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Blackpool SMEs benefit from cash boost

Growing businesses in Blackpool have benefitted from an injection of more than a quarter of a million pounds in the last year, thanks to help from Europe and Blackpool Council.

The support has been made available through the council’s Get Started service, which is part of the Start Up Lancashire service supported by the European Regional Development Fund. It has helped Blackpool companies secure around £275,000 worth of Government loans.

The money has come from separate business loan programmes, varying from those tailored towards 18-30 year olds, to others aimed at ex service personnel or unemployed people.

Money has been found for various different companies, including local IT business Axon Communication.

The family run business has used their loan to open up a new office in North Shore, after accessing help from the Council’s business support team.

Nicola Attwood, who runs the company with husband Chris, said: “We are a small business that started trading at our home, but have now expanded to an office inside the Nordelph business centre.

“From here we now can expand our list of services and be more centralised, which enables us to get to our customers quicker when they call on us.

“We have had an enormous amount of help from Blackpool Council’s Get Started team, who have been very helpful with our business plan, financial cash sheets, and even helped with a loan application through the Government’s Start up Loans scheme, to enable our business to expand.

“We have attended all the courses to help us on our way, and would like to say a huge thank you for the support. We would have been lost without their help.”

Cllr Fred Jackson, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Urban Development, said: “I’m proud to say that this Council is fighting for the small businesses.

“The Get Started scheme offers some great expert advice to anybody thinking of setting up on their own. As well as special workshops and seminars, we are also able to help people create business plans and secure them funding from a variety of sources to begin building their companies.

“At a time when the economy is tight for many, it’s really important that we can help people to become their own bosses, and we’re already getting some great success stories from businesses which are thriving thanks to our help.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .