Regional development agency, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) is making the offer to mark National Co-Working Day.

New and start-up companies, not ready to invest in an office, will be able to find out how it would feel to join a co-working community where they can share workspace and bounce ideas off like-minded people.

The hot desking venues are The Moorings on Oban’s European Marine Science Park, NEXUS on Inverness Campus and Horizon Scotland at the Enterprise Park Forres in Moray.

HIE has developed the facilities in recognition of the trend away from traditional, costly, sole occupier offices, towards co-working space with flexible arrangements that can be expanded or contracted as the business needs change.

Morag Goodfellow, HIE’s head of regional development for Argyll and the Islands, said:

“The nature of the work environment is changing across Scotland, with increasing demand for flexibility both in the physical space and the lease arrangements. Most businesses are now also looking for modern design, fast connectivity and amenities such as showers and bike racks, as well as space for private meetings or for less formal break out.

“It’s important that we are ahead of this demand and able to provide workspaces that meet these criteria. That’s what The Moorings, NEXUS and Horizon Scotland are designed for. We very much look forward to welcoming people on 6 June to try out the spaces for free.”

The Moorings, on Oban’s European Marine Science Park, is a flexible workspace that shares its location with the well-established marine science research, teaching and business community. It offers affordable small offices or desks for small or start up marine based firms, and its chill out areas even include a beach.

Oceanium/Glycomar is already at home there. The company is led by Charlie Bavington who said:

“In big cities you have incubator spaces with hot desking – and that’s pretty common now - creating a community that can work together in a shared space. I think it’s really important for other areas to have this too.”

The NEXUS workspace is in Solasta House, the brand new life sciences and technology building on Inverness Campus. It offers different levels of hotdesking as well as small office and laboratory space. The facility was specifically developed for businesses in life sciences, health and technology to provide an innovative, flexible and collaborative environment to grow and develop.

IT firm, AgileCadence, has recently taken space at NEXUS. Miles Cameron, the company’s chief technology officer said:

“We’re receiving a lot of interest with a constant stream of people stopping by the office at NEXUS. There’s such a positive vibe in the building – we’re all very connected. It’s a great community with so many opportunities for collaboration and innovation.”

Horizon Scotland is a business and innovation centre in The Enterprise Park at Forres, Moray.  It offers high quality office space for co-working, coupled with comfortable break-out areas and access to state of the art conference facilities.

Photographer, Ewan Mathers, said of Horizon:

“I have used the facility on several occasions now and would highly recommend it to anyone who just needs a good fast reliable connection to the rest of the world.  It made all the difference to me and to my clients.”

People interested in trying out the new spaces can find out more at www.nationalcoworkingday.com