Supporting Rural Business: An interface between business, policy and funding
Set in the heart of the idyllic Bedfordshire countryside, Millbrook Village Hall was a fitting venue for the latest business networking event, delivered by Exemplas, as part of a Central Bedfordshire Council funded Enterprise Support Project. Focussing on helping rural businesses to diversify through tourism, and exploring the opportunities which improving visitor numbers presents to businesses operating within the area, the evening was designed to provide information relating to current business development initiatives, and brought together policy makers, fund holders, business support agencies and local businesses, creating a dynamic forum for sharing knowledge and information.
Launching the evening’s discussions, Joel Carre from Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity (BRCC) begun with an overview of the Rural Development Programme for England that is currently running, and the monies that Bedfordshire has been awarded through this fund. Outlining the priorities for this spend and the opportunities for local businesses, Joel highlighted the focus on sustainable and environmentally friendly development, also introducing a new £600,000 Visitor Accommodation Investment fund that will shortly be available to businesses developing visitor accommodation.
Offering further context to this initiative, Caron Kendall from BRCC and Central Bedfordshire Council (CBC) elaborated on the recent research supporting this move, including a significant report on the future visitor accommodation needs across Bedfordshire which has identified a clear business case for accommodation developments in the area. Also touching on the wider benefits of increased visitor numbers, including the improvement of local infrastructure and the development of new leisure facilities, Caron’s talk ensured that businesses were aware of the opportunities for growth, a theme picked up by Sergi Jarques from East of England Tourism (EET).
For those business owners interested in diversifying through tourism or simply ensuring that they are tapping into the visitor market, Sergi provided an overview of the Sustainable Tourism East Project and the support available to businesses through this initiative. Responding to research into ‘the visitor journey’, and with an emphasis on sustainable and responsible tourism, the project offers advisory visits to help businesses assess – and improve - their green credentials, as well as subsidised training courses and the opportunity to feature in a series of Local Information Guides that the project is developing, a resource that the audience identified as crucial to the marketing of the local area.
As the final speaker, Diane Budd from Business Link East presented the crucial link in the business support available. Providing an overview of the Business Link support provision and the assistance available to local businesses, including research, training, one to one advice and courses, the presentation session ended on a practical note, ensuring that businesses were given as much support as possible in working towards the policy objectives outlined. Project partners, Wenta, were also introduced, and attendees were invited to discuss any Business start up or development issues with representative, Steve Pryor.
With a range of local businesses present, including owners or representatives from Bed and Breakfasts, a Country Park, a local mill and a fishing and camping business, the diversity of businesses to whom tourism was of relevance was captured in the audience; and, for Sergi Jarques (EET), being able to reach this audience was of immense value to programme managers and potential beneficiaries alike: “As a regulatory body with limited access to businesses on a one to one basis, this is essential as it allows us to speak directly to businesses and explain what is there for them, as well as answering any questions they have.”
This mix also helped to create the lively conversation and debate that characterised the networking section; and, businesses and presenters, alike, were invited to remain for a locally sourced buffet dinner, and discuss any questions raised during the speeches. Encouraging businesses to share their experiences, and providing an opportunity to consider specific experiences and explore next steps, the evening provided a great balance of information and activity, bringing together the wider economic context and the immediate concerns of businesses within the Central Bedfordshire area in order to help all stakeholders achieve their shared vision of sustainable local development.