Official opening marks silver jubilee celebrations for Highland enterprise trust

Today (Friday 25 February) the silver jubilee year for Highland Opportunity Limited (HOL) was celebrated with the official opening of the Ness Horizons Centre extension at Beechwood Park in Inverness.

HOL was established in February 1986 to stimulate economic activity, promote the start up and growth of business ventures, including social enterprises, to help create new jobs, improve access to employment and foster business activity and trade.

Over the last 25 years HOL has supported 1,500 Highland businesses and helped to create and sustain around 4,000 local jobs.  Wholly owned by the Highland Council, the enterprise trust has grown from an initial asset value of £200,000 and a staff of 4 in 1986 to £4 million today and a team of 30 people.  From an original space in the Highland council Headquarters building in Inverness, HOL now has 11 offices based throughout Highland and Moray.

In 2009 HOL began delivering the business support services of the national Business Gateway in the Highland and Moray regions of Scotland as a shared service with the Highland and Moray Councils.  Business Gateway now integrates fully with HOL’S existing business support services to provide a comprehensive package of advice, training and direction, European connections and access to finance for local small businesses. Young entrepreneurs are able to apply for advice and financial assistance to start a business through the Prince’s Scottish Youth Business Trust.

Ness Horizons Ltd is a relatively new addition to the HOL portfolio having been acquired in December 2008. Its principal activity is the provision of serviced office space. The newly opened Ness Horizon Centre extension will provide more office space for Highland businesses. 

HOL Chair, Councillor Helen Carmichael gave a short speech to guests before cutting the ribbon to officially open the extension.  She said:  “Over the last 25 years HOL has provided Highland businesses with financial and professional support to help them become established, thrive, expand and also to weather the hard economic storms. 4,000 local jobs for local people have really benefitted our whole economy and gives us the confidence to promote the Highlands nationally and internationally as a good place to do business.  As Chair I have had the privilege of seeing first hand many examples of how advice and assistance can really make a difference.  I am particularly impressed with the young people who come forward each year with proposals to start their own business.  It is heartening to see the entrepreneurs of the future take their first tentative steps into the business world.  Our mentoring project and the specific support we provide gives them the tools and confidence to fully launch themselves into the business world.

“Over the years we have enjoyed booms in economic growth and there have been many highlights but we do pride ourselves on our ability to adapt our services to provide support when things get tough. Our management of the Working for Families initiative project to remove obstacles to parents entering education, training and employment gave assistance to 1,400 families across the Highlands and the Employment Grant Scheme we are currently delivering supported 108 jobs last year.

“I wish to thank all our staff for their hard work and great efforts over the last 25 years and we can all look forward to providing our services to benefit Highland businesses for many years to come.”

Company Manager David Owen has used the silver anniversary celebration as a chance to have a nostalgic look through the archives.  He said:  “Dan Air took over the air route between Inverness and London in 1983 and became an early sponsor of HOL by branding and naming one of its aircraft “Highland Opportunity” in 1989.  When we held our first Board meeting back in 1986, no one could have imagined that two decades later our remit would have expanded to such the extent it has with an annual non-investment turnover of around £2 million and an annual investment programme of £750,000. Throughout the years our role has always been to be a Highland centre of gravity for business support and work creation and we look forward to working with our partners to carry this work on.”

Key events in HOL’s history include: 

1986 Company Incorporation
1989 Agency for the Princes’ Scottish Youth Business Trust
1990 North Scotland Euro Info Centre
1994 Support to Young Enterprise Scotland
1996 Management of the Caithness Fund
2000 Recruit Project
2001 Opening of Alness Enterprise Centre
2002 Relocation to Castle Street offices in Inverness
2003 Public Tenders project
2003 Launch of the Community Enterprise Loan Fund
2004 Working for Families project
2006 Commenced offering serviced business space
2007 Merger with Highland Prospect Limited
2007 Part ownership of HISEZ CIC
2007 Opening of Wick Enterprise Centre
2008 Acquisition of Ness Horizons Centre
2009 Commenced Business Gateway services in Highland and Moray
2009 Integration of Highland Employer Coalition
2011 Ness Horizons Centre expansion

HOL   Telephone 01463 228 340.

24 Feb 2011