As someone who was born in Whitehaven, grew up in Whitehaven, and worked in Whitehaven and the surrounding area I must say to you James, the answer is many businesses cry out for faster broadband.

I moved out of the area because the nature of the work that i do (I.T.) requires me to be able to provide support to a number of businesses throughout the UK & Beyond.

The key thing to note about the majority of the business to which i provide I.T. support, is that they all rely heavily on the internet, and a high speed broadband connection is essential.

Fast internet would suit an area like Copeland extremely well - even if it was just initially limited to Whitehaven, with Westlakes Science Park to follow.

The reasons it would suit the area well, are that the internet enables companies to compete with other companies anywhere in the world, or for that matter, anywhere in the UK, and currently unless you work at that nuclear site down t' road, there is a good chance you earn an income lower than the national average for the type of job that you do.

Creative Digital Industries tend to work very well when they have access to the Internet.

Another thing I would love to be able to buy from Whitehaven via the internet is the local produce - Sadly my favourite local butcher - Wils Hambling - does not deliver to Gloucestershire - but you can't order from them online via the internet either.

If you want to know what's been killing shops in Whitehaven for all these years, I will tell you, it's not the Council's increasingly high business rates i would argue excessive - it's the internet.

Now, just remind yourself one thing.

If Whitehaven folk can't order stuff online from Whitehaven, nobody can.

How absurd are the comments regarding the benefits of having the place booming because of the broadband speed,are you seriously telling me their are 140 businesses sitting waiting for this before they can start,i think it has more to do with financial matters starting a business not whether the internet is good,just because the some of the locals look stupid please don't insult our intellegence and assume we are.

wheres the proof it will create jobs and a boom what a load of rubbish,i would think a descent rail, road or harbour would be priority,not pie in the sky broadband,i can just see the companys in the meeting"oh yes lets go to whitehaven we can get on the internet quicker",ye wonderfull business thinking no wonder the town is resembling a 3rd world ghetto.

Lets just hope that CBC and CCC don't have anything to do with this