£1m Enterprise Investment for Ballymena.

Ballymena is to benefit from a £1m Enterprise Investment to promote opportunities for private and social entrepreneurs to start and grow their business in Ballymena.  This joint announcement was made by social enterprise Ballymena Business Centre and Bank of Ireland UK at a briefing held in the Leighinmohr House Hotel on Tuesday morning.

Left to Right – Jan Young, Ballymena Branch Manager, Bank of Ireland UK; Cllr. Audrey Wales MBE, Mayor of Ballymena, Ballymena Borough Council; Sean Sheehan, Regional Manager NI, Bank of Ireland UK; Melanie Christie Boyle, Chief Executive, Ballymena Business Centre; James Perry, Vice Chairperson, Ballymena Business Centre and Ald PJ McAvoy, Chairperson, Ballymena Business Centre.

Ballymena Business Centre announced a £1m enterprise investment consisting of the purchase of prime retail premises in the Church Street area of the Town.  This 8,000 sq ft Enterprise Hub will host a Business Advice Centre; Retail Pods for the Creative Sector; Enterprise Exhibition Space; Conference Facilities; Office Accommodation; and an Enterprise Lounge sponsored by Bank of Ireland UK.

Ballymena Business Centre has been at the heart of the Business Community in Ballymena for 25 years.  Through their successful social enterprise business model Ballymena Business Centre has contributed to the regeneration of local communities through the promotion of enterprise in rural and neighbourhood renewal areas of the Ballymena Borough.

Ald. PJ McAvoy, Chairman, Ballymena Business Centre, stated ‘This is a proud year for Ballymena Business Centre not only are we celebrating our 25th Anniversary  but we are marking this special anniversary with a long term financial commitment to the regeneration of Ballymena Town Centre.  I would particularly like to thank Bank of Ireland for partnering with the Business Centre as they designate Ballymena as ‘Enterprise Town’.  I have great confidence in our Town Centre and I believe our capital investment, programme of initiatives and partnership approach will help make our town centre accessible to everyone from the voluntary, community, education and business support sector and above all accessible for our local entrepreneurs.  This project serves as a testament as to how Ballymena Business Centre as a social enterprise through its own investment can significantly contribute to the regeneration of the local area and like so many third sector organisations play a vital role in the growth of the Northern Ireland economy’.

Speaking at the announcement was Sean Sheehan, Regional Manager, Bank of Ireland UK “Bank of Ireland UK is proud to support Ballymena town.  Today you are investing for the future of the borough – investing in the potential of its people to be enterprising.  Bank of Ireland UK Enterprise Week, our bi annual initiative that is focussed on activities and events that provide access to tangible advice and support for businesses will start next week and we are delighted that Ballymena will be the first Bank of Ireland Enterprise Town in Northern Ireland.  

“Firstly, we’ve committed to a five year sponsorship of the Enterprise Lounge in your new town-centre business hub which is free to use for all businesses and business support organisations. I believe this represents a visible and tangible commitment to investing in Ballymena.  Over the next five years the business hub will be the focus of our Enterprise Week and other business support initiatives. We will run business clinics and seminars in the hub to ensure that local businesses – both established and starting-up – can get access to expert advice and guidance on financing and we will formally launch a schools competition in September this year for all local post primary schools and colleges.

“Investing in young people, enabling enterprise and promoting Ballymena are the key themes behind our designation of the borough as an Enterprise Town and we look forward to working in partnership with you to support and encourage business growth through this pioneering initiative.”

The Bank’s local Branch Manager Jan Young added “Ballymena has such a strong sense of community & I am confident local businesses will embrace our plans to make Ballymena an even better place to do business.   I and the team in the branch are here to support the town and make sure this exciting & unique initiative makes a difference.”

Mayor of Ballymena Cllr Audrey Wales said: “Ballymena is a great place for business excellence and home of some great globally recognised organisations. My vision for Ballymena is of a thriving economy in which all businesses can look forward with optimism and excitement. I wish all businesses continued success.”