A SOUTH Lakeland business is on a mission to get people surfing the Internet by making more PCs available to the public.

Ignetics Ltd already has 21 computer terminals at 15 sites spread across the Lakes, but now wants to roll out the service nationwide.

The Windermere firm has set a target of 100 sites this year, and is eyeing Scotland as the next region ripe for expansion.

It is scrapping a £175 standard installation charge and plans to supply PCs free of charge at new sites ranging from hotels and information centres to tourist attractions, garden centres and caravan parks, whose customers and staff can then buy time on the computer.

In return for hosting the PC, site owners retain 60 per cent of the takings with Ignetics pocketing the rest. The business keeps ownership of the PCs and carries out any maintenance work.

Ignetics has developed the software to run the system, which allows people to buy time surfing the Internet using a pre-paid smart card.

Daniel Shaw, a director of Ignetics, has high hopes for the new venture and has already taken delivery of 30 computers from America to start the ball rolling.

He says one of the benefits for hotels and other hosts is that they can use the PC for business use when customers are not working online. "I believe this is unique there is nothing else like it," said Mr Shaw, who saw Ignetics spin-off from his other computer business, Triarom, last October. He runs it with fellow directors Hadleigh Ruddick and Marion Kenyon.

Ignetics has been working closely with the entrepreneurial unit at Lancaster University, which is lending marketing support to the venture.

Mr Shaw said having a PC offering Internet access had proved a boon to Windermere tourist information centre, while the Dot caf in Kendal's Westmorland shopping Centre had installed four consoles.

By offering fast Internet access via broadband, it was in

demand from youngsters playing online computer games, said Mr Shaw.

He opened Cumbria's first Internet caf in Bowness, and was keen to expand Internet business but did not want to run a chain of cafes.

Now he hopes to cash in on the nation's growing obsession with surfing the Net.

May 8, 2003 13:30