Invest in Harborough District is committed to offering high-quality, free tailored support to every business in the district – from sole traders to large corporations, across all sectors (e.g. retail, manufacturing, hospitality, creative industries and more).

📈 Tell us how we can help you: Please complete a short form to help us understand your training needs and shape future programmes that deliver real value to your business — including what format works best for you and the most convenient times for delivery.

📈 Help us spread the word: We’d love as much feedback as possible – please share the survey with other Harborough district businesses in your network. We welcome responses from all industries and business sizes, including sole traders.

Your insights will help us deliver the right support to help your business thrive.
👉 Complete the short survey today!

❤️High blood pressure affects one in three UK adults, often undiagnosed. It's the 'silent killer' – but also preventable. 

❤️ Healthy Workplaces Leicestershire and Rutland offers on-site blood pressure checks for your organisation throughout September and October.

❤️ Employees get immediate results, and your organisation receives an anonymised report to identify trends for wellbeing interventions. 

❤️ Up to 75 employee blood pressure checks - £300+VAT

❤️ Up to 150 employee blood pressure checks - £575+VAT

Protect your workforce! Contact Healthy Workplaces Leicestershire Rutland today to book your on-site blood pressure checks!

Join a free event designed to help create supportive inclusive workplaces for those impacted by dementia.

👋 Date: Thursday 25 September 

👋 Time: 10am-3:30pm 

👋 Location: Nissan Building Hunters Boulevard Magna Park LE17 4XH

Gain practical advice and insights to make your workplace dementia friendly and supportive:

👋 Learn expert tips for workplace adjustments and rights 

👋 Connect with others, share experiences and shape change

Benefits for your organisation include:

👋 Boost reputation and attract retain talented staff 

👋 Ensure legal compliance and

improve business growth 

👋 Reduce stigma and create community inclusion

📋 Our first Food and Drink Fortnight  to promote eating out and drinking across the district has just ended.

📋 We're delighted with its success featuring meal deals offers and new menus running at 28 participating venues and events.

📋 To see how this worked for businesses and what other support may be needed, we'd like to ask for your views if you are in the hospitality sector.

📋 Please take a moment to complete this short survey to help us plan future activity.

Raise your profile and celebrate what makes your tourism and hospitality business special. These free awards are open to businesses across Leicestershire. Harborough district businesses have a very strong offering, so it would be fantastic to see many of them enter.

Why enter?

⭐Boost your reputation to attract visitors 

⭐Gain media exposure

⭐Celebrate your team

⭐Qualify for VisitEngland

Award categories include:

🏆 Accommodation 

🏆 Pubs, cafés and tearooms 

🏆 Sustainable and Inclusive Tourism 

🏆 Visitor attractions 

🏆 Glamping and holiday parks 

🏆 Experience of the Year and more...

Deadlines: 

⭐ Attractions: 26 July 

⭐ Other categories: 13 September

You have to be in it to win it!

✨ Our market towns are bucking national trends with impressive low vacant property rates.

✨New businesses are flocking to our thriving high streets, bringing fresh energy and positive community benefits.

✨ More jobs are being created as our shopping and visitor offer expands with exciting new arrivals. Get ready for Hotel Chocolat and Joules Clothing, both rapidly taking shape in Market Harborough!

Do you want to be the first to know about opening dates?

Get the latest updates from Visit Harborough: Follow us on Instagram 📸 and Facebook 👍

You can also sign up for the monthly Visit Harborough e-newsletter.

✨If you want your business to be part of our enterprising market towns and are looking for premises for your next venture, contact the Economic Development Team for help to find the right solution.

🚀 Work is now underway on the new Destination Management Plan for Leicester and Leicestershire, set to be completed by the end of this year. This strategic plan will shape the future of our vibrant visitor economy.

🚀 We're inviting all businesses that make up this crucial sector to share their views to create this exciting tourism roadmap. Your insights are essential for a plan that truly reflects our strengths and ambitions.

🚀 This includes our fantastic tourism attractions and event organisers, accommodation providers, hospitality venues and experience destinations we are proud to have right here in Harborough District!

🚀 Please take a moment to complete the Slido and contribute to the future success of our local tourism.

OR

🚀Go to slido.com and then enter the code 2510417*

Local businesses can now access a range of free support sessions designed to help them grow, connect, and thrive, organised by Invest in Harborough district and funded by the UK Government.

What’s on offer:

⭐ 1:1 Advice – Professional support from an experienced business advisor 

⭐ Workshops – Peer group sessions to build essential business knowledge 

⭐ Networking Events – Share ideas and connect with fellow local businesses 

⭐ Grants and Finance – Find and apply for funding, and get support to develop your finance plans 

⭐ Build Connections – Link up with local and national support networks

This service is delivered by Gau Naik, a certified Business Advisor with over 20 years of experience, 14 of which have been dedicated to assisting Leicestershire businesses. Gau is also the Entrepreneur in Residence at the University of Leicester and a Trustee of the Sir Thomas White Charity.

Are you a self-employed individual or small business owner in the UK? Get ready for a fantastic opportunity! The National Federation of Self-Employed and Small Businesses Limited (FSB), in partnership with HSBC UK, is offering a £10,000 cash prize in the "FSB Big Giveaway."

Here's why you should enter:

💰 Significant Cash Boost: £10,000 could transform your business, funding new equipment, marketing, training, or providing crucial financial support.

💰 Easy to Enter: Simply complete and submit the entry form during the promotional period. 

💰 Broad Eligibility: If you're a UK resident aged 18+ and are self-employed or own a small business (under 249 employees), you're likely eligible.

The promotional period runs from 9:00 am on 1 July 2025 to 11:59 pm on 31 July 2025. Don't miss out on this incredible, risk-free chance to give your business a major advantage!

Come along to the Harborough Innovation Centre on the first Tuesday of every month, 10am–3pm, for free expert guidance on:

✅ Business support
✅ Recruitment and apprenticeships
✅ Grants and funding
✅ Workforce development
✅ Training and more

📍 LE16 7WB | 🗓️ Monthly drop-in

Universal Studios is inviting businesses to register interest in becoming a supplier for their brand-new Universal theme park near Bedford, not far from Harborough district! 

⭐ If you're in construction, catering, creative services, logistics, or anything in between, this is your chance to get involved.

⭐ Let's get businesses in the Harborough district involved!

⭐ Register as a supplier or for job opportunities via the official Universal UK Project website, which is seeking businesses across various sectors for construction and operation.

Recent government reforms aim to enhance the workforce and support economic growth through an overhaul of the apprenticeship system.

The headlines include:

⚙️ Immigration Skills Charge (ISC): A 32% increase to fund up to 45,000 additional training places to upskill the domestic workforce

⚙️ Apprenticeship funding: Refocusing funding away from Level 7 apprenticeships starting January 2026, while maintaining support for younger and existing apprentices ⚙️ Free Courses for Jobs scheme: Introduction of 13 new Level 2 construction courses for adults

⚙️ Skills Bootcamps: £136 million for Skills Bootcamps in priority sectors and £100 million to expand Construction Skills Bootcamps

⚙️ Technical excellence colleges: Opening 10 new colleges specialising in construction skills in September 2025

Is your business ready to grow green or be more innovative?

Grants of £500–£2,000 are now available to help Harborough district businesses deliver environmental or innovation-led projects!

The Green Growth and Innovation Fund 2025–26 supports projects in two key areas:

🌱 Green Growth – cut costs and carbon through solutions like green transport, LED lighting, solar panels, insulation, heat pumps, sustainable materials, waste reduction tech, water efficiency and digital tools for environmental management.

🌱Innovation – funding for new or improved products, services, processes or business models. Eligible activity includes digital upgrades (AI), app development, Research and Development (R&D), new technology and innovation-focused training.

Open to all Harborough businesses with an eligible project.
Apply by 31 July – don’t miss out!

Greener Future Leicestershire is hosting a practical webinar to help small organisations save money and boost resilience through smarter energy use.

📅 22 July 2025 ⏲️ 12:00pm - 12:45pm 📍 Online, MS Teams

They will explain simple, effective ways to reduce energy consumption and provide real-world tips, tools, and examples that can be put into action right away. No jargon, just clear advice!

What participants will gain:

🟢 Quick wins and longer-term strategies to cut energy use

🟢 A checklist of easy-to-implement actions 🟢 Insight into funding and support that might not be commonly known

🟢 Case studies from businesses that have made it work

🟢 Expert guidance tailored to SMEs