Launch of National Business Advice Service in the Highlands and Islands
Business Gateway, the national business advice service, has been formally launched in the Highlands and Islands today by John Swinney MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth.
The service, which has been successfully operating across the rest of Scotland since July 2003, was extended into the Highlands & Islands on the 1st of April 2009.
The formal launch took place at the Business Gateway shop in Castle Street, Inverness.
Through its national network of expert business advisers and online presence Business Gateway receives between 2,500 and 3,500 enquiries every month from existing and start-up businesses and receives, on average, 30,000 visits per month to its website ‘bgateway.com’. It also supports and advises 10,000 start-up businesses every year.
By the end of August 2009 over 1000 businesses in the Highlands & Islands area had accessed Business Gateway services.
Business Gateway also runs an extensive programme of business support and training events across the country whilst ‘bgateway.com’ provides over 200 online tools and sources of advice and information for businesses at different stages of development.
In the past 5 months 28 business events have run across the Highlands and Islands, providing invaluable advice on a range of issues of importance to the area’s business community.
Finance Secretary John Swinney said: “As we work to position Scotland’s economy for recovery, it is all the more important that new companies and existing businesses have easy to access advice and business support.
“Today’s launch of Business Gateway will provide an effective service to companies in the Highlands and Islands, helping them realise their potential and ambitions for growth. This in turn will help the Highlands and Islands continue to deliver a significant contribution to increased sustainable economic growth and the future success of Scotland.”
The Highland Council Convener Councillor Sandy Park said: “The launch of the service in the Highlands is great news for businesses in the area. Business Gateway is a source of support, expert advice and training for tens of thousands of existing and new-start Scottish businesses every year.
“All businesses, whether they are established or at the very start of their lives, will face a variety of challenges. This valuable and positive service is one of the ways that councils are helping overcome these.”
David Owen, the Manager of Highland Opportunity said : “Our contract to deliver Business Gateway services in the Highland and Moray Council regions has given Highland Opportunity added depth and breadth of capability to offer a comprehensive support service to local business. We really are the first stop for any business seeking practical support to start up or expand.”
Business Gateway provides expertise in every aspect of business growth ranging from, but not limited to, business planning, recruitment, exporting, marketing, health & safety, online trading, sourcing premises and finding funding.
Businesses seeking advice and support are advised to visit www.bgateway.com or call 0845 609 6611.