Small Business Bonus Scheme

From April 1, 2009 many small businesses will pay no rates.

From April 1, 2009 tens of thousands of small businesses will pay no rates at all under the Scottish Government's small business bonus scheme.

You could save up to almost £4,000 a year, depending on your rateable value. An eligible business property will save on average £1400 in 2009-10.
What's the catch?

There isn't one! The Scottish Government wants to help genuinely small businesses, particularly in the current economic climate.

Offices To Let Glasgow

Hillington gets ready to ROCCO!

Six Hillington-based companies have been shortlisted for one or more of the annual ROCCO Awards, presented by Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce. Among them is MEPC Hillington Park, which has been cited for the ‘Best Environmental Performance’ award.

The nine ‘Oscars’ of the local business world will be handed out at a glittering award ceremony on Friday November 20, and MEPC is also sponsoring the award for the most promising new business.

Nominated companies include Innovation Centre-based NS Design, who have recently won new business that will take their growth for the year to more than 15%. They are hoping to be acclaimed again as the ‘Outstanding Performing Business’ for companies with fewer than 25 employees, which they won in 2008, and are also cited for the ‘Excellence in Customer Services’ award.

Other Hillington companies nominated in the various categories include Haven Products, Tradeforms, Alpha Analytical and Future Environmental Services.

Chamber President Tom Johnston said: "We have been overwhelmed by the interest in the ROCCO Awards this year. We know we are facing challenging economic conditions, but it is fantastic to see local companies, large and small, buck the trend and continue to expand.

"The ROCCOs have grown in popularity over the years, and the Awards Dinner is now the business event of the year."

Offices To Let Glasgow

'Leading Edge 'status for Innovation Centre

The Hillington Park Innovation Centre has been awarded Leading Edge Status by UK Business Incubation after undergoing the Inspire monitoring, development and accreditation process.

The MEPC –owned Centre is managed by Innovation Centres Scotland, who also operate the Alba Innovation Centre in Livingston.

Director of ICS, Ross Clark, had this to say about Inspire: "We started the process because we believe it is extremely important to keep reinforcing the message of how high quality innovation and incubation support services make a significant difference to young technology companies’ growth and chances of success. For us we want to continue national recognition of Hillington Park Innovation Centre and Alba Innovation Centre as Scotland’s leading facilities, accredited through a thorough appraisal process, and also to be up there amongst the top providers in the UK. All the evidence is there, not just In the UK but globally, to confirm that at the highest level, such services are an excellent economic development investment. We need to ask policy and strategy makers not to forget this in their planning and decision making"

Grant Edmondson, Managing Director of MEPC Hillington Park said "This accreditation is testament to the skills and dedication of the management and staff of Innovation Centres Scotland and we are delighted that the Hillington Park Innovation Centre is recognised by the UKBI as an example of ‘best in class’."

Offices To Let Glasgow

Industrial Estates

MEPC have been providing high specification industrial units and warehousing available to let for more than 60 years. We currently manage eight business and industrial estates across the UK with over 10m sq ft of property housing more than 1000 business clients.

Keep Scotland Beautiful

In pursuit of the Keep Scotland Beautiful –Tidy Business Standards Award the MEPC Hillington Park team spent a recent (and dry!) lunchtime doing a litter pick on the approach road from Hillington Park to Arkleston Cemetery.

In less than an hour and along a 100 meter stretch of path, the team collected eight bags of rubbish and some rather unusual items such as a bed frame, a bicycle, car bumpers and a set of venetian blinds!

Industrial Lettings

Lets keep up at Hillington

Lettings activity by MEPC at its Hillington Park estate outside Glasgow continues to bolster the local economy, despite the recession in the wider commercial property market.

In the last three months, ten new industrial lettings have been concluded, totalling almost 5,000 square metres (55,000 sq ft).

The largest transaction was to a government body which has taken a refurbished 10,000 sq ft property on a 5-year lease.

Craftology, who currently lease a unit at the corner of Huntly Road and Kelvin Avenue, are trading up to a larger property of 9,200 sq ft on a 10-year lease.

New to the Park are Tradebalance Ltd, who have leased a 8,200 sq ft unit on Claverhouse Road. Previously used for short term storage, the unit was recently refurbished and provided with a secure yard and has now been leased for a three-year term.

Undoubtedly the fastest letting was to Alpine Blinds who, following a major fire at their premises in Paisley, were able to be up and running again within three working days by leasing 1,420 sq ft at 417 Hillington Road.

Andrew Kerr, MEPC’s Asset Manager, said: "We are certainly not complacent, but the level of industrial letting activity just goes to show that Hillington Park remains the location of choice west of the city centre.

"The likes of the Alpine Blinds letting shows we are a proactive management team, based on the Park, so we can respond quickly to new and existing customer needs."

MEPC’s industrial lettings agents are James Barr and GVA Grimley.

ENDS

Further information: Mike Stanger, G41forPR, 0141 423 6595

Industiral Estate Glasgow

Headquarters / Head Office Buildings Glasgow

If you’re looking for a Headquarter / Head Office Buildings in Glasgow, look no further than Hillington Park. With a mixture of fantastic amenities and excellent transport links, Hillington Park is the perfect place to locate your business. The total site covers 417 acres and was the first “Special Enterprise Zone” in Scotland, which were set up in the 1930s. Hillington Park had many different owners prior to MEPC, but has always been a major driver in the economy of Scotland.