Smart move as Castle Howard leads the broadband revolution

Castle Howard, which is arguably best known as the setting for the TV drama series Brideshead Revisited, is leading a broadband revolution which should help rural businesses to compete with their city-based rivals.

The 18th century stately home has joined forces with NYNet, a public and private sector commercial venture which aims to improve internet access in remote parts of North Yorkshire.

Castle Howard is participating in The Smart Parks project, which will demonstrate the economic advantages of offering high-speed, broadband internet access to tenants on rural business parks.

The Smart Parks project will begin with a project to provide high speed broadband services to Sycamore Business Park in Ripon, Park Farm Courtyard at Castle Howard, near Malton, and the Middlethorpe Business Park in York.

The business park at Castle Howard has eight units, with the space for two more.

So far, just one unit is occupied by a software distributor who needs high-speed broadband.

Castle Howard's IT manager, Miles Gaynor, has big plans for the site. Once broadband is established in the Park Farm Courtyard he plans to beam a wireless connection to the house, caravan park, shops and concert venue.

Mr Gaynor said: "Improved broadband provision will make a massive difference to Castle Howard.

"We are in discussions with NYNet to support its community broadband project by beaming a wireless connection out to neighbouring villages, allowing residents to 'piggy back' on our network, opening up their communication opportunities."

The Hon Simon Howard, whose family has owned Castle Howard for more than 300 years, said: "I believe in the continuous development of North Yorkshire to ensure we are able to compete with the rest of the UK."

He said it was vital to provide a strong broadband provision to the region's residents, and the public and private sectors.