They’ve done it...
Work on Blackburn Rovers Enterprise Haven gets underway
Tuesday 4th December
Blackburn Rovers are set to help kick-off new businesses and create jobs as work on the club's Enterprise Haven has begun.
Based on the first floor of the Darwen End stand at Ewood Park, the Blackburn Rovers Enterprise Haven will be home to 24 self-contained office suites between 20 - 63m2, supported by reception, administrative services and conference facilities.
A partnership development between Blackburn Rovers Community Trust and the public sector, the Haven will be one of five in Pennine Lancashire under the 'No Limits' programme. It is due to open for business in March 2008.
No Limits is a £23m initiative to help support new and existing businesses throughout Pennine Lancashire with advice, finance, accommodation and a whole range of other support.
It is supported by the three professional football clubs of Pennine Lancashire - Rovers, Accrington Stanley and Burnley - and by the borough councils of Blackburn with Darwen, Hyndburn, Burnley and Pendle.
Blackburn Enterprise Centre in Accrington Road, Furthergate, was the first Haven, a new kind of managed workspace, offering tenants office space as well as one-site business support services.
It opened for business earlier this year and was officially launched by MP Jack Straw during a special ceremony held in November.
A similar facility at Turf Moor, Burnley, is due to open in the New Year, and further Havens are being developed in Hyndburn and Pendle.
Councillor Alan Cottam, executive member for regeneration for Blackburn with Darwen Council said: "I am delighted that the Blackburn Rovers Enterprise Haven is underway. This is further proof that partnership working is the key to success.
"The Enterprise Havens will all work closely together to offer support to businesses at the different stages when they need it."
Steve Hoyle, No Limits director for Pennine Lancashire, said: "These excellent facilities are a demonstration of our confidence in the area, and we want to encourage local businesses to develop in and around them.
"Not only do they provide very high quality managed office space for businesses with growth potential, but they also acts as hubs for the No Limits programme."
Gill Kinloch, Head of Community Affairs at Blackburn Rovers, said: "This capital investment has allowed the development of a previously unused area of Ewood Park to help address the shortage of business premises locally. We believe that location at the stadium will offer growing businesses many advantages not least of which will be a very desirable trading address."
Mark Hughes, Rovers manager, said: "Sport holds an important and unique place in our community, reaching right into the very heart of that community on an individual level. The three local professional football clubs are delighted to be part of this enterprise initiative and look forward to deploying our resources and using our standing in the community to help people of all ages to become more enterprising in both outlook and action."
