Prime Minister Congratulates Local Business Accelerators Winners

David Cameron has highlighted the role of the local newspaper industry in supporting British business as regional and local newspapers announce the winners of Local Business Accelerators.

Mr Cameron said: "Congratulations to all the winners of the Local Business Accelerators scheme. It's brilliant that so many promising young companies, from such a wide range of sectors, are benefitting from this excellent initiative.

"Entrepreneurship, creativity and ambition are essential for our economic recovery and through Local Business Accelerators, local newspapers are supporting some great new British businesses to grow, and helping to boost their local economy.

"I wish the newspapers, businesses and their mentors every success over the coming months."

The Prime Minister also took to Twitter to congratulate the winning businesses. The winners and local newspapers across Britain also used the website to make announcements about the campaign.

Coming from a wide variety of sectors, the winners will receive a substantial allocation of free advertising in their local newspaper and mentoring from local business leaders.

An IT and telecommunications group, a digital signs company, and a company which helps babies and young children to learn foreign languages, were The Journal’s winning businesses, while the a sausage maker, energy assessing company and a karting track scooped the North West Evening Mail’s LBA prize.

A parcel delivery firm, table-top sale business and a recruitment company were the Manchester Evening News’ winning three while a recruitment agency also featured on the Glasgow Evening Times winners’ list along with a bathroom refurbishment company.

An entrepreneur who wants to roll out a chain of organic nurseries won The Press’s competition while a communications firm scooped the Ilkeston Advertiser’s top prize.

The East Anglian Daily Times winner was a firm that makes innovative pop-up banners. In Kent, an animation studio, house sign design and a pet funeral service were the Kent Messenger’s top businesses while the Liverpool Echo’s chosen three were an online provider of spectacles, a solar panel installer and a dance and wellbeing studio.

A young fashion entrepreneur, whose clients include footballers and pop stars, won The Northern Echo's LBA competition. The Blackpool Gazette’s judges selected a green energy firm which helps cut costs and power needs while an educational services firm was crowned the Sunderland Echo’s LBA winner.

Later in the year, one business will go on to be crowned the overall Local Business Accelerators winner and receive mentoring from the campaign’s national ambassador Deborah Meaden, of Dragon’s Den.

Backed by high profile figures including the Prime Minster and the CBI’s John Cridland, the campaign has seen the local newspaper industry come together to deliver a shot in the arm for British business.

Local Business Accelerators has also received the support of Stephen Welton, Business Growth Fund chief executive, who said the initiative was providing a “powerful boost” to young businesses.

Mr Welton said: “I am delighted to lend my support to the Local Business Accelerators initiative which is offering a powerful boost to young businesses throughout the UK.

“Clearly economic conditions continue to be challenging; but we need businesses to be considering the opportunities and focusing on what they can influence. When growth is harder to achieve, history tells us that the most successful companies are not those with defensive strategies.”

The Business Growth Fund has contributed to Local Business Accelerators by offering a series of free half day workshop sessions at its regional centres to winning businesses.

Mr Welton added: “Our workshops will help business owners to think about how they can expand; how they can reach new audiences and new markets; how they can begin exporting; and how they can raise the capital that they might need to fund their ambitions.

“The question that BGF will be addressing in 2012 is how best can we find, encourage and support ambitious business owners. The Local Business Accelerators scheme is playing a vital role in furthering this ambition."