Small business owners who had planned to start 2016 with support from a business coach, but who feel the government’s closure of the Business Growth Service (BGS) has set them back, have been advised they can still access funded professional help and support.
Coaching network Business Doctors is observing how the funding landscape is developing in the wake of the BGS closure, while being optimistic about the growth plans of its clients, which rely on funding.
On 26th November 2015, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) issued a formal instruction to providers of the Business Growth Service not to enter into any further contractual commitments with customers after November 2015 and to complete all support and related activity with respect to existing contractual commitments by the end of March 2016.
With 43 offices throughout the UK providing hands on support to growing SMEs, Business Doctors has been a significant user of the funds from the Business Growth Service and its predecessor, GrowthAccelerator.
However, while expressing surprise at the short notice given for the service’s closure, the company remains optimistic that ambitious businesses will be able to access the support needed to help them grow.
Matthew Levington, co-director of Business Doctors, said: “As a provider of business support to growth businesses over the last 11 years, we have found that one constant of the funding landscape is change.
“Business Link, GrowthAccelerator and now the Business Growth Service have all come and gone in that time. But none of that has made a difference to businesses dedicated to growth.
“Undeniably, the sudden withdrawal of the Business Growth Service has left many of our Business Doctors with some short term challenges with existing clients and prospects lined up for funding.
“But, as an independent provider of business growth services, Business Doctors has never been dependent on Government funding, though clients will always welcome financial support from wherever it comes.
“We therefore remain very interested to see how the funding landscape will develop, but feel confident that, whatever the outcome, companies with an appetite for growth will be able to access the support they need.”
For further information, go to: www.businessdoctors.co.uk.
