Our History
Basepoint developed the concept of Managed Business, Innovation and Enterprises Centres, opening the UK’s first business centre in 1994 in the market town of Romsey in Hampshire. Comprising 30 units totalling 16,000 square feet, the Centre was developed in partnership with Test Valley Borough Council and it has since been extended 3 times, and is now home to 80 thriving businesses within 27,500 square feet of space.
21 years on this year Basepoint’s concept of flexible managed office and workshop space is still proving very popular and we currently own or operate 31 Innovation and Enterprise Business Centres in the UK, across Southern England, The Midlands. East Anglia and Wales, home to over 2,000 businesses.
Uniquely, Basepoint is wholly owned by a charity, The ACT Foundation, whose mission is to ‘ACT to enhance the quality of life for people in need’. Any profit from the Basepoint operation is used by the charity to further its charitable objectives within the communities that it serves. In addition all Basepoint Business Centres, whether owned or managed, provide financial support to a local charity as part of their own objective to help develop sustainable communities. This support is funded by The ACT Foundation from its reserves and not through revenue generated at the Centre.
All our Centres provide a mix of high quality managed office, studio and workshop space available in a range of sizes to cater for SMEs and whether a small 1 or 2 person business or a larger 20+, each will benefit from Basepoint’s unique service. This variation in type and size of unit gives maximum flexibility allowing for internal movement and growth as businesses develop.
Innovation & Enterprise are central to the core business of Basepoint. Innovation and Enterprise Centres are not, as many incorrectly brand them, places of business exclusively for science & technology companies. Innovation & Enterprise Centres are diverse and exciting work environments where many different companies and characters thrive on the community spirit engendered within them to develop new products and services or improve existing products and services, all with the aim of giving them a competitive advantage and a platform for growth.
Creating the right environment for businesses to be nurtured and grow has been the key to the success of Basepoint and has helped it develop and improve its own products and services. Basepoint is widely recognised as a leading provider in this sector. Basepoint Centres have won the BCA’s coveted Workspace of the Year award for 3 consecutive years, an award which requires nominations from workspace occupiers.
These awards recognise what our customers tell us about our unique selling points:
- Unparalleled customer service and pastoral care
- Outstanding value for money
- Ultimate flexibility
- Client focused
- Community spirited
- Independent business advice & support
Other recent awards include Winner of The Sussex Express Business Awards 2009/10 and Kent Business Challenge Service Award 2009.
The management teams within each of our Business Centres build and develop links with other organisations and ensure they maintain a wide knowledge of the availability of new initiatives and funding that may help small SMEs particularly with the signposting and promoting of grant availability. Each centre will also hold regular, free to attend, networking events and seminars to help raise awareness of business issues and to provide advice on key areas such as business planning, sales, marketing and PR.
As a company, we have a responsibility to our staff, our licensees and the environment – and we take each one very seriously. Come and discover why we feel that makes us different.