A new content creation hub in the heart of Wimborne could be the first of many across the country.

The venture is the brainchild of Tom Oswald, CEO and Founder of ClickASnap, described as the world’s largest, free to use, paid to view, image sharing platform.

Founded in 2015, the site now has around 15 million images with 3.4 million signed-up users and 2,500 joining every day.

The business turned over £2 million in its last financial year but is forecast to more than double this figure with the help of a new website, due to be launched this month.

ClickASnap, which is 80 per cent owned by Tom, took over its town centre premises on the corner of High Street and East Street in April.

So far more than £100,000 has been spent on the previously derelict building which had lain empty for a number of years.

Currently acting as ClickASnap’s HQ, the new facilities include a studio and also a darkroom which is available to use free of charge.

Tom, 40, said: “We’re in the middle of employing developers, marketers and some other people at the moment.

“Eventually we’ll probably get an office in Bournemouth and this building will then become a creation hub for photographers, videographers and anyone who wants to come in and create their own content.

“If it’s successful, then we would want to launch multiple ones across the country and effectively create an offline community to couple our online community.

“It will be along the lines of YouTube and their content creative hubs.

“The idea is that wherever you are in the country then you can have access and play to your heart’s content.

“If you’re a member of ClickASnap it will be free to use.”

The darkroom, pictured right, cost £50,000 and only opened in the last week.

Tom said: “Very few people have seen or used film.

“Even the people who have, take a picture, take it to a shop and then get it developed.

“But to create and develop your own film is a whole process on top of taking the pictures.

“ I like referring to a darkroom as analogue Photoshop.

“There’s so much stuff that you can do in there that people will never experience other than through the odd video.

“Again, it’s creating this offline hub for our users.

“If we can bring some people here who are attracted to a darkroom then of course they’ll use other things.

“You could end up with a hub for photographers to sit down and discuss latest trends and all that.

“All chemicals and prints are supplied and anyone can come in and do it although we’re keeping bookings to one person a day.

“If it becomes popular we want to invest in more mini-lab equipment.

“We can do full colour or full black and white and we can scan and print up to A2.”

Tom, who has a collection of cameras including a prized limited edition 24 karat gold Hasselblad 500 CM, said he expected more sign-ups for ClickASnap as a result of the cost of living crisis.

He said: “The pandemic fuelled the growth of the company and, now we’re going into very tight financial times, a lot of people will join the site purely to see money for their photos.

“It’s not going to make them rich but it’s a couple of extra pounds at the end of the day.

“We are very confident that when our new site launches our user base will grow significantly.

“The platform will be state of the art and much further forward than what we have now.

“Using ClickASnap, you can post a photo and make money just from views and from sales.

“We also have a Facebook-like feed so you can converse and share things.

“It is a true social media site dedicated to still image creators.

“We also have a lot of non-photography users such as graphic designers.

“We plan to grow significantly and rival, and surpass, Instagram as the leading image platform online.

“Given our current growth rates, if we can double that again you’re starting to get some very serious numbers.”

Tom, who lives in Wimborne, said the eventual plan was to float the company on AIM (Alternative Investment Market).

He said: “They’ve been long hard years and I’ve lost my health to this business due to stress and the like.

“To build a business in this country is exceptionally difficult.

“But we’re excited about the future and being able to put our plans into action.”

• Bookings for the darkroom can be made through tom@clickasnap.com.