Support and resources available to businesses in Bristol

Transcription

1 Bristol Business Support This profile provides local information for prospective start up businesses in Bristol and for existing businesses seeking sources of business support in their local area. Support and resources available to businesses in Bristol This section identifies the business and financial support, advice and resources available in Bristol, including workspace, business networks, professional services, business directories, universities and colleges, libraries, and newspapers and publications. Business support and advice There are various sources of business support and advice available for start ups and existing businesses in Bristol, as follows: Bristol City Council provides a range of support and advice to new and established businesses in the City as well as signposting to other business support organisations. Tel: (0117) Website: BRAVE Enterprise Agency provides a range of support including advice, information, training and consultancy to businesses in the Bristol area. Tel: (0117) Website: CSV Avon Training provides a range of support including advice, information, guidance and training to those located in central Bristol looking to become self-employed.

2 Tel: (0117) Website: Business Match provides a range of information and guidance for start ups and existing businesses in Bristol. Tel: (0117) Website: Centre for Employment and Enterprise Development (CEED) provides advice, counselling and training for disadvantaged people looking to start up or run a small business. Website: Social Enterprise Works offers a range of support to those looking to set up or run a social enterprise in the Bristol area. Tel: (0117) Website: Bristol East Side Traders (BEST) provides businesses based in Bristol with a range of support including advice, funding guidance, marketing and assistance locating premises. Tel: (0117) Website: GWE Business West provides a range of support to new and established businesses including information, advice, training and workspace located in the South West. Tel: (01275) Website: South West Chambers of Commerce is a network of Chambers operating throughout the South West of England that provides information, advice, events, networking opportunities and representation for local businesses.

3 Tel: (01275) Website: RISE provides advice and support to social enterprises in the South West of England. Tel: (01392) Website: Co-active provides a range of support to new and established social enterprises in the South West of England. Tel: (01752) Website: South West Chamber of Rural Enterprise (SW CoRE) provides landbased businesses in the South West of England with information and support to encourage profitability and sustainability. Tel: (01392) Website: Envision provides businesses in the South West of England with a range of environmental support services to help them increase business productivity and competitiveness by becoming more environmentally friendly. Tel: Website: Business Link in the South West provides advice, information and support for new and existing business owners in the region. Tel: Website: Business Link's Rural Enterprise Gateway provides information, training and support to rural businesses based in the South West of England. Website:

4 Financial support There are various sources of financial assistance available for start ups and existing businesses in Bristol, as follows: Bristol Enterprise Development Fund provides the following loan funding for businesses located in Bristol who have been unable to obtain funding from commercial sources: Start up - providing loans of up to 7,500 over three years. Expansion and growth - providing loans of up to 15,000 over three years. Fast Track - providing up to 1,500 over a maximum of 18 months. Social Enterprise Research and Development - providing up to 5,000 over three years. Tel: (0117) Website: Finance South West offers a range of financial support to new and existing businesses in the South West of England. Tel: (01872) Website:

5 South West Screen often has financial support packages for businesses in film, television and digital media sectors located in the South West of England. Tel: (0117) Website: The Community Loan Fund for the South West offers loans of between 15,000 and 100,000 to community and voluntary enterprises in the region. Tel: (020) Website: South West Loans Fund operates the following loan funds for businesses located in the South West of England: Finance for Business - provides loan finance of up to 250,000 to help support viable growth businesses that have been unable to secure finance from commercial sources. Small Loans for Business - provides loans of up to 50,000 to help support viable growth businesses that have been unable to secure finance from commercial sources. Website: South West Ventures Fund is a venture capital fund providing finance of up to 500,000 for high-growth small and medium-sized businesses located in the South West of England. Tel: (0117) Website:

6 South West Business Angel and Investor Network (SWAIN) works to connect business angels with businesses looking for equity finance of amounts that are typically between 25,000 and 750,000. Tel: Website: South West Regional Development Agency operates Grants for Research and Development, which provide funding for the following project types for small and medium-sized businesses located in the South West of England: Proof of Market projects - providing grants of between 5,000 and 20,000 towards testing the commercial potential of an innovative idea. Micro projects - providing funding of up to 45% (between 5,000 and 20,000) of costs to assist small-scale development projects. Research projects - providing grant funding of up to 60% (between 20,000 and 100,000) of costs of planned research or feasibility studies. Development projects - providing grant funding of up to 40% of costs for small-sized businesses and up to 35% of costs for medium-sized businesses (between 20,000 and 250,000) to assist industrial research into a plan or design of a technologically innovative product or industrial process.

7 Exceptional Development projects - providing grant funding of up to 40% of costs for small-sized businesses and up to 35% of costs for medium-sized businesses (between 250,000 and 500,000) towards high-cost projects involving technology developments. Exceptional Research projects - providing grant funding of up to 60% (between 100,000 and 250,000) towards projects that involve planned research or critical investigation. Tel: (0117) Website: The South West Regional Development Agency operates the Grant for Business Investment, providing funding of between 10,000 and 2 million for projects that lead to improvements in productivity, skills and employment in the South West of England. Tel: (01752) Website: Workspace The following resources provide details about managed workspace and commercial business premises located in Bristol: Bristol City Council provides details of council-owned property available for sale or to let in the city. Tel: (0117)

8 Website: BRAVE Enterprise Agency has a range of office units available to rent as well as shared workspaces and individual desks. Tel: (0117) Website: Easton Business Centre offers a range of managed office and workshop space for businesses looking to locate in the area. Tel: (0117) Website: Invest West has a searchable database of commercial property available in Bristol, Bath, Weston-super-Mare and throughout the West of England. Tel: (0117) Website: GWE Business West provides managed workspace in the form of small office and light industrial space, which is suitable for small businesses looking to locate in the South West. Tel: Website: Need Office Space has a directory of serviced office space in Bristol. Tel: Website: Office Connection has a directory of a range of managed, serviced and flexible office space available to rent in Bristol. Tel: Website:

9 Official Space has a directory of office space to rent in Bristol. Tel: Website: Free Office Finder has a searchable directory of office space available in Bristol. Tel: Website: The Tavistock Directory lists business centres and premises in Bristol. Website: Search Office Space provides information about serviced office accommodation in Bristol. Tel: Website: Business networks The following are examples of local business networks operating in Bristol: The Bristol Enterprise Network runs a series of networking, training and information events across the city. Website: Bristol Creatives organises networking events for creative businesses in Bristol. Tel: (0117) Website:

10 Business for Breakfast holds regular networking meeting for local businesses. Website: Business Networks SW holds regular networking events in Bristol. Tel: Website: 4Networking provides regular networking events for business owners. Website: BNI holds regular networking events for members. Website: NRG Business Networks provide networking events for members to attend. Website: GWE Business West provides a range of networking events. Tel: (01275) Website: South West Chambers of Commerce hosts regular networking events for members to attend. Tel: (01275) Website: Business Link in the South West signposts networking and training events across the region. Tel: Website: Professional services

11 Accountants and solicitors provide an essential service for those starting up and running a business. To find an accountant in your area go to: Website: To find a solicitor in your area go to: Website: Local business directories The following resources provide details about local business directories available in Bristol: Business Match maintains the Bristol Business Directory, which can be searched by name, activity and location. Tel: (0117) Website: Locallife provides a directory of businesses located in Bristol. Website: Touch Local lists businesses, services and amenities in Bristol. Website: City Visitor provides information about businesses and amenities in Bristol. Website: Thebestof.co.uk Business Directory lists local businesses and services that can be searched by business type in Bristol. Website:

12 Matren has a list of businesses operating in Bristol. Website: The following national contact directories can also provide details of the businesses currently operating in Bristol: Thomson Local Website: Yellow Pages Website: Universities and colleges Universities and colleges can provide a variety of services or courses for business and enterprise. The following universities and colleges are located in or near Bristol: The University of West England provides local businesses with services including business development, consultancy and training. Tel: (0117) Website: The University of Bristol offers a range of business services including research, consultancy and business incubation. Tel: (0117) Website: City of Bristol College provides over 1,000 full-time and part-time courses suitable for small businesses in the area. Tel: (0117) Website: Libraries

13 Libraries are a good source of information for start ups and small business owners. They can often provide access to local business directories and market reports and some have business advisory services. Go to for more information about libraries in the area. Newspapers and publications Local newspapers and publications can be useful for PR and advertising opportunities. The following newspapers and publications are available in Bristol: The Bristol Evening Post is a daily newspaper with a circulation of 43,997. It contains local news, sport and features. Tel: (0117) Website: The Bristol Observer is a free newspaper and has a circulation of 154,817. It features community news, adverts and classifieds. Tel: (0117) Website: Statutory business contacts in Bristol HM Revenue & Customs When starting up it is essential to contact HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) to find out about tax and National Insurance (NI) obligations, which vary depending on the nature of the business, number of employees, turnover and so on. Helpline for the newly self-employed Helpline for new employers Website:

14 Local authority trading licences The Licensing team at Bristol City Council will be able to offer advice about any trading licences required. Go to for more information. Business rates The Business Rates team at Bristol City Council will be able to offer advice about business rates as well as arranging collection. Go to for more information. Sources of further information Bristol City Council The Council House College Green Bristol BS1 5TR Tel: (0117) Website: South West Regional Development Agency Corporate Headquarters Sterling House Dix's Field Exeter EX1 1QA Tel: (01392) Website:

15 The Prince's Trust helps young people between the ages of 18 and 30 who are unemployed, under-employed or of limited means to start their own business. The Prince's Trust South West Regional Office 9 Marsh Street Bristol BS1 4AA Tel: (0117) Website: PRIME helps people aged 50 or over to start their own business through a programme of guidance, advice and information. Astral House 1268 London Road London SW16 4ER Tel: Website: Shell LiveWIRE offers free information and advice to people aged 16 to 30 who are interested in starting their own business or exploring their career options. Tel: Website: Young Enterprise runs a series of programmes to support and educate young people who want to set up their own business or gain experience in enterprise. Unit 4 Highnam Business Centre Newent Road Highnam GL2 8DN Tel: (01452) Website:

16 UK Statistics Authority can provide useful statistics including the demographics of local areas and nationally. Website: Website: (UK snapshot) Website: (local snapshot) Website: (economic indicators) Website: (Census 2001 data) Office for National Statistics (ONS) has useful information on spending patterns and income in their Family Spending - A Report on the 2008 Living Costs and Food Survey. Website: Spending-2008/FamilySpending2009.pdf Online information publisher UpMyStreet can provide analysis of an area defined by its postcode, outlining education facilities, the property market, consumer classification types and public transport provision. This can be useful when building up a picture of the economic health and consumer wealth of a particular area. Website: