New enterprise hub for Huntly funded from UK Government’s Community Renewal Fund
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Huntly is to share in £737,000 funding from the UK Government’s Community Renewal Fund.
Elevator, who operate the business centre on Gordon Street is to develop a hub as part of what is branded the E3 project, The Elevator Entrepreneurial Ecosystem.
The Enterprise Hub in Huntly is one of two Aberdeenshire hubs established, the other being in Aboyne. Six new jobs will created including hub managers, a digital adviser, marketing, an administrator and a project manager.
Huntly has been selected for its local business base and strong local economic strategy which it is believed creates a good opportunity to support a cross section of the population.
The strong community spirit which has helped to address the challenges faced by the town centre also influenced the decision.
The Hub will offer a drop in facility for business and enterprise support for Huntly and immediate surrounding area, based on a successful project run in Fraserburgh.
The services and support will be tailored to local needs to improve connections to support including existing services such as Business Gateway.
Andrew Burnett, managing director at Elevator said: " We’d like to support the activities presently underway that will help Huntly to become an attractive visitor destination with a good variety of local services that support the community’s needs. We expect to increase the resilience of the business base through training and grant support to enhance social media usage.
"We’re keen that we don’t duplicate work already underway in towns like Huntly through organisations such as Huntly Development Trust but would like to be able to support some of the initiatives that they are establishing.
E3 will target skills and local business development including help for anyone locally setting up a business as well as encouraging people into employment and self employment.
A mobile E3 enterprise van will provide an outreach service.
Mr Burnett added:"We are keen to make support as accessible as possible. If there was interest among a small number for a particular type of training then the local Enterprise Hub Manager would look to introduce that in a very tailored manner to those businesses.
Across Aberdeenshire there is a £50,000 fund available in social media vouchers to assist businesses to reach audiences and breaking into new markets.
There will also be help with social media training, digital networking events and support for young people to start up new businesses.
