A KEIGHLEY company has moved to new premises as part of a £350,000 expansion.

Keybury Fire and Security has relocated to a 4,000 sq ft site – virtually twice the size of its previous base – at the town’s Worth Enterprise Park, in Valley Road.

And new jobs are in the pipeline.

The firm had operated from a building in Skipton Road for the past 25 years.

“We had long outgrown those headquarters due to rapid expansion and had been on the lookout for new premises for two years," said managing director, Frank Gee.

"We could have moved out of town, but wanted to stay in Keighley because it has been our home for more than 30 years and the majority of our admin staff live in the town."

He founded the firm with his wife Tricia, who is also a director, in 1982.

The company, one of the region’s longest established independent family-run fire and security outfits, has seen continued growth across all its sectors – fire and intruder alarms and CCTV.

It has a network of regional offices in Skipton, Ilkley, Harrogate and York and operates across Yorkshire, Lancashire and the north-west.

Its head office is also home to the Alert Innovation Group, which undertakes specialist security work in the UK shopping centre and water utilities sectors.

Keybury, which has a 50-strong workforce, is on target to achieve a £4 million-plus group turnover in the current financial year.

Last year the company won the small to medium-sized business-of-the-year title in the Keighley Business Awards, and it is involved in several community and charitable activities.

It sponsors a junior football league and management and staff tackle annual fundraising challenges, mainly in aid of Oxenhope Sue Ryder hospice Manorlands.

Mr Gee added that the company remained "tremendously proud" of its Keighley roots.

"We purposely used only local contractors to refit and refurbish our new building so keeping money circulating in the local economy," he said.

"We are now extremely well equipped to respond to future opportunities and challenges.”

The new premises were officially opened by Keighley MP Kris Hopkins.

He said: "Keybury Fire & Security remains one of Keighley’s best known and most progressive companies and its desire to remain in its home town – plus its use of local contractors on the relocation project – can only be applauded and held aloft as a shining example of best practice," he said.

"I wish them every success in the future.”