Calling all Tower Hamlets SMEs
Drop in on Tuesday 21 November, 9.45am to 2pm to Tower Hamlets Town Hall, 160 Whitechapel Road, E1 1BJ
The council will be opening its doors to businesses. Whether welcoming those starting on your entrepreneurial journey, scaling your business or somewhere in between – this event will have something for you.
A range of business facing teams will be joined by external business support organisations with live projects and opportunities to help you and your business. We are always adding organisations to this section so keep an eye on this page to stay updated!
On the day you will be able to
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access information and support including legal health checks for your business
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see what commercial premises may be available for your first or next move
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calculate your business’s carbon footprint (you’ll need to bring your bills in for this one)
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browse the stands to see what’s on offer.
Please register your interest to attend one of our expert-led masterclasses. You can also book onto a tour of our beautifully refurbished Town Hall Building, the former Royal London Hospital. And if that isn’t enough, you can browse a mini-market where you could start some early festive shopping, supporting women led businesses and female founders.
Council teams available to meet you on the day
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Through the Business Growth and High Streets Teams, the council offers business support to all businesses in the borough. Whether you are starting your own business or looking to expand, information on projects and opportunities is available to you. This includes accessing affordable workspace and premises and where to get expert advice and training.
Hackney Wick and Fish Island Creative Enterprise Zone – An initiative funded by the Mayor of London to support areas where artists and creative businesses:
- can find permanent affordable space to work
- are supported to start-up and grow
- where local people are helped to learn creative sector skills and find new jobs.
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- Information about free recruitment services and access to local talent. Free promotion of vacancies across Tower Hamlets and providing career paths for the local community.
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Whitechapel is experiencing rapid transformation with the arrival of Crossrail, the council’s new Town Hall and other investments.
The Whitechapel Road Improvements Programme will see significant investment in the public spaces around Whitechapel, the market stalls, and associated infrastructure, to create the best possible environment for local communities.
The council would like all businesses to be part of and benefit from the changes occurring. To do this we have established the Whitechapel Town Centre Management Programme to support local businesses in the town centre. This will ensure they are a part of and benefit from the changes occurring in the area.
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Procurement provide the strategic lead for contracting in the council. Providing advice over the entire procurement process, so that the contracts that are let are compliant with the law and council procedures. Also, it is the responsibility of the procurement team to ensure that the council gets value for money in all contracts that we let.
We can help and inform the development of tender documentation. We also lead on issuing all competitive processes via our procurement portal.
We understand that sometimes, especially for smaller enterprises, trying to do business with the council can be intimidating or seem bureaucratic. We are aiming to provide businesses with the information they need to be able to do business with the council by setting out the steps that they need to take to access our systems. Also, we will set out the type of processes that the council uses to undertake procurements.
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We support businesses, community groups, residents and departments in the council in reducing carbon emissions.
At the event, we will be giving businesses the chance to calculate their carbon footprint and produce their own greenhouse gas report. They will know what their emissions are and target out how to reduce them. To be able to do this on the day businesses will need to bring:
- the amount of electricity and gas they have consumed in the last year in kWh. It may be easiest for businesses to bring their energy bills along with them and we can look through them.
- how many miles any vehicles they may have, have done in the last year
- water bills so we can see their consumption for the last year
- if available, any information on how much waste they have thrown out.
If businesses don’t have all this information, we can still use what information they do have. The most important information we need is the energy consumption and vehicle mileage.
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Tower Hamlets has some of the most iconic and internationally re-owned street markets in London. Some are award-winning. No other borough in London offers year round trading with such a choice of vibrant and contrasting markets.
With a proud history and tradition on many of the borough’s markets, Tower Hamlets is keen to continue its investment and support of its 10 street markets.
These are:
- Brick Lane
- Bethnal Green Road
- Chrisp Street
- Columbia Road
- Petticoat Lane Markets
- Roman Road Market
- Roman Road Square (Globe Town)
- Sclater Street
- Watney Market
- Whitechapel Market
Businesses can expect to receive information on becoming a market trader in the borough. Having a market stall in one of our markets offers a low cost entry into testing or starting to sell products to customers and an opportunity for online businesses to have a physical base to sell their products. We also offer a variety of special events, introductory pricing, pitch promotions, incentives and new market opportunities available on an ongoing bases.
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Information on mental health, long-term conditions and smoking support for the workplace
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The Plan-making team at Tower Hamlets is beginning a period of public consultation (or Regulation 18 consultation) on the draft new Local Plan and is keen to get feedback from workers, business owners and all other stakeholders.
The Local Plan is the council’s most important planning document. It sets out a vision and framework to guide and manage future development in the borough over the next 15 years. The Local Plan is prepared by the council with the input from the local community through engagement and consultations. This document must also be in line with requirements set out by national and regional legislation and is supported by additional evidence and research.
Through this event, we are looking to gather feedback from businesses about the proposed policies and about their experiences with planning more broadly.
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Food Safety
Regulates compliance with Food Safety legislation.
Trading Standards
Ensures businesses do not intentionally mislead the public in terms of products/services sold, regulates product safety standards, ensures items sold complies with standards in relation of weights and measures and age restricted products.
H&S
Regulates H&S in the work the retail and office based working sector. Animal and Beauty Treatment Licensing, Smoke Free compliance, and Infectious Disease. Operates Best Bar None best practice scheme for licensed premises.
Licensing
Regulates Licensing of alcohol, late night refreshment, and regulated entertainment, Gambling (excluding online), Sexual Entertainment (Strip Clubs), and Scrap Metal.
Noise
Regulate noise prevention in domestic and commercial sector.
Pollution
Regulates prevention of nuisance in the domestic and commercial sector. Regulate contaminated land and air pollution.
Public Health Programmes
Offer training and guidance to businesses in promoting better compliance. Can offer Food Hygiene Training to businesses as well assisting in becoming part of the food for health.
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Our community safety team is here to keep you safe.
Working with police and other partners, they deal with anti-social behaviour, refer vulnerable people, help prevent crimes, give out crime prevention advice, and engage with residents, visitors and businesses.
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Information about the Tower Hamlets Violence Against Women and Girls Team programme of work. Information and campaign materials on how to support victims, where to get help from, how to get involved, the free local training offer and how to challenge misogyny
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The Careers and Social Mobility Team is dedicated to enhancing the career prospects and personal development of young residents, from Primary to 25 Years. We build vital partnerships with schools, colleges, businesses, parents/carers and community groups to bridge the gap between education and the work of work for both young people and educators.
By offering real-world experiences and flexible initiatives, we help to prepare young people for the workforce. We also help parents/carers by supporting them in making informed choices.
We coordinate initiatives from the council’s 14-25 Strategy and look for new strategies to forge stronger partnerships. We aim to increase the social and cultural capital of young people by ensuring schools and their students have access to diverse career pathways including under-represented groups. We also ensure equal access to career education and hands-on experiences.
We give access to the world of work through experiences such as mentoring, apprenticeships and job opportunities by creating an inclusive and diverse career guidance system.
External business support organisations
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Enterprise Nation is a vibrant community of small businesses and business advisers that exist to shortcut your route to trusted business support.
Whether you’re starting or growing a business, Enterprise Nation have the resources, expertise, and connections to help you get it right.
Access support at a selection of events held up and down the UK, or online via a dynamic platform that gets you to answers and advisers fast.
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The British Business Bank is the UK Government-owned economic development bank.
Working with the finance sector, it strives to make finance markets work better – so businesses in the UK can survive, thrive and grow.
It provides improved access to financing, supplies useful information and tools, and helps build strong regional networks. They help shape a brighter future for many small businesses across the UK.
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- SKETCH (Student Knowledge Exchange Through Community Hubs) is Queen Mary’s student knowledge exchange programme. It connects our students to local businesses, individuals and community partners through activities like
- workshops
- training
- advisory clinics
- consultancy-style projects
- investment services.
The services present today are:- qLegal: we can provide free legal advice, support and resources to entrepreneurs, start-ups and non-profits. We will be offering free legal health checks, drop in and have a chat with us about your legal requirements
- qNomics: we are a free financial advice centre for start-ups, SMEs and entrepreneurs
- The Student Consultancy Project: we can provide free consultancy to businesses, charities and social enterprises.
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- At Barclays Eagle Labs our mission is to connect the UK’s entrepreneurial ecosystem through a network of business incubators, growth programmes, access to experts and business support. Over the last eight years we have created a community of top innovators, industry experts and mentors, designed to support ambitious entrepreneurs and startups.
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- Advantages of Age delivers impactful business courses aimed at helping those 50+ to discover new pathways to employment.
Startup School for Seniors Tower Hamlets 50+ is their flagship programme, an eLearning course, delivered remotely over a two-week or eight-week programme, aimed at supporting over 50s to take their first steps towards being self-employed.
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- Business Support Provider and delivery partner for Tower Hamlets Energy Reduction Project. Provision of support to eligible SMEs from across the capital, who want to
- innovate, grow and create jobs
- promote diversity
- bring new low-carbon solutions to market
- contribute towards helping to reduce London’s greenhouse gas emissions.
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Established over 45 years ago to help our members succeed in business, we are a non-profit making and non-party political organisation that’s led by our members, for our members.
Members receive an exclusive package of great value business services including advice, financial products and support. The benefits include protection in the case of tax inspection, legal and HR advice, as well as local networking groups and business banking.
We don’t only provide fantastic membership benefits. FSB is also the UK’s leading business campaigner, focused on delivering change which supports smaller businesses to grow and succeed. Our policy and advocacy team in Westminster focuses on UK and English policy issues.
Further to this, our expert teams in Glasgow, Cardiff and Belfast work with governments, elected members and decision-makers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
For any business owner that joins FSB at the event they will receive a 10 per cent discount.
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London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) is London’s key hub for the business community. We support members’ businesses through a range of services and events, advocate on behalf of London’s business community and promote ‘Global London’ as the best city in the world to do business.
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Newable has been helping UK businesses to thrive since 1982. We have over 1,000 employees supporting over 43,000 SMEs each year. We work with key partners and clients to deliver programmes of support across the UK to accelerate business growth and contribute to achieving strategic, social, economic and environmental objectives.
Newable work with passionate people at the heart of the UK economy, helping them start, sustain or grow their companies. We bring a mix of hands-on financial support, advice and encouragement. We are a highly trusted delivery partner that government and businesses turn to when they need effective solutions designed to deliver measurable social and economic impact.
Many businesses need support to commercialise products, trade overseas or achieve their full potential. We support them by:
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Offering bespoke support and advice to accelerate business growth
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Design and implementation of end-to-end business support programmes for public and private sector organisations aimed at helping businesses grow and generate social and economic impact
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Focussing on delivering “good growth” that supports all business communities in our society, creates new jobs and delivers business impact
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Organising over 250 events each year, designed to help businesses find new opportunities or learn new skills needed to grow
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Please register your interest to attend the following masterclasses.
Masterclass schedule
10.15am – Accessing finance
Join our expert panel to discuss finance options for start-up and growth businesses
Speakers
Moderator
David Shaw – Local Director HSBC
Expert panel
David Woods – Senior Manager, UK Network – London British Business Bank
The British Business Bank is the UK Governments economic development bank. David works for the UK Network within the bank, working with VCs, brokers, universities and other financial intermediaries.
These organisations provide intelligence on how SMEs are finding access to finance, helping the Bank target resources better.
Prior to working at the bank, David worked for an R&D tax consultancy and a London university, working on Knowledge Transfer.
Joseph Babalola – Head of Cashflow Lending
Funding Bay Joseph Babalola dedicates his expertise to supporting SMEs across diverse industries, facilitating access to various forms of funding, and empowering these businesses to initiate and expand their operations.
Funding Bay specialises in smart finance solutions for businesses of all sizes. With a streamlined process, we offer flexible services in invoice finance, business finance, and asset finance. Since 2017, we’ve facilitated over £100 million in funding, working with 250+ lenders—from high street banks to independent ones.
Our team, with extensive SME and finance experience, serves as matchmakers, connecting capital with businesses poised for growth. Trust us to raise finance the smart way—where your success is our priority.
Andrew Brisbin – Director of Ventures Allia Impact
As a business owner, investor and a start-up & corporate veteran, Andrew has worked across a variety of industries scaling and operationalising ecommerce products, ed-tech services, and small businesses.
Passionate about tech & creative solutions for good, Andrew leads the team at Allia to help entrepreneurs and problem solvers take their solutions to scale.
From building financial models and pitch decks to launching products, Andrew thrives on working with founders to accelerate change. MBA, CIPP/US, avid eater of foods and reader of books.
11am – Navigating public procurement
In 2021/22, gross spending on public sector procurement was around £379 billion across the UK.
Join the council’s Procurement Team who will take you through the council’s procurement processes and procedures, providing information on where you can find these opportunities and how to do business with the council.
This session will be supported by Newable who can provide information and access to fully funded projects to support your business to become supply-chain ready and find suitable opportunities.
Speakers
The council’s Procurement Team
Supported by:
Patrick Nicholson – Buyer Engagement Expert
Lead for supply chain support on an Inclusive Supply Chains project, Newable.
11.45am – Knowing Your Value: Leveraging your unique perspective and value proposition to stand out
Participants of this masterclass will gain valuable insights and practical skills that will empower them in various aspects of their entrepreneurial journey. The masterclass will also provide valuable networks that will unlock their opportunities.
Speaker
Angie Madara
Serial Entrepreneur and Founder Partner of Athena FundX
Angie is leading the 1 Million Women in Tech Entrepreneurship initiative by Athena FundX that aims to empower women in tech entrepreneurship globally.
By creating accessible opportunities for women to learn and thrive in the tech sector, Angie is reshaping the entrepreneurial landscape and driving social change on a global scale. Angie’s personal achievements are numerous and stand as a testament to her exceptional leadership and entrepreneurial prowess.
She has been recognized as UK’s top 40 under 40, Technology innovator of the year by the Women Tech Network and has been listed among the top women in technology to watch by Yahoo! Finance.
Her inclusion in The Iconic Women Creating a Better World for All by Women Economic Forum, top 25 women in digital and as one of the top 100 UK social enterprise leaders further highlights her outstanding contributions to the industry.
12.30pm – 3 Mistakes keeping your business from growing
Stuck doing the same thing? Can’t get to the next level of your business? Whether you are running a brand new business/startup or growing an established business, there are three (at least) things that might be holding you back from the business of your dreams.
Come hear from Andrew Brisbin, Director of Ventures at Allia, who has worked with over 300 entrepreneurs to help them grow their business.
Speaker
Andrew Brisbin – Director of Ventures Allia
As a business owner, investor and a start-up & corporate veteran, Andrew has worked across a variety of industries scaling and operationalising ecommerce products, ed-tech services, and small businesses.
Passionate about tech and creative solutions for good, Andrew leads the team at Allia to help entrepreneurs and problem solvers take their solutions to scale.
From building financial models and pitch decks to launching products, Andrew thrives on working with founders to accelerate change. MBA, CIPP/US, avid eater of foods and reader of books.
Book a building tours
Our new town hall encompasses the restoration of the Grade II listed former Royal London Hospital building and the addition of a new build extension.
We are offering guided tours of the building. You must book a place to attend one of the tours as spaces are limited.
Please register your interest in the masterclasses and book a building tour.
If you have any questions or need any further information relating to the open day, please email [email protected]. We look forward to welcoming you.
