Where the few once gathered, your business can too.

Today, the Officers' Mess is home to some of the most characterful office space Cambridge has to offer.

A building with a past

The Officers' Mess is a Grade II listed building on the historic Duxford Airfield in South Cambridgeshire. It was home to RAF and, later, USAF officers through the Second World War. The RAF left Duxford in the 1960s, and the Imperial War Museum took on the site in the following decade.

When the Mess was no longer needed by the museum, Mantle saw what it could become. An 18-month, £2.5 million restoration reinstated the building as a business centre, carefully preserving its wartime features while bringing everything up to modern standards. It opened in 2015 and went on to win the BCO award for Refurbished/Recycled Workplace for Central and Eastern England. An award which we are extremely proud of.

"It is a busy business community, in a sympathetically repurposed, iconic and historic building," says Mantle CEO Guy Baker.

Work in the Billiard Room

Through the character of this building, history becomes part of the working day. The offices were created from spaces that once kept the Mess running, and many still carry their original names. Teams work from the Ante Room, the Billiard Room, the Card Room and the Quarters, while The Heart sits at the centre of the building as its social hub, and where the Mess Café now feeds members, clients and visitors alike.

These aren't museum pieces, though. Behind the period details are serviced offices Duxford businesses can move straight into. They come fully furnished, with 100Mb high-speed broadband and wired connections, and one inclusive monthly price that covers utilities and business rates. Private offices range from a single desk to rooms for 40 people, so the building works for a sole trader and a growing team alike.

Everything, taken care of

The on-site team looks after the day to day running of the building. The Reception team welcomes your visitors and handles post, parcels and printing. Offices and communal areas are maintained by Mantle to our high standards, with regular cleaning, health and safety managed, and building maintenance all handled for you. Members can also access their offices any time, seven days a week offering complete flexibility.

When it's time to collaborate, there are three modern meeting rooms, phone booths for private calls and communal spaces for a change of scene. For a break, there's a fully stocked kitchen and The Mess Café for breakfast, lunch and the all-important afternoon coffee. Our car and cycle parking makes it easy to drive or cycle in to the office, whilst networking events and socials help members get to know their neighbours.

Peaceful, but never out of reach

Duxford offers something that city-centre offices rarely can: space to think. The Officers' Mess sits in a peaceful, out-of-town setting with ample free parking, yet it's just one minute from Junction 10 of the M11. Whittlesford Parkway station is two miles away, and Cambridge city centre is around 26 minutes by car.

That makes it a natural alternative for anyone searching for private office space in Cambridge without the city traffic, parking costs or noise. It's close enough for client meetings in town, and far enough away to get some real work done.

Not ready for a full office?

Not every business needs a private office every day. For those who work mostly from home, Home-Flexi memberships offer 5, 10 or 15 days each month, along with meeting-room hours and a business address. Anyone searching for flexible coworking spaces in Cambridge will find dedicated desks here too, among a community of like-minded businesses.

A virtual office Duxford gives you a professional business address and post handling from £65 + VAT a month, with call answering available too. And as a Mantle member, you can also work from our other locations in Cambridge, Chelmsford, Harlow, Abingdon, Stansted and Stevenage.

A new chapter for a historic address

The Officers' Mess has always been a place where people come together to do important work. Today, that work looks a little different, but the building still has the same character, the same sense of community, and a lot more broadband.

If you'd like your business to be part of the next chapter, come and see the serviced offices Duxford has to offer. Our on-site team would be delighted to offer you an exclusive tour. Click here to get in touch. We'd love to see you.