The Visit Buckinghamshire Business Advisory Service (VBAS) aims to support businesses, including those in the supply chains of affected retail and tourism businesses, that face disruption from the construction of HS2.

Ensuring businesses become more resilient

Lucy Dowson, Tourism Development Manager at Visit Buckinghamshire, explains: “The tourism sector is a major player in the Buckinghamshire economy, with approximately 2,800 businesses employing 23,000 people. More than £729 million is spent locally each year as a result of 10 million day trips and 1.1m overnight stays in the county. These visits also support our retailers and associated supply chains from food producers to employment agencies.

“This project has been developed to counter any challenges that construction of the HS2 rail line may create for businesses in the county, and also to ensure that affected businesses are supported to become even more resilient and improve their performance now and in the future.”

What's on offer through VBAS?

The Visit Buckinghamshire Business Advisory Service provides one-to-one support in addition to a series of local events and development workshops on topics aimed at supporting business growth, such as digital, marketing, finance, sales and procurement. 

Philippa Batting, Managing Director of Buckinghamshire Business First, comments: “For some businesses, HS2 is a tremendous opportunity and a chance to grow their business and improve local employment, especially by supplying into those organisations who are constructing the new infrastructure. For others, the route will cause both real and perceived disruption, so this programme of support will help with gaining new skills and in the process hopefully help their businesses grow.”

Funded by HS2's Business & Local Economy Fund

The Visit Buckinghamshire Business Advisory Service is funded from HS2’s Business & Local Economy Fund (BLEF). The BLEF fund has been created to support local economies that are demonstrably disrupted by the construction of Phase One of HS2 from London to the West Midlands.

Cathy Elliott, Independent Chair of the Community and Environment Fund (CEF) and BLEF said: “I am delighted that Buckinghamshire Business First has been awarded BLEF funding in order to support local retail and tourism to continue to thrive. I hope this cash injection will be a welcomed investment in order to support Buckinghamshire’s local economy. 

“I look forward to seeing more projects along the line of route gain valuable investment for their communities from this Phase One 10-year programme.”

Learn more about VBAS

Learn more about the support on offer from the Visit Buckinghamshire Business Advisory Service: Call: 01494 927130 Email: Jeremy.Green@bbf.uk.com.