Eastleigh's annual Business Conference will be held on Tuesday 25 June at the Berry Theatre, Hedge End. Refreshments will be available on arrival from 3.30pm for a 4pm start, running to 7pm, finishing with networking drinks. Please put the date in your diary! 

Similarly to last year, there will be two panels, likely to be on sustainable building and EU Exit. Further information on panels and speakers will follow.  

If you would like to be involved, or to book a stand to showcase your business to fellow like-minded businesspeople, please confirm your attendance by contacting the Economic Development team. 

To move goods into or out of the EU you need an Economic Operator Registration and Identification (EORI) number.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) uses this number to identify you and collect duty on your goods.

You may have increased costs and delays if you do not get an EORI number. For example, if HMRC cannot clear your goods you may have to pay storage fees.

If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, you’ll need an EORI number that starts with GB to move goods into and out of the UK. If you do not already have one, you can apply now, even if you do not use it.

There’s an exciting programme of events that will make Eastleigh town centre a must-visit destination in 2019, increasing footfall– so get the dates your diaries now!

More events will be announced throughout the year. Stay up to date with events across the Borough by checking our events listing, or by signing up for our weekly ENews bulletin – or follow us on Twitter @eastleighbc or Facebook: www.facebook.com/EastleighBC

Confirmed events so far include:

• St George’s Day Parade – Sunday 28 April. 
• Eastleigh Unwrapped - Saturday 22 June, Town Centre. 
• The Sorting Office Summer Open Studios – Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 June, Sorting Office, Wells Road. 
• The Point Summer Social programme kicks off with Eastleigh Unwrapped on Saturday 22 June and runs for five weeks until Sunday 4 August.
• The Eastleigh Chilli Fiesta - Saturday 13 July, Leigh Road Recreation Ground. 
• Eastleigh Mela - Sunday 21 July, Leigh Road Recreation Ground. 
• Park Sport 29 July - 23 August, various locations (sponsors and volunteers wanted)
• European Aerial Dance Festival – Monday 5 – Friday 17 August, The Point 
• A Day at the Beach – throughout August, Market Place. 
• Pride in Eastleigh – Saturday 7 September. 
• Eastleigh Film Festival – Monday 23 to Saturday 28 September, at various venues.  
• Christmas Light Switch-On - Saturday 16 November.

Did you know that one of the world’s top five tea brands is based in the Borough of Eastleigh?

Ahmad Tea is a family run, multiple award-winning tea brand with three generations of blending and tasting expertise. Founded on a passion for creating the finest teas from around the world whilst helping those in greatest need, Ahmad Tea has a strong commitment to corporate social responsibility, with 15% of profits going back to charitable causes each year.

Now a global business, that can be found in 80 different countries around the world, Ahmad Tea employs 25 tea tasters to ensure quality standards are continuously met and have won 20 Great Taste Awards to date. 

The company’s Chandler’s Ford headquarters is home to a tasting room - and even a tea museum that provides a lively and useful excursion for local schoolchildren studying History or Geography.

If you have an interesting story or would like us to profile your company in Eastleigh Busienss News or our Borough News magazine, please get in touch.

Eastleigh’s business sector is booming with new openings in the town centre and further afield.

Unique new wine bar

A new wine bar, on the site of JKS, opened in time for the Christmas run-up and offers a unique alpine-themed experience.

The Chalet describes itself as a retreat with a mountain vibe, where you can kick back, relax with friends and family, and take time out to enjoy the good things in life. A great wine list, sharing boards of cheese and charcuterie and frequent live music are part of The Chalet’s unique apres-ski experience.

Meanwhile, the Swan Centre end of the High Street saw the autumn opening of Roosters Piri Piri, part of a London and South East chain of restaurants. Its mission is to bring affordable, global street food, that is fresh grilled and healthy, to the widest possible audience.

Art Gallery for Chandler’s Ford

A new art gallery has opened in Hiltingbury Road, Chandler’s Ford (appropriately next to a picture-framing shop).

Frith Dimension, run by South Africa-born artist, Frith Johnson, is a showcase for her paintings and sculptures, many of which draw their inspiration from nature and the animal world.  She has also moved her studio there from Winchester.  Frith is looking for other artists who might also like to exhibit there.

Dance coming to the Swan Centre

The Swan Centre has welcomed a new business that may be unique to a shopping centre.

Opened in April, the Blue Butterfly Studios Dance Centre  spans two floors, with three professional dance studios, complete with professional flooring, sound systems and air conditioning. It also has its own beauty salon and dancewear shop.

Indulgent Me provides coffee and cake to parents waiting for their children to finish classes. The coffee shop will also be open to the public.

The studios are also hireable bringing a much needed venue to the area and will offer party packages.  

The Council has bought the former Post Office site on High Street, Eastleigh.

The Post Office building, that is a key strategic site with a prominent retail frontage onto the middle of the High Street, has  been purchased. The building includes the Sorting Office and Production House, that is currently home to a Creative Hub co-working space for Eastleigh’s creative industries.

The centre has been operated on a short lease arrangement with the Post Office as landlords by the Council since September 2017. It provides a base for 16 micro-businesses providing accommodation that enables creative businesses to grow and prosper.

Mild winters can lead to an increase in the number of rats – especially around ponds, lakes and other areas where food is put out for birds and other wildlife.

Rats are constantly on the lookout for food and shelter, so please make sure your business premises, outdoor areas or outbuildings are in good repair - and ensure your commerical waste bins are properly sealed. 

Prevent a rat infestation and get in touch with our Pest Control team

Exiting the EU will impact many aspects of life for businesses and residents.

Eastleigh Borough Council has been working with partner organisations to help ensure as smooth a transition to life outside the EU as possible. Measures being put in place by the Council include:

• Acting as a signpost to other information and advice for Borough businesses, including a range of resources from the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership for regional business to access utilising the expertise from their strategic partners
• We're planning workshops for businesses to help business leaders understand what Brexit might mean for them and their sector – and the support available, including government advice
• Putting plans in place for effects of Brexit on roads and other transport infrastructure
• Understanding the impact of Brexit in areas like benefits, debt management and housing
• Preparing for possible shortages of food, medicines and other vital items

As the body responsible for managing elections in the Borough, the Council also needs to be prepared in the event of a second referendum, a snap general election – or even European parliamentary elections if there is an extension to Article 50, or no Brexit.

If you need help with your Brexit preparations, please get in touch

The former Budgen’s Supermarket site, located at Upper Northam Road, Hedge End, has been acquired by the Council, The site also includes an extensive car park.

The site was in private ownership and a hostile planning application for a speculative, mixed-use redevelopment scheme, including 77 residential apartments, was refused by the Council’s Hedge End, West End & Botley Local Area Committee.

The site has been derelict for over two years and the car park has now been cleared and has re-opened with free parking for people using the nearby shops - and also as a ‘Park and Stride’ facility for Shamblehurst Primary and Wildern Schools.

A campaign to encourage businesses to sign up to a national scheme that works to remove barriers to employment for disabled people, and promotes greater understanding of the challenges they face, is being backed by Eastleigh Borough Council.

Under the Disability Confident scheme the Council is backing the government’s 100 Day Community Challenge, to see how many local businesses can sign up to become accredited as Disability Confident organisations.

The Swan Centre in Eastleigh town centre has been awarded an Autism Friendly accreditation from the National Autistic Society (NAS) in recognition of work to make shopping more accessible for people with autism spectrum conditions.

Working with NAS, the shopping centre has spearheaded a number of other initiatives, including Sensory Sundays when the centre becomes a calmer and quieter place, providing sensory visual guides to help those planning a visit to the centre, and offering ‘alert cards’ used by visitors at their discretion. In addition, NAS helps train all staff to raise awareness of how to support people with autism.

Further awards for keeping Eastleigh’s streets clean and maintaining the Borough’s parks and open spaces have been scooped by the Council's Direct Services team, who also provide services to over 1,000 local businesses.

They were named the Best Performer in Street Cleansing, and in Parks, Open Spaces & Horticultural Services, by the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) at their Performance Network awards. APSE is the organisation dedicated to promoting quality in the delivery of frontline services to local communities. Waste & Recycling Services were also highly commended, having made the list of finalists in the most improved category

Find out how Eastleigh Direct Services can help you with business waste and recycling, cleansing and grounds maintenance, and a range of other services.

Direct Services Manager, Paul Naylor and Waste & Recycling Manager, Andy Kendall, received the awards on behalf of the Council.

Young Enterprise are looking for volunteers to support their careers focused activity days. 

Did you know that volunteering with Young Enterprise:

• Raises awareness of your business and future employment / apprenticeship opportunities
• Can count towards your apprentices 20% OTJ training
• Provides opportunities for your staff and apprentices to improve their communication skills and confidence.
• Counts towards your CSR initiatives
• Makes you feel good about helping a young person realise their potential.
• Is structured, well organised and uses professional resources

Contact Victoria Leese to find out more and to get involved. 

Eastleigh Borough Council's Economic Development Team supports local businesses in a range of ways, including:  

Business support for companies interested in setting up in the Borough:

• Land or office search including incubator space
• Licence, business rates and grant information
• Networking assistance – providing contacts with potential suppliers and customers
• Help with staffing and recruitment

Business support for companies already based in the Borough:

• First port of call if there is a problem (ensuring they don’t move out of the borough)
• Land or office search if expanding, venue hire for conferences, Wessex House, etc
• Mentoring for small businesses
• Networking assistance including annual Business Conference and development of shared interest groups (eg Eastleigh Borough Property Group for local facilities managers)
• Provision of grants
• Assistance with training and skills work

Land development – working with Planning and Property as well as external agencies and private landowners to unlock and develop more employment space in the Borough:

• Airport expansion
• Eastleigh Riverside
• Post Office Eastleigh

Infrastructure development – eg applying for ultra-fast broadband

Skills

• Working with local schools and universities to develop the skills that employers need - eg Primary Engineer teaching STEM in primary schools
• PONToon project providing digital upskilling tools for unemployed women aged 18-35
• Development of local sector clusters (including creative industries, optoelectronics, green transport

Find out more at www.eastleigh.gov.uk/business

Contact the Eastleigh Business Centre at Wessex House

Hire one of our superb spaces for your meeting or business conference in the Borough

Get in touch - email economicdevelopment@eastleigh.gov.uk