Is business part of your future?
Plymouth City Council are calling for people with an idea for business to pop along to Plymouth’s pop up shop to talk to the entrepreneurial experts.
Representatives from the city’s ‘Urban Enterprise’ programme will be on standby at the Plymouth Plan shop in New George Street to offer advice about the scheme which aims to get more people on the road to setting up a shop, service or whatever business they have in mind.
The programme recently secured £1.39 million to help the city’s budding business men and women get their careers off the ground. Plymouth City Council and the European Regional Development Fund both awarded grants of £275,000 to Enterprise Coaching, £298,000 to Outset Plymouth and £122,500 to Outset Finance.
The organisations work alongside each other with the aim of attracting people into business, giving them confidence and know-how in running a business, including business planning, finance and marketing.
Over the last three years 1,200 people have had ‘enterprise coaching’ from Working Links. Over 1,200 people registered with Outset Plymouth, which has an ‘Intensive Start Up Support’ programme to guide people with business ideas through foundation sessions and workshops on how to run a business
Outset Plymouth has seen 158 businesses get off the ground and 67 Plymouth businesses benefited from loans worth more than £360,000 from the South West Microcredit Fund. Outset Finance has helped over 100 businesses gain £925,000 in funding, creating an additional 66 jobs and giving individuals and companies the opportunity to start, sustain and grow their businesses.
Council Leader Tudor Evans said: “We’ve made it very clear as a Council we want to see economic growth in Plymouth. Crucial to that is making sure that people with a good idea and plenty of drive and enthusiasm are given a chance.
“Small businesses form the backbone of this economy. Businesses that start up in difficult economic times tend to perform better and last longer as they are leaner. We do not want to let great ideas slip through the net. Get down to the shop and talk to the experts.”
- Saturday 8 June (Local community)– Enterprise Coaching, Social Enterprise Focus
- Wednesday 12 June (Living and Housing)– Social Enterprise Focus
- Thursday 13 June (Education and Learning)– Enterprise Coaching, Outset Plymouth, Social Enterprise Focus
- Friday 14 June (Prosperity and affordability)– Enterprise Coaching, Outset Plymouth, Outset Finance, SW Investment Group
- Saturday 15 June (Arts and Culture)– Enterprise Coaching
- Friday 21 June (Health and Care)– Social Enterprise Focus
The stand is part of the Plymouth Plan pop up shop which opens on 8 June and aims to get people thinking about what sort of city Plymouth will be in the future. People’s ideas, thoughts and comments will all help shape future plans and policies for Plymouth.
