New opportunity for hospitality businesses in Tamworth

Food, drink and hospitality businesses in Tamworth are being invited to join a new fully-funded peer support scheme to help them grow.

Tamworth Borough Council has teamed up with the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP) Growth Hub to create a network of SMEs with similar turnover and growth plans, to share challenges and experiences.

As part of the Peer Networks scheme, businesses will be able to help each other overcome barriers, act on new opportunities, improve long-term personal and business performance and build a trusted community of local contacts.

The initiative is part of a drive to diversify, grow and develop the town 's hospitality offer as part of wide-spread town centre regeneration plans.

The six-month programme includes a three-hour virtual meeting every three to four weeks, led by a professional facilitator to make sure businesses get real value for their time.

Businesses will also benefit from to two one-hour 1-2-1 coaching sessions.

The next cohort starts in September and is open to those who meet the following criteria:

• Small or medium sized enterprises based in Tamworth
• Five or more employees
• At least one year of trading
• Offering hospitality, food or drink services or products
• Business turnover of more than £100,000.

The deadline for applications is 13 September.

Cllr Daniel Cook (pictured), Tamworth Borough Council 's Cabinet member for Economy, said: “There are so many exciting plans on the agenda to regenerate Tamworth town centre in the coming years. This includes a number of activities to diversify, grow and develop our hospitality offer, particularly in the town centre.

“One of those initiatives is the Peer Networks scheme being delivered in partnership with the GBSLEP Growth Hub. It is designed to help food and drink businesses create a trusted network of local contacts, who work together to share challenges and experiences and ultimately grow their business in the current climate.

“We 've got some really good food and drink businesses in Tamworth and it would be great to see them taking advantage of this fully-funded programme so we can diversify and grow the offer even more.

“While the programme is for six months, the hope would be that once established, the new food and drink community would continue to support each other and flourish beyond that.

“With so much regeneration planned in Tamworth, this is the perfect time to make sure we 're all working together and ready to take advantage of the exciting opportunities this may bring. ”

More information about the scheme is available on the GBSLEP Growth Hub website.