Key Contacts
Your Local Advice and Support Service
The Council works in partnership with GWE Business West to provide a range of business support services across Bath and North East Somerset including access to Business Link services and advisors. GWE Business West manage offices in Bath and Midsomer Norton where local businesses can obtain advice and information, access specialist services and arrange to see a business advisor
for the Bath office: email info.bath@gwebusinesswest.co.uk or ring 01225 338383
For the Midsomer Norton office: email info.wansdyke@gwebusinesswest.co.uk or ring 01761 41 800 For more information on business support services in Bath & North East Somerset go to www.business-matters.biz
National Business Advice Services
Business link is the national gateway for access to ‘Business Solutions’ a portfolio of publicly funded business support products and services. Further information is available at: www.businesslinksw.co.uk or telephone: 0845 600 9006
Specific Services
Direct access to a range of specific types of business advice and support can be obtained via the links and contacts below:
Reviewing Business Performance
Business Link provides a wide range of support for businesses affected by the economic downturn. Its guide 'Beat the Credit Crunch – Take Decisive Action Now' is available for download from www.businesslinksw.co.uk and includes:
- Business Healthcheck: A review of all aspects of your business and its performance including the development of a support plan to identify required actions.
- Online Business Review: An online business review to help you assess the health of your business.
- Cashflow: An interactive facility to allow you to gain control of and manage your cashflow.
For more information contact enquiry@businesslinksw.co.uk or telephone 0845 600 9966.
Local Advice Clinics
Local businesses can access specialist advice clinics through the branches of GWE Business West in Bath email info.bath@gwebusinesswest.co.uk or Tel 01225 338383 and Midsomer Norton email info.wansdyke@gwebusinesswest.co.uk or Tel 01761 411800 including:
- Specialist advice clinics: Specialist business advice on a one-to-one basis by professional experts on accountancy, legal, health and safety, innovation and environment and sustainability.
Business Start Up
If you are considering starting a new business the following support is available from the GWE Business West offices in Bath email info.bath@gwebusinesswest.co.uk or Tel 01225 338383 & Midsomer Norton email info.wansdyke@gwebusinesswest.co.uk 01761 411800
- Business awareness sessions: Free two hour sessions
- Meet with a business adviser: Free one-to-one appointments with a Business Link start up business adviser.
- Business Link Start up training courses: Three day course covering planning and regulation, sales and marketing, and finance and accounts – cost of course £99.
Information about starting up a business is also available online at www.businesslinksw.co.uk/startup.
Local Sector specific support
Additional support is available for businesses in specific economic sectors
- Workshops for Creative Sector businesses: highly subsidised courses and workshops to help grow and develop creative businesses in Bath & North East Somerset
- Creative Bath : is a business network which aims to raise the profile and help the growth of the creative sector in and around Bath. For more information visit www.creativebath.org
- Support for Manufacturers: The South West Manufacturing Advisory Service can provide advice and help with process improvements to enhance productivity and cashflow. Visit www.swmas.co.uk
Trading internationally
For businesses looking further afield to trading internationally:
- UK Trade and Investment: For business opportunities, expert trade advice and support visit enquiries@uktisouthwest.org or telephone 0845 6060969.
- Enterprise Europe Network: To access Europe’s largest network of small business support organisations covering over 40 countries offering information on accessing European markets visit info@enterpriseeuropesw.org.uk or telephone 0845 6060969.
Financial help for business
To find out whether your business qualifies for Government assistance visit www.businesslinksw.co.uk.
Regional support:
To find out whether your business qualifies for a business loan or funding from the South West Regional Development Agency, visit www.businesslinksw.co.uk.
Innovation Support: To access Information about how SME’s can gain finance for the research and development of technologically innovative products and processes. visit www.businesslinksw.co.uk or telephone 0845 6009966
Reducing business costs
- Small Business Rate relief: Small businesses may be eligible for rate relief - for further information or to obtain an application form visit www.bathnes.gov.uk/bathnesbusiness/businessrates or telephone 01225 477777.
- Sustainable Business: For information on reducing utility bills, minimising waste and becoming more resource efficient visit www.resourcefutures.co.uk or telephone 0117 214 4953 or 01225 338383.
Further advice, including ‘top tips’, is also available at www.businesslink.gov.uk/savingmoney.
Local Property & premises
To find or move business premises within Bath and North East Somerset, access the online Property Register at www.business-matters.biz or telephone 01225 477 748.
Skills & training
- To access free expert skills advice, visit www.traintogain.gov.uk or telephone 0800 015 5545.
- For information on business related training courses available locally visit www.training4biz.biz.
- To find out about courses and how your training needs can be met by local colleges contact: City of Bath College Tel 01225 312191 or visit www.citybathcoll.ac.uk or Norton Radstock College Tel 01761 433161 or visit www.nortcoll.ac.uk
Business debt advice
The Business Debtline provides free and confidential advice for small business. Phone 0800 197 6026 or visit the website at www.bdl.org.uk.
Redundancy Support
If you are considering the possibility of reducing your workforce it is important to get professional help at an early stage. Business Link can offer support in identifying alternatives such as varying work patterns, reducing costs and increasing effectiveness. Support is also available for employees affected by redundancy who may wish to start their own business. For more information contact enquiry@businesslinksw.co.uk or telephone 0845 600 9966
The Advisory, Concilliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) offers advice and guidance via its advisors and helpline to companies considering redundancies and other options concerning their workforce.
For more information go to www.acas.org.uk or telephone 0845 7474747
If you have decided that redundancies are necessary within your business Job Centre Plus can provide support and advice and works with the Council and other partners to bring together a range of support and advice for staff in relation to training opportunities and business start ups. For further information go to www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/employers or telephone 0845 601 2001
The Council’s Revenues and Benefits Service maintains close contact with Job Centre Plus to ensure that any staff at risk of redundancy can obtain advice on the different benefits that may be available and how to make a claim. Employees facing redundancy can also get information on their rights and what support is available to help them take the next steps by going to www.tuc.org or telephoning 0117 947 0521
Recruitment Support
Support is available to help companies recruit staff with the right skills. Job Centre Plus can:
- Promote vacancies on their national website and through local job fairs and Job Centres
- Provide a ‘job matching’ service
- Arrange ‘work trials’ to enable employers & employees to assess their suitability for a particular role.
For more information visit www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/employers or telephone 0845 601 2001
Local events & business forums
For a comprehensive calendar of local events and business forums, including those designed to help businesses deal with the recession, visit www.business-matters.biz.
The Business Matters website also has extensive information on where to get advice and support. Visit www.business-matters.biz
Useful contacts
- Property Helpdesk for Council commercial tenants: pals_adminhelpdesk@bathnes.gov.uk, 01225 477172
- Business Link’s guide “Beat the Credit Crunch – Take Decisive Action Now” is available for download from www.businesslinksw.co.uk, or contact enquiry@businesslinksw.co.uk or telephone 0845 600 9966.
- GWE Business West offers specialist advice clinics and local access to Business Link advisers. Contact info.bath@gwebusinesswest.co.uk or telephone 01225 338383 or info.wansdyke@gwebusinesswest.co.uk or telephone 01761 411800
- Federation of Small Business. a national organisation, represented locally, that provides support to SMEs and seeks to influence the political agenda for smaller business. Contact details for the Chairman of the FSB Bath branch. Angela Ladd Tel 01761 432254 or email AngelaRLadd@aol.com