A BUSINESS described as “one of Bedale’s best-kept secrets” has expanded its base in the North Yorkshire town.

KNW Training established itself in a single office there in 2006 but has now expanded to takeover the whole of Archway House, North End.

Rishi Sunak, MP for Richmond (Yorks), opened its extended offices and met managing director Mike John and his team.

Twelve people now work for the company which grew out of Mr John’s extensive experience as a marketing and management consultant.

KNW today provides health and safety-related training services, both practical and theoretical across the UK . Its clients include the Environment Agency, Forestry England, Network Rail and the Canal and Rivers Trust and the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust.

Mr John said KNW had moved to Bedale from Lancashire for a variety of family and business reasons but it had proved to be an excellent location for recruiting high-quality staff.

He said: “Because we primarily work across the country, not many people in Bedale know we are here and what we do. But we have found it a great place to be in business, particularly for recruiting and retaining our excellent staff.”

Mr John said the company had remained active throughout the pandemic but was very grateful for the range of Government economic support measures which had been “hugely helpful”.

KNW had adapted to meet the need of companies during the past year, delivering more e-learning courses and remote training and assessments.

Mr Sunak said it was good to hear of a leading UK business doing well in a small market town like Bedale.

He added: “What Mike John and his team have achieved here is tremendous and testament to how businesses like this can develop and grow here in North Yorkshire.”