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Visit www.malvernhills.gov.uk/business for more information or if you need help please email us at ecodev@malvernhills.gov.uk.
The UKSPF allocation for April 2025 – March 2026 has now been announced with Malvern Hills District in line to receive £830,919. Whilst this represents a significant reduction in the 2024/25 budget of £1,615,718, the Malvern Hills District Council Executive Committee have approved support across the three UKSPF themes of Place, Business Support and People and Skills for the following programmes next year:
Place
- Grants programme to include town centres, tourism, arts and environmental enhancements
- Promotion of The Malverns
- Town centre enhancements
Business Support
- Business advice via the Worcestershire Growth Hub
- BetaDen: Technology Accelerator
- Business grants programme for Start up, Growth and Innovation
People and Skills
- Support into employment via Building Brighter Futures
- Careers advice and apprenticeship support across Malvern Hills
- Training support via the Skills Boost programme
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The Malvern Hills Rural Prosperity Fund, through a 50% grant of £7,510, has supported local business Sitemark in embracing biophilic design, using living plants, natural materials, and different textures to create a calming workspace that enhances communication and collaboration.
Sitemark, who help businesses nationwide with consultancy in cleaning, security, and maintenance, are expanding into creating holistic workplace experiences. To support this expansion they have used their own offices as a test case and showroom for clients looking to incorporate biophilic design into their workplaces.
Working with local suppliers, they successfully created a space that, according to Managing Director Mike Boxall, has “opened up the possibilities of creative and collaborative working.”
The Malvern Hills Rural Fund will reopen in April, with funding from the Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF).
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A new was business opened in Upton upon Severn owned by local resident Sian, fulfilling her dream to open an independent bookshop. The business initially opened in July 2024 but due to a lack of signage, customers asked if she was a ‘pop-up’ shop, rather than a permanent one. |
The façade was transformed from a dark, blue shop into ‘The Violet Bookshop’ with a grant from the Town Centre Support Scheme. Sian said the grant had an enormous impact on her visibility, gave her a sense of establishment with permanent traditional signage and also provided a dedicated space for customers that can be used for colouring and story time.
The Shop Front Improvement Grants are funded by the UK Government.
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Available to let on a lease until 31/03/2030, Unit 9 Spring Court, 800 ft2, rental £6,000 p.a with a service charge of £300 p.a.
Please contact Sandra Hudson, Head of Property Services:
Sandra.hudson@malvernhills.gov.uk 07809 547978
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Is transport limiting your potential pool of employees or trainees? Support is available through the E-bike to Work Scheme from Malvern Hills District Council and Malvern Hills Car Clubs.
E-bikes are available at a subsidised cost to those struggling with transport to their workplace or training and there is also the option for applicants to have their existing bikes converted. Apprentices using this scheme may be able to claim back some of the cost via the Malvern Hills Upskilling Bursary.
Please make your employees, trainees or apprentices aware of this opportunity.
On Friday 21 March we supported nominees from Malvern Hills at the 2024/25 Visit Worcestershire Awards, hosted at the Three Counties Showground.
It was a winning night for Malvern Hills businesses with six businesses taking home awards and even more winning highly commended:
Business Events Venue of the Year Winner: Stanbrook Abbey Hotel
Ethical, Responsible & Sustainable Award Winner: Treeopia
Experience of the Year Highly Commended: Morgan Experience
Festival & Event of the Year Winner: RHS Spring Festival
Large Hotel of the Year Winner: Stanbrook Abbey Hotel
Highly Commended: The Cottage in The Wood, Malvern
New Tourism Business of the Year Winner: Wagtail Retreat
Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year Winner: Rowley Farm Holidays
Highly Commended: Elsies Cottage, Secret Bolthole and Treeopia
Taste of Worcestershire Award Highly Commended: Unwined Bistro
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This spring/summer Visit The Malverns has launched an ambitious campaign to encourage people to visit using sustainable transportation, primarily train travel. This campaign includes a two week ‘domination’ of London Paddington Tube Station and working with GWR on an outdoor advertising campaign on the line from London to Malvern. We are also working with GWR on online content to populate their website and social media.
The theme of the campaign is ‘Where else but The Malverns’ and uses inspirational imagery to both entice the viewer and inform them that The Malverns is very accessible by train. Included in the campaign is a new Illustrated guide of the district of which 50,000 copies will be printed and distributed ahead of the upcoming summer travel season as well as a digital marketing campaign with Birmingham Live.
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The Chairman of Malvern Hills District Council is pleased to invite you to the launch of the 2025 Tourism Forum. The event will be held at The Firs: Elgar’s Birthplace Museum and will include:
• Networking with refreshments
• Welcome and National Trust update for The Firs & Croome by Michelle Fullard (National Trust General Manager for South Worcestershire)
• Tourism/marketing update by Victoria Carman – Visitor Economy & Towns Manager
• Malvern Hills Trust update by Deborah Fox CEO
• Regenerative Tourism Strategy
• Networking with refreshments and a guided-tour around The Firs.
The event ends 4:30pm but attendees are free to enjoy the visitor centre until 5pm.
Please book your space by emailing Victoria Carman with any dietary requirements.
Victoria.Carman@malvernhills.gov.uk
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Worcestershire’s young people need employers to open their doors and consider Apprenticeships to help grow their business
There are many young people interested in apprenticeships and just not enough opportunities across Worcestershire
Can you help? Here are some Key Facts on apprenticeships that you need to know as an employer.
Call Worcestershire Apprenticeships if you have any questions or need any advice 0300 6663666 or email info@worcsapprenticeships.org.uk
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MHDC is partnering with Street Tag, a free, smartphone app that records physical activity and encourages people to get active and explore the local area by visiting virtual tags to collect points and win prizes.
Building on the success of last year’s schools challenge we are now opening it up to all residents, businesses, workplaces and communities.
How to get your business involved in Street Tag
Business Virtual Tags can be created which highlight the name of your business, and also, if you have any discounts/offers these can be shared on the push notification on the Street Tag app message board.
Email: susan.martyr@malvernhills.gov.uk if interested in having your business as a Virtual Street Tag.
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Malvern Hills Businesses continue to benefit from the Malvern Hills Upskilling Grant.
The grant scheme provides funding of up to £1,500 to help with the business cost of training new staff (i.e. apprenticeships, trainee or other). In order to qualify businesses must be based in the Malvern Hills district postcode area, employ fewer than 250 people and pay at least the minimum wage to the trainee for a post of at least 30 hrs a week including training leading to a recognised qualification.
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£500 is available to trainees and apprentices to help cover the cost of travel, equipment, tools and clothing necessary to access training.
The support is available to residents of Malvern Hills District who:
- Earn less than £250 per week.
- Attend a qualifying course.
- Are employed for a post of 30 hours a week for a minimum of 12 months.
Please spread the word that this support is available.
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Would you like to attract new talent to your business? Heart of Worcestershire College are holding an events fair to give their students a flavour of opportunities in the local area.
The date and venue are as follows:
Worcester Campus – Tuesday 8th April Deansway, Worcester, WR1 2JF
Students will be visiting employer stands between 10:00am and 2:00pm.
For further information please contact: icusack@howcollege.ac.uk
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Join Inclusive Worcestershire for an engaging and insightful event to explore how inclusion drives meaningful communication. Taking place from 9:30 - 1:00pm at Worcestershire County Cricket Club.
Topics will include:
- Personalities and Communication
- Communication and The Equality Act 2010
- Understanding Neurodiversity in Communication
- Multi-Generational Workforces
- When Communication Goes Wrong
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The Worcestershire Growth Hub collates all the business events from across the county into one, easy to read calendar.
The calendar includes all events from Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce and BIPC Worcestershire.
Follow the link below for an up to date list of events, training courses, networking opportunities and more.
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