A NORTH Yorkshire smoke house plans to double its production following a £250,000 expansion.

Bleiker's Family Smoke House, which produces 150 tonnes of smoked fish and meat a year, underwent a refurbishment programme after taking extra space at its premises at Glasshouses, near Harrogate.

The extra space, which includes a £70,000 computerised kiln, will increase production and be used to develop new products, such as salmon cured with beetroot and dill, and smoked with apple wood.

Owners Swiss-born Jurg Bleiker and his wife, Jane, were helped by Business Link North Yorkshire to obtain a £16,500 grant from Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Mrs Bleiker said: "The additional factory space means we can forge ahead with our plans to grow the business, develop new products and expand into export markets.

"Business Link has been instrumental in helping us manage the financial risk involved, while maintaining a healthy cash-flow."