Seaside cafes, superfast internet and a dreamy work-life balance is what remote workers can enjoy in Britain’s best work from home hotspot.
MailOnline revealed earlier this week what young Brits in their twenties really got up to when their bosses let them work from home – including using working hours as a time to have sex, drug-fuelled parties and secret holidays.
Ever since the idea became the norm, huge numbers of Brits have fled London to Ogmore-by-Sea, which was voted the number one WFH location after experts crunched data on homes, connectivity and countryside access.
Locals on Glamorgan’s Heritage Coast were not surprised their home got the top spot and admitted they had moved back to the areas after long stints in the capital.
Cafes in the Welsh seaside village have capitalised on the influx of remote workers, which they say was catalysed by the Covid pandemic.
Welsh Coffee cafe worker Ffion Hughes (pictured) says her coffee shop is full of people working and doing meetings
Huge numbers of Brits have fled London to Ogmore-by-Sea (pictured), which was voted the number one WFH location after experts crunched data on homes, connectivity and countryside access
Locals in the village on Glamorgan’s Heritage Coast were not surprised their home was voted Britain’s best work from home hotspot (pictured: Watermill pub in Ogmore by Sea)
Lee Davis, 54, left to work in cities such as London and Manchester – but returned to nearby Wick four years ago
Lee Davis, 54, left to work in cities such as London and Manchester – but returned to nearby Wick four years ago.
Lee, who works in steel sales, said: ‘I often work from home so I can have interludes like taking my friend’s dog, Fudge, for a walk. You can switch off completely – it chills me out.’
Looking back at his time in London, he said: ‘I can’t stand the place; the Tube, the people, the stress. I wanted to come back somewhere tranquil. This for me is a far better work life balance.’
Ffion Hughes, 22, a server at her uncle’s coffee shop, The Welsh Coffee Company, said the establishment was full of people working and doing meetings.
She said: ‘We usually do get a lot of people working from here, mostly in the morning.’
She has noticed an uptick in the number of people moving to Ogmore-by-Sea since the pandemic.
She said: ‘As soon as Covid hit, so many people came here, it was crazy.’
Nico Gibbs, 21, a server at nearby Hilary and Iain’s Kitchen, was thankful for this steady custom of remote workers.
He said: ‘People are here for hours and hours which is nice. They get to look at the beach and most of them order breakfast, then they will have a coffee.
‘We are happy to let them stay as long as they want.’
On busy days, the sheer number of remote workers can grind the WiFi to a halt.
Nico said: ‘We do give out the WiFi password – but sometimes it gets too busy to give it out.’
One local said new housing developments (pictured) had brought a lot of younger people to the seaside village
Deb Clarke (pictured with her dog Melyn) grew up in the area and moved back to Ogmore-by-Sea four years ago
A number of workers go to seaside cafes to work and look at the beach
John Sinden (pictured) used to work in London before moving to the seaside village in 2018, where he now works from home as a biotech executive
John Sinden, 73, used to work in London before moving to the seaside village in 2018, where he now works from home as a biotech executive.
He said: ‘People are friendly here and everything works, like the public transport.’
He added: ‘It is a lovely location, close to the sea and with coastal paths in walking distance.’
Deb Clarke, 39, grew up in the area and moved back to Ogmore-by-Sea four years ago.
‘I wouldn’t move anywhere else’, she reflected, adding: ‘It is so close to the coast and close enough to Swansea and Cardiff.’
Deb often travels for her job as a scenic artist but is currently working from home to look after her 8-week-old Cavapoo called Melyn.
The population of Ogmore-by-Sea rose from 878 in 2011 to 1,354 in 2021, according to Census data.
According to a study, it gained the top spot for its ‘real year-round community’, pretty pubs, boutiques nearby and ‘excellent’ shops.
John Davis, 71, who is retired, also grew up in the area before leaving and moving back five years ago.
He said: ‘A lot of people came during Covid. People wanted to leave towns and cities.’
He said new housing developments had brought a lot of younger people to the seaside village.
Gen Z youngsters have previously been criticised for complaining about their lives while not working hard enough .
A series of studies found the generation admits to being less ambitious – but youngsters moan their elders are giving them a tough time.
A study published this week found that fewer than one in 10 hybrid-working Gen Zers get through a whole shift without getting distracted .
