The commute: Take the London Underground with Broadsheet founder Nick Shelton
We accompany Nick Shelton, the Australian founder of media platform Broadsheet, on his morning journey across London and ponder the future of museum security.
Melbourne native Nick Shelton is the founder of Broadsheet, an online culture, hospitality and lifestyle platform that also publishes print magazines. Its various editions cover cities including Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney – and now London, where he moved last year. We join him in Notting Hill for his morning caffeine hit, before jumping on a Circle Line train to Broadsheet’s offices on the Strand.
Which brands do you reach for in the mornings?
Trunk and Slowear are mainstays for dressing smartly but comfortably. During my working day I spend a lot of time zipping around town on a Lime bike, going to meetings in Fitzrovia, Marylebone or Mayfair, so I have to take that into consideration.
What’s first on your morning itinerary?
At about 08.00, I get a cortado at Granger & Co in Notting Hill. I like to sit at the counter and catch up on what my Australian team has been up to overnight. I’m also good friends with the owner, Natalie Elliott. She has been a huge supporter of what Broadsheet is doing in London and stocks the latest issue of our magazine in her restaurant.
Why Notting Hill?
Natalie recommended the area when we were looking. London is a city of interconnected villages but this area is a village in and of itself, with local businesses, restaurants and a European community. I can’t think of a comparable neighbourhood in Melbourne.
It’s time to hop on the Circle Line. What will you be listening to?
Two podcasts: Acquired tells the stories of how companies were founded and People vs Algorithms focuses on how culture and technology are transforming.
Other than ‘Broadsheet London’, which publications are you reading?
The Australian Financial Review for news and The New York Times Magazine for culture.
Do you find inspiration during your morning journeys on the Tube?
After getting up to speed on the Broadsheet articles that have been published online in Australia overnight, I have a 45-minute commute to digest them – and then to translate them into ideas for our London edition. In Melbourne, my commute was just 10 minutes by car. While it was quicker, it didn’t give me a chance to let my mind wander. London is fizzing with cultural energy right now and we have an opportunity to tell these stories.
This is our stop. What made 180 The Strand the right location for Broadsheet’s offices?
We’re in a building that’s an interesting creative and entrepreneurial hub in the heart of central London. Plus, food is very important to us and spots such as Toklas Bakery and Corner Shop at 180 The Thames are just around the corner.
Who’s in the office when you arrive?
At the moment, we’re a small team of about 10 in London. It’s like running a start-up in reverse: we already have the infrastructure and a team of 80 in Australia and now we’re establishing ourselves in a new city.
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