Minister announces £3.5m to boost Cumbria’s economy

FARMING minister Jim Paice has announced a £3.5m package of support for Cumbria to hopefully create 500 new businesses and 900 jobs.

Cumbria is one of five regions to benefit from a Rural Growth Network, set up to help rural areas overcome the barriers to economic growth such as a shortage of business premises and poor broadband access.

Mr Paice announced the funding on his Rural Roadshow to Cumbria, where he met a number of businesses and spoke at a dairy farming conference.

He visited the Blencathra Business Centre in Keswick, which will be transformed into eight new work premises with business services including one-to-one business advice, online training, networking opportunities and access to super-fast broadband.

Blencathra is one of the Rural Growth Network’s ‘enterprise hubs’ planned for rural areas across Cumbria, which will deliver business support to a range of sectors, including food and drink, adventure sports and digital and creative enterprises. 

To date, a total of 76 new work premises are planned for the county.

Mr Paice said: “There are particular challenges to running a business in a remote area.  Too often, business people are held back by not being able to find work premises, having no access to superfast broadband, or being unable to expand their skills without travelling into a city.

“The Rural Growth Network will take down these barriers to growth and enable local businesses to turn their ambitions into reality.”

As well as meeting local farmers, councils and local enterprise partnerships, on his Rural Roadshow, Mr Paice had meetings with the region’s two Rural and Farming Networks.

He also visited The Lake District Creamery, which is part of Scottish company First Milk, and which produces Lake District Cheddar – a fast-growing brand.

More than £15m has been invested in the creamery in Aspatria in the last two years to improve efficiencies.

The cheddar cheese made there is also gaining international exposure as part of an export deal to supply Emirates Airlines with snack-size cheddar portions, for passengers, on its international flights.

Mr Paice said: “With global demand for Western food soaring, the British dairy industry has huge potential to prosper, and First Milk is grabbing the opportunities with both hands. They’re showing how an added-value, export-led business strategy, focussing on investment and innovation, can drive significant returns for farmers and the wider economy.”