Agricultural businesses across Cumbria are benefiting from improved digital infrastructure, with 96 per cent of properties county-wide now able to access superfast broadband speeds of at least 30Mbps and 74 per cent able to access gigabit-capable speeds.
The Connecting Cumbria programme, backed by significant investment, aims to expand coverage even further.
Councillor Peter Thornton, cabinet member for highways and ICT at Westmorland and Furness Council, said: “Significant progress has been made in improving online connectivity in rural areas across Cumbria.
“It is amazing how far we have come since 2012, when less than 15 per cent of Cumbria properties could access a broadband service of at least 30Mbps.”
The improvements are already making an impact on the ground.
Joseph Kidd of Briggle Farm in Langwathby said: “This is the first year Briggle Farm will be opening up to the public, giving them the opportunity to wander through vibrant flowers, handpick their own blooms, and carry home a piece of Cumbria’s beauty.
“Having a good online connection has definitely supported us in getting this project off the ground.”
He said the arrival of gigabit broadband has transformed the farm’s operations.
He said: “The arrival of gigabit broadband speeds at Briggle Farm has been a real game changer in terms of what we can access, what we can offer, and the benefits and efficiencies it has driven within all aspects of our business, both public facing and behind the scenes.”
Other farm businesses are seeing similar benefits.
Angus Hodgson of Midtown Farm Milkhouse in Caldbeck said: “Being online is really important to our business, and having a faster, more reliable broadband service gave us the confidence to really focus on the online side of things.
“Enhanced connectivity, for us, has created many opportunities allowing our business to grow in the way it has.”
The Connecting Cumbria team continues to support digital upgrades through the UK Government’s Project Gigabit scheme, which aims to deliver gigabit-capable broadband to more than 52,000 properties by 2027.
Gigabit coverage across Cumbria is expected to exceed 97 per cent by 2028.