Building up new businesses for town centre

Bedford Portas is continuing its programme of courses to support new and evolving businesses in the town centre.

Next up is the Barclays Get Ready for Business course on June 27^th which includes bite-sized modules on business planning, finance and  marketing.

The following month on July 30^th is the Business Planning course on vision, cash flow, profit & loss and related finance.

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oth are being staged at the Bedford Learning Centre at 88 High Street, Bedford. Places are free for businesses planning to open in the town centre but a refundable deposit is required. Contact Sian.Hughes@bedford.gov.uk

Bedford Portas won £51,000 to help support real businesses into the town centre and to showcase the work of many more. To this end the volunteers town team agreed to fund a series of business courses and support the High Street Showcase on Saturday July 27^th.

Courses to date have included websites and search engine optimization and social media – all of which were requested by businesses who have filled them with enthusiasm.

“We have had some great feedback from independent business owners regarding the courses and are delighted to see large and small companies stepping up to get involved in the High Street Showcase,” said Christina Rowe of BedfordBID/Love Bedford which is part of the town team.

Other past projects and plans in the budget are: “wrapping”  empty shops on the High Street (where permission can be obtained by private landlords) and promoting the town through #citizenbedford on-line activity.

*A Portas funded window dressing course is planned for 21^st June with a limited number of places still available. A similar course run in 2012 by the council was extremely successful and concluded a window display competition, which will be repeated in 2013.