Growth Hub services to expand across county

Businesses in Gloucestershire will soon be able to access business support services across the whole county, after the GFirst LEP board approved plans put forward to create a network of Growth Hubs.

Using funding from the Gloucestershire Growth Deal, the network will enable businesses to access enhanced Growth Hub services from a range of locations across the county. The support will give businesses in Gloucestershire comprehensive, coordinated and simplified access to the business support most appropriate to their needs no matter where, how or by whom it is provided.

GFirst LEP’s Strategic Economic Plan sets out the blueprint for growth in the county and was approved by Government in 2014, resulting in an investment of £77.5 million in the county.

The Growth Hub Network forms an integral part of the growth plans with an investment of £5 million. Ensuring that location isn’t a barrier for businesses to get the support they need, the Growth Hub Network will offer a mix of resource centres, delivered with a range of partners in strategic locations across the county.  In return for capital investment, partners will work with the core Growth Hub to deliver a Growth Hub service to businesses in their locality.

Sarah Danson, Senior Project Manager of the Growth Hub Network at GFirst LEP, said:

“The partnership with the University of Gloucestershire to deliver Phase 1 of the Growth Hub has been a huge success, and it is great news that we can now push forward with Phase 2 of the project and start the roll out of Network centres across the county.

The LEP will shortly be inviting potential partners to come forward and help us to give businesses greater opportunities to access the best type of tailored support for their needs and location. These new physical locations supported by a comprehensive online Growth Hub will ensure that Gloucestershire’s businesses have access to the best solutions available in the country.”