HRL

The creation of Harlow’s first Business Incubation Centre has taken another step forward with the appointment by Harlow Council of Norfolk & Waveney Enterprise Services (NWES) as the management operating company who will establish and run the new facility.

Located in Great Eastern House on Edinburgh Way the Harlow Business Incubation Centre is set to become the town’s hub for entrepreneurship start-ups, offering much sought after modern, supportive working environments. 

NWES have spent 26 years meeting the needs of businesses in the eastern region. A not-for-profit enterprise organisation, NWES have a proven record of promoting self-employment, assisting start up businesses and helping existing businesses to survive and grow. With a Head Office in Norwich the company manages eight business centres in the East of England, with a further three scheduled for opening this year. In the last three years alone they have helped create 1500 new businesses.

Kevin Horne, Chief Executive of NWES said: 
"We are of course delighted that NWES has been chosen to manage this new enterprise hub and to facilitate business innovation in Harlow. Our research has already shown that this new centre is ideally situated and configured as a base to develop the considerable potential that exists in Harlow for new businesses and business acceleration. We have a proven model for encouraging enterprise already in operation across the region and based on our four cornerstones of providing business advice, bespoke training, funding opportunities and flexible premises. The new centre will be the base for these services but our support structure will not only be available to tenants but will stretch across Harlow and beyond – these are certainly exciting times for the Harlow business community".

Enterprise is a major tenet of the sub-region’s prosperity with many people being employed by Small and Medium Sized Enterprises. More working age people are self-employed in Mid and West Essex than anywhere else in the East of England Region. Harlow however has a relatively low number of business start-ups. Supported by funding from the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) and the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), the new centre aims to develop an entrepreneurial culture in Harlow whereby the enterprise route is seen as a normal career route for all ages.

George Bennett, Regional Renaissance Manager for the East of England Development Agency (EEDA), commented:
"Harnessing and encouraging innovation and aiding the transition of new ideas into successful regional businesses is important work for the continued development of the region. This latest move brings Harlow's first Business Incubation Centre a step closer and strengthens further the East of England's identity as Europe's "Ideas Region"."

The Harlow Business Incubation Centre is being developed by a partnership comprising Harlow Council, EEDA and Harlow Renaissance . Over the coming months NWES will work with Harlow Council and Harlow Renaissance to identify local needs and to encourage more entrepreneurial activity whilst beginning to recruit tenants for the centre’s opening in November.

Cath Shaw, Head of Growth & Regeneration at Harlow Council said:
"People in Harlow are full of good ideas for new businesses. The Harlow Business Incubation Centre will provide just the kind of business support and office space that they need to turn those ideas into reality.  I'm delighted that Norfolk and Waveney Enterprise Services are bringing their experience and expertise to Harlow - under their management the new Centre will be a real boost to entrepreneurship in the town."

Meanwhile work continues on the refurbishment of Great Eastern House. Contractors T J Evers have completed the stripping out of the old building and the internal refurbishment is now underway. Work will complete in October of this year with the centre due to open in November.