A leading business organisation which helps companies across Coventry and Warwickshire to expand has moved into a new home itself.
The Coventry and Warwickshire LEP Growth Hub, which is a one-stop-shop for support and advice for businesses throughout Coventry and Warwickshire, has re-located a short distance from Cheylesmore House in Quinton Road to Coventry University Technology Park in Puma Way.
Around 30 staff from the Growth Hub along with Coventry and Warwickshire Reinvestment Trust and consultants 52 Global have moved into the open plan offices which also include a boardroom and meeting rooms which are used by West Midlands Mayor Andy Street when he is visiting the city.
The CWLEP Growth Hub – which is among 38 in England – has helped over 1,000 entrepreneurs launch a new business or grow their existing business through grants, events, programmes and workshops over the last 12 months.
Craig Humphrey, managing director of the CWLEP Growth Hub, said the new offices had been sourced by its planning specialist Bill Blincoe.
“This is the right amount of space for us and extends the life of the Growth Hub by using our funds better,” he said.
“We have signed a three-year lease here and this is great because we work very closely with Coventry University and the University of Warwick and with the launch of the National Transport Design Centre close by, this is a good fit for us.
“We also wanted to stay close to Coventry train station because many of our visitors use public transport and it makes it easier to get to us.”
Craig said since the CWLEP Growth Hub was formed when the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership agreed a City Deal with government in 2014, demand for its services had grown year-on-year.
He said: “There is a growing confidence in the business community without a doubt but we mustn’t become complacent.
“The same challenges are still around such as access to finance and finding the right skilled employees but there has been a growing emergence of new sectors in Coventry and Warwickshire such as digital and creative.
“We remain strong in advanced manufacturing and engineering where we employ five times the national average and that is still our core strength.
“There was a growing acknowledgement in the government’s Industrial Strategy that Growth Hubs are making a difference and we were part of the consultation process for the Industrial Strategy in Coventry and Warwickshire to improve living standards and productivity as well as drive economic growth.
“Linking businesses to opportunity and growth is our main strength and our account managers have experience in a wide range of sectors to guide businesses in Coventry and Warwickshire to success.”