Supporting business

Did you know that if you want to start your own business and become self employed you can get help and advice from Hull City Council and support from partners such as Business Link?
If you have a business idea you want to develop, you can find help with carrying out market research, applying for funding, finding premises, launching your product, building up a customer base, and many other essentials that you need to know to turn a business idea into a profit-making reality.
It’s all part of a comprehensive package of support called the Hull Deal which I’m pleased to say is helping new businesses establish themselves in the city.
If you have a business idea in mind, you can receive free advice from your own personal Business Link advisor to help your venture get off the ground and on the road to success.
You could base yourself in a ‘managed workspace’ – these are start-up offices, workshops and industrial units located around the city which have subsidised rents to make them affordable for new businesses.
Hull Deal can also help you recruit and train staff, help you cover the cost of staff wages, and advise you on developing your products and services to enable your business to grow.
The more new businesses that set up in Hull, the more our local economy will prosper.
Hull Deal is making a real difference in the city and you can read more about this very beneficial service on pages 10 and 11.
Meanwhile, there is a huge range of events going on in Hull this summer so you will definitely not be short of entertainment over the coming months! I’m sure many people in Hull will be glad to see the return of the Freedom live arts and music festival, which this year takes place on 12 and 13 September.
Thousands of people turned out last year in blazing sunshine to enjoy what was a truly great open-air festival and I’m sure this year’s event will be equally as good if not better.
Another event to look out for is the visit of the yachts taking part in the Clipper Round the World Race.
The race sets off from Hull this summer, which is a huge honour for the city.
You can read more about summer events on pages 19-24

Cllr Carl Minns
Leader, Hull City Council