Starting a new business can be challenging at the best of times but when a global pandemic struck, the team behind Royston’s newest venture saw it as an opportunity to rise to the challenge.

Royston Crow: Kooky Nohmad started up in Royston during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic. Picture: Josh MurphyKooky Nohmad started up in Royston during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic. Picture: Josh Murphy (Image: Archant)

Kooky Nohmad is run by Josh Murphy and general manager Emma Nankivell – who was previously at the Sheene Mill in Melbourn.

The shop in High Street is a flexible space designed to bring people together, whether it’s for a coffee catch up, brunch or a day at the ‘office’.

Josh, who is originally from Melbourn, told the Crow: “We were due to launch a week before lockdown - two weeks before we had a bit of foresight to slow down and see what was coming.

“We gathered ourselves and put the finishing touches on this, and now we’ve launched at a reduced capacity.

Royston Crow: Kooky Nohmad started up in Royston during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic. Picture: Josh MurphyKooky Nohmad started up in Royston during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic. Picture: Josh Murphy (Image: Archant)

“We’re massively excited to get started and get people into the shop.

“The response from the public has been absolutely amazing.

“We’ve been overwhelmed by the the feedback from people about our facilities.

“Some people on Facebook thought it might be just another coffee place but we’re far from that – we’ve got a multi-functional facility at the heart of the town, to be able to draw people into the town centre.

Royston Crow: Kooky Nohmad started up in Royston during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic. Picture: Josh MurphyKooky Nohmad started up in Royston during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic. Picture: Josh Murphy (Image: Archant)

“If it is a coffee catch up we can do that, you can work here, we’ve got booths available for conference calls, we have an open space for different events.

“We have a brunch menu and tasty treats.”

Josh, 36, founded Sanders and Jay design and marketing agency in Royston and knows the value of home-working flexibly and being able to break up the day.

“We wanted to create something for businesses like ourselves to come and be able to work in a flexible manner in a creative environment,” he said.

“At the moment, people are of that working from home mindset more and eventually we will be offering more of that, at the moment there is reduced capacity.

“It’s exceeded our expectations so far, and it’s not been easy but we’re rolling with it.

“We’ve been overwhelmed with excitement, and the response from the Royston community has been amazing.”

For more information go to the website www.kookynohmad.com or check out their Facebook page