Behind the scenes at The Lighthouse in Sidmouth

There is a new space in Sidmouth for small business owners, entrepreneurs and freelancers to work without distraction.

The Lighthouse, based on Mill Street behind the old NatWest Bank building, is the brainchild of 'corporate escapees' Cathy Debenham and Louise Thompson.

Louise spent 17 years in the advertising and publishing industry, while Cathy has 30 years experience in marketing, journalism, PR, internal communications and public speaking.

The pair have worked hard to create a business hub and co-working space in the Sid Valley. After a year of work behind the scenes Cathy and Louise opened The Lighthouse in January this year.

"Work hubs are increasingly common in cities and towns across the UK," explained Louise.

"There was nothing serving the Sid Valley and we felt that local entrepreneurs and small business owners deserved a space like that here.

"We know that working from home can be fraught with difficulties and distractions. We also want to make the Sid Valley business community more visible and showcase the innovative entrepreneurship going on here.

"Working at home can leave you isolated. We think you make better decisions in a space like this, you can also bounce ideas off other Lighthouse users. It's great for business and networking, we've found a lot of our customers are hiring each other. The space brings together a lot of people with complimentary skills."

The feedback from the community has so far been 'very positive' with many of The Lighthouse's users praising the look and feel of the space, as well as commenting on how much more work they can get done in this more focused environment.

Cathy and Louise do not just want to create a space for work, they also want to provide opportunities for users to continue their professional development.

The Lighthouse's masterclass events have proved very popular among the local business community with events frequently selling out.

Recent events included masterclasses on Instagram marketing, How to run Facebook ads that work every time and Emotional Intelligence.

"What we've seen is a real desire for continuing professional development without having to leave the Sid Valley," said Cathy.

"Time for small business owners is a precious resource and having to drive to Exeter, Torquay and Plymouth for events is a huge time commitment, not to mention the travel costs.

"The response to our business masterclasses has been fantastic and it shows there is demand for events like ours."

The business masterclasses offer practical advice for entrepreneurs and business owners which can be implemented almost immediately.

Louise added: "The growth of online business has really levelled the playing field. You can now run a significant national or international business right here in the Sid Valley."

There are a number of different membership packages based on how often you would use the space. Membership options start at £15 per month.

Members have access to a clutter-free work environment, super-fast broadband, opportunities to collaborate as well as access to community and networking events.

"We've set this up to be as accessible to the local business community as possible and our prices reflect that," said Louise.

"It really does make a difference to how productive you are. Working here can also improve your work/life balance, you'll find yourself earning time back."

In the future Cathy and Louise would like to hold more masterclasses at The Lighthouse. The next masterclass, How to brief a graphic designer with Grow Magazine's Sarah Reis, is on Wednesday, July 17.

There will also be an open evening at The Lighthouse on Thursday, June 27, at 5.30pm. Small business owners are invited to visit the space to find out more about what the Lighthouse does.

If you are interested in either event and would like to go along please email [email protected].

The Lighthouse is a community interest company, a type of company introduced by the Government in 2005, designed for social enterprises that want to use their profits and assets for the public good.

For more information on the Lighthouse click the red button below.

Main Image: (L to R) Lighthouse Keepers Louise Thompson and Cathy Debenham.