A COMPANY working on High Wycombe's £130m town centre's regeneration has been rated as one of the top ten fastest growing public relations agencies outside of London.

A survey by PR Week trade journal has pinpointed Marlow-based Primal PR as the sixth-fastest growing agency in the South by achieving growth of 39 per cent over the last year. This bodes well for south Bucks because the agency was recently appointed to drive the communications strategy for High Wycombe town centre.

Primal was set up just three-and-a half-years ago by directors who purposefully avoided being drawn into London despite PR being traditionally a city-based industry.

"Eighty per cent of PR Week's top 100 agencies are based in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow or Cardiff, so it's true to say that we are somewhat bucking the trend," states Primal's managing director, Ivor Peters. "Our clients have recognised the benefit of big agency thinking married with a boutique approach to client care. The secret of our success? Great ideas, fantastic staff and outstanding delivery."

He adds: "Our location has contributed to our appeal.

"Personally, I spent a disproportionate amount of time commuting into Londonand I don't miss running for trains! Being situated in a riverside location means the majority of our staff have swapped stuffy Tube trains with an altogether more enjoyable working environment."

Primal is currently in the middle of a recruitment drive to support increasing continued growth. As a consumer agency specialising in the retail and leisure industries, it works on some of the UK's premier retail projects, also including: the branding for fashion footwear retailer Lilley & Skinner; the redevelopment of Brighton Marina; promoting London's best-loved world music event, St. Christopher's Place Live; and representing the largest portfolio of factory outlet shopping villages in the UK. It has worked with some of the UK's top brands, such as Marks & Spencer, Clarks, Moss, H&M, Gossard and Debenhams.