A rural technology park owned by the ancestors of one of the pioneers of the Industrial Revolution has become one of the first in the region to get high speed broadband.
Hatton Technology Park – previously known as Nunhold Business Centre – is owned by Johnnie Arkwright, whose ancestor Sir Richard Arkwright made the technological breakthrough with the Spinning Jenny that led to his building the first factory in the world in 1770.
“The lack of high-speed Internet access in rural areas is a big national issue. We are making a significant investment and the response by prospective occupiers has been fantastic. It’s a real breakthrough,” said Mr Arkwright.
The 20 office suites – ranging from 400 sq ft to 4,800 ft - are situated in former Victorian farm buildings on the 700-acre Hatton Estate (home to Hatton Country World), which was bought by Sir Richard Arkwright’s grandson Peter in 1836.
Tenant Neil Davis of Davis IT Solutions has recently moved from a starter-office on the site to larger premises. “I’ve been on the park for four years and during that time we have doubled both our turnover and our staff. The high-speed broadband has been critical to our decision to stay.”
