Venture House Business Hub taking shape

Stratford-on-Avon MP Nadhim Zahawi has been to visit a state-of-the-art business centre which is under construction in the town that has been funded by the Government's Growth Deal.

Venture House is scheduled to open in February on the Avenue Farm Industrial Estate in Birmingham Road after the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) awarded the project £450,000 as part of the Growth Deal initiative.

This is part of an overall £89.4 million Growth Deal Package for Coventry and Warwickshire announced last January.

The two-storey building, which is owned and managed by Stratford-on-Avon District Council, will provide 2,500 sq ft of flexible space for new and existing SMEs along with meeting and conference facilities, and indoor and outdoor chill-out zones.

Members of the Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub will also be based at the site to provide advice to local businesses on grants and loans and there will also be business coaching and support available.

Mr Zahawi met Nick Abell from the CWLEP along with members of Stratford-on-Avon District Council and representatives of contractor Openspace Design & Build and project managers Tandem Projects.

The MP said: “Clearly, Stratford-on-Avon District Council is showing its innovative thinking in its support for business and business start-ups.

“It is great to see our District Council back business in such a clever and modern way. I hope this will become a blue-print for the type of businesses that Growth Deals will be supporting not just in my constituency but in the rest of the country."

Nick Abell, a board director at the CWLEP, said the opening of Venture House would increase business start-ups in Stratford.

“The transformed building will provide hot desking and flexible working space which is ideal for small and micro businesses," he said.

“As well as providing fantastic facilities, entrepreneurs will have immediate access to advice and support from Growth Hub advisers and business coaching support which is really important in the early stages of start-ups.

“Providing this kind of business support will also encourage new businesses to stay in the area since everything they need will be here."

Councillor Mike Gittus, chairman of Stratford-on-Avon District Council, said: “We are looking forward to welcoming businesses to this new facility which we hope will provide a centre for inspiration, creativity and excellence, supported by business experts.

“Our ambition is testimony to the recognition by Government Ministers of the District Councils desire to support new business and business growth in our district and that this is seen as a priority."