Burnley most enterprising place in Britain

Burnley has been named the most enterprising place in Britain. The Lancashire town received the accolade for its ongoing support for small and medium sized businesses and for successfully reframing perceptions of Burnley.

The Burnley Bondholders scheme sets Burnley apart from the rest of Britain, an initiative that brings together over 100 local firms that work together to promote Burnley as a place for business and has attracted £10 million to the area.

Business and Enterprise Minister Michael Fallon says initiatives like this are working hard to boost growth and thoroughly deserve recognition and the opportunity to represent the UK at the European Awards in November: “These awards showcase the entrepreneurial spirit that can be found in local authorities, businesses, schools and colleges across the country.”

The Premier League won the UK category for ‘Promoting Enterprise’ for its great work in using its brand to provide tailored support for enterprise in local communities across the UK.

Richard Scudamore, Chief Executive of the Premier League, says since first collaborating with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in 2008, Enterprise Academies have been established at 20 clubs: “We have now engaged over 80,000 11-19 year olds in enterprise activity; building on the interest they have in football and their local club to teach them a wide range of valuable skills.

“The hands-on nature of the project means that these young people take on real-life business challenges that our clubs face, giving them the practical experience to move into the working world well-equipped to get their first job.”

Other winners of this years awards include; Hackney Council’s ‘Hackney House’ initiative for Promoting Exports and Aberdeen College for School/FE College Community Enterprise. Hackney was recognised for its ambitious promotion as a place for inward investment whilst Aberdeen College successfully built enterprise into its core curriculum, embedding an entrepreneurial culture throughout the school.

The Enterprising Britain Awards 2013 is being run on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills by Young Chamber.

Small businesses account for over 59 percent of the total private sector workforce in the UK, and these awards serve to recognise the importance of small and medium sized businesses both in the UK and in the European Union.

Burnley and The Premier League will go on to represent the UK at the European Enterprise Promotion Awards in Vilnius, Lithuania in November.