Additional Business Contacts

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Kingston Chamber of Commerce | The Enterprise Zone | Kingston Town Centre Management | Kingston Innovation Centre | Other Business Organisation Support

Kingston Chamber of Commerce
Kingston Chamber of Commerce is a membership-based organisation providing three key areas of service to the local business community:

• Facilitating local businesses working together, trading together and promoting the local economy.
• Representing the views and needs of local businesses - at borough, regional and national level.
• Delivering business support programmes and other services direct to small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Kingston Chamber has three different advisory services to help you start up and develop your business. Each of these services is aimed at different stages of your business life cycle:

1. Starting up a Business
This service offers information, advice, training and guidance and is available for anyone who intends to set up a business in the boroughs of Kingston upon Thames, Merton or Richmond. £20 registration fee.

2. Business Start-up Support
Available for businesses who are in their first two years of trading and meet certain criteria. Benefits include: a free diagnostic with a business adviser and a mentoring agreement for £150 + VAT whereby a mentor will be available for three days over a 6 month period.

3. Micro Business Support
Available for businesses that are located in London, have 5 employees or less and been trading for 24 months or more. Two days of expert business advice for only £100 + VAT.

If you are thinking about raising your profile Kingston Chamber's 'Mail shot Service' mails over 500 local businesses each month, including the highly valued Chamber membership list. The service is fast, flexible and the rates competitive.

The Enterprise Zone
Provides free business start up support and general small business support.  The Enterprise Zone is supported by the London Development Agency and provides free tailored support for businesses with fewer than 10 employees based in or who trade in Kingston, Richmond, Merton, Bromley, Sutton or Croydon. For more information please contact:

enquiries@theenterprisezone.co.uk

or call 020 82683199

Kingston Town Centre Management
Provides a wide range of services focused on a partnership approach to managing and promoting Kingston upon Thames:

• Practical help and marketing support for businesses moving into Kingston Town Centre.
• Networking and sponsorship opportunities for faster integration.
• A free comprehensive directory of town centre businesses.
• Collection and analysis of Key Performance Indicators and a monthly health check for the town.
• Town Centre Ranger service which offers a quick response team to member businesses for issues associated with environmental problems and street furniture defects, together with a link to the Retail Crime Initiative.

Kingston Innovation Centre

Kingston Innovation Centre (KIC) has been developed to help local entrepreneurs and inventors launch and develop their companies, based on a mixture of accommodation and business support supplied on a physical or virtual basis. The centre offers the following support packages:

• Accommodation and Incubation Services at a rate of £350 per calendar month per desk.
• Virtual Incubation Service for entrepreneurs seeking support without physical accommodation at a fee of £100 per month
• KIC acts as a platform to bring Entrepreneurs, Inventors, Business Angels, Academia, Professional Advisors and Support Organisations together.

Other Business Organisation Support
The London Manufacturing Advisory Service is part of a nation-wide DTI sponsored service, designed exclusively for manufacturers. It has one over-riding objective: to create manufacturing success. It is supported by the London Development Agency.

Amongst other services, manufacturers can receive up to one day of free advice and/or training delivered by MAS Manufacturing Specialists, to help identify opportunities to significantly improve business performance.