Internet revolution to boost economy of Dales

The vast rural areas of the Dales are at the forefront of a pioneering scheme to bring superfast broadband to countryside communities in the hope of attracting new businesses.

The increased internet speeds are seen as key to encouraging the next generation of enterprise to broaden North Yorkshire’s rural economy from the traditional sectors of farming and tourism.

Senior figures in the Dales Business Forum have told the Yorkshire Post that there is a growing need to look towards widening the economic base while also developing existing businesses.

An annual business showcase will be held this month in Middleham when representatives from dozens of firms will meet to discuss developing strategies to capitalise on the arrival of superfast broadband. The Business in the Dales Conference will also highlight the importance of launching publicity campaigns on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter to reach out to new customers in the digital age.

The event is being organised by the Dales Business Forum, which represents 250 members from four business associations in the area, and last year’s conference saw more than 80 delegates attend from a wide range of sectors, including farming and tourism as well as finance, IT and retail.

The Dales Business Forum’s chairman, Colin Bailey, is the managing director of a project management firm, Creative Knowledge Management Services, which has provided support to a range of firms in the Dales.

He said: “It is important that the full plethora of business opportunities are taken advantage of while the key sectors are protected. If the economy of the Dales is diversified further, then it will become more resilient.

“It is about finding new markets and building on repeat custom that has been created throughout the years, and looking to beyond just the day-to-day running of the business. Dales businesses are often perceived as quite traditional, but we want to ensure that they are making full use of the technology that is available.”

The conference’s delegates will be given advice on building business through major annual tourism events, such as the Dales Festival of Food and Drink in Leyburn, the Swaledale Festival and long-running agricultural shows throughout the Dales.

The arrival of the Tour De France in Yorkshire when the Grand Départ is held in the region in July next year is also seen as an unrivalled opportunity to help bolster the Dales economy. The race is expected to attract two million spectators and 2,000 journalists from around world, bringing an estimated £100m boost for the region. The route will set off from Leeds to Harrogate on July 5 next year, before starting in York and finishing in Sheffield the following day.

The keynote speaker at the Business in the Dales conference will be the chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, Gary Verity, who played an instrumental role in the winning bid to bring the world’s largest annual sporting event to the region.

The Business in the Dales conference will take place at the Key Centre in Middleham on April 23. More information is available at www.inthedales.co.uk/TheConference.aspx or by calling Mr Bailey on 07711 211169.

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