A new florist has opened in Stockton after receiving support from Stockton Council.
Open all Flowers began trading from 17 Dovecot Street on Monday (12 January).
Caroline Maher owns Open all Flowers, she worked with B-Supplied who deliver retail support on behalf of the Council to develop her business plan.
Caroline said: “I am really excited about opening my business in Stockton. With the regeneration programme nearing completion the town is a really exciting place to be.
“B-Supplied have been a huge support over the last six weeks, they have guided me through the business plan development process and have given me some invaluable advice. I would definitely recommend anyone interested in setting up their own business in Stockton to get in touch with them.”
Open all Flowers is one of more than 100 businesses B-Supplied have supported since they secured the Council’s retail support contract last July.
Stockton Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Transport, Councillor Mike Smith, said: “It is really encouraging to see yet another business open in Stockton Town Centre. The town is almost unrecognisable in comparison to two and a half years ago when its regeneration programme began.
“Confidence in the town is going from strength to strength and is a much more welcoming place to be. Vacancy rates are the lowest they have been in three years and in 2014 more than 40 businesses opened, expanded or relocated to Stockton Town Centre.
“The number of independent businesses is continuing to grow and we want to see even more set up shop in the coming weeks, months and years. We know how challenging and daunting it can be to be self-employed and that’s why we have appointed a specialist company like B-Supplied to help support our town’s new entrepreneurs every step of the way. I would encourage anyone who has a business idea to get in touch and see how we can help you bring it to fruition.”
B-Supplied can offer free retail support to anyone who is interested in starting up a business in Stockton as well as existing Stockton Town Centre businesses. To find out more emailinfo@bsupplied.co.uk or call 07808141931.
17 Dovecot Street is the latest building to benefit from Stockton’s “Grants for Heritage Buildings” scheme which sees funding from Stockton Council and the Heritage Lottery fund used to support repairs as well as creating new uses for empty floorspace in the town centre. The vacant first floor space, historically part of a butcher’s shop that retained the former cold room complete with floor to wall tiles, has been converted to a stylish residential flat independent to the shop. The flat is now available to let. The grant has also part-funded an attractive new shop front, building repairs and alterations as well to improve the layout of the ground floor for modern retailers.
For more information about the Grants for Heritage Buildings scheme visit www.stockton.gov.uk/grantsforheritagebuildings or email suzanne.calvert@stockton.gov.uk or call 01642 526991.