UK Shared Prosperity Fund Workspace Project

The Council launched their UKSPF Business Support Programme on 27th July at a business event hosted by Ellesmere Port based EMS Healthcare Ltd.

The programme, which is being delivered until March 2024, is designed to support local businesses to increase productivity by creating the conditions for businesses to start-up, scale-up and innovate and to build a stronger business base which supports our sustainable and inclusive growth objectives.

Following a successful workspace pilot as part of the Year 1 UKSPF Business Support Programme, the council has now included our markets in Ellesmere Port, Winsford and Northwich as part of the Year 2 workspace provision.

The workspace project is aimed at using a mix of existing workspace to encourage entrepreneurship activity and collaborative space, with wrap around business support, enabling businesses across a variety of sectors to access this opportunity to help them develop and grow, and share good practice, knowledge and networking.

The project will provide:

• Support through 121 diagnostics to help explore the current local business support landscape and access to networking and/or workshops being delivered as part of the wider UKSPF business support programme

• Limited fully funded access to one of the workspace locations involved in this project

Markets have always been part of British heritage and they are quickly becoming one of the most popular, trendy places to shop for niche buys and high-quality products that you won’t find on a regular high street.

Markets are a great way to start a new business and provide a trading environment with consistent footfall. Starting a new business is exciting and the market offer gives a platform of security in testing out products in a ready-made customer environment.

Becoming a market trader is low cost, low risk way of starting up in business with short term leases and extremely competitive rents available.

Trading from the market space enables businesses to be surrounded by experienced, knowledgeable traders with whom you can share ideas and insights, as well as benefiting from expert advice from the market management and site staff. The workspace project will enable eligible businesses to have limited fully funded access in one of our three market locations participating in this project:

• Ellesmere Port operates 6 days a week except Wednesday 8-5pm

• Winsford operates Monday, Thursday & Saturday 9-4pm

• Northwich operates Tuesday, Friday & Saturday 9-4pm

Why a market trader?

• Great trading environment for start-up businesses

• Indoor market setting with consistent footfall and business owners.

• Trading spaces on a permanent or casual basis

• Flexible trading hours

• Low risk

• Low overheads

• Short term lease options

• Competitive rental fees

There is more information about each of the projects, the workspace providers and how to apply on the Let’s Talk Business website. The UKSPF Business Support Programme is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, supported by Cheshire West and Chester Council and delivery partners.

The UKSPF is a central pillar of the UK government’s Levelling Up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills.

In addition to the UKSPF main programme, Cheshire West and Chester Council (CW&C) were allocated an additional £0.9m under the Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF). The rural Plan was approved in April 2023 and is aligned to the main programme, with some small additional capital allocations for rural broadband and business growth.

For more information on UK Shared Prosperity visit: https://www.gov.uk/ government/publications/uk-sharedprosperity-fund-prospectus