Newbury Wharf Development
 We are excited to announce that Adams & Sutherland, the multidisciplinary architectural and urban landscape consultancy who have been appointed to complete work on the Wharf, have now made their next step towards beginning the project.
Adams & Sutherland have applied to West Berkshire Councils planning department for a Lawful Development Certificate. This is to support the first stage of preparatory works on the Wharf, which is the next logical step in the project. We are then planning to apply for a full planning application in October.
The funding we have been awarded for the project is £375k from the Thames Valley Local Enterprise Partnership to be spent in the current financial year, and £420k from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to be spent in the next financial year.
We are so grateful to have this funding to use on phase 1 of the Wharf project, which includes improvements to the peace garden and the waterfront. Both projects are set out to improve and transform the current space into a more inviting and welcoming place.
Free Market Pitch in Newbury Centre
 ATTENTION SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS! Do you have a product you want to start selling to the public, or are you looking for other avenues to pitch your product with a different clientele? If so, then check out Newbury Market’s free pitches! You can hire a free pitch for 4 weeks at Newbury Market to test out your product. This is a great opportunity for any locally based businesses with a product to sell. Check out their website for more information: https://www.newbury.gov.uk/services/markets/newbury-market/
Start Up premise in the Kennet Centre
 Kennet Centre, in the centre of Newbury, is offering independent businesses affordable places to kick start their venture!
Kennet Shopping and Quintons are offering very cost effective rent/service charge on various sized units with guaranteed occupation until January 2025.
Quite a few town centre businesses have already used the Kennet Centre as a platform to start or grow a business and have since moved into more permanent locations, making the Centre a great place to start.
Over the last 12 months, there have been over a dozen new independent business owners move into the Centre, knowing of the planned development, whilst still being able to afford their start-ups.
For viewings and costs, please visit: quintons.co.uk or call Shane Prater (Director of Quintons) on: 01635 551441 or Richard Farley (Centre Manager of Kennet Shopping) on: 07730 532229.
Single-use plastics ban: plates, bowls, trays, containers, cutlery and balloon sticks
 As the government moves toward recyclable packaging, anytime after1 October 2023, West Berkshire businesses must no longer supply, sell or offer certain single-use plastic items in England.
The ban on these items includes:
- online and over-the-counter sales and supply
- items from new and existing stock
- all types of single-use plastic, including biodegradable, compostable and recycled
- items wholly or partly made from plastic, including coating or lining
‘Single use’ means the item is meant to be used only once for its original purpose.
Businesses should:
- find re-usable alternatives to single-use items
- use different materials for single-use plastic items
If you continue to supply banned single-use plastics after 1 October, you could be fined.
Find out more: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/single-use-plastics-ban-plates-bowls-trays-containers-cutlery-and-balloon-sticks
Inspire the next generation with your company’s sustainability plans
 A local paediatric Speech and Language Therapist, working with young neurodivergent 17-18 year olds, is keen to hear from local businesses who want to engage with young learners who are passionate about sustainability! The young people in our local community have put together an e-book which they would love to share with businesses. It’s on climate change and our impact on local rivers and the planet as a whole. The book can be found at: Book Creator | The World is Our Oyster: The Impact of Climate Change on Marine Life and Humans.
Many of our local businesses already work closely with initiatives such as the Sustainable Business Partnership CIC and The Environment information Exchange (EiE). We would love to hear about your work so that these students can share their work as well as develop their influencing and conversational skills. Please contact them on: camilla@ccsandl.onmicrosoft.com or call: 07581 067 499.
Start-up and High Growth Business Courses
 Berkshire Growth Hub is holding ongoing courses and masterclasses to support start- up and high growth businesses. If you are looking for advice to start your own business or looking for options to grow your business, then go on their website and see which course would suit you!
West Berkshire Council is keen to support businesses in the area and that’s why we have funded these courses so it can be free to access for anyone in West Berkshire!
Screen Berkshire: Training for the TV and Film industry programme
 We were pleased to be at the Screen Berkshire Launch at Shinfield Studios at the beginning of October.
Screen Berkshire aims to support the ongoing growth of the film and high end television (HETV) production industry in the region. The partnership will provide opportunities for work and training to build on the regional screen skills talent pool, improve diversity in the industry and support productions that are filming in the region.
At a launch event, guests from across Berkshire attended to celebrate the launch of the region’s BFI Skills Cluster, made possible thanks to National Lottery funding. The Skills Clusters are part of the BFI’s nationwide strategy to support screen sector skills development across the nations and regions to aid the expansion of the UK’s screen production industry.
The news follows the announcement earlier in the year that Screen Berkshire (formerly known as the BFI Berkshire Skills for Screen cluster) had been awarded £600,000 BFI National Lottery funding to make the industry more accessible and help train and develop emerging and experienced film and TV production crew.
The three-year programme aims to create opportunities for new entrants to the workforce, those from underrepresented backgrounds, individuals upskilling and over 50s jobseekers returning to work. Alongside this mission, Screen Berkshire has the goal of supporting existing crew to upskill and re-skill as well as supporting productions who are producing in the region by offering a single source to help access crew, facilities and locations. Led by Berkshire based industry businesses, Screen Berkshire will help connect local educators ranging from the University of Reading and local colleges, as well as connecting individuals with local job opportunities.
And finally...
- Check Out Newbury BID's latest information on their website
Thanks for reading and subscribing to the West Berkshire Business Newsletter. We will be back with regular bulletins but if you want to receive other newsletters from the Council direct to your inbox, please update your subscriber preferences.
Don't forget to follow the Economic Development team on social media for more updates - follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
 
|
