Supporting your business

High street & retail business support programme - Free mentoring and support for Independent high street and retail businesses in North Northamptonshire. This Programme gives you access to business coaching by real experts covering areas such as digital business, sales and marketing and merchandising.

Build Your Business - Build Your Business is a new programme aimed at small businesses, entrepreneurs and anyone thinking of starting their own business.

HiStreet - Our Hi Street campaign, made possible by the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), celebrates the local businesses North Northamptonshire is home to. It raises awareness of the area’s diverse High Streets, town centres and beyond and encourages people to shop and support local. We work closely with local businesses of all different types to deliver regular communications and marketing activity.

NNDecarb business grant scheme - Apply for up to £5,000 of grant funding to support your business:

  • increase energy efficiency
  • move to a low carbon economy
  • reduce greenhouse gas emissions
  • NNDecarb business support programme

Rural Business Grant - Following on from rounds 1 and 2 in 2023, Capital grants of between £5,000 and £50,000 are now available in Round 3. The grant scheme is intended to help rural businesses become more resilient and support growth. A particular target for Round 3 is business diversification and the visitor economy. Grants of up to £50,000 for rural businesses available.

Shared Prosperity Fund - We have secured £4.8 million from the Government’s Core Shared Prosperity Fund and a further £1.1 million of funding for rural areas from the Rural England Prosperity Fund, as well as £1.9 million of funding to support adult numeracy programmes as part of the Multiply scheme.

Discover Northamptonshire - A tourism hub located at Rushden Lakes promoting the attractions and highlighting the unique offering available in and around the local area.

Explore North Northamptonshire from the palm of your hand with our DiscoverNN app.

University of Northampton

Based at Waterside Campus, the University’s Business Support team offers a wide range of business support services to the Northamptonshire community with a team of experienced, accredited advisers with customer-focussed support staff - providing information, advice and guidance to entrepreneurs and businesses at all stages of their development.

SEMLEP Growth Hub

Set up in 2014, the SEMLEP Growth Hub is the business support division of the South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP). SEMLEP works to build a strong economy by tackling barriers to sustainable growth and supporting job creation for the future prosperity of communities across the South East Midlands. A key part of this is providing support to businesses across our area which includes Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire and Milton Keynes.

Business and IP Centre Northamptonshire

Whether you are just starting, need advice on protecting your intellectual property, or are ready to take the next step in your business journey Business IP Centre Northamptonshire is leading a revolution by inspiring a thriving community of new and existing business owners.

The Federation of Small Businesses

The Federation of Small Businesses' mission is to help smaller businesses achieve their ambitions by offering its members a wide range of vital business services including advice, financial expertise, support and a powerful voice heard in government.

Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce

The Northamptonshire Chamber membership represents around 1,000 Northamptonshire businesses and is part of a worldwide network. It is one of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) Accredited Chambers and has been specifically designed to enable small and medium-sized businesses to make the most of their potential.

NNBN

NNBN is a new and exciting business membership for North Northamptonshire there to help businesses in the North Northants area recover, build, and grow for a brighter future. The membership is open to businesses, organisations, charities, and families who are based in or provide services to North Northamptonshire.

Business advice and support are also available via the private sector.

Building Business

Building Business offers a wealth of skills, knowledge and experience ensuring our services meet your organization's goals and objectives. We aim to add value to your business by working with you to achieve success, whether that is as a consultant or acting as your marketing department or business development team. 

GOV UK - Government’s business self-employed website providing comprehensive tools and guidance.

HM Revenue Customs - Provides guidance, tools, and online forms information around PAYE and the latest legislation.

Companies House - Is a registrar of companies and is an executive agency of His Majesty's Government sponsored by the Department for Business, Energy Industrial Strategy. Here you can find company information, file your company accounts plus information on starting and running a company, forms, guidance and online webinars.

Office of National Statistics - Activities of businesses and industry in the UK, including data on the production and trade of goods and services, sales by retailers, characteristics of businesses, the construction and manufacturing sectors, and international trade.

Innovate UK - They are the UK’s innovation agency. They help UK businesses to grow through the development and commercialisation of new products, processes and services, supported by an outstanding innovation ecosystem that is agile, inclusive and easy to navigate.

Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) - Aims to grow a green economy and sustain thriving rural communities. We also support our world-leading food, farming and fishing industries.

UK Shared Prosperity Fund

NNC has secured funding through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). There are 3 elements to the fund:

  • Core Funding - to support businesses, communities, and skills in the area, including in ‘Left Behind Communities’
  • Rural England Prosperity Fund - to support businesses and communities in the rural area
  • Multiply - to support adult numeracy

The Council’s approach to the UKSPF was agreed by the Executive on 10 November 2022.

Year 1 (2022/23) projects include: 

  • a masterplan and funding strategy for the North Northants Greenway
  • a base-line audit and Visitor Economy Strategy
  • establishment of an interactive Visitor Centre at Rushden Lakes
  • support for local businesses on decarbonisation and energy efficiency
  • a Community Grants scheme

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the UK government’s Levelling Up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK by investing in communities and place, supporting local businesses, and people and skills.

SEMLEP - Responsible for securing and overseeing the spending of 2 main sources of growth funding for the South East Midlands: The Local Growth Fund (Growth Deal) and European Funding PLUS Community grants.

GOV UK - The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, list of available business finance and grants.

National Lottery Heritage Fund - Funding projects that connect people and communities to the national, regional and local heritage of the UK.

The British Business Bank - Is 100% Government owned, but independently managed. It brings expertise and Government money to the smaller business finance markets. We don’t lend or invest directly. Instead working with over 130 partners such as banks, leasing companies, venture capital funds and web-based platforms.

GrantFinder - Grantfinder's up-to-the-minute database is supported by a dedicated team of expert researchers who monitor, digest, verify and report daily on thousands of funding sources including charitable trusts, societies, research councils, national government, the EU and corporate sponsors.

First Enterprise - Providing government-backed business loans and support to entrepreneurs, SMEs, and social enterprises who are unable to borrow from traditional high street lenders.

NNC owned and / or managed business space in the area include:

Chesham House - A modern business centre in the heart of Kettering Town Centre. Chesham House has space for up to 12 businesses, from small start-ups to established firms. Call 01536 527420.

Corby Enterprise Centre provides flexible serviced offices, studio space, co-working space, virtual offices and meeting rooms to growing companies within a professional and modern environment.

The Corby Innovation Hub provides flexible Industrial and Workshop space as well as serviced offices and meeting rooms to growing companies within a professional and modern environment.

Enterprise Centre, East Northants (ENEC) - Raunds - ENEC is managed by BizSpace on behalf of the Council.  For office, studio, workshop, storage, virtual office and mailbox sales enquiries, call the sales team on 0800 975 0875 for general enquiries, call 01933 698 524.

Space for micro-businesses and SMEs to operate and grow is also available via the private sector.

Corby

Corby Business Centre - Multi-tenanted business centre with office, workshop and storeroom spaces ranging from 200 sq ft to 2000 sq ft, ideal for businesses looking for a place to grow.

Desborough

Eckland Lodge - A family-run business park, established for over 20 years, and situated in the rural setting of the Leicestershire / Northamptonshire border. The park has a modern mix of commercial properties, from offices, workshops and factory units to the brand new, purpose-built, serviced office development, contact 01536 762300.

Irthlingborough

Nene Business Centre - A serviced office provider with flexible offerings ranging from virtual to large office space for professionals, entrepreneurs, start-ups and established businesses.

Kettering

The Business Exchange - A social enterprise organisation providing affordable serviced office space for businesses from the Kettering Borough. For more information call 01536 526400.

Headlands Business Centre - Whether you’re an established enterprise or a growing start-up, discover flexible spaces and solutions to move your business forward.

Boughton - An estate situated on the edge of Kettering offering a wide variety of rural commercial units ranging from 100-1500 sq ft workshop and storage units to serviced offices on multiple sites.

Grafton Court, Kettering Venture Park - Fire up your brand with flexible workspace at Grafton Court. Strategically positioned on Kettering Venture Park, Grafton Court provides you with a high-tech space designed for business.

Rothwell

Rothwell Grange Court - A complex of 17 stylish Barn Conversion office units full of character and finished to a very high standard with broadband and ample parking. Ideally located just off Junction 6 of the A14 and only a few minutes from Kettering Town Centre. Please phone Kevin O’Dell at Berry's on 01536 412464 or Samantha Jones at Prop-Search on 01933 223300.

Wellingborough

Belgrade Business Centre - The office spaces at the Belgrade Centre, Wellingborough comprise a mix of ground and first-floor office suites, some with the capability of being combined to provide greater areas.

Bridle Close Business Centre - We offer a modern serviced office complex. This is maintained to a very high standard. We are a small independent family-run business that strives to provide an excellent and professional experience for all of our tenants.

Diamond House - Ideal for the kind of business that wants a professional, flexible, simple and hassle-free office environment.

Honey House - We offer a beautifully refurbished working environment where your business can flourish.

Large Sites and Business Parks

Kettering Energy Park
Magnetic Park
Cransley Park
Symmetry Park, Kettering
Prologis Kettering, Kettering

Commercial Agents

Berrys
Rightmove
Budworth Hardcastle
Prop Search

Last updated 26 March 2024