entrepreneurs are being offered a pay-as-you-go hire scheme for office space.

Accountant Bill Thompson, based in the Arbeia Business Centre, in Stanhope Parade, South Shields, is offering new and young business start-ups the opportunity to rent office space from half a day a week.

The new service will allow growing businesses, which currently work from home, or spend much of their time away from the area, the opportunity to rent a desk for as much or as little time as needed.

Mr Thompson said: "We see the Arbeia Business Centre as a stepping stone to a company's first business premises.

"Setting up a new business can be a daunting time and quite often people are put off by the thought of the overheads.

"The service will help people make that transition from working at home to moving to a business address, without being locked into a long-term lease.