About Us
The Wellsprings provides space for creative entrepreneurs and technology businesses to grow in their local community.
A home for the proud business owners of Bolton.
Our mission is to create a vibrant and connected community to champion innovation in Bolton; a place to showcase the talent in our proud and growing town. Together, we provide innovative spaces, opportunities to connect with others and an environment to champion local talent.
Building a business community in the heart of Bolton’s cultural quarter
Bolton is an economy in transition, with a growing professional services sector, innovative home-grown businesses, a popular university with creative vocational specialisms, and an extensive town centre redevelopment being delivered by the Bolton Vision 2040 masterplan.
Through the Town Investment Plan, The Wellsprings office complex on Le Mans Crescent has been the focus of a £7.24m investment, leading to the development of a 27,000ft2 workspace for incubating local businesses. Situated in the middle of Bolton’s cultural quarter, within the historic Le Mans Crescent and opposite the Town Hall and Central Library, it serves as a central hub for sustainable business growth, helping develop and sustain an innovation ecosystem.
The comprehensive upgrade and refurbishment of our iconic, stone-clad, mid-20th century building will be the catalyst for a collaborative community of makers and creators, helping budding entrepreneurs to innovate, grow, socialise, and reach their full potential.
Meet the team
Ian Balderson
Innovation Director for The Wellsprings
Ian has a wide range of experience with a number of senior roles including 30 years with Barclays Bank where he headed up and supported the teams responsible for leading the personal and business customer across Greater Manchester.
Towards the end of his Barclays career, Ian led a programme working alongside the corporate division supporting larger clients both in private and public sectors with Digital Transformation acting as a consultant to help shape the strategy and assess the impact any transformation would have with both end users and their workforce. Since leaving the finance sector, Ian has created a programme to enable innovation within the Pharmacy sector, identifying, designing and overseeing development and testing of SaaS products to improve the sector and enable the smaller pharmacy to innovate in the same way as it’s larger competition. Directly prior to joining OIS, Ian headed up project management and implementation integrating products into Legal firms both in the UK and USA.
Nick Brushett
Centre Manager for The Wellsprings
Nick’s career has taken him across various industries and continents, and he spent nearly 8 amazing years in Africa, fine-tuning his skills in building rapport, effective communication, and creating lasting relationships.
Nick’s all about excellence, with over 20 years experience in customer-facing roles, including almost a decade in the not-for-profit sector. Nick loves developing and nurturing partnerships and always pays attention to the little details, which helps him consistently deliver results that go above and beyond expectations.
Tony O’Connell
Assistant Centre Manager for The Wellsprings
Having walked the streets of Manchester for 25 years being chased by wild packs of dogs as a Postman, Tony has since spent the last 15 years in facility management for Bruntwood, MJ Mapp, CBRE covering everything from facilities, front of house and security.
In his spare time Tony follows Manchester United, enjoys all things philosophy and making use of the amazing scenery we have in the North West.
Jemima Binnall
Customer Experience Assistant for The Wellsprings
Bolton born and bred, and a World Champion Dancer with her twin sister! Jemima has spent the past 4 years working in customer facing roles across hospitality, retail and dental practices.
Jemima has a passion for fashion and loves to create content on social media where she currently has over 60k followers and has produced reels that have amassed an impressed 1 million views!
A new addition to the Oxford Innovation Space family
With over 35 years at the forefront of providing support to start-ups, Oxford Innovation Space successfully manages innovation centres throughout the UK and Ireland, providing expert support and knowledge to drive business growth and regional success.
A brand new community for creative innovation
Why Choose Bolton?
Bolton, a town with deep roots in the Industrial Revolution, remains a hub for innovation and entrepreneurial spirit. Today, Bolton is undergoing a remarkable transformation, with a revitalised town centre featuring vibrant urban neighbourhoods and a thriving cultural scene.
By basing yourself at The Wellsprings, you’ll be just steps away from key landmarks like the renowned Octagon Theatre, the award-winning Central Library and Museum, and the international flavours of Bolton Market Food Hall. You’ll also have access to Elizabeth Park, the town’s first new green space in over a century.
Exciting residential developments such as Moor Lane and Deansgate Gardens offer modern living options for you and your team, with more on the horizon. Combined with excellent transport links and a supportive, business-friendly local council, Bolton is the perfect place to grow and succeed.
Located within Bolton town centre’s historic civic core, The Wellsprings sits close to the University of Bolton and has outstanding transport links to Manchester and surrounding hotspots of innovation in the North West.
- Historic town centre location
- Minutes from A666, A579 & A676
- 7 min walk to Bolton Train Station
- 10 min walk to University of Bolton
- 10 min drive to the M61
- 20 min by train to Manchester
- 30 min by road to Manchester
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Find your space in an inspiring hub that celebrates creativity and individuality. Explore the flexible office space, coworking, and meeting rooms for innovative entrepreneurs at The Wellsprings.
