Meet the Park House Team - Ruth Gilbertson

Ruth Gilbertson is Centre Manager at Park House, our Grade ll* listed office building situated in the heart of Swindon. Recently upgraded, with faster WiFi and hybrid meeting facilities installed, we caught up with Ruth to find out more about the space and what was on offer for businesses in the area.

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Tell us a bit more about yourself and your role at Business West?  

I’ve been in workspace in various buildings for over 10 years now, currently looking after Park House, a Grade ll* listed building based in Swindon.  

Day to day, we keep the lights on, the doors open and make sure that everything runs smoothly, from broadband to biscuits. We create a place where everybody can just get on with their work. On the good days you probably don’t notice what we do, but you would definitely notice if we didn’t do it!

What services are available at Park House for the business community?  

At Park House we have office space available for businesses, which is fully serviced and comes with everything you need, including free parking nearby and recently upgraded WiFi! This can be rented out for the day, or for longer periods of time. We’ve got a lovely boardroom available to hire on an hourly, half-day or full-day basis which has space for up to 14 people and hybrid meeting facilities. There’s also our friendly and professional receptionists to greet your guests and clients, which makes for a great first impression if you have visitors. 

What do you think makes Park House stand out from other options for office space and meeting room hire in Swindon?

Park House is a beautiful, elegant building that brings together stunning 19th Century features with 21st Century technology.  It’s not like other office blocks in the town; it has a grand feel, with historic original features on display and an interesting back story.

Over the years we have refurbished the building and we are continuously investing to keep it up to date.  Recently we have invested in upgrades to the broadband, telecoms and AV equipment as well as installing electric vehicle charging points.  Our meeting room also now has a large screen and hybrid meeting technology installed.

Workspace was already changing but the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated that, so instead of just offering long term office space, we are now offering day offices for businesses that want to get their teams together on a one off or regular basis, and meeting room hire for anyone wanting to meet their clients in a private and professional space. Parking, WiFi and coffee is all included in the price!

What do you enjoy most about your role?  

I enjoy working with people, being public facing and helping to find solutions to problems.

After lock down the whole team was desperate to get back to work because we missed the buzz of meeting people every day.  

Do you think there are benefits to going into an office and meeting your colleagues face-to-face?

Definitely! As much as there are some perks to home working, I don’t think anything can replace getting together with colleagues, working together on projects, having that rapport and bouncing ideas off each other.  Try having a good laugh on your own.  Having structure to your day and getting out the house is also good for people’s mood and mental health.

What type of businesses or professional do you think the office space/meeting room hire is suitable for?  

I think the space is suitable for any business looking to create a good first impression with clients, or anyone who would like to get together with their colleagues in a private and professional setting. We have a variety of clients, including solicitors and physiotherapists!