Shipley Library Enterprise Hub Officially Open

The new Shipley Library Enterprise Hub was officially opened on Friday (24 November) by Bradford Council’s Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Transport and Planning, to create a comprehensive new resource for local businesses.

The Shipley Business Enterprise Hub was created in former exhibition space at the library, using £80,000 of money from the Government-funded Shipley Towns Fund. The new facility will offer resources and advice to local businesses and start-ups, and the space will also be used for events, meetings and co-working. It will also be part of the Leeds City Region’s Business and IP Centre’s local offering, which offers free advice to businesses based in West Yorkshire.

On opening the new facility, Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council’s Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, said: “The Enterprise Hub will be an excellent resource for the local business community, particularly those starting-up or newly-established businesses.

“The space has been fully refurbished with equipment for co-working, as well as access to specialist business databases. The results of the work here are excellent and an example of what can be achieved on the ground for local people when the Towns Fund money is used effectively. I’d like to thank all involved for their hard work and congratulate them on what has been achieved here.”

Adam Clerkin, Chair of Shipley Towns Fund, said: “There will be a dedicated business information advisor based here, who will be able to offer advice and guidance as well as training existing staff.

“Shipley has a thriving business community and we’re keen to support it. We’d invite everyone to come down and see what the resource has to offer and how the hub can support the success of local businesses.”

At the opening, teams from the Hub and the library were joined by members of the towns fund board and representatives of the Council, as well as the Leeds region Business & IP Centre.

For more information about the Shipley Towns Fund visit: www.bradford.gov.uk/regeneration/shipley-towns-fund/shipley-towns-fund/

About the Towns Fund

The Towns Fund is a Government-funded support programme to boost the economies of towns across the UK. The programme is part of the Government’s Levelling Up plan. Decisions on grants are made by Towns Fund Boards for each town, which are made up of private sector representatives with support from Bradford Council.