Rural offices are now home to 20 more jobs after four companies moved into a leading UK fruit research complex.

European Wealth, an independent financial planning and investment specialist, Accountancy and Taxation Centre, and Technical Lift Consultancy are now based at Park House on East Malling Trust Estate.

Traditional sweet shop Gemz and Mags has taken space in The Oast, part of the nearby East Malling Business Centre.

European Wealth has moved from Maidstone town centre into a 1,400 sq ft first floor office. The five-year term was overseen by chartered surveyors Smiths Gore who manage the Trust’s extensive portfolio of let commercial and residential property on the 580-acre estate.

Susan Roughley, director of European Wealth, said: “The size and layout of the premises ticked all of our boxes and the parking available to staff and clients is an added bonus.

“These benefits, coupled with the lovely location, bearing in mind our previous office was next to Her Majesty’s Prison Maidstone, make East Malling the ideal office location for us. Our staff are very happy and we are really pleased to have made the move.”

Waste paper recycling business Harmon International has also swapped one East Malling office for another – moving from the Tithe Barn to a newly-refurbished open plan suite at Waterside.

Adrian Padfield, chief executive of East Malling Trust, welcomed the newcomers. “By attracting new businesses to East Malling and continuing to effectively manage our property portfolio, the Trust is better placed to achieve its fundamental objective of supporting the horticulture industry through the funding of research and development, tackling vital issues such as food security, sustainability and adapting to climate change.”

The Trust’s portfolio of commercial properties range from individual offices of 100 sq ft within the Business Centre through to 3,000 sq ft self-contained offices within converted former estate buildings including The Tithe Barn at Bradbourne House.