Prime Minister Visits Brentford

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Meets local entrepreneurs and business people

The Prime Minister, David Cameron , visited Brentford (Jan 27) to meet a number of small business owners and pledged Government support to helping SMEs.

He started his visit at Lot’s Ait Boatyard where he met John Watson from John’s Boat Works who two years ago transformed the boat yard that had fallen into disrepair into a thriving community of small businesses.

PM at the boatyard

In addition to John’s boatbuilding and maintenance, the Boat Works is also home to many skilled craftspeople including a fashion designer, restorer of vintage aircraft, a marine engineer and someone who custom builds acoustic guitars!

The Prime Minister then joined Mary at a roundtable discussion with local women entrepreneurs at Time Café in Brentford Dock. The session was chaired by Karren Brady CBE who is the Small Business Ambassador for the Conservative Party and Matt Hancock MP the Minister for Business and Skills.

The PM with women entrepreneurs including Mary Macleod MP and Karren Brady (on right)

Mary commented: “It was fantastic to have the Prime Minister visit Brentford and to see how small businesses are playing their part in regenerating the area.

“At the roundtable there was much discussion about how to cut through red tape and make it easier to take on your first employee. We also talked about the support the Government has already provided for small businesses by capping business rates, cutting £2,000 from National Insurance bills for businesses from April 2014 and making it easier to access support in one place at www.gov.uk .”

“The Prime Minister urged the women there to ‘keep doing what you are doing’ saying that growth in the UK will not only come from the big corporates but from small businesses taking on just a few more staff.”

“SMEs really are the engine of growth for the UK recovery and I was so proud to introduce the Prime Minster to some of the great businesses we have locally. “

 

January 28, 2014