The Hastings Palace re-opens to create employment space in town centre
We’ve expanded our co-working community into the heart of Hastings, bringing flexible workspace and creative energy to one of the town’s most iconic buildings – the former Debenhams, historically known as the Hastings Palace.
Steeped in local heritage, the building was originally home to William Plummer’s drapery store in the 19th century. Honouring that legacy, we’ve named our latest location The Palace Workspace – a vibrant, 15,000 sq. ft space designed to support local businesses, freelancers, and entrepreneurs.
Our mission has always been to create collaborative environments where people and businesses can thrive. With the opening of The Palace Workspace (our 9th location), we’ve extended our network to support the growing demand for flexible offices, hot desks, and meeting spaces across the South Coast.
This project saw a significant investment into Hastings town centre, combining over £170,000 of our own funding with support from the Town Fund deal grant of £112,00 to create the space. The result is a modern, fully serviced hub offering private offices, dedicated desks, hot desks, meeting rooms, and a welcoming community breakout area.
“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,” comments Jon Trigg, Freedom Works Founder and Managing Director.
“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.”, Trigg goes onto explain. We believe that over the next 3 years – the additional workspace will help safeguard and create 94 full time jobs in the town centre.
Even before the doors officially opened, interest in the space was high, with 40% of offices pre-let. Today, The Palace Workspace is home to a diverse mix of professionals – from marketers and web developers to accountants, creatives and consultants – all benefiting from the power of co-working and community.
We’ve created more than just a workspace. Dedicated members enjoy 24/7 access, flexible membership options, enhanced security, fresh fruit, great coffee, and plenty of networking opportunities – not to mention Free Beer Fridays.
“We felt that there’s a gap in Hastings and the surrounding areas that needs to be filled,” adds Jon.
“You cannot discount the value of collaboration. The graphic designers in our co-working spaces are working closely with the copywriters who are also working closely with the marketing agencies and web developers who are also working with the business consultants. It’s a cycle of productivity which, in turn, is helping each business to flourish and grow.”
The Hastings Palace is now more than just a historic landmark – it’s a thriving business hub at the heart of the community. And we’re proud to be part of its next chapter.
