- How we can help
- Business newsletter
- Enterprise grants
- Our business advisors
- UKSPF business support offers
- Directory of support
There are always questions that need to be asked, regardless of how long your company has been operating. Whether you are looking to start a business, already established or thinking of moving into the area, our free business support service is here to help.
How we can help
- Business start-up and growth support
- Connect to employment, skills and training services
- Business events
- Access to council services and products
- Business grants
- Commercial property and land search
- Financial assistance
- Access to wider business networks.
If you are looking for assistance please make an appointment with our Business Advisors by calling 01909 533 533 or emailing economic.development@bassetlaw.gov.uk.
We will work with you to make the most of your company, and if we are unable to help, we will direct you to another organisation in our network that can.
Business newsletter
The Council sends out a monthly Business E-newsletter that includes opportunities, events and information for businesses. We recommend businesses and those interested in starting a business sign up to this to get regular updates about events and support in the area.
Enterprise grants
Do you need help with marketing your business, or help to purchase equipment for your business? Our Enterprise Grant may be able to help.
The Enterprise Grant scheme has been operating in the District for many years and offers a grant for pre-starts and start-up businesses who have been trading for less than 36 months and based in the district.
You could get:
- A grant up to £2000
- Discretionary one off grants of £500
Businesses must support their application with a sound business plan and accurate financial projections. All grants are up to 50% of project total with the above restrictions. The process for applying is:
- Application form with detail of what is being applied for.
- This must be accompanied by a business plan, showing what the business is about, how it will sell to its customers, who its customers are and the individuals’ qualifications to run that particular business.
- The application must also have accompanying financial forecasts detailing income projections, line-by-line analysis of expenditure.
Our business advisors provide support for the application process and can assist candidates who are unsure of certain business-related topics. Where appropriate further business guidance and training is given through workshops and seminars or face to face with other businesses and advisors.
Our business advisors can assist applicants unaccustomed to considering business-related issues and support the application process. When necessary, additional business training and guidance is provided in-person with other companies and advisors or through workshops and seminars.
A small grants panel make the decisions on grant applications.
For further information, please contact Fiona Humpage, Enterprise Support Manager, fiona.humpage@bassetlaw.gov.uk
If you want to find out about our successful applicants, visit our dedicated Enterprise Grants page.
Our Business Advisors
Fiona Humpage
Fiona is passionate about helping business to thrive. With 25+ years of experience, Fiona has a proven track record of guiding and advising pre-starts, start-ups and established businesses of any shape and size toward sustainable growth. Fiona loves to empower businesses to reach their full potential and help them seize opportunities to ensure a business’s success.
Fiona believes that it all starts with a conversation, looking at your vision for your business and seeing what opportunities may be out there for new ventures or the next stage of growing a business.
Dawn Fear
Dawn, who works for Nottinghamshire County Council, has joined Bassetlaw District Council and is providing support to businesses in the district one day a week, until March 2026. She will be working alongside our very own Business Support Advisor, Fiona Humpage and supporting mainly the business located on industrial estates and in rural locations.
Dawn is an experienced business advisor with well-developed, comprehensive banking knowledge. She offers a client centred approach to provide you with honest, no-nonsense, kind and constructive support. By asking challenging questions with her critical friend approach, she encourages business owners to take the steps needed to develop and grow their business.
Dawn is a practical generalist, who has a wealth of experience supporting both start-ups and established businesses to develop and grow. She can relate business theory to the day-to-day running of your business and with her sound banking and financial background, she has the expertise to assist business owners in understanding their business planning and financial needs.
If you wish to book a 1-2-1 with Dawn or Fiona, please contact economic.development@bassetlaw.gov.uk and fill in the subject line with Business Support.
UKSPF: Business Support Programme
Supporting local businesses
The supporting local business investment priority enables the Council to fund interventions that support local businesses to thrive, innovate and grow. Through the E23 Investment Priority – Support Local Businesses we have the following open to businesses in the Bassetlaw area.
General Business Support & Advice
Our Business Advisors are on hand to provide support for your business at every stage whether it’s pre-start and putting your idea into place or looking to expand and grow. 1:1 sessions are available to discuss as well as regular business surgeries. It all starts with a conversation so contact us at economic.development@bassetlaw.gov.uk.
Business Support Surgeries
Get support for your business at every stage by registering for one of our 1:1 business advice sessions. Our business experts Fiona and Dawn can assist you whether you are a pre-start and putting your ideas into action or looking to expand. Sessions will be advertised on this website and on social media when announced.
- 9th July, Harworth and Bircotes Town Council (bookings open)
- 10th September, Retford Enterprise (bookings not available yet)
- 12th November, Tuxford Wellness Centre (bookings not available yet)
Businesses can book an hourly 1:1 session with the business advisers and appointments start at 9.30am.
Book today using our business surgeries online form.
Workshops
Start-up provision is being provided by NBV on our behalf. Upcoming workshops are as follows:
- Business Planning – 9th September at The Bridge Skills Hub 10am – 4pm
- AI – 15th September at Middletons Yard 10am – 4pm
- Social Media – 17th September at Middletons Yard 10am – 4pm
- Procurement – 23rd September at Retford Enterprise 10am – 4pm
- AI – 10th November at The Bridge Skills Hub 10am – 4pm
- Procurement – 13th November at Middletons Yard 10am – 4pm
- AI – 19th January at Retford Enterprise 10am – 4pm
- Procurement – 22nd at The Bridge 10am – 4pm
- AI – 9th March at Middletons Yard 10am – 4pm
- Procurement – 17th March at Retford Enterprise 10am – 4pm
Please contact Fiona Humpage, Business Advisor to book your space. Email fiona.humpage@bassetlaw.gov.uk
High street business support
Through UKSPF, the Council has allocated £100k to support businesses across the District from May 2025 till March 2026. If you have already been working with an Adviser through the High Street Business Support Programme then a requirement to apply has already been identified.
Find out more about eligibility and applying at High Street Business Support Grant.
Growth Grant
Through UKSPF, the Council has allocated £100k to support businesses across the District from May 2025 till March 2026 in the form of a grant. Through engagement with one of our Business Advisers, a requirement to apply has already been identified. A maximum of £4000 is available to successful applicants. Adviser support through BDC is available to assist you with completing the application.
Find out more about eligibility and applying at Growth Grant.
High Street Fit Out Grant
Through UKSPF, the Council has allocated £100,000 to support new businesses to fit out premises on the high streets and within the town centres across the District i.e. Worksop, Harworth & Bircotes, Tuxford and Retford from May 2025 until March 2026 in the form of a grant. The Council wants to reduce the amount of vacant properties within our town centres and diversify the shopping and eating out offer; this grant will give businesses the opportunity to achieve those goals. A maximum of £20,000 is available to successful applicants (as per table below). Adviser support through BDC is available to assist you with completing the application.
Find out more about eligibility and applying at High Street Fit Out Grant.
Directory of council services
Useful contacts for businesses in the district:
Business Centres
Middletons Yard - middletonsyardinfo@bassetlaw.gov.uk, 01909 348 811
Retford Enterprise - retfordenterpriseinfo@bassetlaw.gov.uk, 01777 712 712
Other useful contacts
Internal services
Business Rates - business.rates@bassetlaw.gov.uk, 01909 533 533 (ask for business rates)
Environmental Health - environmentalhealth@bassetlaw.gov.uk, 01909 533 219
Licensing - licensing@bassetlaw.gov.uk, 01909 533 533
Planning and building control - planning@bassetlaw.gov.uk, 01909 533 491
Employment and Skills - employmentandskills@bassetlaw.gov.uk, 01909 533 533
The Bridge Skills Hub - skillshub@bassetlaw.gov.uk, 01909 384 802
External organisations
Gov.UK – the best place to find Government services and information i.e. Business & Self Employed
Princes Trust– work with 18-30 year olds to start up businesses. Offers an Enterprise programme, mentoring and funding.
D2N2 Growth Hub – support available for start-ups and established businesses. Providing access to finance and training events. Covers Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.
EMCCA (East Midlands Combined County Authority) - EMCCA are led by an elected Mayor and cover the four local authority areas of Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Derby and Nottingham. Their ambition is to harness the potential of the region, by working alongside partners and local authorities to make the East Midlands the best place to live, to work and to learn.
Last Updated on Friday, June 27, 2025