I spent the day at the county’s new rural co-working space in the idyllic Northamptonshire countryside – is it worth the hype?
I spent the day at Northamptonshire’s newest rural co-working and office space set in an idyllic countryside location, and I’m here to confirm it is worth the hype.
George and Josh Taylor are the brothers behind countryside retreat The Shire, and they reimagined their family’s former dairy farm into a space designed for authentic connection, relaxation and escapism.
Over the course of three decades at Pury Hill Farm just outside of Towcester, the family has planted more than 100,000 trees and hedgerows, created six lakes and are slowly rewilding the grounds and attracting wildlife back to the land.
George and Josh opened the gates to welcome corporates and the local community to experience the power of simple wellbeing, which started when they launched SUKU Saunas in May 2024.
The wild sauna and cold plunge experience attracts visitors from across the region and at The Shire Retreat, guests can combine yoga, breathwork and sound with sauna, wild swimming, woodland walks, tennis or reflective workshops in the renovated farmhouse.
The retreat hosts private events, team days for businesses, offsites and a limited number of weddings and weekend retreats, alongside a farmhouse boardroom for meetings of up to 20 people.
The latest addition is The Shire Works, a new co-working and office space that blends work and wellbeing, which opened at the end of July on the existing site at Pury Hill Business Park.
The workspace is aimed at small businesses, freelancers and remote workers looking for more than a standard office environment.
The Shire Works offers hot desk day passes, dedicated desk memberships and private serviced offices for teams of two to 10, with a strong focus on the environment and facilities available on site.
Members have access to the wider estate alongside their workspace, including walking and running trails, cafe, gym, tennis court, sauna and cold plunge, and swimming lake. A growing programme of activities will include yoga, sound baths and events led by local practitioners, with padel courts also in the works.
The project is the latest chapter in the evolution of Pury Hill, home to SUKU Saunas, The Shire Retreat and now The Shire Works, creating one of Northamptonshire’s most distinctive destinations for work, wellness and events – which I got to see for myself.
Having previously visited SUKU Saunas in May this year, I jumped at the chance to come and experience the newly introduced co-working space in the hope of having a positive and productive start to my working week.
And I did just that. The calming environment at The Shire Works is the ideal setting to get your head down and get things done. The bright and airy space, with extremely tasteful decor and all the amenities you need, is finished to perfection and anyone would be lucky to call this their workplace.
From business owners who choose to hot desk, to companies that call Pury Hill Business Park their home, there is a sense of community and it feels extremely homely.
Everyone we came into contact with seemed to have a spring in their step and sang the praises of The Shire Works for giving them a place to flexibly work from outside the four walls of their home – while also having many wellness benefits to make the most of.
Like the sound of that? Come and take a look for yourself…
The Shire Works is hosting a co-working day and wellness evening from 9am until 8.30pm next Thursday (September 24).
The site is open to non-members for the day, for you to come and experience the fast wifi, good coffee and 150 acres of lakes and parkland on the other side of the window for yourself.
You are invited to bring your laptop, whatever is on your to-do list and be somewhere quieter, with a lake and stretch of woodland to walk around when you have had enough of your screen. You will be sharing the room with a handful of others doing the same thing.
This will run from 9am until 5pm, with a desk, wifi and as much coffee and tea as you can reasonably get through.
If you would like to stay, there will be a mini reset from 5.30pm including guided breathwork, meditation, sauna, cold plunge and a swim in the lake if the weather behaves. No experience is needed to enjoy these activities.
There are two ticket options. The first is to co-work for the day and enjoy a sauna session anytime between 9am and 5pm, or you can co-work for the day and join the mini reset retreat in the evening.
Lunch is not included and attendees are welcome to bring something, or grab a bite from the on-site cafe. Bring your laptop and charger, as well as your swimwear, a towel and something warm to put on if you are staying in the evening.