July Talk with Hollie Markham

July is rushing by and the school holidays are now in full swing. So how are business owners feeling about this holiday period? Is it a time for busy, busy, busy or is it a time for planning, planning, planning? Today we're talking to Hollie Markham and hear about how she is contributing to local charities in the heart of Bath. Hollie is the head of operations here at the house of St John’s which offers high-end work and event space in the heart of Bath.

What are your plans for July in your business? 
We’ve had a busy July here at the house. We hosted our second Bath Girls in Business Club which was very popular – it’s great to see females coming together to empower each other. We also worked with the Crescent Club on a collaboration day for their members; we’ve hosted a team day for Young Voices, a Bath BID workshop and Radio Bath’s Breakfast. 

We love bringing so many members of our community together here at the house!  

What are your personal plans for this month? 
I’m hoping to get to France at the end of July to see my Mum, who lives in Livarot in Normandy. I haven’t seen her since August 2019 because of the pandemic and I’m very much due a holiday! It’s been a busy start to the year and I can hear French cheese, bread and wine calling my name!  

Does July hold any particular significance for you or your business/organisation? 
I can’t believe how fast the time has flown - the house has been open for six months already! It’s been such a great half year; I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved and the community we’ve started to build here.   

Can you name one business you’d like to give a summer shout out to? 
Absolutely, I’d like to give a massive shout out to Maria Grigoriadi who owns and runs Roasted Lemon. She’s one of our favourite caters because she delivers the highest quality food and service every time we use her. Nothing is too much trouble for Maria and she’s creative in her menus – plus her food always tastes incredible! https://roastedlemon.co.uk

As a consumer have you visited a local business, bought their products or services and thought ‘I must recommend them’? 
Everyone must visit Whole Lotta Knots at 10 Northumberland Place in Bath! It’s ran by Polly, the mastermind and creative genius behind Bath’s best home décor shop! https://www.wholelottaknots.com 

Have you got any events planned for the coming months which you’d like to mention – where you and/or your business will take a leading role? 
Every first Thursday of the month we host ‘Bath Girls in Business Club’, for anyone who identifies as female. It’s a fun get together where we talk about an array of subjects, with guest speakers, pop-up shops and prosecco. They are already proving to be very popular and get booked up quickly so keep an eye out for the next one - each month is something different hence why it’s so in demand!

We are also working on hosting something for the men of Bath, so if you have any suggestions please let us know…

Are you raising money for charity or volunteering this month in any way? 
Well, one of the best things (in my opinion) about the house is that all profits are gifted back to charity. Our charity partner, St John’s Foundation, uses this money to support disadvantaged children in our community, ensuring they have additional support with their learning and emotional needs, as well as nutritious food daily.

Everything we do at the House is centred around social purpose and we are determined to use our network and profits to have a positive impact in Bath and North East Somerset. 

Have you got any services or special offers you’d like to mention?
During July and August I will be out and about in Bath connecting with as many local and independent businesses to join our ‘Just across the Square’ scheme. It’s been designed to mutually benefit local business, as well as our members.

Keep an eye out for me or feel free to get in touch on [email protected] if you wanted more information, or want to schedule a visit. 

And Finally…
We’ve had a great start to the year since we opened in February, the feedback and reviews we’ve had so far have excelled our expectations.

I’m incredibly proud of what has been achieved in six months, from the office, desk and co-working occupation, to the events bookings that have taken off beyond what we had forecasted for. We’ve proven to be the place of choice when it comes to hosting meetings and events. I’m excited to see what the next six months bring and watch the house of St John's grow and evolve.

To find out more visit https://hosj.co.uk