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Brighton welcomes businesses to fastest growing economy

A new Brighton initiative to encourage businesses to move to the seaside city and increase inward investment in the fast growing area has been set up.

The University of Brighton and Sussex have worked alongside the city council and the Brighton & Hove Economic Partnership to expose business opportunities in the region and to showcase the “entrepreneurial spirit” of the city.

Figures from the Office of National Statistics show that Brighton & Hove is a fast developing centre for startups, and in September this year, the city accounted for 4.6% of all new businesses starting in the South East.

In 2011, the number of startups formed in Brighton & Hove was twice the national average, while between 2000 and 2009 the city’s GVA rose by 58%.

The national average for startups was 120 a month across England, while in Brighton this figure rose to 300 in 2011.

The new website, brightonforbusiness.com, will aim to attract more businesses to the area to capitalise on its high rates of productivity, which are the highest in the country, and its sturdy economy.

Chair of the council’s economic development and culture committee, Cllr Geoffrey Bowden, said: “While so many seaside towns and cities fade and struggle, Brighton & Hove has kept pace with cutting edge and emerging high-tech industries in the city – without losing sight of its broad cultural side.

“The new website is designed to keep this momentum going. It shows potential investors how they can get in on the act and provides a potential global audience with a key point of contact and information.

“We’ll be selling the city hard, highlighting the talent we have here and what a great place it is for living and working.”

Tony Mernagh, chief executive of the Brighton & Hove Business Forum said: “Brighton & Hove has got a fantastic business offer for companies seeking a creative location with excellent links to London, Europe and the world.

“Now it has a website that not only puts all the information needed to understand that offer in one place but is also a joy to use.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Miranda Dobson .