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How to Start a Business in Leicestershire

Free start-up resources and useful local contacts.

Improve your chances of success!

How to Start a Business in Leicestershire

Starting a business in Leicestershire

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

Start Your Own Business in Leicestershire 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 Leicestershire

Local help for startups

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

Select classification:

If you're considering starting a business or already running one in Leicestershire, this section provides valuable information and resources to support your entrepreneurial journey.

Located in the East Midlands region of England, Leicestershire offers a diverse business landscape, rich cultural heritage, and numerous opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs

Demographics of Leicestershire

Leicestershire has a diverse population with a mix of urban and rural areas. As of the latest available data, the estimated population of Leicestershire is over 1 million residents. The county provides a vibrant market for businesses across various sectors.

Major Towns and Cities in Leicestershire
  • Leicester : Leicester is the largest city in Leicestershire, with a population of over 350,000 residents. It is a culturally diverse city known for its rich history, vibrant shopping districts, and thriving business community. Leicester offers business opportunities in sectors such as retail, manufacturing, healthcare, and professional services.
  • Loughborough : Loughborough is a market town in Leicestershire, with a population of over 60,000 residents. It is renowned for its leading university and strong sporting heritage. Loughborough provides business prospects in sectors such as education, technology, sports, and engineering.
  • Hinckley : Hinckley is a town in southwest Leicestershire, with a population of over 45,000 residents. It is known for its manufacturing and engineering industries. Hinckley offers business opportunities in sectors such as logistics, advanced manufacturing, and automotive.
Local Authorities in Leicestershire

Understanding the local authorities in Leicestershire is crucial for navigating regulations and accessing relevant services. Here are some key local authorities in Leicestershire along with their website links:

  • Leicestershire County Council : The official website of Leicestershire County Council provides comprehensive information on local government services, including business rates, planning permissions, and economic development initiatives. They offer guidance on starting a business, provide access to grants and funding opportunities, and support business growth in the county.
  • Leicester City Council : Leicester City Council oversees local services in the city of Leicester. Their website offers information on business support, planning and development, and licensing.
  • Charnwood Borough Council : Charnwood Borough Council provides local services in the Charnwood area. Their website offers business support information, planning and building control services, and access to licensing and permits.
  • Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council : Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council is responsible for local services in the Hinckley and Bosworth area. Their website provides information on business support, planning and development, and environmental health.
Business Support Organisations in Leicestershire

To help you succeed in your business venture, Leicestershire offers various business support organisations that provide guidance, advice, and resources. Here are a few notable ones:

  • Business Gateway Leicester : Business Gateway Leicester offers a range of services and support to businesses at all stages. They provide guidance on starting a business, access to finance and grants, training programs, and networking opportunities.
  • LLEP Business Gateway : LLEP Business Gateway is the growth hub for Leicester and Leicestershire. They offer support to businesses, including access to funding, skills development, export assistance, and sector-specific support.
  • East Midlands Chamber : The East Midlands Chamber is a membership organisation that supports businesses across the region, including Leicestershire. They provide networking events, training programs, business support services, and lobbying on behalf of businesses.

We hope this comprehensive guide serves as a valuable resource for starting or running a business in Leicestershire. Exploring the websites of local authorities and business support organisations will provide you with further information, guidance, and assistance. Wishing you every success on your entrepreneurial journey in the vibrant county of Leicestershire!

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.

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!

FREE startup workshops

If you are thinking about starting a business, our FREE three-hour ONLINE workshop is definitely for you!

Open to everyone, our sole aim is to increase your chances of success. We do that by explaining:

The reality of running a business; the most common pitfalls and how to avoid them; which legal status is likely to be most suitable; funding, grants and managing your money; business planning and cashflow forecasting; finding and keeping customers.

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.

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.
Starting a business in Leicestershire

Key Contacts in Leicestershire

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

Leicestershire 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.

Accountancy

Pro Active Resolutions
Running a business is both exciting and challenging. Your journey to success won’t be in a straight line. At times there will be diversions and bumps in the road. Supporting businesses of all sizes is what we do. With a helping hand from us you will achieve success. We love working with small to medium-sized businesses (SMEs) who are looking to grow. We’ll help you deal with the demands you will have to face and help guide you on the right track. Want to: - Know how much profit you’re making? - Make more money? - Manage your cashflow better? - Make your business dream come true? Then we’re the accountants for you. Contact us and arrange a relaxed, no-obligation chat 0116 2247122 Save time, money and stress- Call us today
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Online Marketing

DLZ Design
We are a full service creative marketing agency Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire, but what does that mean? We can help your business with a marketing package to give you the biggest “bang for your buck”. In other words, we help businesses with everything from logo design and branding, right up to full marketing packages which include brand development, digital and print design, social media management and most importantly of all, web design & SEO. We create high quality, money making websites, from our web design agency in Ashby de la Zouch, near Leicester. Results driven marketing, tech support, and full service marketing packages at affordable, small business prices! If you are looking for web design in Ashby de la Zouch, Leicester, or anywhere else, let us help you to meet your targets and create a website to blow away your competitors!
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Web design

Hinckley Web Design & IT Services
Hinckley Web Design & IT Services - offering a range of IT & Website Services for Local Small Businesses & Home Users. No Contracts just simple Pay As You Go IT Support. Website Diagnostics, Web Design, SEO Maintenance, PC. IT & Network Troubleshooting. Prompt, Polite & Professional. Here are just some of the affordable services offered Web Design.SEO.PC.Network.Troubleshooting Virus.Malware and Spyware Removal Software Installation Hardware Installation Wireless.Wired Networking System Upgrades.Updates Data Backup Data Recovery Remote Support Web Design Web Hosting Logo Creation Social Media Marketing Advice Paid Advertising Campaigns Keyword Research advice
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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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Networking

FSB Leicestershire, Northamptonshire & Rutland
FSB Leicestershire, Northamptonshire & Rutland is the local branch of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). It was formed in 1974 as the National Federation of Self Employed and represents the interests of small and medium-sized businesses locally and nationally. They offer a great package tailored to your needs if you are thinking about starting a business in the area. Contact: Maxine Aldred OBE Development Manager Maxine.Aldred@fsb.org.uk
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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