News

Businesses learn from each other at Strabane networking event

25 November 2024

The entrepreneurial spirit of businesses in Strabane was celebrated at a special networking event held in the town recently.

Hosted by Derry City and Strabane District Council, in partnership with Strabane BID, the event showcased the vital support available to local businesses through Go Succeed NI and Strabane BID.

Taking place in the Alley Theatre, this was an opportunity to hear first-hand stories of growth, resilience, and innovation from local business owners, while also learning about resources which are available to help businesses grow and prosper.

Local business owner Ursula O’Neill from Bejeweled at Soul was the keynote speaker at the event, she also joined Niall Speak from the Eco Basket and Kevin Clarke from Oysters Restaurant to take part in a panel session. Each of them provided an insight into how their businesses originated and evolved and answered questions from attendees.

Details of the exciting and transformational capital projects secured for Strabane Town Centre, including the £7 million Strabane Public Realm Scheme and the £102 million Strabane Town Centre Regeneration Project, were also discussed.

Thanking the local businesses and individuals who attended the event, BID manager Emma McGill said, “This was a really important event for everyone in the business community in Strabane. It gave anyone who has recently opened, or thinking about opening, a new business the chance to speak to more experienced business owners and learn about some of the challenges and pitfalls they may experience in the months and years ahead. This type of mentorship is invaluable to someone who is only finding their feet in the business world, and we are very grateful to those who took the time to share their stories and experiences.

“For the more established businesses there was the opportunity to get a really good look at some of the exciting plans which are in the pipeline and which have the potential to really transform Strabane town centre. Once completed the Strabane Public Realm Scheme and Town Regeneration Project will have a huge impact on businesses in the town, so the more informed traders are about the plans the better.

“There are exciting times ahead for Strabane and the business community has a really important part to play in leading this transformation. Thank you to everyone who attended and supported the event, and we look forward to working with you all.”

Attendees were also able to hear about the success of the Go Succeed programme locally and to find out what funding is available.

Carolann Doherty, council’s Business Officer, added, “It was wonderful to see so many businesses coming together to share ideas and learn from each other. I’d like to remind all of them about the support they can avail of from the Go Succeed programme. All support has been designed to provide entrepreneurs and businesses with the right tools to either get off the ground or grow their organisations - and boost the wider economy.

“The tools include mentoring, masterclasses, peer networks and opportunities to access grant funding and a business plan and are tailored to support the needs of the specific service users. Please get in touch today to see how Go Succeed can help your business.”

Go Succeed is the Entrepreneurship Support Service for Northern Ireland, funded by the UK Government. To find out more about Go Succeed, the help on offer, and to see a calendar of upcoming events and workshops, visit www.go-succeed.com.

For further information on the support programmes available to set up and grow your business through Derry City and Strabane District Council visit derrystrabane.com/business.