A new £1m fund will offer small and medium-sized businesses in Liverpool city region access to commercial business advice and support. Tony McDonough reports

Small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in Liverpool city region can access expert support via a new £1m fund.

Growth Platform, the city region’s economic development agency, has re-launched the New Markets 2 ERDF. This will enable SMEs in Liverpool, Wirral, Sefton, Knowsley, St Helens and Halton to access commercial business advice and support.

Eligible businesses can secure a 35% contribution to the cost of consultancy or agency fees. This can include financial advice, HR support, legal advice and help with exporting. There is also support on strategic development including marketing and sales.

Janice Mears, head of business growth at Growth Platform, said: “It is fantastic that we can help more businesses through a new round of New Markets 2 funding.

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“The programme has already been a great success. It has helped 281 SMEs across the city region grow, with grants totaling more than £980,000 towards a total of just under £3m of commercial services procured.

“There really is a plethora of services you can get a grant towards such as HR support, coaching, legal advice as well as costs towards ISO accreditation. I would encourage any business to contact our commercial brokers and see how they can help.”

One business, Tulway Engineering, secured a New Markets 2 grant for PR and marketing support. Jennifer Tully, senior HR manager at Tulway, explained: “Growth Platform’s commercial broker, Lisa Ashby-Dowling, was a huge support.

“Her timely communication and assistance meant that we could access the support we required at the perfect time. The New Markets 2 ERDF grant contribution has led to an increase in work. As a result have increased our headcount by around 20%, with the company still actively looking to recruit further.”

Partly funded by the European Union, the programme was developed by Growth Platform working with local partners across the city region. The New Markets 2 Fund is available to businesses until June 2023. For more information click here.