Mind the Enterprise Gap: Is enterprise policy working to help businesses in deprived areas?

Article

The Centre for Cities' City Markets Project has surveyed 348 businesses in deprived areas in Derby, Doncaster and Sunderland. This paper presents the results of that survey.

Building enterprise in deprived urban areas is a key policy goal. But relatively little is known about the effectiveness of enterprise initiatives in deprived areas, or about the needs of businesses that are located there. The Centre for Cities' City Markets Project has surveyed 348 businesses in deprived areas in Derby, Doncaster and Sunderland. We have found out about the market factors affecting business location in these areas and the real impact of enterprise initiatives.

Our survey reveals three key findings. First, connectivity is the main asset of these deprived areas. Building on this and other assets is the way forward. Second, business support schemes such as Business Link are not well recognised, but those who use Business Link are reasonably satisfied. And third, the benefits of Enterprise Areas are hardly utilised - only two percent of our sample had used any of them. Click here for information on the research methodology.

Centre for Cities has re-launched as an independent think tank. You can visit them online at http://www.centreforcities.org.

Related items

  1. A wide shot of several large commercial vessels, including oil tankers and a survey boat, floating on turquoise water. In the background, an industrial shoreline with numerous smokestacks and refinery infrastructure is visible under a cloudy sky. Concept of global logistics, maritime industry, and international trade.

    Price caps and economic stability: How to manage the Iran war energy shock?

    The Iran war energy shock will impose significant costs on the UK economy, even if the government does not offer a universal support package.

  2. The political trust crisis: Why local democracy must start listening again

    A troubling reality hangs over May’s local elections: trust in politics has collapsed.
  3. Close Up Of Female Care Worker In Uniform Holding Hands Of Senior Man Sitting In Care Home Lounge

    Putting cardiovascular disease at the heart of policymaking: Learning from research in the devolved nations

    Deaths from heart attacks and strokes have halved since the 1960s and people living with these conditions have seen remarkable improvements in managing and treating them. But now progress is stalling.