A NOT-FOR-PROFIT business centre which has just welcomed a new tenant, hopes to attract more with its future plans.

The Work Place, on Aycliffe Business Park, was set up more than a decade ago by Jane Ritchie using the bulk of a £9m inheritance.

The site accommodates a number of small businesses and organisations and provides training, interview, seminar. networking, meeting and conference facilities.

It is now home to eight businesses– Baltic Recruitment, BritGrocer, Durham SCITT, High Impact Development/The Emotional Intelligence Company, Patrick Lonergan Recruitment, Pioneering Care Partnership’s ROAD Team, The Progression Team (Durham County Council) and Warrens Group.

One of its newest tenants is High Impact Development/The Emotional Intelligence Company.

For more than 20 years, it has supported business owners, entrepreneurs and managers to lead their people and businesses to higher performance and success.

It boasts a roster of regional, national and international clients including Hitachi Rail Europe, AlixPartners and BAE Systems.

It recently secured its biggest ever deal, an international contract to deliver leadership coaching with 180 global leaders which has been extended by 12 months to 2020.

Company founder Gary Hosey said: “The Work Place has been a brilliant move for us and the whole team have welcomed us and helped with pretty much every request we’ve needed. It was a strategic move for us to upgrade office facilities for our team and The Work Place more than delivers on this aspect, with superfast broadband as standard and great offices. We also need regular access to meeting and training rooms for workshops, which include our EQi Certifications for emotional Intelligence. The last one we had people from all over the UK and one delegate from the Netherlands. We couldn’t be more delighted with having our HQ at The Work Place, if you’re considering taking an office on Aycliffe Business Park, Angela and her team provide a world class service, come see for yourself."

Angela Wilkinson, business manager of The Work Place, said: "We are delighted to welcome High Impact Development to The Work Place. Eight businesses have now made their home here. In the modern environment we offer, it’s great to see each business using their space to reflect their company culture and working practice. It also shows how flexible the building can be in creating different working areas that work best for individual businesses."

She said The Work Place has launched a virtual office service and plans to soon open a business lounge and offer shared office working space. She said: "We are proud of the building and want to offer our facilities to as many businesses as possible."

For details on The Work Place's facilities call 01325-375900 or visit twpa.org.uk/office-services