North Yorkshire town benefits from £3m free public wi-fi scheme

The historic market town of Richmond is the latest destination to benefit from the introduction of free public access Wi-Fi as part of a £3m funding scheme.

North Yorkshire County Council, in partnership with NYnet Ltd, is rolling out the scheme in 16 market towns across the county in a bid to support recovery and growth for communities and businesses.

A £3m investment was awarded by the York & North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership as part of its allocation from the government’s Getting Building Fund.

The Green Howards Museum, which sits in the old Trinity Church in the centre of Richmond market place, hopes the Wi-Fi roll-out will enhance visitor experience to the town.

Fiona Hall, communications and commercial manager, said: “Anything which helps people get the most out of their visit to Richmond is welcome! The free Wi-Fi service will help visitors find out about the many attractions they can explore; from checking out websites and planning the day ahead to finding your way round.”

County Councillor Don Mackenzie, executive member for access, said: “Providing free Wi-Fi in our more rural towns, such as Richmond, is really important in keeping residents connected as well as allowing tourists to make the most of the town’s offering.

“The project demonstrates our commitment to improving the county’s digital infrastructure as we continue to recover from the pandemic.”

David Dickson, chair of the York & North Yorkshire local enterprise partnership infrastructure & joint assets board, said: “The region has ambitions to be greener, fairer and stronger as we navigate the pandemic and schemes like this will help us get there.

“Digital connectivity is vital to enable good economic growth, so we’re really pleased to see the continued progress of the Wi-Fi roll-out.”