View in browser

03 December 2024

Business Direct

YOUR BUSINESS NEWS FROM RICHMOND COUNCIL

Green Mark Accreditation

The OSO Arts Centre is a fringe theatre set in the beautiful location of Barnes Green. Providing a flexible auditorium space in South-West London for theatre, music and comedy. The OSO is a registered charity, funded entirely by ticket sales, café and bar intake, and your donations.

Lisa Ross, General Manager of the OSO Arts Centre is delighted to be the first local charity to be awarded the Green Mark accreditation with support from Richmond Council and the Green Mark team. As a result of the process, we have been able to put in place more energy-saving measures and green initiatives in our theatre space.

UPCOMING DEADLINES 5 Dec: Uber Black Business Fund 3 Jan 2025: Eagle Labs Funding Readiness Programme

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY 6 Dec: Richmond Christmas Ball: 2024 Business Awards 7 Dec: Small Business Saturday.

Christmas Windows Competition

For the first time ever we are having a Christmas Windows Competition. We are delighted that over 80 local businesses across Richmond upon Thames who have entered for you to vote who should be the winner for 2024.

The competition opens 1^st December and closes 20^th December at 5pm.

It is simple to vote. Just visit your local town centre and scan the QR code in the window to ensure that your favourite window has the chance to win. The Mayor of Richmond will be announcing the winner on Saturday 21st December.

Remember to #ShopLocal this festive season and support your High Street businesses this Small Business Saturday.

Challenge Your Mind. Change the World!

HRUC (Harrow, Richmond & Uxbridge Colleges) were proud to launch their National Innovation Challenge at the Royal Academy of Engineering at the end of October.

The competition is running in partnership with the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Industrial Liaison Program (ILP) and is aimed at inspiring the next generation of thinkers, creators, and changemakers to shape a sustainable future.

In attendance were HRUC CEO Keith Smith; Interim Chair of Skills England and lead judge Richard Pennycook; CBE and long-serving BBC TV Blue Peter presenter, writer and renowned STEM ambassador Konnie Huq, who will also be on the judging panel.

Find out more about the event and challenge here.

Let's talk action on air quality

At the end of October, we launched the draft of our refreshed Air Quality Action Plan for 2024-29, which sets out the activities and initiatives proposed to meet our ambitious targets for the next five years. 

The draft Air Quality Action Plan focuses on key locations and groups within our community. This includes areas where pollution levels are highest, where public exposure is most significant, and where vulnerable populations are at risk.

We want to get as much feedback on the elements of this plan as we can from people who live, work and regularly visit our borough. Please fill in our online consultation survey through which you can have your say.

If you would like a paper copy or another format of the survey, email consultation@richmond.gov.uk or call 020 8871 6000.

Small Business Saturday has grown significantly each year to support, promote and inspire small businesses all year round by encouraging people to shop with local businesses on their local High Street.

Each year Small Business Saturday runs a national roadshow that travels the length and breadth of the country to tell the story of the UK's incredible small businesses and mark the official countdown to Small Business Saturday,

7th December 2024.

The most wonderful time of the year is here...

Find out about the Christmas lights switch-on, the fairs, the markets and any other festivities, activities that are going on in the borough.

Read the brochure here

Join our Community Toilet Scheme to help us increase public access to toilets

Calling all local businesses! Richmond Council is excited to be expanding its Community Toilet Scheme to provide even more access to clean, safe, accessible toilets across our communities.

We’ve now got over 50 businesses on board and are aiming to increase our numbers even more, particularly in areas with less coverage, like Ham, Whitton, Barnes, Hampton and Hampton Wick. By joining the scheme, you'll be compensated to open your facilities to the public during opening hours.

Get in touch with our team to find out more and join! 

Join the Richmond Card scheme to promote your business and/or check out the Small Business Saturday and Christmas offers and discounts.

VisitRichmond Advent Calendar 2024

Set your alarm clocks for the 1 December as this year’s VisitRichmond Advent Calendar is going live at 9am!

Elfie has been very busy and the VisitRichmond Partners have donated fantastic prizes to win every day from the 1^st to 25^th December from overnight stay at The Selwyn, moonlight swim at Hampton Pool, Panto tickets, Afternoon Tea, dinner for two at Sticks n Sushi and so much more!

THANK YOU to all businesses for their generosity!

It is so easy to enter, just send us your name, email address and find out if you are the lucky winner by midnight each day.

VisitRichmond Advent Calendar 2024

Festive Cheer  - Ignite & Zenith Business Networking 

Last Tuesday our Ignite and Zenith Enterprise Programmes attendees came together for the last networking session this year. About 80+ attendees celebrated the festive event at the Slug & Lettuce riverside in Richmond.

Key Links

• Business Rates
• Licensing and Street Trading
• Trading Standards

Business Hub

• Event and venue hire
• Shop Local
• Young entrepreneurs