Helping businesses to raise their aspirations

As someone whose job is to help drive growth and sustainability in Blackpool, I often talk to business owners who are looking to grow their companies or are looking to understand and reduce their carbon footprint and don’t know where to turn for help.

I think there’s often an assumption that serious business support is only something you find in big cities. But it’s not. It’s here.

And it’s already supported a constant flow of companies since we
launched in 2023.

Since launching two major new initiatives – The Blackpool Growth Business Academy and the Blackpool Net Zero Business Academy – we’ve been helping SMEs to not only achieve their growth and sustainability targets, but also to shift their mindset – to realise that more is possible, that they can pursue more ambitious goals.

Our two new academies are part of a broader effort to foster economic development and environmental responsibility within the community.

We have already seen the successes, and the positive impact they have had on the local business community.

We are supporting companies in developing robust growth strategies, creating new job opportunities, identifying energy savings and making meaningful progress towards carbon reduction.

But one of the most notable achievements is that many are now setting more ambitious goals, recognising that reaching significant milestones – such as becoming a £1m or £5m business – is within their grasp.

This growing confidence is helping to drive the local economy forward. The optimism is infectious, and it’s only just the beginning.

I encourage Blackpool businesses, whether starting, scaling or lowering their carbon footprint, to explore the resources we have available and to see how they can be part of Blackpool’s growing success story.

Our initiatives are fully funded by Blackpool Council and the UK Government, meaning that every eligible company can access our audits, insight, advice and support.