Local Businesses Invited to Town Hall Event


Register now to attend open day on March 12

Businesses from across the borough are invited to attend an annual business event, which follows the first successful Hammersmith & Fulham Means Business last year.

The 2014 open day and exhibition takes place at Hammersmith Town Hall on Wednesday, March 12, from 9am to 5pm.

Held in partnership with the Federation of Small Businesses (FBS), this free event sees local small businesses, from new start-ups to long established companies, come together under one roof for a full day of networking, advice, support and best practice sharing.

The main exhibition, featuring more than 30 companies, will be a chance for local businesses to promote their goods and services to fellow entrepreneurs. There will be a one-to-one Advice Clinic, where business owners can discuss specific issues, ideas or problems with experts in their field. Areas of advice that will be covered are topics such as accounting, law, marketing and sales.

Information seminars will run throughout the day, including a start-up master class and presentation from Warren Cass, founder and chief executive officer of business network website, www.Business-Scene.com. There will also be several 'speed networking' sessions - a version of ‘speed dating’ for businesses.

Hammersmith & Fulham Council’s business champion, Cllr Robert Iggulden, says: “Given that H&F Means Business was so successful last year we simply had to run the event again. The exhibition, business clinics and networking sessions were incredibly popular with people who came to the event and they found them really helpful.

“There are so many different and diverse types of businesses in our borough and this is what makes doing business in H&F exciting and interesting. Any business owners who want to network and gain crucial advice on how to flourish should get in touch and book their places as soon as possible for this must-attend event.”

Paul Kelly, chairman of west London FBS, says: "H&F Council is extremely supportive of their small businesses and this event provides great growth opportunity for businesses at all development stages and sizes.  Come along and meet your next business customer, partner or supplier.”

Businesses will also be able to find out about:

  • procurement and supply chain opportunities
  • the national £30 million Growth Vouchers programme, where businesses can get subsidised vouchers to spend on getting strategic advice they need to help them grow
  • the connection vouchers scheme, where eligible businesses can receive between £250 and £3,000 to connect to a better and faster broadband service, as long as they continue to pay the line rental charge.

There are currently 17,000 businesses in H&F, employing 121,000 people and generating £9.3 billion towards the borough’s economy.

For more information or to book your place visit: www.hammersmithandfulhammeansbusiness.co.uk or www.lbhf.gov.uk/businessevent.

You can also contact Nicki Burgess from Hammersmith & Fulham Council’s business investment team by emailing Nicki.Burgess@lbhf.gov.uk or calling 020 8753 5695.

 

January 24, 2014