NORTHUMBERLAND enterprise agency NBSL has won the contract to manage the Berwick WorkSpace incubator.

The county council has awarded the group an initial 12-month contract, with an option to extend for a further two years.

Jarrow-based Tedco ran the centre for its first three years, but did not win the contract when it came up for renewal.

Tedco chief executive Doug Scott said “We have worked hard to make a positive change in Berwick. From the latter stages of the building design and its fit-out to the recruitment of local people and from the development of strong management systems to our efforts to work with people in many parts of the Berwick community.

“I am proud of what the staff have achieved and we greatly enjoyed our three years in Berwick. I wish the businesses, staff and community every success in the future.”

The centre, the first major commercial build in the town centre for quarter of a century, is currently 80% full with 23 firms in the building.

It fulfilled its initial aims of attracting business from outside Northumberland into Berwick, including firms from Yorkshire, Milton Keynes, Reston in Scotland and Spain occupying offices.

During its initial three years, WorkSpace has created 93 new jobs, and won several awards including the United Kingdom Business Incubation (UKBI) Best New Business Incubator award and a Silver Rose Award for Regeneration.

It was also awarded the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Award for Regeneration and was the only incubator in Northumberland to achieve the Inspire award for the quality of its management systems.