Caroline Spelman MP and Secretary of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) visited Oakwood Park Business Centre a Smart Park on the outskirts of Harrogate during the first of the Government’s new Rural Roadshows.
The Environment Secretary stopped off at the business centre, for the launch of Go ON North Yorkshire, which is part of a national campaign to promote take-up of internet and online services.
Caroline Spelman said: “Getting superfast broadband to rural areas inNorth Yorkshirewill make a vast difference to local people and businesses and how they communicate with the online world. The business centre in Bishop Thornton is a perfect example of how access to broadband can transformYorkshirebusinesses.
Alan Cryer with Caroline Spleman MP
Alan Cryer, owner of Oakwood Park Business Centre said ‘We are delighted to have been recognised by the Minister as a successful ruralSmartPark. She seemed very impressed by our facilities and the quality of the tenants we are now able to attract due to our complete service offering. I really feel that the park has everything to offer today’s technology savvy business and we are looking forward to what lies ahead. We are already expanding our floor space to accommodate small and medium size enterprises, which will be available in the Spring.’
During her visit, the Minister visited some ofOakwoodPark’s tenants to see how they have benefitted from the high-speed broadband, which was installed under the Smart Park Initiative. Representatives from four of the companies, Sofas & Stuff, Take That Ltd, Amco Developments and Carefound spoke with the Minister to reiterate that having the type of connection available atOakwoodParkis vital to their business operations.
Amco Developments, which specialise in commercial property developments recently moved toOakwoodParkfrom Wetherby. Paul Heap, Director of Amco Developments said ‘At Oakwood Park we have been able to take full advantage of the locational benefits, the centre has excellent business facilities and the fast broadband allows us to operate effectively, as if we were in a major city centre, but without the city centre costs.’
Caroline Spelman’s visit comes at a time whenNorth Yorkshireis forging ahead in its effort to break down barriers to rural economic growth by supporting the county’s business community and residents.
The Smart Parks project was set up by a partnership between NYnet and York & North Yorkshire Ltd, to demonstrate the economic advantage to the region of offering high-speed, next generation broadband to tenants on business parks, usually only found in city centres. To date the initiative has connected five business parks across the region with tenants taking advantage of the benefits of high speed broadband.
