EXPERTS from internet giant Google will be in Eden on Friday to give local businesses a masterclass in using the internet to turbo-charge their growth.

The Google team will set up a pop-up Juice Bar in Pentrith, co-hosted by local MP Rory Stewart.

Penrith business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs have a unique opportunity to meet Google experts, who will be offering advice and tips on making the most of the Internet and growing their business online.

The Juice Bar will take place and Friday (May 9), and will offer local entrepreneurs the opportunity to learn crucial skills for the digital age, from creating a website to marketing their business online.

A recent study by the Boston Consulting Group has shown that businesses who have a presence online grow four to eight times faster than those who do not.

Any kind of business can take advantage of the workshop and benefit from making the most of the Internet for their business, with recent research showing that digital businesses in Penrith and Appleby are already beginning to contribute to the local economy, with plenty of room to grow.

Research from NIESR (The National Institute of Economic and Social Research) recently estimated that Penrith and Appleby already has 124 digital companies, employing nearly 3,000 people.

The workshop is part of Google’s drive to help small businesses grow using the Internet and to help business owners harness new ‘e-skills.’ So far over 250,000 businesses have been helped through the programme.

By encouraging and supporting a variety of businesses to use the Internet effectively, from entrepreneurs and one-man-band start-ups, to larger companies, these workshops aim to boost the country’s Internet economy.

The Juice Bar has been designed to support and advise businesses regardless of their technical expertise – from complete tech novices creating their first website, through to harnessing the potential of social media and online marketing.

Rory Stewart, MP for Penrith and The Border said: “I'm excited to welcome Google to Penrith and The Border and to co-host a brilliant event that will help give people the tools to make the most of the super-fast broadband that we are bringing to Cumbria.

"Encouraging local businesses to flourish is something that is very, very important to me, and is one of the major reasons for the strength of our broadband campaign here in Penrith and The Border in particular, where smaller internet-based businesses are the future of our local economy.

"It is clear that a strong online presence is crucial for companies to grow, and I hope that the local business community will take advantage of this opportunity to attend the session and receive expert advice from Google. I look forward to seeing many friends and colleagues from the constituency there."