A BUSINESS growth hub in Cirencester will help to create almost 300 jobs, according to one of the people behind the ongoing bid.

Nick Holyoake, owner of Holyoake Training Ltd, has been working with the Royal Agricultural University (RAU), where the hub will be housed if the bid is successful, for two years to come up with the proposal for the Government-funded £1.5m development.

Speaking at a Cirencester Chamber of Commerce meeting on Wednesday, October 12, Mr Holyoake said the hub will “aim to give around 1,600 support interventions over a five-year period, which will lead us to 275 jobs.”

"The aim of the South Cotswold Growth Hub is to understand what's happening in the rural economy and actually give you all a potential to be recognised as rural businesses.

“Too often when people hear the word rural businesses they think of agriculture and land-based [businesses].

“I'd most like to regard all of us, whether you're in management consultancy or IT or accounting, as rural businesses.

“And part of our drive is to take that forward.”

Gloucestershire’s Local Enterprise Partnership, GFirst LEP, is launching a £10m Growth Hub Network scheme and is looking to create a number of hubs similar to the one at Gloucestershire University, established in 2014.

In less than two years, the Gloucester hub has welcomed over 6,400 visitors with 1,900 of these having received personalised business support, and the network aims to grow the county’s economy above the national growth rate by providing support for businesses and opportunity to collaborate.

Mr Holyoake went on to say ‘although the bid has been led by the RAU, we have managed to form round us a fantastic group of engaged partners,’ including Cirencester Town Council, Cotswold District Council, The Community Development Trust and Cirencester College.

He said much of the GFirst funding ‘is currently going down the M5 corridor. There’s a big gap over here. We’re looking to attract more of their money over this side of the county.”

The first of the winning bids are due to be announced by GFirst this month.