The first tenants at west Watford’s £25 million business park have said trade is good but more units need filling as we approach a year since it opened.  

Based in Faraday Close near Morrisons, the site was unveiled last December to the delight of mayor Peter Taylor, who said it “will support more jobs in our area and growth for our town”.

Though take up of the spaces at the site hasn’t been immediate – with 10 of the 14 units currently empty – those that are there say custom is strong and are hopeful more will join them soon.

Watford Business ParkWatford Business Park (Image: Matthew Evans) Brian O’Leary, co-director of LockCo, said: “It’s definitely going in the right direction considering there’s only a few of us.

“There’s more business coming to the area and our footfall coming into the shop is much higher as well.”

The 44-year-old’s security company opened there three months ago and he’s noticed a “good bond” developing between the people working there.

Brian O'LearyBrian O'Leary (Image: Matthew Evans) However, despite saying that it’s already “starting to feel like an economic hub”, Brian would like to see more tenants move in soon.

He said: “We definitely want more people inside the units. Having them filled out, would improve the park.”

It’s a sentiment echoed by another of the site’s four operators, Caribbean deli and kitchen Funky Elephant, which opened this month.

Ayesha Nurse – who runs the business with her daughter – said seeing more companies at the park would but great, though she understands why some of them are empty.

She said: “To be honest you’d have to be a big player to take those on; they’re 7,000 square feet and they come with a hefty price.”

Ayesha Nurse and her daughterAyesha Nurse and her daughter (Image: Matthew Evans)

Equipped with solar panels, electric car charging points and cycle storage, at the park’s launch Watford Borough Council boasted it would soon achieve a BREEAM ‘very good’ sustainability rating.

For Funky Elephant, this eco-consciousness was a key attraction: “It is a business park with a difference and a new way for working from a warehouse.”

Ayesha has been pleased with trade in the first week and said that among the restaurant’s clientele are celebrities including Alesha Dixon and Marvin and Rochelle Humes.  

“Obviously when things are new, people are curious,” she said. “And that’s when you need to capture them because you’ve got one chance.”

Though the Watford Observer noted a number of customers at the new deli, no singers nor talent show judges were among them.

A Greggs café is also part of the business park, and D Tiles – a hardware company – is set to open its store there soon.