It was over 5 years ago that decided it was time stop working from home and find an office. Since then I’ve been working from 3 different locations:
- Renting a desk at local design company Miller, Craig and Cocking in Long Hanborough.
- Sharing office space with John Oxton, Jon Dennis and Simon Clayson at Upper Rissington (where the Rissington Podcast was of course born).
- Sharing office space with the Rissington crew, plus my wife Leigh, and Tim Barry at the idyllic ‘Webble Mill’ in Burford.
Sharing with other freelancers is a great way to get company, share the costs (and therefore get a nicer place to work than you could alone) and confuse others who can’t understand how people ‘in competition’ can share together. The nature of freelancing is that people move on and move away though, and it’s all change again. It’s been an absolute joy to work with John, Simon and Tim - you’re top chaps, and I miss you all.
Now, after 5 years of working at places only accessible by car, we’ve (Jon Dennis and new office mate Matt Hamm) found a new studio just over a mile away in the centre of Witney. From now on, when I refer to ‘No 73’ I’m talking about the new office, with a nod to the 80s children’s TV series for those that remember it.
I can now walk (20ish mins) or cycle (just under 10 mins) to work. No traffic jams or petrol station stops. Apart from the financial savings, the pace already feels better, and once again I’m sharing with people that make me feel lucky. I also love living and working in Witney - it’s a great little market town.