Small businesses and would-be entrepreneurs can benefit from a rent-a-desk scheme.

The Forum business centre, in London Road, Burgess Hill, is offering clients in the Mid Sussex region the chance to rent a desk for a day, a week or a month, saving the expense of taking a whole office. Each desk comes with a pedestal, lockable cupboard and a chair.

The hire price includes a fully-serviced office with security, cleaning, utilities, access to reception and secretarial support and the optional extras of phones and broadband.

The Forum's manager Nerys Lucas said: "I meet a lot of potential clients who, while they are very impressed with the facilities we provide, are not quite ready to take an office of their own. This can be due to a variety of reasons - size, time, necessity or budget."

The rent-a-desk scheme also allows clients to combine the facility with a "virtual office" and/or meeting room hire to give the appearance as having their own full-time office.

Miss Lucas said: "This service may be of interest to business people who spend a lot of time on the road and only need somewhere to plug their laptop in for one day a week and could also be utilised by someone coming to the area on business for a short period." To find out more, ring 01444 240100.

Thursday June 03, 2004