Hub will boost Burnham and Highbridge economy, says councillor (From This is The West Country)

Hub will boost Burnham and Highbridge economy, says councillor

8:00am Friday 14th September 2012 in News

A MAJOR ‘enterprise hub’ will help small businesses grow and give the Burnham and Highbridge economy a ‘fantastic’ boost.

That is the view of Highbridge county councillor John Woodman, who gave an update this week on the hub being launched on land next to the Isleport Business Park in High-bridge.

Somerset County Council is running the scheme with £850,000 of central government funding. It could see about ten new business units opened by next December, with superfast broadband and access to a business mentor.

Cllr Woodman told the Weekly News: “I’m hoping we will see businesses currently run from people’s homes and bedrooms, which want to go the next stage but are finding that very difficult, to take up these units and grow and become employers.

“I want to see businesses that are one-man bands grow into something better. This is about growing the local economy.

“In an ideal world, we would want local businesses to come into these units and grow, but if other employers from the surrounding area want to come in and grow their businesses, then that’s great, too.

“This is a fantastic project. Any jobs we can bring to Highbridge, when there’s such a need for jobs, should be welcomed.”

Cllr Woodman said work has been progressing over the past few months to find out what kind of demand there is for different types of businesses. “It’s important we get the right kind of units,” he added.