More than 300 new businesses were launched with the help of the West Lothian Business Gateway over the last year, despite the problems caused by the Covid pandemic and Brexit.
In the last financial year, 325 new businesses received help to start trading across West Lothian. Of those, 32 were in the hard-hit Whitburn and Blackburn ward.
In a report to the recent meeting of that ward’s local area committee, Scott McKillop, a council regeneration officer, said: “This is a healthy level of new starts, especially in a strong jobs market with many vacancies.”
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Over the same timescale, the team engaged with over 640 established firms . This included 41 social enterprises, 20 of whom operate across West Lothian. In the Whitburn ward , there were 55 local firms supported which between them employ more than 520 and generate more than £71 million annual sales.
All of this came at a time when many businesses faced permanent closure after months of lockdown or furlough and its end last October. Local businesses have also struggled with increased costs and paperwork difficulties for exports as the result of Brexit.
Shared container exports - which many small firms are obliged to use for transport to Europe - have been among the hardest hit by rising costs and paperwork demands.
In face of such odds the Gateway report highlighted: “Customer feedback remains consistently positive.”
It added: “The vision and commitment of local people to start their own business, especially in such challenging circumstances, is commendable. These new start firms have created 407 new jobs. The main business sectors are personal, professional and local services. Around 20% of all early stage firms go on to take premises, employ staff and grow the scale of the business.
“New starts are worth over £10.5 million to the local economy every year.”
Local councillor, and depute leader of the council, Kirsteen Sullivan said: “The business community has faced many challenges over the past couple of years so it is great to hear more positive news with the healthy number of start-ups within the Whitburn and Blackburn ward that have received support from the Business Gateway team.
“It’s fantastic to see the entrepreneurial spirit that is alive and kicking in the local area and indeed across the county, and in turn, that business owners are able to access the advice and support they need to grow their organisations through the Business Gateway team, providing local jobs and investing in the local economy.”
The success in the face of tough trading conditions was revealed as the Business Gateway team launched new grant aid to help start-up firms. The High Growth Start-up grants, worth £4,000, are available to West Lothian businesses trading from commercial premises for 18 months or less which employ one person.
The grants can be used to develop capacity, bring new products to market or to cover trade fair expenses.
The Business Gateway team also includes advisers who deal with existing, growing and relocating firms to West Lothian. The advisers provided direct support to 811 local firms in the last financial year. Priority sectors include life sciences, manufacturing, engineering, construction and enabling technologies.
West Lothian firms engaged with the team on issues including premises, new markets, recruiting/training, working capital, research & development, export regulation, digital marketing and carbon reduction projects.
The advisers support firms with combined annual sales in excess of £1.41 billion a year. While these businesses employ over 8,300 staff, it is only 11% of total jobs in West Lothian. However, they account for more than 30% of the annual gross value add (GVA) of the local economy.
The council has developed a commercially-focused website:- https://www.investinwestlothian.com/why-west-lothian as a commitment to retain and attract businesses.
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