Love Elmbridge

Elmbridge is a great place to live and work – the green spaces and woodlands, the rail network, the national and international companies based here, the independent businesses helping our high streets and parades to thrive, the people, the community spirit – it’s all here and we want to ensure it continues to thrive and becomes one of the best places to live and work in the country. We love Elmbridge and we want residents, businesses and visitors to love Elmbridge too.

In the Draft Local Plan, we have set out our vision for a digital Elmbridge; one where we become a hub for an agile workforce, offering flexible workspace, fast connections, accessible transport options and welcoming hospitality. We have the opportunity to support the evolution of our high streets and parades; to enable them to become spaces for shopping, entertainment, activities and socialising. 

Love Elmbridge in 2022-2023

How are we going to deliver? This year we have an ambitious action plan providing funding to enable our vision to be delivered.

Despite the current uncertain times we are on the side of business in Elmbridge. We are here to support with a strategic vision and funding and to enable enterprise and residents to thrive in Elmbridge.

Love the Walton BID

In March 2021 Walton-on-Thames successfully became a Business Improvement District (BID), allowing local businesses to pool resources to deliver a 5 year plan for businesses, by businesses to fund projects that will drive new footfall and investment in the town. We are working with our business groups to understand if the BID model would be right for our other local high streets.

Love Elmbridge – love local discounts and deals

Encouraging residents and visitors to shop, eat and play locally is a key part of our Love Elmbridge strategy. The loyalty app will launch later this this year and will allow local businesses to add their business profile, offers, competitions and last-minute deals for our residents to view and shop, eat and play local. Residents download the app for access to a range of deals and discounts locally from their favourite local café or restaurant or when the clothing boutique nearby has an exclusive sale.

Elmbridge Borough Council is funding the app for the next four years and will work closely with businesses to promote the benefits to residents.

Love Elmbridge independent retail awards

In July we will launch the revamped Love Elmbridge independent retail awards which will include a new high street champion award.

Residents can vote for their favourite independent retailer in Love Esher, Love Weybridge, Love Molesey, Love Cobham, Love Walton-on-Thames, Love Hersham, Love Thames Ditton & Long Ditton, Love Hinchley Wood & Weston Green and Love Oxshott & Stoke D’Abernon. Each area will have its own award showing the pride residents have in their local independents.

Love Elmbridge meets Sustainable Elmbridge

We have pledged to be carbon neutral as an organisation by 2030 and as part of our journey we will enable other business with their net zero ambitions through the promote of the Government’s business climate hub and support to access funding to go green.

Through the Government’s business climate hub, businesses of all sizes around the UK are committing to do their bit to cut carbon emissions and protect the planet.

LoCASE

The Low Carbon Across the South and East (LoCASE) programme provides a free business support programme in the South and East. The aim is to help businesses to become more competitive and profitable while protecting the environment and encouraging low carbon solutions.

To do this, LoCASE provides grants for businesses of up to £10,000 as well as training workshops and fully funded events. Targeted business support is on offer for companies who offer “green” or low carbon goods and services.

Love funding: The Shared Prosperity Fund

Through the Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund, Elmbridge has been allocated £1M to be spent by March 2025, which will allow us to build on our vision to become one of the best places to live and work in the UK.

We’ll be working hard with our businesses, community and voluntary sectors to ensure the funding has the maximum impact and can help deliver for the borough in line with a thriving and sustainable Elmbridge.

Love supporting youth employment

Youth Hub

Brooklands College, Elmbridge and Runnymede Borough Councils have launched a new Youth Hub to provide expert support for young people aged 18-24 to get into employment or training.

Whether it’s getting a foot on the job ladder, finding out more about a new sector, matching the right course to a dream job - the Youth Hub experts will be able to find the right opportunities to help our young people.

We are proud that after just a few months, the Youth Hub has already helped 100 young people with their next steps into training or employment.

An application is being considered by the Department for Work and Pensions to continue funding for a further 12 months.

Elmbridge Apprenticeship levy pledge

Small and medium sized businesses in the borough can benefit from a skills boost with extra support to provide free training through apprenticeships.

The transfer to transform programme helps secure un-utilised apprenticeship levy funds to support SMEs across Surrey.

Businesses in the borough can apply now for funding to cover 100% of apprenticeship training costs, allowing them to take on and train new staff, upskill an existing member of staff and open up new opportunities for residents.

Elmbridge has pledged to share some of our apprenticeship levy to help SMEs across the borough. The pledge will support up to four new apprentices each year and is available to businesses operating in the borough that are not currently subject to the Government’s Apprenticeship Levy.

Love funding local businesses

Elmbridge Business Boost Grants

The Elmbridge Business Boost grants help Elmbridge businesses, our local high streets and support the local economy.

The business boost grants can help your business with:

• Up to £2,000 available in grant support to help businesses improve their shop fronts or signage
• Up to £2,000 available in grant support to help bring a shop that has been empty for at least three months back into commercial use
• Up to £1,000 to help town or village wide projects to drive new footfall, investment, streetscene improvements or sustainability

Digital High Street Fund

The Elmbridge Digital High Street Fund offers grants to help independent high street retailers establish or upgrade ecommerce websites.

Businesses can apply for a grant of up to 50% of the eligible costs, up to a maximum of £1,500

Love networking

Local businesses can join the business network for free today for the latest updates, networking and funding. They can connect with over 1,400 businesses working across Elmbridge.

Supporting a sustainable and thriving Elmbridge will take creativity, leadership and collaboration with local businesses, as well as funding. We hope you agree that with the various initiatives in train at the moment, Elmbridge is a great position to propel itself forward as thriving and sustainable hub for enterprise. #LoveElmbridge

Cllr Robin Stephens,

Portfolio Holder for Enterprise and Local Economy