for customers in our workshops, studios and offices, is our fabulous business centre management teams, who not only keep the business centres spotless and professional, but always go the extra mile. 

“The team has been really helpful and supportive. Maintenance even put our sign up out front which was such a warm welcome,” recalls Callum Briscoe. 

Sam Campins Vicente has had a similar experience: “The staff were so welcoming and happy to answer any questions, and they keep the place spotless. The centre management team just go above and beyond. If I’m not here, they’ll open the unit to take a delivery for me. If you need post sending out, you just leave it in reception. They’re just very helpful and if I need anything they do it then and there – and they don’t expect any extra for it. They’re just great!” 

“When we installed a mezzanine floor into our main unit, which is where our offices are now, the team were very helpful and supportive in that process, going through all of the hoops that need to be jumped through and getting that to work,” agrees Richard Lawrence. “And just generally, they are very responsive. We get on very well with the centre manager and the deputy, and if we have any issues – things like a light bulb going out – they’re very reactive and quick to get on top of that and sort things out for those little things that just happen.” 

Our workshops are much, much more than four walls. We’ve thought through every aspect of the physical space and the support we provide for our workshop customers to help them achieve their business goals.  

If you’re looking for a workshop designed to help your business succeed, get in touch.