Following a business growth grant of more than £11,000, White Digital transformed Darlington’s former Sloan’s Billiard Room into a new office space.
Since moving into its new premises last Spring, the agency has been able to take on 11 additional employees with and welcome nearly 100 new clients, doubling its turnover thanks to the increased capacity.
We spoke to Managing Director, Douglas Dinwiddie, to find out more.
Working in a busy marketplace in the Digital and Creative sector, Douglas explained that he wanted a physical space that would reflect White Digital’s brand and help the business stand out from the crowd. Complete with bar and original features, the former Sloan’s Billiard Room on Grange Road was the ideal location.
Douglas said: “Our quirky office has bounds of personality dating back to 1907. We have kept all its original features, from its Victorian tiles to its working bar, and we can’t think of anywhere we’d rather be!
“When we got the keys, it was very much still an unused bar environment. We used the grant to fund a full refurbishment, going from an empty bar to a full working office. This included new carpets, furniture, equipment, decorating, creating a boardroom and any maintenance works that were needed.”
As a SME founded in Darlington, supporting the local community and playing an active role in local business networks has been key to the business’s success.
Creating valuable employment opportunities for local people was key for Douglas. He said: “We are passionate about our local area and we continue to recruit locally. Since receiving the business growth grant, we have been able to employ a further six members of staff, with roles ranging from senior management to junior developers and an account manager.”
As well as creating local employment opportunities, White Digital is using its new space to create a unique hub for the business community.
“Grange Road is a real community. We are super passionate about networking and coming together with the local community and wanted to create a space that allowed this. The refurbishment has allowed us to create an office like no other, with a fully working bar and a space to host existing and prospective clients. Its quirky features are always a talking point at networking events and between employees.”
The Tees Valley Business Growth Fund is receiving support from the European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2020-2023.
To find out more about White Digital, click here to visit the website.
