New & In The News:

A GREATER MERSEYSIDE
Prospects Looking Liver-ly For North West Business - Worldwide And Web-Wise

Liverpool, European City of Culture 2008.

After the initial euphoria dies down there are still nearly five years of planning ahead. Local business has the opportunity to gear up for better times again. More than most, Merseyside has suffered from the changes to British commerce - but the area is on the verge of a big break-through… and it's not only Liverpool that's set to benefit.

Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) across Merseyside need to act quickly, though - to prepare to take advantage of the renewed interest in the area and the inevitable influx of fresh trading opportunities. Important for SMEs to know is that a strong support mechanism and generous finance is already in place. Up to £8 Million of European Objective One regional regeneration grant funding.

Through a scheme operated by Business Link, a service provided by Greater Merseyside Enterprise Ltd (GME), many organisations with under 250 employees and a turnover of less than 40 Million Euros (around £28 Million) could qualify for a 40% discount on specialist advice to help them protect or create jobs through improvements to their processes and promotions, plus knowledge transfer.

One of the first companies to be accredited as a supplier of subsidised ICT services is Wirral based web-design and multimedia agency hostoffice Ltd.

hostoffice Managing Director Tim Lewis comments: "The City of Culture announcement is fantastic news for the whole Merseyside area. It's certain to give a lift to the profile of the entire region - on worldwide scale. And what better way for SMEs on Merseyside to raise their own international visibility… the World Wide Web. Attracting everything from immediate tourist spending to long-term inward investment."

"Through the GME initiative, companies like hostoffice can help local SMEs tap into those rich new commercial veins. We've several years experience of helping people create or develop their particular identities on the Internet - but now, with the extra incentive of Objective One funding, it should make it so much easier and very much less expensive."

hostoffice is already involved with several diverse community and commercial internet projects across the region - ranging from the pioneering Liverpool Community Network website (bringing together multi-race and multi-faith groups) to the fashionable Cavern Walks shopping centre, next door neighbour to the internationally known Cavern Club.

Aside from local work, hostoffice design and maintain websites for a much wider group of clients - including Luton based Britannia Airways and the European Division of US corporation Sunrise Assisted Living… but hostoffice maintains a strong affinity towards its home region.

Tim Lewis says: "We operate out of Port Sunlight Village on the Wirral - a quick ferry trip 'cross the Mersey from Liverpool - so we're interested in getting the entire region noticed. There's so much more going on around here than just what's happening in the big city."

Summing up, Tim suggests: "This isn't only about 2008 and Liverpool. It's something SMEs Mersey-wide should be picking up on and taking advantage of. NOW. After all, the money's already there… just waiting to be used to give all of us on the wider Merseyside the boost we've been waiting for."

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ABOUT THE GME/BUSINESS LINK INITIATIVE

An innovative new project to pump millions of pounds of European money into Greater Merseyside business.

Through the new programme being run by Business Link, a service provided by Greater Merseyside Enterprise Ltd (GME), more than £600,000 of the best independent consultancy is available to SMEs every week - offering organisations throughout Greater Merseyside the opportunity to take advantage of top support and advice at discounted rates.

And there has been huge interest from the private sector in getting involved in delivering the programme, with 226 submissions of interest in delivering to SMEs.

The chosen consultants - the top consultancies in their field nationally and regionally - will deliver the support direct to client organisations, with Business Link monitoring the process.

"This is as good as it gets for SMEs," said Mark Trousdale, Chief Executive of GME, the organisation responsible for delivering Business Link services on Merseyside.

"This is a real opportunity to use Objective One funding in a way which will have lasting benefits for Greater Merseyside, helping us to build a sustainable world class economy.

"The beauty of this model is that the new funding allows firms with under 250 employees to get 40% subsidy on the professionals' charges. That means that even the smallest companies can call on the services of the best experts in their field."

The first consultants are now being signed up following a rigorous selection process, and will be starting work with client companies straight away.

"We have done everything we can to make sure the appraisal of capabilities has been thorough and objective, so that companies using this service will know they are getting the best and most appropriate support and advice - at a heavily subsidised rate," added Mark Trousdale.

Altogether, the project should see the region's SMEs receiving £20 million-worth of top level advice and support within the next 15 months.

The Objective One programme is providing £8million, with other money coming from the public sector and the SMEs themselves.

More Objective One money could be available following assessment of the initial phase.

Angela Mayers - Head of Corporate Communications: angela.mayers@gme.org.uk
Tel: 0845 33 00 151