One of the region's longest established video production businesses is planning a string of satellite bases - to cater for the "village" mind-set of city-based clients.

Worcestershire-based DRP - which is also a prominent events management company - has opened a new site in central London to support the video side of the operation.

Managing director and founder of the Hartleburyb ased business, Dale Parmenter, said he had mixed feelings about diversifying from the rural base.

He said: "It's sad in some ways but its also exciting. We're rapidly expanding and we had to decide whether to do that in Hartlebury or elsewhere.

"Companies in cities are increasingly seeking a personal touch from people based a cab ride away, or just around the corner. It's like a business village attitude and it happens in London and other cities.

"We're actively looking at setting up further offices: perh aps in Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow and even Birmingham where the mindset is the same."

The new premises in Soho Square houses office space as well as an up-to-date High Definition video editing suite, with investment in technology coming in at around £100,000.

The video side of the business has a turnover of about £1.5 million a year.

Mr Parmenter launched DRP 26 years ago and the video production. The new media and web-based commutations specialist was among the first to operate in the field.

The business, which will remain based in Hartlebury, also hosts events across the world for a range of clients including Sainsbury's and Thomas Cooke.

Mr Parmenter said, in that field, people were less concerned where the business was based.

He said: "It doesn't matter in the same way. But with video production, and the the range of delivery systems now available people want the personal touch."

DRP's video output largely targets corporate internal c ommunications for big businesses.

Mr Parmenter said he hoped both that arm and the events side of the business would be vying for a place in the top five nationally within three years DRP employs 36 people and Mr Parmenter said he would be looking to roughly double that number as new offices open.

The new video suite in London will see three members of staff taken on.

Mr Parmenter said: "While many companies are currently moving out of the capital, we believe a move into central London is a huge leap forward as it establishes us as a national company and will allow us to compete strongly on both the broadcast and corporate markets.

"The new facility already has its first corporate video work booked in with a major supermarket chain."

The business overall has recently ploughed in around £400,000 on technology, largely to introduce and support High Definition (HD) technology.

The kit which will be used for the production of corporate film projects.

High Definition is a form of transmission that produces much higher quality visuals.