Serviced office space specialists Landmark Property Solutions has seen an influx of new businesses choosing Challenge House with a boom in the number of companies seeking workplaces tailored to their team’s unique needs.
The increase in businesses relocating to and expanding within Challenge House in Bletchley comes as more organisations opt for bespoke office spaces, customised to offer an enhanced environment to work within.
The Challenge House team revealed an increasing number of company clients choose the ‘design your own office’ option on offer, which is a growing trend within workplaces. Landmark’s team of experts specialise in creating workspaces custom-made to client’s requirements, designing offices made-to-order to a company’s specifications.
Manni Rahal, Business Development Manager at Landmark, said: “A major trend we are seeing at Challenge House and across the industry, is businesses wanting to create their own office space, which is both unique to them and works for their commercial requirements.
“Post-pandemic, the requirements of a lot of businesses have altered significantly. For many companies their working methods and structures have completely changed. We are agile and accommodate all requests to ensure we provide an inspiring working environment, which best meets their needs.”
Bradley Nurthen is Group Managing Director at Fresh Medical Group Ltd which provides a range of healthcare services including staffing and insourcing/outsourcing solutions. He said the company chose Challenge House because of its prime location and connectivity.
“Challenge House’s strategic position offers excellent accessibility, within a five-minute walk from Bletchley station and in close proximity to Milton Keynes Central station, facilitating easy commutes for staff and visits from clients or candidates,” he said. “This supports Fresh Medical Group’s fast-paced healthcare operations, ensuring seamless interactions across the UK.
“The business centre provides extensive, well-managed parking, a key advantage for employees and visitors. This eliminates parking concerns, enhancing convenience for the recruitment team and candidates attending interviews or meetings.”
Bradley highlighted how being Bletchley based has helped the business to grow: “Providing easy commuter links and free parking helps when securing staff, and having a welcoming and staff-orientated workspace with breakout areas and self-contained facilities like our own kitchen helps to attract staff.”
Fresh Medical Group wanted a workspace at Challenge House that felt welcoming and worked for its recruitment team. The company needed an open-plan area for easy collaboration, private rooms for confidential calls with candidates or clients, and quiet spots for focused tasks like compliance or doctor revalidation.
Bradley highlighted how high-speed internet and slick AV equipment were also a must for cloud-based tools and virtual interviews, while flexible layouts and budget-friendly choices, like modular furniture, let them adapt the space as their business grows without overspending.
To make the office their own, Fresh Medical added their logo and calming colours like blues and greens to reflect their healthcare vibe and keep things professional yet cosy. They prioritised natural light, plants and comfy breakout areas to boost team mood and reduce stress in their high-energy environment. Movable furniture and casual hangout zones supported hybrid work and team bonding, creating a space that is both practical and inviting.
The trend for tailor-made workspaces goes beyond interior design requests as businesses increasingly insist on implementing IT solutions and systems to meet their requirements whilst providing protection from the rising risk of cyber-attacks. Landmark’s in-house IT team ensure Challenge House clients can benefits from its resilient and secure network foundation, which is constantly monitored.
Ola Ogunjobi, Network Consultant at Landmark, highlighted how many companies also opt for a ‘bring your own device’ approach and increasingly have bespoke requirements when it comes to their network integration and IT systems.
Ola said: “Within all our properties, including Challenge House, our IT infrastructure is built to be flexible and secure, making it easy for tenants to integrate their own networks while keeping everything protected under our strict IT and security policies.
“To maintain a high level of security and consistency across the building, we don’t allow tenants to bring in their own internet service providers (ISPs). Instead, we’ve set up two separate, high-speed ISPs to ensure resilience and reliability. Each ISP offers ample bandwidth capacity to meet the demands of all tenants, including those with high-performance or specialised connectivity requirements.
“We also support a bring-your-own-device approach, so tenants are free to bring in their own hardware. These devices can be safely connected to our secure network and stored in co-location areas that are monitored around the clock.
“Our extensive experience and expertise allow us to deliver fully bespoke network. Dedicated racks and areas can be created within the designated office space allowing companies to install and monitor their devices directly, giving them full control while benefiting from the security measures we have in place.
“Fresh Medical is utilising the dedicated IT network infrastructure that was specifically installed for their office. As one of the tenants making full use of Landmark’s IT services (switches and Wireless Access point), their network has been configured on a private virtual local area network (VLAN). This set-up ensures complete separation from other tenants’ networks, providing Fresh Medical with their own secure and isolated environment for both wired and wireless connectivity. The dedicated VLAN enhances both network segregation and overall security.”
Bradley explained the positive impact of being able to design your own office space and would recommend it to other organisations. He said: “Designing your own office space has a big positive impact on the team and the business. Having the freedom to shape the workspace means you can make it both functional and fun, which boosts morale, productivity and creativity. Adding a pool table and dart board allows us to have a lively and engaging vibe. These fun elements give the team a chance to unwind during breaks.
“I’d absolutely recommend Challenge House as a fantastic business base for organisations of all sizes, especially those like Fresh Medical Group that need a flexible, modern and welcoming workspace.”
Find out more about Challenge House on Landmark’s website.
