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Enterprising Britain 2007 - Croydon Enterprise (Highly = Commended)

Croydon Enterprise has been highly commended in Enterprising Britain = 2007.=20 Croydon has been recognised for its success in setting up the Croydon = Enterprise=20 programme, which provides advice and support to budding entrepreneurs, = as well=20 as helping existing businesses to grow and develop.

Although Croydon has a thriving town centre it also has significant = pockets=20 of deprivation, with low levels of enterprise; high unemployment; high = numbers=20 of young people not in education or work; and one of the lowest = self-employment=20 rates in London. The key challenge for Croydon, London=E2=80=99s largest = borough, has=20 been to close the gap between its thriving areas and its more deprived=20 districts.

In 2005 the local council took the innovative step of tackling these = issues=20 by working with a private organisation, Croydon Business Ltd, to bid for = funding=20 and then to manage a new programme of business support. Croydon was = successful=20 in securing =C2=A377million over 10 years from the Government=E2=80=99s = Local Enterprise=20 Growth Initiative (LEGI) funding to help regenerate its communities. = Croydon=20 Enterprise, administered by Croydon Council, commissioned delivery = partners from=20 the business, public and voluntary sectors to deliver services within = the=20 programme. The initiative will receive =C2=A320.3m funding in the first = three years=20 and expects to double this through support from other partners.

There are three main areas Croydon Enterprise focusses on. Firstly,=20 encouraging and supporting budding entrepreneurs; secondly, supporting = existing=20 businesses and reducing business failure and lastly, attracting new = business,=20 inward investment, and local employment opportunities. The project is = aimed at=20 local businesses who have never had support to grow, as well as people = who have=20 never engaged in enterprise, including young people, teenage parents, = women,=20 lone parents, people with disabilities, BAME communities and = over-50s.

In order to do this, Croydon Enterprise offers business advice and = support,=20 at every stage of an aspiring entrepreneur=E2=80=99s journey including a = business=20 friendly planning service, which provides free advice to help businesses = start=20 and grow. Also on offer is a free premises brokerage service, as well as = activities showing people how a franchise can get them started and how = licensing=20 their idea can help them grow. Another project provides free help to = encourage=20 potential and existing businesses to think innovatively about their idea = or how=20 their business can grow. As part of the programme, entrepreneurs are = able to=20 access innovative support through outreach work, district centre = managers, a=20 dedicated website and a business advice hotline.

In 12 months the project has developed a strong identity, offering = targeted=20 support and training, and helping local people become community = entrepreneurs.=20 In summary, a building enterprise construction skills centre is now up = and=20 running; over 3,000 people are considering starting a business; over = 1,000 new=20 businesses have been started up, and hundreds of calls have been made to = the new=20 business hotline.

In addition, more than 1,000 people have now taken = part in=20 enterprise workshops and they have already seen results. Such as James = Vince,=20 22, who after attending a =E2=80=98start your own business = workshop=E2=80=99 launched his own=20 company, producing websites for advertising agencies. James says, The = Croydon=20 Enterprise workshop came and removed the barriers. In six weeks I have = gone from=20 being unemployed, to having a registered company and trading.=20

An international trade and new markets project is also helping to = boost the=20 local economy. Overseas trips to encourage bidding for foreign contracts = have=20 been organized to South Africa, Poland, Holland and the Czech Republic = as part=20 of Croydon=E2=80=99s export drive. There have already been some = successes including=20 Arista Cosmetics that secured a deal with two Czech companies and = packaging=20 company Compgen that are bidding for a =C2=A31m contract with a firm in = South=20 Africa.

Finally, Croydon Enterprise has helped make local businesses safer, = by=20 investing =C2=A3116,000 to reduce crime that affects business. This = includes wireless=20 CCTV and security equipment, following a police check, and comes as a = result of=20 a survey of 4,000 businesses.

In terms of the future, there are impressive and ambitious plans for = Croydon=20 including =C2=A32 billion of new redevelopment in the pipeline for the = town centre.=20 Croydon Enterprise has now agreed the go-ahead for the first Enterprise=20 Opportunity Centre, with three others to follow. This first centre will = be in=20 New Addington and is a key part of a =C2=A375 million new development = built with=20 funding from Tesco, which will offer affordable start-ups business = units,=20 on-site support, and educational initiatives.

Jeremy Long, LDA Board = Member,=20 Chair of the Business Engagement & Skills Committee and CEO of = European=20 Business, MTR Corporation, said:

Croydon Enterprise is an = outstanding=20 example of how a locally focussed organisation can make a real = difference.=20

-Ends-

Enterprising Britain is a nationwide competition that celebrates and=20 recognises enterprise achievement throughout all the regions of the UK. = For more=20 information please visit http://www.dti.gov.uk/bbf/small-busines= s/info-business-owners/enterprising-britain/page37852.html.

For further information or to arrange an interview please contact = Nicola=20 Green or Emma Cowlard at Geronimo Communications on 020 7299 8764 / = 07863 543=20 951 http://www.berr.gov.uk/whatwedo/enterprise/enterprisesmes/info-busines= s-owners/enterprising-britain/emma.cowlard@geronimocommunications.com=

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