NEWS RELEASES
Horsham MicroBiz does the biz again!
30th March 2007
THIS year’s Horsham MicroBiz Fair has been hailed as a success by visitors and exhibitors alike by offering everything a business needs in one place on one day.
The annual business event for small, start up and home based businesses took place in Horsham on 10 March and was buzzing with activity all day. With 45 exhibitors and twelve free seminars, there was plenty of information and advice available.
MicroBiz has continued to grow in popularity since the first event in 2003. Residents of all ages and backgrounds come to learn more about how to develop and grow their existing or potential small business.
Many completed visitors’ questionnaires to give feedback to the event’s organisers and sponsors (it was organised by Horsham District Council and sponsored by Barclays, SEEDA, Business Link and West Sussex County Council).
The questionnaires were entered into a free prize draw, and the lucky winners were Nick Pidgley, Andrew Laker, and Tracy Miller, who won a Business Warrior seminar place, an advanced Startup workshop place (both kindly donated by the Startup Co), and Capitol theatre vouchers.
For anyone who missed the event, the Steyning MicroBiz Fair is taking place at the Steyning Centre on Saturday 23 June, organised and promoted by Steyning’s own business community.
Horsham MicroBiz visitors were asked if they would like to help influence Horsham District Council’s future building plans by filling in a Future Business Needs Survey - to understand what the accommodation requirements for start up and small businesses might be over the next few years.
Initial feedback from the survey showed that:
- 70% of those surveyed are running home based businesses and 25% are start up businesses
- 24% of those surveyed are looking for accommodation now or within a year and 53% will be in about a year’s time.
- 60% of those surveyed were looking for accommodation with easy in/out terms, rather than being committed to a long lease
- Broadband capacity, access to good transport links and 24 hour security are of greatest importance in deciding on business premises
- The shared office support services most likely to be of interest to those surveyed are: telephone answering/messaging service, access to meeting rooms and reception services
This is just the start of a programme of consultation to make sure that the kind of accommodation that will fulfill businesses’ needs will be available in the future.
The Council greatly welcomes input from businesses: the questionnaire will be accessible on the Horsham District Council’s website http://www.horsham.gov.uk/, by contacting the Council’s Business Development Officer for a copy by email at business.development@horsham.gov.uk or by calling Chris Baister on 01403 215542.
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CONTACT: Richard Morris, Communications Manager Email: richard.morris@horsham.gov.uk