Doing business in Epsom and Ewell

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council is committed to supporting local business.

Read our latest newsletter for information, guidance and advice on support available or sign up to receive monthly business updates straight to your inbox.

Coronavirus (COVID-19):

As we learn to live safely with coronavirus (COVID-19), there are actions we can all take to help reduce the risk of catching COVID-19 and passing it on to others. These actions will also help to reduce the spread of other respiratory infection, such as flu, which can spread easily and may cause serious illness in some people.

Reducing the spread of respiratory infections, including COVID-19, in the workplace

This guidance covers principles for workplace management to reduce the spread of respiratory infection

Key resources

Business support services

  • Businesses can also contact the Business Support Helpline for one-to-one advice by calling 0300 456 3565 or by using the LiveChat function.

  • Go Epsom, the town centre Business Improvement District will be providing support and assistance to all BID levy paying businesses and reassuring the public that Epsom remains a safe destination. The BID is working closely with the Council on safety measures within the town centre and will be sending regular newsletters to communicate what is being done to ensure that Epsom is safe for visitors and workers before shops reopen. For more information visit www.goepsom.com

  • The Coast to Capital Growth Hub provides free and impartial government funded business support in East Surrey, which can help businesses achieve growth. Support includes:
    • Escalator Programme – this programme helps scale- up and growth businesses through a series of facilitated peer to peer groups, which focus on barriers to growth with solution driven outcome
    • Growth Champions – the Growth Champion Network is a collection of consultants, all carefully curated as experts in their respected field, able to provide specialist support for business. Coast to Capital are able to fund a day of support from consultants.

Coast to Capital Growth Hub advisers are available to businesses for initial telephone discussions and signposting for specialist financial advice. Online workshops are being held on issues related to business resilience, cash-flow management and home working methods.

Coast to Capital is also conducting regular conference calls with business support and membership organisations to understand issues businesses are facing and communicate these to the government to help inform future support.The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has asked Growth Hubs to report weekly on the economic impact. The Growth Hub is working hard to provide an additional support package for local businesses and further updates will follow.

Businesses should contact the Coast to Capital Growth Hub via e-mail or visit their Business Support page. More information about their operational response can be found here

  • Coast to Capital Business Navigator is a web portal for business. It includes an online directory of business support organisations and a calendar of business events in the Coast to Capital area.
  • Surrey Chambers of Commerce is the county's largest independent not-for-profit business support and networking organisation. We utilise the expertise and experience of thousands of businesses (55,000 business people). Sitting at the heart of the business community, Surrey Chambers of Commerce acts as a catalyst by connecting you to opportunities, skills, knowledge and valuable contacts. We connect over 5,000 business people every year, providing a range of high quality services to help you grow your business, increase your contacts and obtain the right kind of support for your organisation.
  • Department for International Trade helps business export and grow into global markets
  • Federation of Small Business regularly publishes news, guidance and advice to help small businesses and the self-employed. Self-employed and small businesses can also get advice from the FSB by joining its private Facebook group, called ‘FSB COVID-19 Support’ (non-members can join this group). The FSB is also organising Virtual Networking Events to support businesses.

Events and training

Hot House Business Programme - Open for applications

The Business Hot House programme has recently launched, offering support to more than 1,000 firms and 500 start-up entrepreneurs to improve productivity and innovation. The project provides opportunities for established small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to strengthen their business practices and make them more profitable. Support will be delivered through workshops, bootcamps, peer-to-peer groups and business mentoring sessions running throughout the Coast to Capital area. The project is being delivered by the University of Chichester Business School. More information at Business Hothouse Programme

Surrey Chambers of Commerce

Surrey Chambers of Commerce run an extensive programme of events for members and non-members, including business networking, training opportunities and speaker breakfasts. More information at www.surrey-chambers.co.uk/event-listing/

Apprenticeship Training

NESCOT delivers Intermediate, Advances and Higher Apprenticeship levels across a wide range of industries. If you are looking to hire new team members, or develop your existing workforce, NESCOT can help you reach the next generation of motivate and local employees with industry-relevant knowledge and practical skills. For more information contact the Business Centre on 0208 394 8593 or businesscentre@nescot.ac.uk

Free, live webinars from HMRC

HMRC’s range of webinars support businesses, helping to make tax matters easier, quicker, and simpler. Webinars last about an hour, they are live and interactive so questions can be asked by participants. You can find out about PAYE, Self Employment, VAT, and Construction Industry Scheme (CIS) for Contractors and Subcontractors, Property Income, Record Keeping and other topics.

For more information, visit the website.

Funding opportunities

  • The Epsom & Ewell Borough Investment Fund (BIF) offers grants to owners and occupiers of commercial buildings within the borough to improve and enhance their shop fronts. The scheme aims to encourage the creation of attractive frontages, to enhance the character of the region, which could have significant economic benefits.
  • Broadband Vouchers available - a new voucher scheme has been introduced to help accomplish the government's ambition to have full fibre broadband coverage of the UK by 2033. There are two gigabit voucher schemes which has a finite amount of Government funding so any business who are interested should investigate as soon as possible.
  • Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership has launched its 2020 Growth Grant Programme. The programme provides grant funding to small and medium sized enterprises and social enterprises in the Coast to Capital area and is designed to stimulate capital investment to help businesses introduce innovation and improve productivity. Businesses are encouraged to discuss their growth plans with their local Growth Hub Account Manager and to determine their eligibility. You can be directed to your local Account Manager by calling 01293 305965 or email growth.hub@coast2capital.org.uk. Coast to Capital also has a range of loans and funds for local businesses, including the Growing Places Fund for projects that have stalled due to lack of investment, Expansion Loan Scheme and Equity Fund.
  • Virgin Start Up Loans: A StartUp loan of £500-£25,000 available, along with a business mentor to help make best use of the loan.
  • Fredericks Foundation Start-up loans and support for those who have found it difficult to access finance.
  • The Princes' Trust helps 18-30 year olds who are unemployed, under employed or who have limited means to start-up businesses.
  • Visit the GOV.UK website and use the business support finder to identify possible sources of finance including grants, loans and investment, and business support including mentoring and consultancy services.

EU Transition

The UK has left the EU. There is now a transition period until the end of 2020 while the UK and EU negotiate additional arrangements. Find out what EU transition means for your business.

Organisations who can provide support

Tariffs

Border controls

General export support

Video: Everything you need to know about Epsom and Ewell

A promotional film created by The University for the Creative Arts to showcase Epsom and Ewell as a unique place to live, work and study. Special thanks go to Vice Chancellor Bashir Makhoul, Andy Blair (Director of Marketing, UCA) and Epsom-born Warwick Davis for his voice-over talents and support for this fantastic community project.

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