HAMPSHIRE businessman Roy Haywood and fellow entrepreneur Ray Bulpit are out to woo high-flying hi-tech businesses away from the affluent M4 corridor.

The pair, directors of the Southwell business Park at Portland, have mounted a hard-hitting campaign to spell out potential benefits to be had from relocating or setting up satellite operations on Portland.

Their bait is an extensive range of quality offices, industrial, workshop and storage buildings at costs around 75 per cent less than comparable space in the Thames Valley.

They bought the former defence research establishment at Portland in 1997 and have already turned it into home for almost 90 businesses, employing around 400 people.

Managing director Mr Haywood, who lives at Warsash, said: "With 20 businesses moving in during the last five months and now occupying some 15,000 sq ft and a similar amount taken up in the same period by existing tenants for expansion, growth continues apace.

"We expect to attract at least another 40 businesses to this unique and thriving business community during the next two years.''

They hired Meridian television presenter Fred Dinenage to front a 12-minute video which is being mailed to target businesses in affluent expanding regions like the Thames Valley where rent, uniform business rates and payroll costs are high and workforce availability limited.

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