Small Business event at Alconbury Campus focusses on opportunities and challenges
- 12.02.2015
A free business breakfast networking event was held by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) in partnership with developers Urban&Civic on Tuesday 20 January 2015 at the Incubator, Alconbury Weald.
Attendees at the event heard from Neil Darwin, chief executive of Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough Local Enterprise Partnership about business support that is available through the LEP. The meeting also heard from Anne Phillips, Vice Principle of Huntingdonshire Regional College who explained how the college is supporting businesses locally and changing the enrolment patterns to help ensure they are supplying the skills that businesses need. There was also an opportunity to network with other small businesses over breakfast.
Malcolm Lyons, Chair of the Huntingdonshire branch of the FSB said:
“This was a sell-out event. There are clear signs that this part of Cambridgeshire has a great economic future ahead, which include the developments at Alconbury and the business support available through the LEP and the College. Our members and other businesses were very keen to hear about this." Neil Darwin said:
“This was a great opportunity for me to meet representatives of the small business community and find out first-hand how they want the local economy to develop.” Rebecca Britton of Urban&Civic said:
“We were delighted to welcome the FSB back to Alconbury. Just under three years ago, at another FSB event, we uncovered the plans that we had for an Incubator Centre at Alconbury and it is great to see it opened, working and full. Now we are preparing the next 70 acres of the site and designing 5 new buildings which we will start to build in the next few months. That provides lots of opportunities for small businesses: from space, support and amenities, to procurement, supply chain and service opportunities.
"The feedback on skills and recruitment challenges in the area was a strong message which will go straight back into Alconbury Campus' developing skills strategy and jobs brokerage service: which will serve both Campus tenants and local businesses." she added. Forty-five representatives from local businesses attended the event and enjoyed a business breakfast supplied by Unban&Civic.