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HAVE YOU PREPARED YOUR BUSINESS FOR BREXIT?


As the United Kingdom prepares to leave the EU, it is likely to change the way people and goods cross over to the continent. The nature of these changes is not known yet (especially in the case of a no deal Brexit), but it is important to try and safeguard your business as much as possible.

The Kent Resilience Forum is working to develop contingency plans to limit disruption for businesses (and residents).

The government has asked all local authorities to liaise with businesses to help them understand any potential consequences of the United Kingdom leaving the EU and to gather feedback and suggestions of ways in which the government can help or mitigate any adverse consequences.

If you have any issues or concerns that you would like us to pass on to government through our local reporting structures, please e-mail us (business@tunbridgewells.gov.uk) and we will raise them on your behalf. 

Please also refer to advice on becoming ‘border ready’ on the government website: www.gov.uk/business-uk-leaving-eu

Further guidance and checklists are also available from KCC:brexit and your-business, the British Chambers and the FSB.

BROADBAND VOUCHERS FOR A FASTER FIBRE CONNECTION


Superfast broadband coverage in the borough is currently at 93.1 per cent, and Kent Country Council is leading on work to improve this further.

The Government is currently running two voucher schemes which businesses and/or residents can apply to in order to improve their broadband speeds. 
Eligibility Table
Gigibit voucher criteria table
It seems a bit complicated, but essentially there are two different schemes and it is worth persevering. To find out more about each and to double check eligibility, please visit Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme and/or Rural Gigabit Connectivity programme

Future investment is planned in Tunbridge Wells, with more information to be announced soon.

Email broadband@kent.gov.uk for further advice.
How to apply for faster broadband
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Autumn at Hole Park, Tunbridge Wells Borough


EU FUNDING FOR TUNBRIDGE WELLS TOURISM

We are working with Visit Kent on a new project to extend the season through new experiential products, including 'last mile' options.

What is on your wish list? Landowners, retailers, artisans, any business with amazing ideas to extend the visitor season over the winter period needs to be brought to our attention.

There is funding and specialist support to bring some of the ideas to fruition. This is an exclusive chance to up our offer to the world as we are the only local authority in West Kent taking part!

Please do get in touch - this is a 4 year project called the Interreg Experience.

More details will be shared on the council website in due course.
Cheaper parking for shopping and visiting Royal Tunbridge Wells by RTWT BID
PSST! BREAKING NEWS!

From October 1st, for a 3 month trial period, Sunday parking in Royal Tunbridge Wells will cost a flat rate of £2 for visitors to 6 town centre car parks. The initiative will be promoted widely around Kent, Surrey and Sussex via an advertising campaign in lifestyle magazines, social media, radio and online.  The eye catching campaign will highlight some of the many reasons to visit Royal Tunbridge Wells: eating out, theatre visits, shopping or live music.  The initiative is organised and promoted by Royal Tunbridge Wells Together, the Business Improvement District.

Tell all your customers......£2 to park all day Sunday in Royal Tunbridge Wells town centre*
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EVENTS

  • The Autumn West Kent Jobs & Training Fair took place yesterday at the Assembly Hall Theatre in Royal Tunbridge Wells which was again a great success. Employers in attendance included Arriva, John Lewis, Sainsburys, the National Trust, a number of recruitment agencies and RTW Together on behalf of the town centre businesses.
     
  • RTWTogether has a Retailer Forum at 6pm on 10 September in the Camden Centre. The town's retailers are invited to discuss trade, footfall, parking, Christmas, events and what the BID is doing and can do to help retail and service businesses.  Please email if you wish to attend.
     
  • Local businesses are invited to a Calverley Square Breakfast Briefing on 18th September at the Town Hall. The briefing will bring you up to date on all aspects of the Calverley Square project prior to it being discussed by full council on 25th September. You will also be briefed on future use of the current Civic Complex, the potential mix of uses of the site and the contribution it could make to the local economy. Time: 7.30am for 8am start with the event due to finish by 9am. There will be an opportunity for Q&A. A light breakfast will be provided so please email to advise your attendance.
     
  • Also coming up is How to be Dementia Friendly and Food Hygiene Courses organised by the RTWT BID.
     
  • DOING BUSINESS WITH GENERATION Z is a free conference being held at Salomons on 15 October. Organised by the West Kent Partnership and the Careers and Enterprise Company.  More details are on this and all these events are on our business events page.

THE HOUSE TW

The House TW desks for rent and business workshops in Royal Tunbridge Wells
Located at 29-31 Monson Road, Royal Tunbridge Wells, The HouseTW is an urban co-working option for creative firms.

The team also holds free business support workshops about WordPress website building and 30-40 minute lunchtime lightning talks from local experts. 

There are Meeting Rooms and Event Spaces for members and non-members to rent out too.

Find out more on the website or tel.01892 322 711.
WHY ESCAPING THE HOME OFFICE COULD MAKE YOU MORE PRODUCTIVE

A new way of working in the rural areas of the borough has been launched to offer local freelancers, remote workers and business owners a more productive way to work. 
Many of us have had to work out of coffee shops and battle the noise. We’ve eeked out our coffee while answering one more email on the free WiFi. We’ve tried to work from home but been distracted by putting on a wash or emptying the dishwasher. OUTWORK has a solution: pop-out coworking spaces you can access in locations in West Kent.

The three founders have all experienced the amazing flexible workspaces available in London and felt there was a real need for something that served small businesses, freelancers, home workers and entrepreneurs in a more rural setting. They have been building a community of like-minded people while developing plans to convert an agricultural building into a flexible workspace with private offices, hot desks, meeting rooms and a business lounge/café for members. While they are working on this plan, they have teamed up with local hospitality venues to offer pop-out coworking for their growing number of members.

OUTWORK is offering members the opportunity to work in a beautiful dedicated room, with WiFi and bottomless tea and coffee. The members benefit from discounts on food, exclusive events and membership of a growing business community. The first pilot scheme, created in partnership with Elite Pubs, ran for five weeks over the summer. OUTWORK is now extending the service from September, adding additional locations and extending the operating days. “After the success of our first pilot, we hope that this will give even more people the opportunity to work alongside other amazing businesses in a bright and productive space”, said co-Founder, Richard Tennant.

“Our aim is to build a dedicated flexible workspace with hotdesking and private offices, together with fantastic meeting and events facilities. We want to create an inspiring place where individuals and small businesses can collaborate and support each other’s growth”, said co-Founder, Tim Watkins,  “this is a great way to start that journey”.

There is no cost to becoming a member and OUTWORK is offering free access to its spaces as it continues its pilot stage. Co-founder Sarah Tennant, said, “We hope people will come along, experience the power of coworking and also benefit from our rich and varied Lunch & Learn programme”. 

More details on OUTWORK’s story, the pop-out locations and how to get your free membership can be found on OUTWORK’s website or by contacting Richard Tennant at richard.tennant@outwork.uk.com.

HAVE YOUR SAY ON THE TUNBRIDGE WELLS LOCAL PLAN


What is the Local Plan?
This is the plan that the Council prepares to guide building and development in the borough taking in to consideration the various constraints.

The plan is prepared in consultation with the local community. The Tunbridge Wells Draft Local Plan will be published for consultation from 20 September to 1 November 2019 so you can have your say.

This will guide development in the Borough until 2036, seeking to deliver approximately 13,500 homes and at least 14 hectares of employment space.  

The draft plan proposes to allocate sites to deliver this employment space, together with new and more flexible policies for businesses within town centres.  

Although it is housing that often receives the “headlines” it is really important to have representations from businesses on all the proposals within the draft plan.

You can attend the exhibitions being held from 21st September – 4th October across the Borough. 

All relevant information will be uploaded to the Council’s website by 16th September 2019.

A Transport Topic Paper will be published alongside the Draft Local Plan and will be open for comment at the same time.
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BUSINESS ADVICE SESSIONS
Centre for MicroBusiness and West Kent partnership logos
Free 1:1 support for entrepreneurs working from home, small businesses and pre-startups in West Kent. 

Meetings are held in central Royal Tunbridge Wells.

Covering cash-flow, business planning, customer targeting, pitching and marketing. These are extremely popular and highly recommended to ensure your business goals are met (as well as make a profit) so book online with the Centre for Microbusiness straightaway.
Department of International Trade

Ask Phil is our online chat tool where you can ask any business questions you might have. You can see him pop up in the pink bordered window on our Business Advice page.

Phil is available from 9am - 7pm on all working days.

For more mostly free business seminars & workshops you can trust-  click here 
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Funding Available For Your Business

SECCADS (South East Creative, Cultural & Digital Support Programme) is offering grants of between £1,000 – £20,000 to businesses in the creative sector.

The South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP) has supported the South East Creative Economy Network to develop SECCADS to specifically attract and meet the needs of the sector.

Grants are available for projects with both revenue and capital spend. Grants for ‘capital’ (buildings/equipment) spend of over £5,000 should be shared by two or more businesses. Grants will be for up to 35% of overall costs and are paid retrospectively.

For further information about the Grants available please contact our Local Co-ordinator, Philippa Wall: PWall@thurrock.gov.uk, 07546 522 078.
More funds for business are on our Grants web page 
Cycling in the borough of Tunbridge Wells
TRANSPORT UPDATE
The Economic Development team with KCC are in the process of preparing a LCWIP strategy (Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan). We have analysed a number of routes into the town centre and considered how the infrastructure could be improved for pedestrians and cyclists, to incentivise modal shift to more sustainable transport. In preparation for this, we have worked alongside The Town Forum and Tunbridge Wells Bicycle Users Group. This document will then be submitted to the Department for Transport for approval, and can then be used as an evidential base for funding bids, to implement the schemes. 

BUS SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS
TWBC have also been working with Arriva to improve bus services within the borough. Recently, we released developer funding to improve the 277 bus service, between Tunbridge Wells town centre and the North Farm industrial estate. This has extended the morning and evening peak services. Additionally, funding has been transferred to improve the 5 service between Sandhurst and Maidstone, via Hawkhurst, Cranbrook and Staplehurst. This has increased the frequency of the early morning and evening weekday services in the rural areas of the borough. 
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Copyright © 2019 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council | Economic Development, All rights reserved.


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