A New Business Centre for Stratford-upon-Avon

Stratford-on-Avon District Council has secured half a million pounds from central government to set up a state of the art business centre in Stratford-upon-Avon. 

This funding will enable the District Council to transform one of its assets known as Progress House, located close to the town into a centre for business incubation, growth, innovation, training, conferencing and meetings.  The state-of-the-art facility will also help existing micro businesses making the transition from home based business to commercial premises.  As well as supporting business, the new business centre will work closely with existing business centres and networks in the District.

This has been made possible as part of the £74.1m cash windfall received by Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) from the Government's Local Growth fund to help revitalise local economies.

The deal for the region is set to create up to 1,000 jobs, allow more than 1,000 homes to be built and generate up to £30 million in public and private investment.

Cllr Maurice Howse, Enterprise, Housing and Revenues Portfolio says: “This is really exciting news and demonstrates that the District Council is securing funds to help support the local business community in the District.  Big businesses started as small businesses and this will encourage and help budding entrepreneurs to get started.  Businesses have seen some challenges over recent years and now with this funding in place we are helping create a fantastic opportunity, particularly for start-up companies.

“Securing these funds with the support of Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership means we will be able to help grow the local economy and create opportunity and jobs."

• Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) has secured a deal with the Government's Local Growth Fund worth £74.1 million to support economic growth.
  
  
• The deal has confirmed £18.2 million of funding for 2015/16 and has made an initial commitment of £55.9 million for 2016 onwards.
  
  
• This substantial investment from the Government will unlock an additional £32.9 million of investment from local partners and £0.4 million from the private sector which taken in the round will create a total investment package of £107.5 million for Coventry and Warwickshire.