Scott Workshops can be found inside a bright, mid-century building on Avis Way in Newhaven, where woodworkers can gain access to space and equipment to help them thrive.
Thanks to funding from Newhaven Enterprise Zone, the team was able to buy an electric forklift trunk for the workshop.
Funding from NEZ also paid for concrete benches and welcome signage in the Avis Way Business Park, which also helped to improve the area.
We caught up with John Weaver, co-director at Scott Workshops, to hear more about how they support the creative community in Newhaven and why they chose to set up in the town.
Can you introduce yourself and tell us a bit more about Scott Workshops?
I’m John Weaver, co-director of Scott Workshops, a furniture making and joinery workshop.
It was established in 1986 by John Scott Murphy in a small workshop under a viaduct in Brighton and I joined in 1990. Needing to expand, we spent 15 years in a bigger, but dark, old brewery premises in Portslade, where Ben Fowler and Fowler&Co joined us early on. When John relocated to Scotland, we bought the machinery and took on the lease and formed Scott Workshops Ltd.
In 2016 we moved to a lovely and light 10,000 sq. ft. industrial unit in Avis Way, where we have 12 benches that are rented to a selection of furniture makers and joiners, and there is a fully equipped machine shop available for all to use. The workshop is powered by an array of 163 solar panels, and we convert our dust into briquettes to heat the workshop.
What inspired you to set up Scott Workshops?
When we moved to larger premises in Portslade, we realised our ambition to create a shared workshop with a good selection of quality professional machines that new and small woodworking outfits would struggle to buy or access, and to share the costs by renting the space to fellow cabinetmakers and joiners. Any surplus was reinvested to maintain and purchase new machines.
How do you think Scott Workshops has benefited the wider community in Newhaven?
Since we set up in Newhaven, 28 sole traders and small businesses have rented bench space at Scott Workshops which has produced a significant annual turnover. Several have gone on to develop their own businesses locally and those that have moved further afield continue to use Newhaven based trades and suppliers.
Clients frequently visit our workshop in Avis Way and are often delighted and surprised by the variety of businesses and creative enterprises in the town and its unique harbour environment. We love being in Newhaven and continue to ‘big it up’ as a great town to work from.
Why did you decide to set up in Newhaven?
We had been looking to expand for a year or so and when the chance came up to buy a unit on Avis Way, with the financial backing from a supportive customer and friend, we jumped at the chance.
Moving from a residential area to Avis Way gave us so many opportunities in terms of efficiencies, swift transport links and proximity to associated trades, so we put all our efforts to move here.
What sort of businesses and organisations rent bench spaces and machines at the workshop?
We rent spaces to cabinetmakers and joiners, be they sole traders starting out, or established small firms wanting to expand and take advantage of the facilities here. When someone signs up for a period of six months they are offered a competitive rate. We are keen to support people to build and grow their business with the help from the community already here.
We also offer options for one-off projects where space can be rented by the day, week or month.
Businesses who join Scott Workshop get a good deal too. We have a large solar panel array so our energy costs are significantly reduced and we are protected from unexpected hikes in rates.
Our renters pay a fixed flat fee so they can plan their business with the knowledge that there won’t be unexpected price increases.
New and developing business can benefit from the efficiencies of working within a good space, accessing excellent machines, receiving help and advice from other experienced bench users as well as in-house veneering specialist. As a result, the cost savings to businesses are significant.
How do you think the creative scene in Newhaven is changing, especially at your workshop?
There is a good vibe developing in Newhaven with lots of creative industries moving to the area. We are finding people are ‘giving it a go’ at new projects and this is where Scott Workshops can become involved, by offering space to woodworkers who may otherwise struggle to find premises or be reluctant to sign up for lengthy leases. We’re lucky to have an established creative community here with years of experience.
How has NEZ helped Scott Workshops?
NEZ helped Scott Workshops purchase an electric forklift truck which is essential to deal with deliveries of large consignments. NEZ has also worked with bench renters to provide grant aid to purchase electric vehicles.
NEZ made efforts to make Avis Way a more appealing place to work by installing concrete benches and welcome signage.
Do you have a favourite place you would recommend to visitors?
We always recommend walking or cycling to Mamoosh and use it regularly ourselves, alongside whatever exhibitions are showing at the fabulous Marine Workshops Gallery BN9.
A walk on Castle Hill is always worth it. There are great views from the cliffs and a chance to visit the Newhaven Fort.
We’d recommend walking or cycling on the surrounding downs, as well as a walk to the West Beach harbour mouth from the swing bridge.
Tide Mills is also great, and we have workshop outings at the Abyss pop-up on a Friday (when we can arrange it!).
What would you like Newhaven to look like in 10 years’ time?
We’d like Newhaven to look like a welcoming, busy, working and diverse community, a place of opportunity for young people and new businesses to establish themselves, develop and thrive, and for the town to be known as a great place to work from.
What else would you like NEZ to focus its funding on in the town?
It would be great to see continued funding in the town centre to make it an attractive place to socialise, as well as support for businesses to relocate to places like Avis Way and other estates.
We’d like to see encouragement in economic activity in the town centre, renewed support for the Hillcrest Centre to reinvigorate it as a community hub, and funding going towards filling up empty units in Avis Way and making sure landscaping works are maintained to keep the area looking good.
