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BUSINESS people in Whitchurch are to be provided with an electronic office in the town centre.

Reaction to the forthcoming e.office has been positive, with businesses and employees returning feedback forms on what they would like the centre to provide.

The office, in Winchester Street, formerly a tanning parlour, is expected to open well before the end of the year. It will cost £2,500 to equip and about £20,000 a year to run.

It will allow businesses to connect to their main offices, clients and the business world in general.

The centre is the result of collaboration between the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA), Working for Whitchurch (W4W), which is part of the Whitchurch Association, and the Hampshire county council-managed Mobile Teleworking Initiative for a Smarter South East (MATISSE).

It will also be the base for the soon-to-be recruited town centre improvement manager.

W4W chairman Stewart Parrington said: "The purpose of the e.office is to provide residents, who cannot easily set up a home-based office, with a way to conduct their work from Whitchurch.

"Not commuting once or twice per week will help cut down on peak-time traffic, stimulate the local economy during the day and help people achieve less stressful and, consequently, more productive working patterns.

"Businesses will also be able to use services like colour printing, photocopying and secretarial support plus access business advice from local specialists.

"The initial response has been very positive and W4W is currently welcoming suggestions for the services it should provide."

Half-day sessions on workstations can be booked and there will also be ad-hoc drop-in sessions.

Further information can be found on www.thewhitchurchweb.org - where messages for W4W can also be left.

8:13am Saturday 18th August 2007

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