Lichfield & Tamworth Lichfield & Tamworth Chamber Patrons


Contact: Chris Brewerton T: 0845 6036650


Grants available to


start-ups in Tamworth More grants of between £500 and £1500 are now available to help promote new small business start-ups, self-employment and entrepreneurship in Tamworth. The Tamworth Borough Council Start-up


Business Grant Scheme continues to run into its third year, offering help to individuals wanting to set up new businesses in the area. The scheme is now encouraging entrepreneurs and small businesses to apply for this year’s first round of grants of between £500 and £1500, before the application closing date on 30 August 2019. Businesses including an audio production


business; accountancy firm; physical wellbeing classes; a town centre Eastern European café and a training company have all benefited from the grant scheme over the last 12 months. A total of 48 businesses to the value of


£40,000 over the two years, have so far been supported since the scheme was launched in April 2017. To receive these small business grants, individuals are required to meet basic criteria including attending the Enterprise for Success programme, which provides 12 hours of one-to-one advice and support delivered from Tamworth Enterprise Centre at Philip Dix House in Corporation Street.


£1.7m loan secures futuristic gardens firm


A solicitor with offices in Lichfield and Burton has helped a company that makes unusual garden buildings secure a £1.75m loan to help with its future growth. The loanee is Farmers Cottage Lamps Limited


(trading as Ornate Gardens), which makes futuristic garden pods. The Coleshill-company was founded by Wayne


Farmer, and originally manufactured Victorian- style cast-iron lamps and water features. The focus has since shifted to the pods, which


have a stainless-steel exterior and include luxury seating and ambient interior lighting, and can be equipped with heating. They come in a range of sizes and prices and


the largest, the Grand Deluxe, is capable of seating up to 12 and costs around £24,000. Mr Farmer said: “I am very excited about the


future of Ornate Gardens and I am looking forward to building the business further. “We have a lot of exciting plans in the pipeline


which will allow us to grow the company and develop some new and exciting products.” Ornate Gardens were advised by Jenny Moore


and Roy Farmer of Dains Corporate Finance. The long-term unsecured loan is provided by Caple with a working capital facility from Barclays Bank. Caple’s Sean Brophy said: “Successful firms


Safe space: Clive is the place to go to escape hate crime


Top of the pods: Ornate Garden’s futuristic garden pod structures


such as Ornate Gardens need funding for ownership and growth. However, given the nature of the sector and a lack of assets to use of security, the business could not secure additional bank lending. “By working alongside Ornate Garden’s bank,


we have supported a blend of long-term financing that enables it bring new owners into the business and implement its growth plans.”


Council considers public electric vehicle charging


Tamworth town centre could be on the way to getting its first public access electric vehicle charge point, as part of new plans being considered by the council. Local councillors have decided to reverse a decision taken a few years ago, when a charging point was ruled out. Cllr Simon Goodall said: “We considered


City’s BID to combat hate crime


Lichfield Business Improvement District (BID) has introduced an initiative to help combat hate crime in the city. The initiative is ‘Ask For Clive’ and it identifies


locations that victims of homophobia can use as a safe refuge while they contact the police. The initiative was started by Clive Duffy, an


events organiser for Hertfordshire Pride, to identify safe locations in town and city centres for hate crime victims. Businesses participating in the safe spaces


scheme identify themselves by an ‘Ask For Clive’ sticker in windows and doorways visible from the street. Staff and security agree to the scheme’s


50 CHAMBERLINK September 2019


pledge to help victims by either phoning a taxi or the police, or simply providing an alternative and discreet exit. BID support officers have been distributing


'Ask For Clive' packs to cafes, pubs and bars who are interested in becoming a safe space. A Lichfield BID spokesperson said: “We’re


really proud of our business community for showing such interest in the safe spaces scheme. We knew from the get-go we would be engulfed with interest. “Despite Lichfield being seen as an old,


historic city, we are really forward-thinking and keeping in line with bigger cities, hence why we have such a successful, growing economy.”


electric vehicle charging points a few years ago, but at that time it was felt it was too soon to commit to technology and infrastructure that was very much in its infancy. “However, things have moved on since then,


and promoting a shift to electric vehicles is very high on the government agenda – the ‘Road to Zero’ strategy includes the goal that the production of all new diesel and petrol cars will be banned from 2040. “Technology has moved on, as has the take-up


of plug in or hybrid vehicles, with record sales in 2018. This, combined with the fact that Tamworth’s residents, visitors and businesses have indicated they feel electric vehicle infrastructure is an important part of the town centre offer, means we feel this is the right time to progress these plans.”


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