Business Gateway Renfrewshire has a wealth of free expertise, advice and information to support your business, whether you are thinking about starting a business, have recently started a business or are already running a business.
There are many ways we can support your start-up journey.
Our Planning To Start tool is a great place to begin. It takes just 10 minutes to complete and provides you with an instant toolkit with key resources & information. We'll then connect you with a member of the team at our local office for further support.
Our website offers a business plan guide and template to download when you’re ready, market reports and research, as well as handy online guides and articles, video tutorials and podcasts. Plus, we have a great range of webinars to hone your start-up skills – from writing a business plan to marketing on a budget.
With our help, you could be in business sooner than you imagined.
Our resources and one-to-one support can help you strengthen your business.
Whether you’re looking to take on premises or learn more about digital marketing, we can help you take the next step. Get started by taking 10 minutes to complete our Strengthen Your Business Tool and get a personalised dashboard of online resources and webinars.
We know that your time is in short supply, so we also offer one-to-one advice at a time and day to suit you. Together, you and your business adviser can create a strategic action plan to suit your ambitions.
Our online resources and webinars can help you learn new skills, create opportunities and gain confidence. From HR to restructuring, innovation and digital marketing - we can help. And if specialist input is required, we can connect you to other sources of support.
Access webinars, online guides and a Digital Health Check.
From digital marketing strategy to social media, e-Commerce, cyber security and more, we can help boost your digital performance.
Our Digital Health Check is a great place to start. It will help pinpoint your digital strengths, areas you could improve, and how we can help, and it only takes 5 minutes to complete.
Our Business Training Support Scheme can pay up to 50% of staff costs to help companies train staff in line with growth objectives.
The Renfrewshire Trusted Trader Scheme helps consumers choose a reliable trader by publishing a directory of local businesses that have allowed consumers to comment and rate their work.
Well connected business networks are valuable to any new or growing business. We work in partnership with a number of local organisations that can help your business, including Renfrewshire Chamber, Federation of Small Business (FSB), banks, lawyers and accountants.
Talk to an adviser to find out how our networks can help.
Invest in Renfrewshire can provide financial support to small to medium sized enterprises to help them start up and grow.
Growth New Start Fund
We can provide assistance of up to £1,000 towards the start up costs of new businesses that are able to demonstrate growth potential. The grant can support the costs of commercial rent, IT or website development.
Growth Company Development Fund
Funding of up to 50% to a maximum of £10,000 is available to help businesses meet specific business growth objectives. It can support capital expenditure, property expansion/improvements, exhibiting at a national trade show or the costs of developing innovative products or processes.
Social Enterprise Small Grants Fund
We can provide grant funding of up to £5,000 to support Renfrewshire’s social enterprises and social economy organisations become more enterprising or to support feasibility work for development projects.
Business Loans Scotland
Business Loans Scotland (formerly operating as West of Scotland Loan Fund in Renfrewshire) offers secured loan funding up to a maximum of £100k to small and medium sized enterprises) which can be used for working capital, equipment or property.
The fund operates alongside commercial lending agencies, who are expected to provide 50% of the funding package.
Repayable Grant
This fund aims to support the creation of new businesses and help existing small businesses to grow and create jobs.
We can offer unsecured funding of between of between £1,000 and £5,000 to help with start-up costs, purchasing assets and property improvements.
See how local property services and funding can help you and your business.
Empty Property
From 1 April 2016, if your property (standard commercial) is empty you will have to pay 50% business rates for the first three months. After these three months you will be entitled to 10% relief. For industrial properties you will not have to pay business rates for the first six months. After these six months you will be entitled to 10% relief. For listed buildings, properties in the hands of certain trustees, or properties with an RV of less than 1,700 you will get 100% relief and will not have to pay business rates.
Fresh Start Scheme
Under the Fresh Start scheme, if a shop, office, hotel, pub or restaurant with an RV under £65,000 has been empty for 12 months or more, and is then occupied as the same, a 50% relief can be applied for 12 months if no other reduction is being made.
Mandatory relief
Registered charities and amateur sports clubs can apply for up to 80% relief on any non-domestic property which is used wholly or mainly for that charity or club. If you qualify for this relief we may remove the remaining 20% of the bill by awarding discretionary relief.
Discretionary relief
Relief of up to 100% may be available for properties which are used by certain organisations which are not run for profit, for example, sports, theatre, arts, clubs and so on. It is possible for certain licensed clubs to receive discretionary relief.
Disabled persons relief
You may be eligible for up to 100% relief if you provide residential accommodation for the care of people who are ill or if you provide training, welfare services or workshops for disabled people.
The Women's Business Centre is a website designed to support women at the pre-start and start-up through to growth stages of their business journey.
Operated by Women’s Enterprise Scotland, the Women's Business Centre website is free to access and offers dedicated, needs-based content on starting and growing a business, including stories, encouragement and top tips from leading business owners across Scotland.
The Supplier Development Programme provides support through a range of free tender training, e-learning modules and Meet the Buyer events to help Scottish SMEs, social enterprises and third sector organisations in bidding for public sector opportunities.
Your local Business Gateway office can offer free support to any business considering making redundancies.
Our advisers can help you look at your business challenges and then help you make the next practical steps. Along with that we can introduce you to PACE – Partnership Action for Continuing Employment.
Information on the free advice and support available from Scotland’s public sector business support organisations is available to find, all in one place, at Find Business Support.
Find your nearest office
Business Gateway Paisley
27 High Street
Paisley
PA1 2AF
Opening hours:
Monday to Friday
09:00 to 17:00