About Forward Space
What is Forward Space?
Forward Space is a South West England coworking and serviced-office operator, founded in 2007 by Gavin Eddy in Frome, Somerset. The company describes itself on its homepage as building "extraordinary workspace for creative minds" — design-led buildings with shared and private studio space, dedicated desks, coworking, meeting rooms and event venues, all anchored by a community hub of kitchens, lounges and gardens. Memberships scale from pay-as-you-go coworking through to private studios for growing teams, with flexible terms allowing members to upgrade or downgrade as needed.
The company's about page positions it as a regional-cities pioneer: "Since 2007 we have been at the forefront of the shift in how and where people work. We have consciously chosen not just to focus on cities, as increasingly people want to work local and companies are adopting agile and hybrid working models." Its members include freelancers, ambitious start-ups, visionary entrepreneurs and growing small businesses.
Where will I work?
Forward Space operates eight design-led workspaces across the South West:
- The Old Church School, Frome (HQ) — Grade II-listed former school and boxing club
- Motorworks, Frome — former car garage converted to private studios
- Collar Factory, Taunton — Grade II-listed former shirt and collar factory
- Pixel, Penzance (Cornwall) — three-storey creative workspace on Causewayhead
- Foundry, Camborne (Cornwall) — restored Victorian building, part of Town Deal programme
- Boatshed, Exeter (Devon)
- Hamilton House, Stokes Croft, Bristol — 1970s monolithic building, home to creatives
- Boxworks, Brabazon, Bristol — 20 shipping containers reimagined as workspace
The company has stayed firmly rooted in regional towns and cities rather than the London-centric model.
What is the Forward Space team like?
The leadership team is six-strong as of 2026: Gavin Eddy (Founder and CEO — "scouts out new locations, negotiates deals and project manages new building launches"), Alice Burling (COO — "ensures everything runs smoothly day to day"), Ange Saxbee (Head of Finance & Administration), Rosie Jones (General Manager, Bristol & Somerset), Carrie Bristow (General Manager, Somerset & Cornwall) and Maisie Blackburn Scott (General Manager, Cornwall). On-site host teams run each location.
Work-Life Balance
Forward Space is listed in our directory as operating a 4-day work week at 32 hours / week with a standard 25 days of annual leave. The company's own website does not currently publish its internal work-schedule policy — verify directly with the company for current details before applying.
Perks and Benefits
The live Members Opportunities page states: "We don't have any vacancies currently, but we're always keen to hear from talented, creative people who'd like to join the Forward Space team. Please send your CV and a short introduction to [email protected]." Specific employee perks beyond the schedule type are not disclosed on the live careers page.