Digital nomads 'flocking to Shropshire' to enjoy remote and flexible working

Following the Covid-19 pandemic, more businesses than ever are allowing their employees to work remotely full-time.

Vicky Brown, Airbnb manager at holiday let management company Pass the Keys Shropshire, has seen a spike in certain stays in the county.

She said: “Long-term Airbnb stays are at a global all-time high, and it’s no different in Shropshire. We’ve seen more people than ever enquire about longer stays to enable them to work as they travel.”

For digital nomads, people who choose to work from wherever they wish, Shropshire is seemingly the ideal place in the UK.

Vicky added: “People are choosing to spend their time in Shropshire thanks to its rich history, beautiful surroundings, and great links to busier areas like Birmingham and Manchester.

“Many digital nomads work in corporate jobs where they were commuting in major cities pre-Covid, so the peacefulness of Shropshire is a pleasant change for them.”

Vicky, who manages over 30 Airbnbs across the county, notes the benefit to the local economy.

She said: “Digital nomads often choose to stay in Airbnbs as they prefer to have an entire place to themselves, due to staying in the area for long periods of time and needing to work from there too.

“We’ve seen many Shropshire Airbnbs get booked up by digital nomads and it’s a great source of income for anyone with an additional property or looking at a longer trip themselves and wanting to make some money from their home.

“It’s also great for local businesses thanks to remote workers often enjoying working from coffee shops for hours on end, and wanting to explore what the local area has to offer in terms of shops, hospitality, days out and entertainment.”

Shropshire businesspeople are also becoming digital nomads.

Stephanie Henson, sales director at Six Ticks and founder of techtimeout, became a digital nomad in December 2021 and regularly returns to her home county of Shropshire.

She said: “Since I began my digital nomad journey, I’ve travelled to Croatia, Madeira, Portugal, and Prague. I still come back to Shropshire in between and I spent the summer here thanks to the amazing events, gorgeous weather and brilliant people – I didn’t need to go elsewhere.”

Emma Croall, fundraising officer at Shropshire Youth Association, is also a digital nomad and spends her time between her home in Shropshire and Singapore.

She said: “I’m currently working between our home county of Shropshire and overseas as my husband works internationally. For those who are thinking of starting their digital nomad journeys, you need good wifi, a great Airbnb with an area to work, and a beautiful location… Shropshire has all three.”