The Bench Blog June 2026
Benchworks Brings Flexible Workspace to The Bench
The Bench is continuing to take shape as Dover’s new hub for education, creativity and enterprise—and we’re pleased to share more about Benchworks, which will form a key part of the building’s business offer.
Benchworks will deliver a range of flexible workspace within The Bench, supporting local businesses, freelancers and entrepreneurs at different stages of their journey. It will be delivered by the team behind Coachworks in Ashford, who have experience in developing spaces that bring together business, creativity and community activity
A space designed around how people work today
The way people work is changing, and Benchworks has been designed with that in mind. The space will offer a mix of:
- Co-working and hot-desking
- Serviced office space
- Meeting rooms
- Flexible workspace options
This range of options means people can access professional space in a way that suits them—whether that’s for a day, a few months, or longer-term growth.
Opening up opportunities in Dover
A key aim of The Bench is to make it easier for people to learn, create and build careers locally. Benchworks will play an important role in this by:
- Supporting new and growing businesses
- Providing space for freelancers and remote workers
- Offering a base for established organisations
- Encouraging more people to work from within the town centre
By lowering some of the barriers to accessing workspace, it helps create more opportunities for local people to take the next step—whether that’s starting something new or developing an existing business.
Steve Sitton, who leads the Benchworks team, said: “We’re looking to create a space that feels accessible and useful for people locally. Not everyone needs a traditional office, but having a professional place to work, meet others and develop ideas can make a real difference. Being part of The Bench is an opportunity to contribute to something wider—supporting people as they build confidence, skills and businesses here in Dover.”
A shared environment for business and collaboration
Benchworks isn’t just about providing desks and offices. It will also help create a shared environment where people can connect, collaborate and learn from each other.
This reflects the wider vision for The Bench—bringing together education, skills, creativity and enterprise under one roof to create a like-minded community.
Supporting regeneration and town centre activity
As The Bench comes to life, it will bring new energy into the heart of Dover. Benchworks will be part of that, helping to:
- Increase activity in the town centre
- Support local jobs and enterprise
- Encourage business growth within the district
- Complement the wider education and creative offer in the building
Cllr Kevin Mills, Leader of Dover District Council, said: “We are delighted to welcome Benchworks to The Bench building in Dover and are looking forward to seeing the launch of their new workspace offer. The Bench continues to make strong progress and will play an important role in supporting regeneration in Dover, providing business and creative spaces, and improving access to education, training and skills opportunities.”
Read more below:
The Bench Blog July 2026 - Docker Bakery will offer a full range of freshly baked sourdough bread, pastries and treats.
The Bench Blog May 2026 - welcome to Screen South, a cultural development organisation with digital creativity at their core. They will be moving into the Bench later this year.
The Bench Blog November 2025 - find out more about one of our new prospective tenants - the arts and design department at EKC Dover College.
The Bench Blog June 2025 - meet our Contracts Manager and Quantity Surveyor from Jenner Group who explain what the project means to them.
The Bench Blog March 2025 - for International Women's Day we've profiled three of our female team members working on the design, architecture and management of the project.