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How to Start a Business in County Durham

Free start-up resources and useful local contacts.

Improve your chances of success!

How to Start a Business in County Durham

Starting a business in County Durham

If you are thinking about starting a business in County Durham or would like to grow your existing business, we would love to help you.

Start Your Own Business in County Durham contains resources and the information that will help give your venture the best chance of success. It also highlights organisations who offer friendly advice and the services that you are likely to need as a new startup or local business owner.

Grants | Networking groups | Business advice | Mentoring | Co-working spaces

Starting a business in County Durham

Local help for startups

There is plenty of help for startups in County Durham but where can it be found?

Select classification:

Business advice in a group

Advice & Support
An accountant with calculator

Accountancy
A bookkeeper at work

Bookkeeping
Coworkers desks

Co-Working
Bank of England

Funding
Photo of a piggy bank

Grants
A mentor with group

Mentoring
Networking group talking

Networking
A view of a smart office

Office Services
Online marketing graphic

Online Marketing
A web designer at desk

Web Design
A nice place to work

Workplaces

Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or already running a business in the area, this web page is designed to provide you with valuable information and resources to support your journey to success. County Durham, located in the North East of England, offers a dynamic business environment with diverse opportunities and a rich cultural heritage.

Demographics of County Durham

County Durham is a county known for its picturesque landscapes, historic landmarks, and strong community spirit. As of the latest available data, the estimated population of County Durham is around 527,000 residents. The county encompasses several major towns and cities that contribute to its economic growth and cultural identity.

Major Towns and Cities
  1. Durham: Durham is the county town of County Durham and has a population of approximately 48,000 residents. It is renowned for its UNESCO World Heritage Site, Durham Cathedral, and Durham University. The city offers a mix of academic, cultural, and business opportunities.
  2. Darlington: Located in the southern part of County Durham, Darlington has a population of around 105,000. It is a historic market town and a significant transport hub, with a focus on advanced manufacturing, engineering, and professional services.
  3. Hartlepool: Situated on the coast of County Durham, Hartlepool has a population of approximately 93,000. It has a rich maritime heritage and offers opportunities in sectors such as renewable energy, manufacturing, and tourism.
  4. Stockton-on-Tees: Nestled on the River Tees, Stockton-on-Tees has a population of around 197,000. It is a vibrant town with a mix of traditional and modern industries, including chemical and process manufacturing, digital and creative sectors, and healthcare.
Local Authorities in County Durham

To navigate the business landscape effectively, it's essential to be familiar with the local authorities that govern different aspects of running a business in County Durham. Here are the key authorities in the county along with their website links for further information:

Business Support Organisations

County Durham provides a range of resources and support networks for businesses at every stage of their journey. Whether you need assistance with funding, advice, networking, or general guidance, these organisations can be instrumental in your success. Here are a few noteworthy organisations dedicated to supporting businesses in County Durham, along with their website links:

We hope this guide provides you with a solid foundation for starting or running a business in County Durham. Explore the rest of our website for more detailed information, guides, and additional resources that will help you on your entrepreneurial journey in this vibrant county. Good luck!

Local partners

We are happy to promote anyone who is prepared to offer friendly support to local start-ups.

Our local partners have been kind enough to help us and are keen to help you too.

Wattsford Commercial Finance
Zedcomms
TaxBite - Durham Accountants

Free Startup Resources

Getting it right from the start can help to prevent problems later.

To help you with this we have created a vast selection of resources and they are all completely free!

Latest articles

You don't know what you don't know!

The prospect of starting a new business can be incredibly exciting but should be approached with care. You have probably heard scary stories about how many start-ups fail in the early stages. You can make sure that you are not one of them by learning as much as possible before you launch. Over the years, we have collected lots of articles which will show you what has worked well for other start-ups and the putfalls to avoid.

See: Full List of Latest Start-Up Articles

Free Startup Guide

Start Your Own Business in 2021

Download the 2024 edition of our Free Start Your Own Business guide

An interactive step-by-step guide which also includes all of the most important subjects covered in an easy-to-read way with links to useful online articles and relevant contacts.

The idea of starting your own business can be incredibly exciting and who can blame you for being tempted?

However, the sad truth is that far too many new enterprises fail in the early stages. Our aim is to make sure that you don't become one of them.

This guide explains the key start-up subjects in simple English.

There is also plenty of help available in the area and much of it is free - please do make the most of it.

Read more about what our Free guide contains and how you can download it.
More Information and instant download
More Information and instant download
Starting a business in County Durham

Key Contacts in County Durham

'You don't know what you don't know' is a phrase that is so applicable to starting a new business.

County Durham is a great place for start-ups but your chances of success are dramatically improved if you make the most of the support that is available locally. Click on logos to visit their websites.

Zedcomms

Online Marketing

Zedcomms
Website design and Internet marketing. Reaching customers and growing your business is what we are all about. Business support and marketing services. We provide support and marketing services to business. Business mentoring, support, sales, marketing and a list of business support services all focused to promote your business. Website design, digital media, PR Promotion and Search ranking (SEO). Free Consultation Our free consultation will help us understand where your business is now and we will discuss where you want to be. We provide a suggestion list how to achieve and contribute as required.
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Wattsford Commercial Finance

Funding

Wattsford Commercial Finance
Wattsford Commercial Finance is an Independent Specialist Consultancy, providing Commercial Finance and Business support to clients throughout the whole of the UK who wish to access finance and funding to grow their business. Whether your business is well established or a new start we can help you with Commercial Mortgages, Property Development Finance, Business Loans,Short Term ‘Bridging’ Finance, Factoring, Equipment Leasing and advice on Grant Funding and how to secure funds via the Government Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme (EFGS). Wattsford Commercial Finance are genuinely independent, wholly impartial and offer straightforward honest advice, given freely and without obligation. Through our established Lender Partner Network we manage senior level relationships with over 250 alternative lenders’ and offer our clients a true whole of market proposition. Our lending and funding partners rely on us to introduce new and well qualified business opportunities for underwriting approval. These include High Street Banks, Merchant and Challenger Banks, Private Funding Groups, Investment Trusts and high net worth Personal Investors who are all keen to lend on the right proposition. When your own Bank has been unable to offer the finance or at the terms you need, then Contact Us. We will quickly assess all the available options for you and do everything possible to find a workable and affordable business solution, tailored for your business. Time and again we prove to our clients that we can secure funding where others fail and in the majority of cases our advice and support will save you significant amounts of money over the course of the loan. The vast majority of specialist lenders in the current marketplace only accept qualified and packaged mortgage and loan proposals from Specialist Brokers who are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority such as ourselves.
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TaxAssist Durham

Accountancy

TaxAssist Durham
TaxAssist Accountants Durham provides a wide range of accountancy services including tax returns, annual accounts, payroll and bookkeeping. TaxAssist Accountants in Durham are a part of the largest network of accountants who offer a wealth of experience and expertise to over 65,000 small businesses right across the UK. We help a diverse range of small businesses including start-ups, sole traders, limited companies and landlords who operate in many industries. Based on Gilesgate just outside the centre of Durham, we have first-hand experience of the challenges facing small businesses and are very aware of the constraints on time. Malcolm Massey heads a small friendly team which specialises in providing accounting and taxation services to all areas of small businesses (sole traders, limited companies and partnerships) and individuals. Malcolm says Being an accountant should be much more than the preparation of the annual accounts. Every business is different and I take great pride in being able to tailor, and deliver, a year round service to suit individual needs using up-to-the-minute advice. Our fees are agreed with our clients for the year ahead with the emphasis on value for money. We offer payment by Direct Debit so there are no nasty year end surprises! For more information on our range of services please contact us or pop in for a free no obligation chat to see how we can help your business save money.
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The Lonely Middle Club - From Startup Hive

Networking

The Lonely Middle Club - From Startup Hive
Starting a business is exciting, and succeeding is rewarding, but what about the bit between? You know, that bit that’s full of self-doubt, endless repetition and feelings of being out of your comfort zone? We call it ‘The Lonely Middle’ and it’s one of the hardest parts of creating a successful business. We know, we’ve been there. So, we created The Lonely Middle Club to help you through it. Each month you get exclusive content to help give you the knowledge and inspiration to succeed. Plus, you get access to a private members-only Facebook group where you can get advice and network with small business owners who are going through similar challenges to you. If you want even more, you can download our 51 worksheets, guides, and journals all designed to do one thing, and one thing only… help you get through ‘The Lonely Middle’ and achieve your business goals. Visit our website today to join the club and benefit from our members price lock and full no questions asked money-back guarantee.
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Advice

Transmit Start-Ups Ltd
Transmit Start-Ups is run by entrepreneurs (who have run a number of businesses themselves) not ex-bank managers or accountants. Its fair to say that we arent your typical enterprise agency.
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Advice

South Durham Enterprise Agency
Our business start-up process is a mix of training, practical assistance and where eligible, financial support aimed at helping you to plan, set up and run your own business in Wear Valley, Sedgefield and Teesdale.
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Advice

Northern Pinetree Trust
Pinetree delivers specialist business support and finance to people across the North East of England. We work with people with complex needs, helping them to start-up and grow their own businesses. We also provide access to well managed office space in our Pinetree Centre.
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Advice

TEDCO Business Support Ltd
TEDCO Business Support Ltd is a leading Enterprise Agency working across the North East of England. Our purpose is to help people start up and grow businesses. We have a dedicated team of business advisors who are committed to supporting people to get their business started through intensive one-on-one support. We specialise in helping our clients to progress their business ideas, through the development of a robust business plan along with support in accessing business finance.
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Advice

Five Lamps
Five Lamps offers a range of enterprise support to individuals who are considering self-employment: enterprise workshops; pre-start advice and guidance; New Enterprise Allowance Loan and Mentoring service; Start-Up Loan Fund. To enquire about Start Up Loans, please email deborahshanley@fivelamps.org.uk or call 01642 608316
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Advice

EDBS
EDBS offer support and advice to help businesses start up, develop and grow. EDBS provide business support and advice to new and established businesses on a range of topics including marketing, apprenticeships, business growth, funding opportunities and help with identifying additional training or skills needs.
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Advice

CDC Enterprise Agency Ltd
CDC Enterprise Agency offer advice, guidance, training and support to anyone looking to start or grow a business. Whether you have technical questions, want to brainstorm ideas or simply dont know where to start; we can help. We have a fantastic community of thriving local businesses and new entrepreneurs that we support with networking, training and coaching. To find out how we can help you just get in touch.
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Accountancy

HMBAccountants
We are CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS and Tax Advisors providing a full compliment of services to businesses in the North East. We believe in building long lasting partnerships with our clients providing a robust compliance service (whatever your needs), sound business advice and value for money.
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Advice

Enterprise Agency for Wear Valley and Teesdale
Our business start-up process is a mix of training, practical assistance and where eligible, financial support aimed at helping you to plan, set up and run your own business. An initial appointment with an Business Advisor to discuss: Your business idea; The practical assistance available; Grants & financial incentives; Preparing a Business Plan; Cash Flow Forecast; A Pre-Start Training Course; Enterprise Essentials Workshops - business skills training.
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Advice

North East of England Business & Innovation Centre
The BIC is an organisation which exists to service businesses of all sizes at all stages. Our experienced advisers help hundreds of businesses to start up each year, and the 14-acre BIC site can accommodate over 160 companies in purpose-built offices and work spaces.
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Advice

Darlington Business Venture
Darlington Business Venture is the local Enterprise Agency for the Darlington borough. A wide variety of business support services are provided by the company throughout the borough of Darlington and the wider Tees Valley sub-region. A number of partnerships, joint ventures and working agreements are in place between Darlington Business Venture and organisations at local, regional and national levels.
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Advice

CDC Enterprise Agency
CDC Enterprise Agency is a business support organisation offering tailored advice and support to new and existing businesses in the districts of Chester-le-Street and City of Durham. We offer free consultations to anyone thinking of starting their own business, or to those already in business. Our team of professional advisers can offer support and services such as business planning, mentoring, marketing and financing your business. We recognise the diversity of our clients and their businesses and have a range of support options designed to meet all of our clients needs.
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Start-up articles

100's of free startup articles

We have created a collection of 100s of startup articles to help anyone with whatever stage they are on with their business journey. Hundreds of thousands of people have gone before you and we can learn from what they got right and avoid the things that have been proved not to work so well.

You can see the full list of 'articles' at: How to start a business

FREE Start-up Pack

This FREE start-up pack contains everything that you need to get you started.

Startup Pack

Start-up Guides

Our FREE downloadable guides are packed with the information that you need to start and grow a your business.

Startup Pack