‍In our first “five minutes with” interview, we chat to Helen Budsworth from co-working space, Industry…

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Tell us about your business or venture…

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Industry is a blended, flexible space to help you live well and work well. Our coworking and wellness concept has been designed to support the local community in Stalybridge.

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We noticed a significant number of people coming to the salon with laptops and realised that these people, who were mostly women, were trying to maximise their time whilst juggling busy work and family lives.

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So now, with many more people working more flexibly, Industry offers everyone a third space; different from the home or office and a place to be truly productive.

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How do you feel about Stalybridge being awarded Town of Culture 2022?

We’re really pleased that Stalybridge has now been recognised and we’re hoping the Town of Culture year will highlight the great businesses we have here and bring further opportunities for the economic growth of the town. The whole town is attracting different types of people and every week it feels like something new is happening.

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How does the town’s heritage and culture reflect within your business or creative service?

We’re proud of our business roots here in Stalybridge. We have a strong team of like-minded people, who all bring something different but what binds us is our goal to support the local economy and ensure the success of our new venture. It's great to see so many new independent businesses moving into the town and we truly believe in playing our part to build on the established independent business heritage and culture of Stalybridge.

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What would you like to see in Stalybridge that will bolster the town’s cultural and creative community?

Open up the boarded-up shops for pop-ups and encourage small independent traders to the town to bring a broader range of shops, eateries and music venues. Family-orientated activities would also be a priority as we feel like these are sometimes overlooked.

We also love what artist Mr Eggs is doing now with his artwork that has appeared across the town and is increasingly becoming a talking point.

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What are your favourite venues, ventures and services in the town?

We love Stalybridge StreetFest, Zeros Bar, Ol's Bier & More and Let Us Play Little Town.

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Industry can be found at Unit 3, Longlands Mill, Castle St, Stalybridge SK15 1NX

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