At a time when uncertainty about our future is impacting on business confidence, Business in Focus has committed to a large-scale property investment in the South Wales Valleys and Wrexham.
A strong acquisition strategy has yielded results as the social enterprise increases the size of its portfolio by 67%, taking it from 227k to nearly 380k square feet, increasing its provision of affordable office space to growing numbers of small businesses. Since its inception more than 30 years ago, the company has been at the forefront of business advice and support in South Wales.
Speaking of the investment, Chief Executive, Katy Chamberlain said ‘This is precisely the right time to step up and show our support for small businesses in Wales. At Business in Focus, we have long championed prosperity in Wales. We know that small businesses are the backbone of the Welsh economy and are likely to feel the impact of any Brexit resolution.
The continued strength of the market for small business says a lot about the resilience of small business owners in Wales. Today, businesses face unique challenges and opportunities and our investment will enable us to provide continued support for the small and medium enterprise sector at a crucial time.’
The six acquired sites are located in Abercynon, Aberdare, Bedwas, Dowlais, Pentrebach and Wrexham, helping local entrepreneurs to provide better jobs closer to home – a cornerstone of the Welsh Government’s economic aims.
Data gathered by the Valleys Taskforce shows that nearly 1,000 people and small businesses in the Taskforce area have been helped through advice and business support, with more than 100 new enterprises created within the area during 2017-18. This argues a continued need for reliable, affordable small business accommodation in the area, and with five of the six new sites located in the Valleys, Business in Focus is poised to meet that need.
With occupancy rates at their existing premises in excess of 98%, Business in Focus is confident that their high standards will satisfy all clients. Small business owners often face lots of challenges with limited resources, so need to have complete confidence in their base-camp, be it an office or industrial unit.
The rare quality that sets this Property Team apart is their in-depth knowledge of tenants’ changing needs and the experience they have from listening to tenants and clients over 34 years of business support. Business in Focus offers flexible terms to all tenants so they can adapt their accommodation requirements as their business changes and grows. It’s notable that while tenants can leave after only a month if they wish, no one ever does. Why move when you have a hospitable community and strong expertise all around you?
Long term tenant Faith Olding of Apollo Teaching Services said; ‘I have been a Business in Focus tenant for 12 years and can always rely on the Property Team to ensure that my accommodation is right for my staff and my business. Everything is always well maintained – the team take the headache out of the premises leaving me free to run my business.’
