Business leaders, politicians and members of the @TheDock tech community have come together to celebrate a decade of regeneration at the once-derelict site on the city’s waterfront.
the £22m @TheDock has become the focal point and flagship for the city’s tech sector, bringing a previously fragmented community together, and has been the catalyst for the growth of dozens of digital businesses and creation of hundreds of highly-skilled jobs.
It has also enabled traditional companies to collaborate with innovative digital start-up and scale-up ventures to embrace technology.
At the same time, @TheDock has played a major role in the transformation of the Fruit Market into a thriving urban village, which is now home to hundreds of residents and an array of independent shops, restaurants, bars and galleries.
The development has been led by regeneration specialist Wykeland Group and was kick-started by the opening of the flagship Centre for Digital Innovation (C4DI).
When plans were first mooted for C4DI, the question was asked “can Hull sustain a tech incubator?” Ten years later, and with the @TheDock campus expected to be home to 1,000 employees when the final building is fully occupied, the answer is a resounding “yes”.
Wykeland MD Dominic Gibbons said: “The opening of the final @TheDock building completes a story of sustained investment and development, which has seen a derelict site transformed into a hub of innovation and collaboration.
“When we first began this project, the tech community in Hull was disparate. We wanted to create a place where tech specialists could come together and spark ideas, to help traditional businesses embrace technological change and drive economic growth.
“This development is the result of so many people, businesses and organisations working collaboratively together to create a thriving tech campus recognised as one of the most successful anywhere in the UK.
“We’re incredibly proud to see what @TheDock has become and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of the businesses and partners who have been part of this journey.”
