Building a website that looks professional, stays compliant, and works flawlessly across all devices should be obtainable without a computer science degree. Yet for countless parish councils, charities, and small community organisations across the UK, creating and maintaining an accessible, GDPR-aligned website remains a constant headache. Enter
HugoFox, the UK’s fastest-growing community website builder that’s solving this exact problem with what they call a “build-once” philosophy. We caught up with
Hugo Thompson, the company’s director, to understand how they’re making website compliance effortless for the organisations that need it most.
What makes HugoFox different from traditional website builders?
The heart of HugoFox is our build-once system. You build your page once using our building blocks, and our software takes care of the rest. Unlike conventional website builders that require separate optimisation for mobile devices, accessibility checks, and GDPR compliance reviews, HugoFox automates these essentials behind the scenes.
When you publish a page, it’s automatically:
- 100% responsive across all devices
- WCAG 2.2 AA compliant to ensure accessibility
- GDPR-aligned for data protection
- SEO-optimised with proper structure and metadata
This saves hours on every site update and dramatically reduces the risk of non-compliance—crucial for parish councils and charities that can’t afford to get accessibility or privacy regulations wrong.
HugoFox has a reputation for being community-first. Can you explain this mission?
Since day one, we’ve provided completely free websites for UK-registered charities: no adverts, no data selling, no hidden costs. Today, around a quarter of our user base are charities using those free sites, and there’s no cap on this programme. Any UK charity can sign up at any time—community groups, churches, village halls, or community centres—without needing to provide any banking information. It’s a core business principle, not just corporate social responsibility.
What premium features does HugoFox offer that solve real problems?
For parish councils, our Planning Tracker has become the gold standard. We operate a sophisticated hub that monitors hundreds of planning systems nationwide and feeds standardised, live updates directly into a council’s website.
The benefits are immediate:
- Residents can filter, view, track, and subscribe to planning applications
- Clerks save countless hours compared to manual updates
- Community transparency increases dramatically
This system has become the first, foremost, and most reliable planning tracker in the UK.
We also provide Advanced Statistics that are intentionally simple to read so non-specialists can make decisions quickly. For teams wanting deeper analysis, Google Analytics integration is available with our support.
Another key feature is the encrypted members area—a secure, password-protected space for verified users. It’s popular with clubs, parishes, and charities needing to share sensitive documents and updates with specific groups. Member management remains straightforward for admins without requiring technical knowledge.
What about the technical foundation behind HugoFox?
Our platform is built entirely in the UK and designed for complete peace of mind. Every site meets stringent compliance requirements, including:
- WCAG 2.2 AA: Automatically on all pages
- GDPR: Built-in data protection alignment
- gov.uk standards: Meeting parish council requirements
- Mobile responsiveness: 100% responsive designs every time
This foundation allows users to focus on serving their communities rather than wrestling with compliance checklists.
How does HugoFox handle customer support?
Our support model is hands-on, 24/7, and human. We remove friction so our users can focus on serving their communities. This isn’t typical chatbot support—it’s genuine human assistance from people who understand the unique challenges facing community organisations. Whether you’re a parish clerk managing planning applications or a charity coordinator updating event information, help is always available whenever you need it.
What’s next for HugoFox?
We’ve begun work on our largest update yet. The goal is clear: deliver the most capable, simple, and coherent website-builder ecosystem for community-focused organisations worldwide. While I can’t share specifics yet, it’s clear we’re not resting on our success but continuing to innovate for our community base. Comprehensive improvements will roll out for all existing customers, staying true to our build-once ethos.
Why does the “Build Once” philosophy work so well?
Traditionally, website building involves multiple steps:
- Design for desktop
- Manually adjust for mobile
- Check accessibility compliance
- Review GDPR requirements
- Optimise for search engines
- Test across different browsers
We collapse this into a single step. Build once, and the platform handles the rest automatically. This isn’t just about convenience—it’s about reliability and repeatability. When compliance is fully automated, there’s no room for human error.
What’s the bottom line for community organisations?
For parish councils, charities, clubs, and small businesses, HugoFox offers something unique: a website builder designed specifically for UK community needs. The combination of automatic compliance, specialist features like the Planning Tracker, and genuine UK-based human support creates a platform that understands users’ challenges.
Whether you’re a parish council, a grassroots club, a charity, or a small business, your website should be a help and never a headache.
Key takeaways:
- Build-once philosophy eliminates multiple compliance steps
- Free for UK charities with no advertising or hidden costs
- Planning Tracker designed specifically for parish councils
- 24/7 human support from people who understand community needs
- 100% UK-built platform designed for UK compliance requirements
For community organisations tired of wrestling with website complexity, HugoFox is a refreshingly straightforward alternative. Compliance is on autopilot so you can focus on what matters most: serving your community.
Ready to see HugoFox in action? Visit
hugofox.com to explore their community-focused website builder with a 30-day free trial, or sign up for free if you’re a UK-registered charity.
