A 'MASSIVE' refurbishment programme is attracting new tenants to an Otley business centre.

A £500,000 investment and rebranding scheme was carried out at Wharfebank Mills - formerly Wharfebank Business Centre - last year.

Since 2017 the riverside site has been run by property management company Atkinson Associates on behalf of Talisman Properties (Otley) Limited.

Atkinson Associates says lots of businesses have been moving in during the first half of 2018, with ten companies arriving since January.

A spokeswoman said: "When the previous business centre was sold to the current landlords at the end of 2016 a massive programme of refurbishment and rebranding works began that have breathed new life into this old industrial site.

"Keen to retain the heritage of the mill, the new landlords have kept significant features that refer to the buildings’ past, while ensuring the offices and communal areas are attractive to today’s commercial offices to rent market.

"There has been an influx of businesses choosing to relocate to Wharfebank Mills in the first half of 2018, with companies even moving out of the suburbs of Leeds to base themselves in Otley.

"Companies have been rejecting city bound traffic congestion and high parking costs in favour of a more peaceful journey to work and free parking on site.

"Otley Mills, as it used to be known locally, was the major employer in the town from the mid-18th Century and it is a boon to this pretty market town that it continues to provide employability to the local community in the 21st Century."

The company has also been striving to ensure that the Mills plays an active role in local community by providing sponsorship for events and groups.

It has worked with Otley Chamber of Trade and Otley BID, too, and is keen to support other local businesses via social media - most recently by giving Otley Boats a plug on Twitter.

It says Wharfebank Mills’ proximity to Leeds, Bradford and Harrogate makes the site an attractive proposition as it means companies can enjoy the benefits of a semi-rural location while still being well connected.

The mills also have a dedicated fibre optic line, to ensure all of its tenants have access to high speed internet connections, along with an on-site restaurant.