Focus on North Hertfordshire Churchyard, Hitchin 10 INSPIRE Focus on North Hertfordshire Business is good in North Hertfordshire North Hertfordshire is home to the vibrant market towns of Hitchin, Baldock, Royston and Letchworth, the world’s first Garden City. The district is situated in an located in Royston, is a warehousing uses, with prices Some of the organisations offering excellent strategic location world leader in environmental considerably lower than nearby business support include: between Cambridge, one of the technologies and precious London and Cambridge. The Business Support fastest growing economies in the metal production. emerging Local Plan for North Hertfordshire Local Enterprise UK, and London with excellent However, the majority of Hertfordshire will also include Partnership (LEP) rail and road connections. significant additional new businesses are of a small or A business-led partnership Its five railway stations provide medium scale. This reflects a commercial and residential development. between local businesses, direct services north to high level of entrepreneurship academia, voluntary organisations Peterborough, north-east to and makes the economy resilient Economic Development and local government, with a Cambridge and south to and adaptable to change. a priority remit to boost the local economy Stevenage, Hertford and London. The survival rate for small and and create new jobs. The Also, the A1(M) and A10 bisect micro-businesses in North North Hertfordshire District Hertfordshire LEP is helping to the district in a north - south Hertfordshire is very good, Council (NHDC) is committed to deliver initiatives such as grants direction and the M1 is only a thanks in part to its high supporting businesses through its for growth and growth vouchers resident skills base, education economic development strategy. to provide a key source of couple of miles further west. potential funding to businesses The A505 runs east - west facilities and partnerships The strategy can be viewed here: in the area. through the district and providing business support. www.north-herts.gov.uk/home connects Luton in the west to /business/economic-development/ For more information visit: There is a high degree of www.hertfordshirelep.com/ Royston in the east and then interdependency between the productive-north-herts onto southern Cambridge. The Growth Hub various sectors and with similar Support and advice is available Luton Airport is on its borders businesses in surrounding and Stansted and Heathrow to businesses in areas such as The Hertfordshire Growth Hub towns like Stevenage, Luton, provides free support to SMEs in are within an hour’s drive. business development, energy Cambridge, Milton Keynes, efficiency, raising skills levels, Hertfordshire. Their specialist The district hosts a number Welwyn Garden City and London. developing the workforce, business advisors work closely of internationally important with a business to determine Mixture of commercial safeguarding, as well as providing where they are, where they want businesses. Wilmott Dixon, the employment opportunities. major construction company premises available to be, and what they need next, is based in Letchworth, LV There is a diverse mix of premises The Council also has an helping remove barriers to Insurance has major offices in in the towns and villages of North Economic Development Officer, growth, plan for the future and Hitchin and Samsung has a key Hertfordshire, offering a wide who can be contacted on achieving sustainable success. service presence in Letchworth range of quality accommodation economic.development For more information visit: Garden City. Johnson Matthey, for offices, industrial and @north-herts.gov.uk www.hertsgrowthhub.com Cont p 12 INSPIRE 11 Focus on North Hertfordshire Broadway Gardens, Letchworth Letchworth business independent stores, national chains and top eating places, community continues all within an elegant pedestrian- to grow friendly town centre. As the first Garden City in the Businesses in the town centre, world, Letchworth’s neatly- extending out to the Spirella planned streets, attractive building and Nexus offices on cottage housing and wide green Broadway form part of the spaces offered an alternative to Letchworth Business the squalor of urban life in Improvement District (BID). early 20th century Britain. The BID was formed in 2014, The visionary behind when businesses in the town Letchworth Garden City was agreed to come together to social reformer Ebenezer help combat the recession Howard and what he created period, stem the rapid decline here became a model for town of footfall and offer something Annual events such as the Letchworth Food & Drink Festival help the town to planning across the globe. new to the residents of the increase its popularity and attractiveness. The BID is currently looking forward Its unique heritage embraces town and beyond. to a brand new event - The Vintage Festival, which takes place during the last a wealth of architectural styles weekend of July. from Arts and Crafts to Art Under the ‘Love Letchworth’ brand, the BID has delivered Deco, including an original successful annual events such cinema built in 1936, the as the Food & Drink Festival world famous Spirella Building and the Christmas Gala/Lights Hitchin lives up to its The organisation deals with the and an eclectic Arts Centre. day-to-day issues of town Switch on, in addition to reputation as a busy Today, Letchworth Garden City providing training support for market town management, which allows Hitchin is still a place of beautiful tree- local businesses, lobbying for Initiative, an award-winning town lined streets and first class improved parking and access With a population of about centre partnership, to look at more civic amenities. For shoppers, to the town, and providing 33,500, Hitchin is highly regarded strategic issues and policies such Letchworth Garden City programmes such as the as one of the busiest and most as wider transport issues, cultural promises a fine mix of BID Awards. vibrant historic market towns in the country. events and development. It is a key retail and market centre, Hitchin town centre retains a has a mix of industry, services and rich diversity of independent The Letchworth BID agricultural activity and is a much businesses as well as a good Awards took place sought after residential location. representation of national brands. throughout the month of May. Since the launch of With more than 600 businesses More than 80 shops and the Programme last year, in the town centre alone, Hitchin’s 60 cafes/restaurants are customers voting for their business community has an independently owned and Hitchin favourite business innovative and trail-blazing track increased four-fold - Market trades on four days each totalling 4,500 votes. record of working together and in week. Food and drink are an David's book shop and partnership with community important part of the Hitchin offer café won the 'Community groups and NHDC. Spirit' award. with award-winning restaurants Pictured is Chris Gerard, Hitchin BID, an organisation and traditional pubs catering for Chair of Letchworth BID supported by NHDC, has made an increasingly discerning clientele. Board and the shop Hitchin a particularly successful owner Paul Wallace and business environment, where For more information visit: his wife Liz with Patricia businesses are thriving. www.hitchinherts.com/hitchin-bid Saunders, BID Manager. 12 INSPIRE Focus on North Hertfordshire In November, businesses will vote whether to continue with the services of the BID for another five years, re-starting in April 2019 with a new business plan. Consideration is also being given to providing businesses outside of the BID District the opportunity to become voluntary members, contributing to the overall BID levy and receiving Hitchin move reaps similar benefits. Baldock Town Centre For more information visit: www.loveletchworth.com/bid rewards for CIPS Ltd business area designated uniform and everyone is NHDC also works with the under North Hertfordshire’s called by their first name. CIPS Ltd, a Development, Project Letchworth Garden City emerging Local Plan. There is a strong emphasis and Cost Consultancy firm, has Heritage Foundation to on promoting democracy promote business support. What makes been located in Hitchin for and removing hierarchy at approximately 2 1/2 years and The Heritage Foundation is St Christopher School all levels of the School a major landlord in the town stand out as truly underpinned by the belief has experienced steady growth with a range of properties independent that all voices, from the throughout this time, working in across the office, retail and youngest member of the both the public and private, industrial sectors. They are St Christopher School in nursery to the chair of also key supporters of the Letchworth Garden City is governors, should be listened property and construction sectors. Letchworth BID. a distinctive school that has to and treated respectfully. MD Francis McPeake was previously based in Central London for more than 30 years, where For more information on favoured a modern approach St Chris prides itself on the to education for over 100 he ran a much larger practice, but decided it was the Heritage Foundation happiness of its students, time for a strategic change and set up CIPS Ltd business support offer visit: years, confident that their and on each one of them forward-thinking methods in Hitchin and hasn’t looked back