The Liverpool City Region Local Growth Hub, a new platform making it easier for businesses in the City Region to discover the best commercial advice and support to help them grow, has officially been launched.
Developed by the Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) in consultation with business, government, local authorities and support organisations, the Local Growth Hub is designed to provide a single access point for businesses across the six local authority areas, to discover the right advice and support they need to flourish.
The new Local Growth Hub web portal localgrowthhub.com, aims to create a joined up approach to business support by actively engaging SMEs and growth businesses. By connecting them with over 300 specialist advisors from a wide range of key professional and commercial disciplines, it will help to drive economic growth in the City Region.
The new service is supported by eight Local Growth Hub regional brokers who play a strategic role in signposting and co-ordinating local and national support, making it easier for businesses to access the face to face advice they need. The regional brokers are: Liverpool City Region LEP, Liverpool Vision, Halton Borough Council, Knowsley Chamber of Commerce, The Women’s Organisation, Invest Sefton, St Helens Chamber and Wirral Chamber of Commerce.
Not only will localgrowthhub.com actively enable a business growth mind-set by delivering a client driven service, it also offers a wealth of other information for both business and registered advisors including key industry events and live tender opportunities from SMEs across the region.
Chair of the LEP, Robert Hough, said: “The launch of the Local Growth Hub marks a hugely important milestone for business support across our City Region.
“We often hear from businesses that the business support landscape is a real challenge to negotiate; the Local Growth Hub will now provide a support network to deliver long-term economic growth across our region. It has been developed to serve one function – to help businesses grow.”
Robert added: “Many businesses simply aren’t aware of the support available to them, and the innovative Local Growth Hub portal opens the door to opportunity for businesses.”
Lesley Martin-Wright, CEO of Knowsley Chamber of Commerce said: “We are delighted that the Knowsley Growth Hub has been launched. We can help both start-ups and established businesses, and provide support and advice that is free and impartial. Our priority is to help more businesses grow, invest, and prosper by ensuring that they receive the relevant information, tailored support and guidance at the right time.”
Paula Basnett CEO of Wirral Chamber of Commerce commented: “Wirral Chamber is delighted to be the Growth Hub for Wirral, we are enjoying working closely with our City Region partners in delivering a simple, accessible and co-ordinated approach to business growth support which meets the needs of our business leaders.”
Tracy Mawson, director of business services at St Helens Chamber of Commerce commented: “We are delighted to be delivering the Local Growth Hub for St Helens. Whether starting a new business, looking for funding, or wanting to achieve increased competitiveness and growth, we can help businesses to unleash their potential through the support of the Local Growth Hub.”
Councillor Eddie Jones, Executive Borough Member at Halton Borough Council said: “I am delighted that Halton Borough Council and Halton Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise will, in partnership, be delivering the new Local Growth Hub locally.
“Together the Chamber and the Council are best placed to understand and support the local business community to grow and prosper. They are already the go to organisations for business support and advice locally and so access to a wider portfolio of local, regional and national business support services through the Growth Hub can only be a positive thing.”
Cllr Ian Maher, Labour Leader for Sefton Council, said: “I am absolutely delighted to launch this fantastic service which will help support local businesses across the city region. Local businesses are very important to the region’s economy and it is vital that support is available to help business owners overcome challenges they face.
“Through offering both online and face to face support this hugely innovative service will be fully accessible to all owners and will help ensure that region’s businesses can access the help and support they need, when they need it.”
Jo Austin, Engagement and Digital Marketing Coordinator for the Women’s Organisation, said: “The Women’s Organisation have proudly been offering enterprise support in the Liverpool City Region for 20 years this year. Our experience over those 20 years has shown us that there is definitely an ongoing need for businesses to be supported from concept to growth in order to sustain their enterprises. Our region has a wealth of expertise to offer those businesses, which makes this a fantastic place to grow an enterprise. We are delighted to be a part of the growth hub, ensuring that local businesses have the opportunity to tap into that expert support creating businesses that thrive.”
Businesses can access the Local Growth Hub services at growthplatform.org