Council celebrates five years of success for HatTech
Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council is celebrating the fifth anniversary of a successful business centre set up to champion local enterprises.
HatTech has proved to be a hugely popular venue since it was opened in 2020, achieving 100% occupancy rates during two of the last three years and providing vital opportunities for businesses to connect, grow and develop.
On Thursday 25 September, The Mayor of Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council, Councillor Lynn Chesterman OBE, joined councillors and representatives from Hertfordshire Futures to celebrate the milestone and learn more about the centre’s achievements.
Established by the council in 2020 with the aid of £751,000 of grant funding from Hertfordshire Futures to provide cost-effective business accommodation for start-ups, small businesses, entrepreneurs and individual workers, HatTech has gone from strength to strength. Within 17 months of opening it was fully occupied, and three additional offices were added – all of which were immediately leased out. On average 94% of units were occupied in 2023/24, returning to 100% in 2024/25.
The 16 businesses currently based at HatTech employ 156 people and hail from a wide range of sectors including healthcare, construction, recruitment, insurance, IT, financial services and web development. HatTech helps them connect with each other and with other local businesses through regular networking events, including quarterly ‘Meet your Business Neighbours’ sessions featuring talks from experts.
Firms based at the centre also benefit from a co-working suite, meeting room, business lounge, collaboration bar, games area, and an outdoor Wellbeing Garden, which is a perfect space to relax and take a break. The Mayor unveiled a new bird bath and wildlife camera so that staff can enjoy the garden’s flora and fauna, including a family of Pied Wagtails.
HatTech is one of two business centres owned by the council, with WelTech in Welwyn Garden City being opened in 1989.
Councillor Max Holloway, Leader of the Council and Executive Member for Economic Development and Climate Change, said:
“It has been fantastic to see HatTech go from strength to strength during the past five years, playing a vital role in supporting local businesses by providing cost-effective accommodation where they can connect and grow.
“Our borough has a long history of industry and innovation, and we are building on that proud legacy at HatTech and WelTech.
“As a council, we will continue to champion local businesses through these and other initiatives, investing in our borough and supporting an economy that delivers for all our communities.”
Norman Jennings, Operations Director at Hertfordshire Futures, said
“Hertfordshire Futures is proud of its investment in HatTech and delighted to celebrate its continued success. We are committed to supporting local businesses around the borough as part of a countywide service, and this is an excellent example of how the public and private sectors can work together so that they and our residents reap the rewards of economic growth and innovation. From the day it opened, the service provided by the HatTech team has been second to none.”
For more information, visit: https://hattech.org.uk/ and https://weltech.org.uk/