Is Kidderminster Ready for the New Digital Hub? (And Why You Should Care)

I was driving past the hospital the other day—down near the C Block area—and it got me thinking about how much Kidderminster is actually changing. We often talk about the town’s heritage in terms of carpets and the Severn Valley Railway, which is great, but there's this new thing called The CO-LAB that’s just launched.

It’s a Digital Innovation Hub, and honestly? It feels like the kind of thing you’d usually expect to find in Shoreditch or central Birmingham, not tucked away in DY11.

Perhaps it’s a sign that the "old school" way of doing business in the Wyre Forest is finally merging with something a bit more... digital. The hub was put together with help from Computacenter and the NHS, and it’s basically a space to trial new tech, hold informal meetings, or just get out of the home office and collaborate.

Wait, is this just for doctors? I think that’s the first thing everyone assumes because it’s at the Kidderminster Hospital and Treatment Centre. But actually, it’s a multidisciplinary space. They’re encouraging external organisations and the wider community to get involved. I suppose the real value isn't just the "emerging tech"—it's the fact that it’s a "wellbeing space" where you can actually talk to people.

In a world where we’re all stuck on Zoom, having a place in Kidderminster where you can go to brainstorm—without having to commute to the Bullring—is a massive win.

I’m not entirely sure if every local business will find a use for a "technology roadmap" just yet, but the fact that the infrastructure is here makes me think we should all be looking at our digital footprint a bit more seriously. If the town is investing in innovation, we probably shouldn't be lagging behind with websites that haven't been updated since 2012.