A media agency is taking advantage of a new council scheme providing a better broadband connection.

Brighton-based We Are Tilt has become the first enterprise in Sussex to benefit from the national Connection Voucher Scheme, which aims to save businesses money on their broadband.

Up to a thousand more local companies are now expected to follow in their footsteps and gain help through Brighton and Hove City Council.

The agency, based in Pullman Haul in New England Street, had struggled to find an affordable solution to a slowbroadband problem, which occasionally forced employees to run to coffee shops to upload work.

Thanks to the rooftop installation of a wireless fibre service at their new premises in Brighton’s New England quarter, the firm has seen its broadband capabilities jump from 3 Mbps to 100.

Bosses at We Are Tilt, which counts Fatboy Slim, Brighton and Hove Albion and the BBC among its clients, said since the change stress levels have dropped, making employees “more efficient, less frustrated and generally happier”.

Brighton and Hove was one of a number of cities across the UK to be selected as part of a government scheme to offer businesses better access to high speed, quality broadband.

There is £1.5m worth of vouchers available for small and medium-sized businesses based in the city with each voucher offsetting up to £3,000 of capital costs associated with installing a broadband connection.

Jon Malyon, managing director of We Are Tilt, said: “Four years ago we were a three people and a dog start-up.

“Our business broadband package suited us fine to begin with but we found, as we grew and employed more people, we desperately needed more bandwidth.

“It’s already made us so much more efficient; clients can view projects within minutes when previously some of these uploads would have taken hours, even days.

“It means we can move the business forward and expand into new areas which previously we couldn’t have considered.

“As we keep growing, the bandwidth can also be expanded.”

Council leader Jason Kitcat said: “We won this Government cash to support our city’s reputation as a hub for digital and creative businesses.

“We’re delighted to be able to offer it as funding to help our businesses grow and diversify.

"Improving broadband in the city is essential to keeping us at the cutting edge, and removing barriers to local firms competing globally online.”

More information about the Connection Voucher Scheme can be found at www.brightonhove.gov.uk/connectionvouchers and www.connectionvouchers.co.uk.