Starting a Business
Life Events
Starting Your Own Business
Useful help and advice to anyone thinking of starting a new business in Tameside
Thinking of starting a business- Where can I find business opportunities within the borough?
- Can I get any financial support, grants or loans?
- Are there any courses that I may find useful?
- What taxes will I have to pay?
- Where can I get property advice?
- Do I need planning permission?
- Do I need a licence?
- What standards do I need to abide by?
- Will I need to pay business rates?
- Where can I get rid of trade waste?
- How do I recruit staff?
- What is e-business?
Thinking of starting a business
The Council is committed to providing a wide range of services to local businesses and the community at large. The Council's Economic Development Unit plays a key role in encouraging investment in the Borough. The Unit is also working to increase the quality and variety of work skills offered to Tameside residents, helping them to make the most of new employment and training opportunities as they are created.
Much of the business advice available for businesses is delivered through partnerships.
Information about the Economic Development Unit.
If you are considering starting a social enterprise of community business (Co-operative Development), advice is available from the Council's Social Enterprise Project Team.
Tameside Libraries Information Service
Looking for somewhere to research the business you are thinking of starting, find tips on writing your business plan or access a PC with an office package. Then why not visit the Tameside Libraries Information Service Central Library, Old Street, Ashton-under-Lyne, Tameside. OL6 7SG.
More information about Libraries.
Check out the Competition
When thinking of starting a business you should find out about competition in your area. To look for businesses in your area take a look at the Tameside Business Database.
Where can I find business opportunities within the borough?
Franchises
There are around 600 businesses in the UK that are franchised but what is franchising and would it be suitable for you?
It's a way of setting up in business for yourself but not on your own. With a franchise you run the business, but using methods that have been already tried and tested by another company, called the franchisor.
It is a way of being your own boss without many of the risk factors. However, you are ultimately answerable to the franchisor and this approach may not be for some people.
There are a large number of websites that deal with selling franchises a small number are listed below:
Can I get any financial support, grants or loans?
The Council is able to offer grants when funding allows, however, these schemes are discretionary and may have restricted eligibility. For information on current schemes please complete the grant enquiry form.
Jobcentre Plus
Jobcentre Plus can give you general advice about how your benefits will be affected if you start to do any work for yourself, and the in work support available. For more information visit the website www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk 
Business Plan
Wherever you are going for financial help writing a Business Plan is essential but it is not as difficult as it may sound - it is simply a way of putting your ideas on paper.
More information on writing a Business Plan.
Are there any courses that I may find useful?
You may find these databases useful:
Tameside College of Technology runs courses that cover many of the skills you may need when starting a new business. For more details visit the website at www.tameside.ac.uk
What taxes will I have to pay?
HM Revenue and Customs have put information on their website especially for people starting up their own business. Visit the website at www.hmrc.gov.uk/startingup/index.htm
Where can I get property advice?
For details of privately owned business properties (including industrial, office retail, land and development opportunities) currently available in the Tameside area, please contact the Economic Development Unit on 0161 342 2865/2167 or Send Us a Message or search the details directly at:
Tameside Business Property Search
Free property search of over 500 commercial properties
If you have more specific requirements please complete the on-line Business Property Enquiry Form.
The Council has a selection of properties and land for sale in addition to shops and industrial units to let.
Do I need planning permission?
Planning holds a balance between the need for new development and the need to protect the environment and tries to ensure all development is environmentally sustainable. Construction methods also need to comply with the Building Regulations for which there is a separate set of approvals.
There are also separate approvals governing the display of outdoor advertisements, developments affecting Listed Buildings and the demolition of unlisted buildings in Conservation areas.
Working from home
You do not usually need planning permission just to work from home but sometimes you do. However there may be other implications concerning your mortgage or tenancy requirements, and concerning National Insurance or taxation. The best option is to seek advice intially from the Tameside Business Support team.
Generally, the key test is whether the residence has changed because of the business. If the answer to any of the following questions is "yes", then you will probably need planning permission:
- Is your house no longer chiefly a private residence?
- Will your business result in a marked rise in traffic, people calling or working around the house or in out buildings?
- Will your business involve obvious activities not usual in a residential street?
- Will your business disturb your neighbours because of noise or smells?
Basically you need to ask yourself if the house is still mainly a home or has it become business premises? This is whatever the business, including using a room as an office, hairdressing, repairing cars, storing goods, using part of the house as a bedsit, running a "bed and breakfast", providing childminding or music teaching.
Do I need a licence?
Many businesses require a licence eg. hairdressers, pet shops and places of public entertainment. More information can be obtained from the Licensing Section.
What standards do I need to abide by?
Trading Standards and Consumer Services Section is a strategic Local Authority service contributing to the well-being of the local and business community through its enforcement activities and advisory services. More information about the work of trading standards, access to fact sheets that may be relevant to your business and advice on weights and measures.
The Trading Standards division will give talks to any business, consumer group, school or any other organisation on the work carried out by the Trading Standards service in the following areas:
- Weights and measures
- Food labelling
- Product and toy safety
- Home safety
- Your rights when shopping
- Credit, borrowing and lending
- General work of the Trading Standards division
Other subject areas that are not listed can be arranged on request. To request a talk from trading standards fill in the online trading standards request form
Will I need to pay business rates?
The value of all property in respect of which rates are payable to the Council are shown in the local ratings list. This list is available from the Valuation Office Agency .
More information on business rates.
Where can I get rid of trade waste?
The Trade Waste Service is available to all commercial and industrial premises in the Borough.
The Council also carries out commercial pest control work for local businesses.
How do I recruit staff?
The Council is committed to attracting new jobs to the area and works in partnership with other agencies to ensure residents benefit from employment opportunities created within the Borough.
More information about training and employment.
Your local job centre will advise you on recruiting staff and will advertise positions in the local centres free of charge. For more information, advice and to find your local job centre look at the website www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk
You can also contact the local employment agencies to help recruit permanent or temporary staff although there will be a charge for this. Find employment agencies in Tameside using our Business Database.
You can also advertise in the local press.
What is e-business?
The e-tameside business team, part of Tameside Business Support, aim to encourage businesses to utilise new information and communication technologies such as e-mail, the world wide web and e-commerce. Specialist business advisors offer advice to local businesses. The team can help draw up specifications for web site design and give details of local training providers and web site designers.