Google’s Digital Garage completes seven month residency at Leeds Dock

Google’s first ever Digital Garage venture has completed a successful seven month stint at the Leeds Dock enterprise village.

Allied London, which manages Leeds Dock, and its subsidiary company Hello Work have partnered with Google over the past seven months to deliver the Digital Garage concept, a programme of face-to-face training and mentoring for small businesses and individuals in Leeds, designed to improve their digital knowledge.

Altogether, 3000 businesses have visited the site to attend seminars and one-to-one sessions. Google had planned to run the Digital Garage for six months, but extended this to seven months due to the ongoing interest and demand from the Leeds community.

Michael Ingall, chief executive of Allied London, said: “When Google were looking for a site for their first ever Digital Garage they came to us and shared our vision, so we partnered them with our Hello Work platform to create the space and we are delighted with the successes over the last eight months.

“We have a clear vision for Leeds Dock as an enterprise village for leading media, technology and creative companies as well as entrepreneurs and independents. We are creating the new work/life destination for Leeds with a year-round programme of events, exciting restaurants and bars, personal fitness facilities and a thriving community boardwalk. The success of Google’s Digital Garage has been a brilliant catalyst for this activity.

“We wish Google every success with their other Digital Garages in other UK cities as the rotation programme continues. We will re-invent the Digital Garage for our new Hello Work workspace, which will continue to support small businesses and enterprise across Leeds and the North”

Leeds Dock will open its doors to Sky@Leeds Dock in December, which will see Sky’s new technology hub create up to 400 highly skilled jobs at the cutting edge of digital technology.

Bringing a total of 600 employees down to the Leeds Dock enterprise village by April 2016, Sky’s new campus facility will be supported by a programme of events that will be organised and delivered by Allied London, Hello Work and Sky’s own events team.

In addition, Allied London has invested heavily in improving the infrastructure and transport links to the Leeds Dock and the wider South Bank area, and has worked with the Council to create a new direct bus route and a free water taxi service.

Michael Ingall from Allied London concluded: “We are looking forward to the next chapter at Leeds Dock and to creating an international landmark for enterprise in the North. Leeds Dock will continue to evolve over the next two years, with us looking to bring our XYZ workspace concept from Manchester to Leeds by the end of 2017.”

Sky will join existing companies EE and Epiphany who are already based at Leeds Dock’s enterprise village, as well as a number of incoming TMT and creative industries businesses that will be welcomed to the village in 2016.

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