In which we channel our inner John McCarthy and escape our subterranean existence

The business secretary today has been busy defending new laws to make flexible working ‘the default,’ calling it “bizarre” that Jacob Rees-Mogg had launched a “war on people working from home”.

I occupied a subterranean existence working in the cellar of No.41 Upper Park Street for almost as long as John McCarthy spent in his one in Beirut.

Working from home was never for me. To function properly I have to have working hours, a disciplined working environment, a delineation between the commercial and the domestic and actual contact with other humans.

Working from home or flexible working is a useful tool in the box to be made available when necessary, however in my opinion I do not believe making it ‘the default’ is necessarily conducive to productivity or happiness at work in general…

Six months ago I began working from Elkstone Studios, a co-working space on the side of the A417 outside Cheltenham and have become infinitely more productive which I believe is principally down to it offering all of the points above.

From a rural planning perspective too the place makes sense. The sustainable re-use of rural buildings to drive local economic development is squarely within my mantra. Furthermore the success of rural developments such as this one support other local enterprises – I now go to the village shop or pub for lunch instead of the supermarket, I use the gym which is ten yards from the office.

How many other potential development sites are out there which, with a bit more support from their respective LPA’s would materially support their local pubs, shops, businesses and the well-being of the local population?