Advice to business

The council’s Business Enterprise Centre (BEC) acts as a one-stop-shop for members of the business community, and anyone wanting to start up a business. Click here for more details.

Other business support organisations:

• Business Link for London (tel 0845 6000 787, www.businesslink4london.com)
provides on-going support, advice and a wide range of products and services to growing businesses in London. 

• Greater London Enterprise (tel 020 7403 0300, www.gle.co.uk) specialises in providing advice and finance for small companies including a range of loans, factoring services and venture capital. Funding is also available to support joint ventures with small & medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) abroad.

• Groundwork West London (tel 020 8743 3040, www.groundwork.org.uk/wlondon/) provides practical environmental advice to help businesses reduce costs, improve their environmental performance and thereby demonstrate their commitment to employees and customers. As an independent local charity working with businesses, public bodies and the community, Groundwork aims to bring about environmental improvements by addressing social, physical and economic regeneration.

• Hammersmith & Fulham Chamber of Commerce (tel 020 8840 6332, www.hfchamber.co.uk) is the premier membership organisation for businesses of all types and sizes trading in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and beyond. The Chamber provides a forum and a strong local voice for businesses and professionals, and aims to increase their competitiveness by promoting the sharing of information on business issues and encouraging trading between members.
 
• Instant Muscle (tel 0845 1300 930, email shepherds-bush@instant-muscle.org.uk) provides one-to-one assistance with all aspects of business planning for those who are disadvantaged, and wish to overcome barriers to work or self-employment. Help is available for up to two years after successful start-up.

• Urban Partnership Group is a local regeneration agency which specialises in social enterprise – click here for more details.

• West London Business (tel 020 8607 2500, www.westlondon.com) works to increase the economic competitiveness of the area by providing a forum for businesses to network more effectively, lobby government on business issues and secure government funding to be used by and on behalf of west London businesses. WLB is a membership organisation funded through subscriptions and third party income, with over 300 business members including world brands such as BAA and GlaxoSmithKline. It offers conferencing facilities and a property and inward investment service for its members. 

Filming in Hammersmith & Fulham
The Borough is in high demand for location filming. The film location officer, Janet Potter, advises film-makers and location managers on getting the correct permissions and co-operation from the different council departments. Janet can also provide expert technical advice and help with the shoot, as well as sorting out the negotiation of fees, invoices and indemnity forms. Contact Janet Potter on 020 8573 2171. Visit the filming website at www.lbhf.gov.uk/filming