CRUISE travel specialist Sealand Cruising is to move into new corporate headquarters as part of an expansion drive in which the company will tackle mainland Europe and the US.

The company has plans to open satellite operations abroad to cope with the growing demand for cruise holidays.

Sealand has completed a deal to move from its town centre base in Richmond, North Yorkshire, to the former telephone exchange building in nearby Brompton-on-Swale.

The move will give Sealand 7,000sq ft of office space, where it has ambitions to create the biggest independent cruise centre in the UK.

As well as continuing with the core business of selling cruises, the company will also rent out 3,000sq ft of the space for conference and boardroom facilities, which can be used by other companies.

There are also plans for a cruise training facility at the site.

Managing director Ray Merry said: "With the growth of the company at its current pace, we were left with no option but to find alternative premises.

"The new site in Brompton will not only allow us to continue to expand at the current rate for many years to come, but will also give us the opportunity to offer other businesses the conference and boardroom facilities.

"The offices will also be the centre of operations for the company's planned expansion into mainland Europe and the USA, with five international offices expected to be opened in the next two years.

"We plan to utilise the training facilities ourselves, in particular for training outside agencies on our new Cruise Solver software.

"Also the proximity of the site to the A1 and the private parking facilities will make it an ideal venue for businesses to hold conferences, board meetings, product launches and the like in an unusual but convenient setting."

The company expects the move to be completed by early October following internal works on the building.

Published: 03/08/2004