At Hastings HIVE we couldn't have picked a worse start-up year than 2020. Launched in January, first customer on-board in February, 10% occupied by the end of March, empty by July. But we have been one of the lucky businesses, for now a year later we are close to half full and starting our Stage 2 fit out, thanks to steady demand for our serviced offices and coworking desks. Many businesses have done it much harder than us.
For those of you in business doing it tough, who would appreciate some help in any area, there is an amazing resource centre in the Hawke's Bay that since December last year has been open in the CBD Hastings, running from offices within Hastings HIVE. This is the Hawke's Bay Business Hub. They can connect you and your business with the post COVID-19 support services and resources available in the region, to offer a hand up.
And something that has surprised us since our opening, has been the continual demand from business in the region and even from outside the Hawke's Bay, for meeting rooms and event space, even though we don't publicise these service externally. This is also something that the Hawke's Bay Business Hub is seeking to quantify and address for Hastings.
Now the business hub is asking business owners for three minutes of business owners' and managers' time to provide them with feedback about the type of support and resources we need access to, longer term. Please, let's help them out.
You can find their survey here: Hawke's Bay Business Hub