- To provide a support package for new start-ups and recently established businesses to help them to become successfully established within the Loughborough BID area whilst also reducing the number of vacant units in the Town Centre.
- To assist and support University-generated graduate and undergraduate business ideas that have received support from different departments at the University and which may be suitable for a High Street presence.
- To reduce the number of vacant units
- To increase employment in the area
- To increase footfall and spend
- To increase investment in the Town Centre
- To generate pride in the area
The Business Support Programme has three elements:
Business Support for Existing Businesses in the BID Area
Businesses will have access to the full range of Love Loughborough services, including:
- Free weekly recycling collection.
- Free entry in the Love Loughborough business directory.
- Membership of the Love Loughborough loyalty card and app with monthly loyalty reports.
- Free publicity through social media
- Retail radio scheme (F.A.C.T)
- Full event listing on website and Facebook
A Free Signposting Service
Available to all BID businesses looking to develop, diversify and expand.
- A list of all available vacant properties in the BID area with detail of rent, rates, size, planning, status, agent, landlord etc. available from landlords and agent’s websites.
- A link through to InCharnwoods Investment Team and their business support package which includes one to one advice and support.
- A link to the LLEP Business Gateway, providing free business workshops and training throughout Leicestershire.
- Available sources of business funding and advice.
A Business Support Package
Finding Premises
- Information on current available units plus links and introductions to local landlords and agents.
- Supply of footfall figures and visitor flows for specific premises and locations through the BID’s Geo-Sense and WiFi infrastructure.
- Advice on any eligible business rate relief.
Adapting Premises
- Business support grants for new businesses to make physical adaptions and improvements to vacant units, including shop-fitting and signage.
Social Media Training
- One to one mentoring and support from a trained student advisor in association with Loughborough Students Union.
- The support will include how to use social media like Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to grow and develop your business.
Digital Skills Training
- In-house work-shops and one to one support delivered by our in-house Digital Engagement Officer.
- Topics will include “choosing the right channel for your business”, “building your business online presence” and “latest marketing trends”.
Promoting Your Business
- Share your social content with us so we can push your message through our own channels and increase your reach.
Retail Training/Mentoring
- One to one advice and mentoring
- A mystery shopper assessment of an individual business
- Retail masterclasses for a group of businesses.
Financial Advice
- Specialist business advice.
- Advice includes planning, financial planning, cash flow and access to finance plus marketing support from Loughborough’s banks including Santander, RBS, Barclays and HSBC.
Legal Advice
- A free one hour session with a commercial lawyer at Hawley and Rogers including advice on commercial leases, legal responsibilities etc.
Insurance Advice
- A free one hour session with an Insurance Assessor at the Independent Insurance Bureau.
Try A Trade
- For businesses not yet ready to take on premises, they can trial their business as a pop up or on a Market stall.
- We will help source space for a pop up and through the Borough Council we will offer a FREE Market stall on one Market day and then at a 50% discount for three months.
- We can also offer up to a week’s trial in the display area in the middle of the Carillon Shopping Centre.
Planning Advice
- A free session with a specialist advisor at Charnwood Borough Council.
- Advice includes details of necessary planning permission, advertisement consent, building regulations, food hygiene rules and access to food hygiene training.
Access to to Town Centre Performance Statistics
- Access to a large database of Town Centre Statistics which can be available to your business on request, you will have access to:
- Town Centre Footfall
- Wi-Fi User Statistics
- Vacant Units
- Car Parking Figures