Support for new food and craft businesses
Belfast City Council has launched a new initiative designed to help small businesses literally bring their products to the marketplace. The new Market Start Up programme is designed to provide support to people who wish to start up food or craft businesses and try out their products through trading at the citys historic St Georges Market.
Launching the programme, Councillor Conor Maskey, Deputy Chairman of the council’s Development Committee, said: “We are committed to doing all we can to help people who want to set up in business for themselves, especially in these trying economic times – and the launch of this particular programme is very timely.
“Just this week, the National Market Traders Federation revealed that more and more people are turning to market trading as a way of doing business: market stalls have low overheads and start-up costs and also help people bring their products directly to the people who want to buy them – so, what better testing ground for an aspiring business than one of our most successful markets?
"As with all of our programmes, the aspiring business owners will get all the help they need to develop their products and put together their business plans. They also will have the opportunity to meet buyers, visit successful business owners - and get a real insight into running a food or craft business by working at St George`s Market,” concluded Councillor Maskey.
The Market Start Upprogramme is open to residents of the Belfast City Council area, and further details can be found at www.belfastcity.gov.uk/marketprogramme
For more information on the council’s support for local business in the city, go to www.belfastcity.gov.uk/business
