A DIGITAL software house has doubled the size of its office space in York city centre as its staff headcounts grows to six times the size it was three years ago.

Netsells, which moved to York from Scarborough three years ago, is expanding into the recently vacated Carillion offices in Mill House, North Street.

The digital agency, which provides website and mobile application development services to customers including Uber, Hiscox and Virgin, has taken over the vacant 3,000 square foot suite, which neighbours their existing office which the firm moved to two years ago.

Carillion, the former occupants, collapsed into liquidation earlier this year in a well publicised failure that left thousands of people out of work and unemployed throughout the country.

Netsells has been faring rather better, having grown its team from six people to more than 40 in just three years.

Bosses say the business’s “meteoric rise” has enabled York to compete with Leeds and Manchester, as businesses increasingly seek software development providers in the North of England due to spiralling costs in London.

Netsells chief executive Brannan Coady said: “We are ecstatic to be able to continue our expansion within the same building that we chose to make our home just two years ago.

“There are few office locations better positioned within the city, and we are thrilled to have signed an extended lease with The Helmsley Group to ensure that York city centre remains our HQ for the foreseeable future.

“While York continues to suffer from the countrywide skills shortage within the digital sector we have been able to build a fantastic team in a short period of time due to our unrivalled company culture, exciting and growing client list and our excellent location here at Mill House.”

Netsells first operated from offices in Skeldergate when it moved to York from Scarborough in 2015.

The business had been founded three years prior to that Mr Coady and business partner Sam Jordan after graduating from the University of Hull’s Scarborough Campus.

Mr Coady said he was attracted to York by the city’s growing digital sector and decided to make the “short trip down the A64” to take residency in a converted sawmill.

He said he was excited to “join the ranks of some of the other digital agencies who are thriving in York” and “helping to cement York’s place on the map as a digital pioneer for the North of England”.