A Gloucester-based flexible workspace provider is anticipating a boost for the regional economy around its Barnwood site as more companies look for office space away from city centres following the COVID-19 pandemic.

BizSpace said that it had seen a spike in interest at its 105 centres across the UK, which are principally in non-city-centre locations with on-site parking and cycling facilities.

Sites in Gloucestershire include Corinium House at Barnwood Point and Morelands Trading Estate on Bristol Road, Gloucester.

In June, it recorded 26 per cent more enquiries than its pre-lockdown average, with sales 36 per cent higher. June was also the firm's best month ever in terms of unique visitors to, and sales via, its website.

The company, which has traditionally provided space for start-ups and smaller businesses, has launched a new arm that will look to partner with larger firms to help them transfer to a hub-and-spoke, or multi-site, model.

It is looking to engage with companies looking for temporary overflow space, offices their staff can reach without using public transport, or longer-term arrangements that give employees access to local workspaces so they can work in a professional and collaborative environment near home, rather than from home.

Its new offer comes as companies reconsider their property strategies following the COVID-19 pandemic and look for safe ways to bring employees back to the office in the short term, and ways to offer increased flexibility to staff longer term.

Gareth Evans, BizSpace's CEO, said: "As we start to come out of the pandemic, the sense we're getting is that people don't just want to go back to how things were before.

"Working from home has had its challenges and they miss the collaborative element of the office, but they've enjoyed the increased flexibility, want to carry on seeing their families more, and don't want to lose an hour or more commuting every day.

"This new part of our business responds to significant current demand and will see us work with larger firms to put together packages that meet their specific needs. We're already working with several companies who are looking to have a smaller central hub, where people might work when they have meetings, combined with the opportunity to work from a range of local workspaces the rest of the time."