Breakout business eager to establish 'hive of information' for residents and new start-ups in Long Melford

A new community hub and shared workspace is confident of going from strength to strength after a positive six-month launch period.

Breakout launched in Long Melford in April as the brainchild of entrepreneurs Farley Boxall and Phil Tetley, who sought to provide a flexible co-working space, which they believe is the first of its kind for the area.

Based at Little St Mary’s, the business has since hosted a broad range of pop-up shops, exhibitions and workshops, with the goal of being a hive of information for residents and small businesses.

Farley, who has worked as a small business support adviser for six years, told Suffolk News: “We wanted to provide a space for businesses which otherwise couldn’t be on the high street.

“Whenever you want to start your own business, the support can be quite limited. I think a lot of people don’t open their own shop because, unfortunately, it comes down to money.

“This space gives small businesses a chance of showcasing or trialling their business without the risk of opening a permanent shop.”

In addition to helping new start-ups get going, Breakout is also keen to develop a network of specialists to provide regular drop-in sessions on subjects such as financial advice or IT support.

On Thursday, the business will host a ‘Fear Hack’ workshop, run by local author Hilary Gallo, on the topic of learning from our fears.

“After the last 18 months, mental health has become a big focus, so I think this workshop will be very popular,” said Farley.

“Our aim is to build a network of specialists, so that people have support at their fingertips, without having to worry about too much cost.

“A lot of people who have moved from bigger cities can’t believe we have something like this in Long Melford. The response has been really positive.

“We don’t consider ourselves a tourist information centre, but we feel we are resident information.

“We’ve had really interesting projects and requests from people, whether it’s helping them organise an event, whether they have a small business, or whether they need some advice. We feel there is so much more to come.”

For more about Breakout’s upcoming offering, or to learn about hiring a space at the business, click here or call 01787 312064.