Business Advice & Support

In addition to the industry specific support that Tourism South East, Visit Kent and local districts offer there are a range of organisation and a wealth of information to support businesses including the tourism sector.

 

Fighting the Recession

 

There are many organisations offering advice and financial support to help businesses survive the recession. Some of the main sources of advice and finance are identified below.

Read the booklet Real help for the South to find out the measures the government is taking to help families and businesses come through the global economic crisis. The business support section includes contact details for help on:

  • Securing credit and finance for your business;
  • Managing your business during difficult times;
  • Investing for the future.
  • The leaflet Keeping the South East Working provides information available from key regional agencies to keep the South East working. 

Support from the Government 

 

Find out about the latest government actions to help businesses survive the recession at Real Help Now.  The practical help available includes:

  • Financial support
  • Training support
  • Action for businesses
  • Avoiding redundancies
  • Finance from Government

A short guide (from BERR, the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, explains the new Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme as well as other sources of help in relation to debt problems and managing cash flow. Factsheets  are available for the:

  • Capital for Enterprise Fund
  • Enterprise Finance Guarantee
  • Working Capital Scheme
     

Finance South East

 

Learn more about the following schemes included in the Small Business Finance Package.

  • Small Business Finance Scheme offering up to £1 billion of bank lending, guaranteed by the Government
  • £1 billion guarantee facility to support bank lending to small exporters from the Export Credit Guarantee Department
  • £50 million fund to convert businesses' debt into equity
  • £25 million regional loan transition fund to help businesses over the next six months based on a recently launched West Midlands initiative

Business Link in the South East

 

A recent study conducted by tourism body VisitEngland found that with the majority of people wanting to conserve money during the economic downturn, one in five of those who went abroad in 2008 will be holidaying somewhere in the UK this summer.  
  

The Hospitality and Tourism Guide to Doing Business in tough times offers practical guidance to help hospitality and tourism businesses. It focuses on key areas such as finance, planning, customers and people and highlights the actions you can take to help the business succeed.  The 16 page guide suggests ways for business owners to make improvements to their enterprises so that they can be in the best shape to retain and attract more customers. It focuses on key challenges and opportunities for the sector such as: managing cash flow; mitigating increases in costs; reviewing supplier agreements; marketing; selling; and beating the competition.

 

Keeping your Business Fighting Fit brings together the Business Link support on saving money, cashflow, productivity and skills in one easy-to-access place.

 

Businesses looking for further support or to arrange a meeting with a Business Link Advisor to review their business and develop an action plan, can contact Business Link on 0845 600 9 006.

 

Federation of Small Businesses

 

The FSB website collates all the latest assistance provided to help small businesses.