A Stoke-on-Trent IT specialist is highlighting the value of sound forward planning after it helped to get a local firm up and running quickly following a major fire.

Several small businesses lost their premises when a recent fire destroyed part of the former Twyford’s building in Etruria, Stoke-on-Trent.
But UK Business IT was able to help a local telecoms company restore its complete IT data within hours of the blaze.
Mark Swann, Director of UK Business IT, said: “Experts suggest that over 80 per cent of businesses go under following a major disaster, such as a fire or flood, because they do not have a disaster recovery plan.

“It is vital that companies have back-up plans for their IT and have their information stored away from their main business premises.
“We were called in to help by a client following the fire in Etruria. We have worked with the company in the past and provide a full image back up service for their computer system.
“As a result we were able to completely restore all their data, allowing them to be up-and-running as soon as new computer hardware was bought.”
Mark, whose business is based in Salem Street, Etruria, added: “The consequences of this fire demonstrates the need to have a disaster recovery, or business continuity, plan.
“We work with businesses to ensure they have back-up systems in place. In this case, we had provided a complete image back up for the company’s computers, but, at the very least, all businesses should consider storing data on a server away from their offices.”