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Support and advice for businesses

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.

Support for local businesses

The supporting local business investment priority enables the Council to fund interventions that support local businesses to thrive, innovate and grow. 

Worksop Together Board Grants

Three grants are available to Worksop businesses only and more information and how to apply can be found on our website:

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.

  • Wednesday 29th April 2026 - Book today!
  • Future dates:
    • Wednesday 27th May 2026
    • Wednesday 24th June 2026

Businesses can book an hourly 1:1 session with the business advisers and appointments start at 9.30am.

Workshops

Upcoming FREE workshops are as follows:

  • April 2026
    • Procurement - 23rd April at Middletons Yard 10am - 2pm

Please contact Fiona Humpage - fiona.humpage@bassetlaw.gov.uk, our Business Advisor to book your space.

Look out for our adverts on socials and our business newsletter:

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.

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.

EMCCA Growth Hub – support available for start-ups and established businesses.  Providing access to finance and training events.  Covers Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.

Last Updated on Wednesday, April 15, 2026