A new monthly business clinic has launched offering SMEs and start-ups in Liverpool’s Commercial District bespoke help and advice.

Run by Cllr Gary Millar, in partnership with Hotel Indigo Liverpool, the drop-in event is the latest addition to the Liverpool BID Company’s business support programme. It takes place on the first Wednesday of every month from 12:30pm to 1:30pm at Hotel Indigo on Chapel Street.

Assistant Mayor Cllr Millar, who is a non-executive director of the Liverpool BID Company and an entrepreneur himself, has been successfully running business clinics at Central Library’s Business & IP Centre over the last 18 months where more than a 1,000 people have received support from him and his mentors.

The growing team of mentors will support businesses in a variety of ways, including developing business ideas, making connections, exploring patents and trademarks, solving business problems and growing their businesses.

Commenting on the new clinic in the Commercial District, Cllr Millar said:

“Sometimes people just need to be able to talk to someone outside their business to share ideas with or ask for advice.

“The sessions are a great opportunity to not only be inspired but to also make a few extra connections with like-minded people. The sessions are open to anyone and no appointments are necessary.”

Mark Tasker, general manager at Hotel Indigo, said:

“Located at the heart of Liverpool’s thriving commercial district, Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill prides itself as being the perfect setting to do business, be it for an express working lunch, informal meeting over coffee, or a larger business function – with a selection of menus to suit all occasions.

“The business clinic is a great way to meet and talk business, forge new connections and receive advice from those in the know. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Cllr Gary Millar and welcoming the city’s business community into our relaunched restaurant.”

The new service is part of the Liverpool BID company’s £500,000 business support programme which includes the ongoing bimonthly Business Heroes seminars, run in collaboration with Bruntwood.

These seminars aim to equip businesses in the BID areas to start up and stay up. Two successful business people lead each seminar and cover a range of different subjects including PR, branding, marketing, social media, legal and HR. The next one is being hosted at the Old Hall on Wednesday 12th October looking at boosting marketing and places are still available.

The annual Mystery Shop Awards also form part of the business support programme and have now been running for seven years. In the last edition 200 businesses, from independent cafes to national chains across both the City Central and the Commercial District BID areas were secretly shopped to assess their customer service.

Bill Addy, chief executive of the Liverpool BID Company, said:

“We are committed to providing opportunities for local businesses to access support so that they can thrive in the Commercial District.

“Both Cllr Millar’s clinics and the Business Heroes seminars give SMEs access to a wealth of advice from people with extensive experience to help steer them in the right direction. We need to ensure that we are creating an environment where businesses feel that they have the support around them to be able to prosper and our growing business support programme of activity is contributing to that.”

For more information on the Liverpool BID Company, visit www.liverpoolbidcompany.com