|
Business London Franchise, a London Development Agency (LDA) led and funded programme has been established to promote Franchising across London. A key strand of the LDA funded Business London start-up programme, the franchise programme, is currently being delivered by Exemplas Ltd, working in partnership with the British Franchise Association, whichfranchise.com and a number of London business support organisations.
Business London Franchise aims to encourage Londoners to explore the option of business start-up and self-employment through Franchising. The programme runs until March 2009 and focuses on encouraging business start-up in London.
The programme is running a series of half-day Franchising seminars across London which are free of charge. Business London Franchise also provides access to online Franchising information as well as access to Business Advisers from across the thirty three boroughs who will provide confidential one to one advice to assist the potential Franchisee while they research, explore and evaluate their options. These advisory sessions can also assist with preparation for meetings with both the Franchisor and bank. To take advantage of this opportunity please click here and include your contact details and we will arrange your one to one.
Norah Boylan, Operations Manager at Exemplas, said: "Franchising is a great route to self-employment with the highest success rate of survival for new business (source 2008 NatWest/bfa Franchise Survey), and also contributes to regeneration. Business London Franchise offers accessible advice and support for people who look to become self-employed as a franchisee using viable and proven business models".
The Business London Franchise programme is supported by five sub regional business consortia: HELP, West London Business, Prevista Ltd, Urban Futures and GLE ONELondon.
'Buying a Franchise' seminar dates:
30th October (PreVISTA, London)
5th November (Town Hall, London)
12th November (Harrow in Business, Harrow)
18th November (The Croydon Clocktower, London)
19th November (London Business Development Corporation, London)
20th November (GLE, London)
25th November (Toynbee Hall, London)
27th November (GLE, London)
3rd December (The Croydon Clocktower, London)
4th December (ABI Associates Ltd, London)
For more information click here.
Programme Supporters:
HELP
Business London : the Start-up and Micro-business Support and Skills Development Programme www.businesslondonhelp.org
 Helping East London Prosper ("HELP"), is a consortium of business support organisations with more than a century of combined experience of working at grass roots level with local communities to support new start-ups and micro-businesses across East London .
HELP delivers the London Development Agency's Business London: start-up and micro-business support programme in Tower Hamlets, Hackney, Newham, Barking & Dagenham, Havering, Redbridge, Greenwich , Lewisham, Bexley and the City of London . Business London makes it easier for people in East London to get the help they need to:
- Find out what it takes to start up in business
- Develop a business idea
- Set up a new business
- Grow a small business
HELP provides specialist support to enable clients consider franchising as a business start up option, including:
- Deciding whether franchising is for you
- Identifying franchises to suit your business ambitions
- Preparing your franchise business plan
- Dealing with franchisors
- How to obtain franchise specific legal advice
- Raising finance to purchase a franchise
How to make contact with HELP:
Local borough-based business support, including specialist franchise support, in:
Tower Hamlets, Newham, Barking & Dagenham, Havering, Redbridge, the City
East London Small Business Centre 020 7377 8821 www.goeast.org
Hackney, the City
HBV Enterprise 020 72549595
Greenwich , Lewisham
Bexley
Specialist support for young people:
WEST LONDON BUSINESS
 The LDA Business London Programme for West London is led by West London Business - the sub regional Chamber of Commerce for West London. West London Business has 400 members and holds some 50 business events each year engaging with over 3,000 businesses.
The West Consortium brings together eight experienced Enterprise Agencies embracing Local Authority provision and Private companies with representation in each of the six West London Boroughs. West London Business co-ordinates the work of the eight West London Partners and strongly supports the work of the LDA in working closely with the other four Lead Partners to ensure that a strong Programme is delivered across the five London sub-regions.
The Business London West Programme is designed to deliver free expert and accessible business advice and guidance to aspiring entrepreneurs and small businesses throughout West London . It is aimed at promoting more entrepreneurial growth, more jobs and more prosperity to all communities within West London . The Programme is delivered through a range of workshops; seminars; training sessions, one to one activities; mentoring, specialist coaching and online advice.
If you are a resident of London who wants to start a business, grow a small business or take up a Franchise we strongly recommend that you take advantage of the free business advice that is available. You have nothing to lose and so much to gain.
Call on 020 8427 6188 to see how we can help you.
'Our West Consortium is providing practical, hands-on advice to people with the ambition to become independent entrepreneurs, or develop their start-up business to the next stage. We've already helped more than 2600 clients this past year'. Frank Wingate, Chief Executive, West London Business
PREVISTA LTD
Business London South – Franchise Support
 Prevista, through the Business London South programme, offers practical advice and support for anyone who is considering or has taken on a franchise business.
Clients using the Franchise programme in South London will have ample opportunities to receive expert support on a wide variety of franchise-related issues:
- researching and comparing specific franchises
- getting access to funding
- choosing your franchise
- return on investment
- who and how to contact local franchise officers at South London banks
- and much more!
Clients who have chosen a franchise, but want help setting it up or making it more profitable can get support on:
- writing a business plan
- cash flow planning
- marketing strategy
- selling techniques
- health and safety
- quality management
- customer care
- and a wide variety of business issues.
All Prevista's Business Advisers offer practical, up-to-date and relevant advice. Many of the Business Advisers have managed or run their own businesses, giving them first-hand experience of the advice they provide.
The programme, funded by London Development Agency and the European Social Fund, is absolutely free to anyone wishing to start-up a franchise business or has a franchise with fewer than 10 employees.
GLE ONELondon
 The Central London Enterprise Consortium is delivering the London Development Agency's Start Up and Micro Business Support Programme for the central London region.
The contract which is co-financed by the London Development Agency and European Social Fund Objective 3, will support businesses and entrepreneurs in seven London boroughs.
The programme provides expert advice, training and information to anyone wishing to start or grow a small business through a team of more than 40 small and medium sized enterprise advisers, trainers, outreach workers and information officers from 12 locations.
Clients can benefit from a range of services:
- Taster sessions to help you explore your idea for a business
- Informative networking events to meet successful entrepreneurs and share ideas
- Experienced business advisers supporting you every step of the way
- Intensive one-on-one support in writing a business plan
- Specialist support for social enterprises
- Sector specific support
- Assistance in accessing finance to support your business
- Advice on how to make your business environmentally sustainable
- Guidance on how to trade internationally
and many more services
The programme will operate within seven central London boroughs; Camden , Islington, Kensington & Chelsea, Lambeth, Southwark, Wandsworth and Westminster .
Managed by Greater London Enterprise, the consortium consists of five main partners;
- Centa
- GLE oneLondon
- Innovative Enterprise Action
- Portobello Business Centre
- Prevista Ltd.
The consortium also includes a number of specialist advisory partners such as, Coin Street Community Builders, Social Enterprise London, Wandsworth Youth Enterprise Centre, Elephant Enterprises, Chinese Takeaway Association (UK), Vietnamese Business Action, Bangladeshi British Chamber of Commerce, Latin American Association, African Caribbean Business Network and Association of Community Based Business Advisors.
For more information you can visit www.enterprisecentral.co.uk or contact us on 0800 032 0946.
| 
