Creative co-working revolution set to touch down in Eastbourne

The changing face of Eastbourne has attracted a revolutionary new style of creative space for local businesses with global ambitions.

FOUNDRY will be opening in The Beacon this summer, in a joint initiative with Beacon owners Legal & General Investment Management. FOUNDRY’s mission is about empowering the local business community, giving them space to think differently. It will be the first of 10+ locations within the next three years.

With a large footprint over two floors, FOUNDRY Eastbourne will offer a range of office work spaces to suit all sizes which can be rented by the day, week or month. On the ground floor, and open to shoppers, will be ‘boutique’ concessions for independent retailers to launch an idea and a mix of ‘bookable’ lifestyle units supporting mindfulness, wellbeing and mental health.

A centrepiece of the brand new kid on the block will be a large timber amphitheatre connecting the two floors where communal and meeting zones will enjoy a great sound system, live DJs, locally roasted coffee and a drinks bar with pop-up food traders. This will offer members unique places they can gather, network, perform, chat and work. 

FOUNDRY is inviting people currently working from home, co-workers to early-stage entrepreneurs to book a tour and sample the changing face of retail and commerce.

“There’s a workspace revolution coming to our town centres, and it’s called FOUNDRY,” explained co-founder Adam Walker. “The daily commute has been shunted into the sidings and people from all sectors and life-stages are grasping the chance to work closer to home, not at home!

“Our beautifully designed lounge, offices and meeting spaces are inspired by Eastbourne’s local history and wider cultural impact,” he added. “They will banish the isolation of home-working and replace it with fun and inspirational communal areas for work, selling and hosting.”

FOUNDRY Eastbourne is the pilot location and an exciting joint venture with Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM). More work and leisure spaces are planned in other L&G centres across the country. 

FOUNDRY is part of the wider Future Retail Blueprint launched by Denz Ibrahim, Head of Retail and Futuring at LGIM, in 2020. Its aim is to focus on the customer experience and expectation and to re-imagine their retail places to meet these requirements. This involves re-modelling and future-proofing its shopping and retail centres across the country.

LGIM Fund Manager Andrew Rice said shopping centres were undergoing seismic changes to deliver a more comprehensive offer across the community and to better reflect the needs of individual towns.

“We are genuinely excited by the arrival of FOUNDRY at The Beacon,” Andrew said. “Never before have we combined business, retail, leisure and wellness in such a contemporary wrapping and at such highly competitive prices. We anticipate a positive response from Eastbourne and we cannot wait to start showing people around, in advance of our official opening later this summer.”

Eastbourne & District Chamber of Commerce chief executive Christina Ewbank praised the insightful approach of FOUNDRY and L&G.

“We currently have no offer like this in the town and I am confident it will be an amazing success,” Christina said. “I would encourage our members to contact Adam Walker for a tour to see what a great attraction this will prove to be. We are planning a members evening at FOUNDRY in mid-July to show the business community what this is all about. Well done L&G for seeing the potential in this initiative and giving it wings to fly.” 

Eastbourne Borough Council leader David Tutt said the town was “100% ready” to embrace this type of investment.

“We were absolutely delighted when L&G invested in Eastbourne in 2018 with an £85 million extension,” he said. “The arrival of FOUNDRY is another massive vote of confidence in the town and we cannot wait for it to open.”  

To book a tour, or to find out more about FOUNDRY Eastbourne, email hello@foundryuk.com or visit the website www.foundryuk.com