Thursday October 10 2024
Swindon & Wiltshire News
The Enterprise Network (TEN) Wiltshire is celebrating the opening of its newest Enterprise Centre, the Manor House Enterprise Centre, Royal Wootton Bassett, offering local start-up and growing micro businesses affordable offices, meeting rooms and hot desks and free business support from Wiltshire Business Support Services.
The Enterprise Network is a Wiltshire Council-led initiative using EU and Government money to help businesses in Swindon and Wiltshire.
The Manor House Enterprise Centre in High Street, Royal Wootton Bassett has seen the conversion of the fine Victorian building – once the home of the local magistrates’ court – into the perfect space for small and growing local businesses. It has a range of offices with between one and five desks, free high-speed broadband, meeting rooms, hot desks, a communal networking area in the old court room, and free parking.
Mark Sansome, MD of Swindon-based training company Red Penguin, was keen to find out more about the facilities for businesses at the new Enterprise Centre.
“I was impressed by the new offices and training rooms and I’d encourage other business people to have a look around,” he said. “I was pleased to hear that Wiltshire Council and Swindon Borough Council are actively supporting local businesses through The Enterprise Network initiative.”
TEN now has four new Enterprise Centres across the county. In addition to the Manor House Enterprise Centre in Royal Wootton Bassett, there are the Castledown Enterprise Centre at Ludgershall, , Old Fire Station Enterprise Centre in Salisbury and White Horse Enterprise Centre in Trowbridge.
Kate Forrest, Manager of The Enterprise Network, said: “TEN’s Enterprise Centres are proving particularly popular with people who, until now, have worked from home or whose businesses have reached a stage where they want to present a more professional face to their clients, or are ready to expand.”
One such is HR specialist Malcolm Bond from Steeple Aston. “I used to work from home, but I was spreading from the study into the dining room, so I knew I finally needed to get my own office,” said Malcolm, who launched his business, MB Reward, in 2005. “I joined the Wessex Chamber of Commerce and they told me about the offices in the new White Horse Enterprise Centre in Trowbridge.
“I was very impressed by the look of the place and the extremely good value rent for offices. But even more valuable is the networking opportunities the Enterprise Centre offers – I’ve already got a new client in the first few weeks – and the free business advice I get from Wiltshire Business Support Service.”
The four Enterprise Centres all offer offices, meeting and training rooms, hot desks and a communal networking area, and all but the City-centre Old Fire Station Enterprise Centre in Salisbury offer free on-site parking.
Since The Enterprise Network launched, 30 people have been helped to start a new business, 96 existing businesses have received expert support and advice, 39 women-led enterprises have had support and more than 50 new jobs have been created across Wiltshire.
TEN is particularly keen to support women entrepreneurs, military leavers and military partners. Regular networking events for women interested in starting their own businesses or wanting to grow their contacts across Swindon and Wiltshire are planned at all four Enterprise Centres across the county.
TEN is funded by Wiltshire Council, Action for Wiltshire, the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), Rural Growth Network funding from the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Government Equalities Office through the Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), and Plain Action Local Action Group (LEADER) funded through the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE).
To make an appointment to see what is on offer at Manor House Enterprise Centre, contact Holly Traynor on 01793 230708.
