How the rise of remote workers is changing coastal towns

‘I jump in the sea to refresh my brain’: How

Jack Johnstone

Alex Hill can finish a morning of work in a shared office overlooking St Ives harbour, then head straight into the sea to clear his head before his next meeting.

The producer, who works remotely from Cornwall, is part of a growing number of professionals choosing to settle long-term in coastal and rural towns once seen mainly as seasonal destinations.

Enabled by remote working, they are spending locally, joining communities and helping sustain places that have historically struggled to retain talent and year-round visitor numbers.

Across the West Country and beyond, this shift is reshaping local economies.

Creating the infrastructure to stay

Rather than commuting to city offices, remote workers are putting down roots, renting homes, enrolling children in local schools, joining clubs and co-working spaces, and contributing skills that once flowed almost exclusively to major cities.

For some towns, the impact is already visible, with steadier trade for local Business Group in Somerset said the move makes the area feel “more active and lived in”.

“Compared with a few years ago, weekday trade is stronger, which really matters for small businesses,” they said.

“Cafes, shops and local services are seeing familiar faces more often, which builds both community and a more reliable income.”

In nearby Shepton Mallet, Sam Cunningham founded Distil Coworking to give remote workers a professional base without leaving the countryside.

“During and after Covid, there was a big swell of people moving to the countryside as they discovered different priorities and the opportunity to work remotely,” he said.

Distil Coworking offers a fully equipped office environment for freelancers, remote workers and small businesses, with members subscribing monthly for access to hot desks, a cafe and 3.5 acres of gardens.

Distil Coworking Somerset

Cunningham, who launched the space last year, said it enabled people to “still be employed in roles that in the past might have required presence in a city office”.

He added the rise in flexible working was attracting “a wide range of skills and professions” to areas that had previously struggled to hold on to professionals.