Hampshire and Dorset: Businesses talk high growth at Grant Thornton event

Business leaders from across Hampshire and Dorset came together this month for the latest in business and financial adviser Grant Thornton’s Growth Insights Breakfast Club programme.

The topic was a recent Grant Thornton economic study: 'Where growth happens', which lists Bournemouth as one of the top 20 cities for growth in the UK, and Southampton as part of the M3 growth corridor;  one of only nine such corridors that are shaping the economic and social characteristics of 21st centrury England. The study has been influential in shaping national and local government thinking on the characteristics of growth in the UK.

Norman Armstrong, partner at Grant Thornton Southampton, said: "Our insights show real and dynamic growth in the places we live and work is a product of many interacting characteristics such as economic and entrepreneurial activity, education and working age population, connected infrastructure and technology and business and residential property stocks.

“The evidence demonstrates that while London may dominate the headlines, there’s very strong growth in Winchester, Bournemouth, Poole and Eastleigh, and underlying progress which will fuel future growth in Portsmouth and Southampton.

“There’s a real energy in the Poole-Bournemouth conurbation at the moment and there’s plenty to be positive about. But, the evidence strongly suggests the need to ensure collaboration across various economic and local authority boundaries, attracting inward investment and infrastructure development, developing commercial and residential property stocks and retaining talent will be critical to the future economic success of the broader Solent region.”

The events brought together some of the most senior figures from Hampshire and Dorset’s mid-sized businesses and organisations including Red Funnel, University of Southampton, Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and Blake Morgan LLP.

Together they discussed the characteristics of places demonstrating high and dynamic growth, as well as larger-scale economic areas termed as ‘growth corridors’, and how they present opportunities and challenges for local businesses, authorities and LEP's.

Armstrong said: "Our extensive research into the behaviour, performance and attitudes of the UK MSBs continues to see Grant Thornton recognised as the 'voice' of MSBs, driving the agenda and raising the profile of this valuable segment of the economy on both a national and local level. We increasingly see our research and recommendations informing local authority and government planning, and insight from our 'Where growth happens' report is just one example of that."

The Growth Insights Breakfast Clubs are a regular programme of events across the South Coast, sharing insight and perspectives from Grant Thornton on successful strategies for unlocking a business’s true growth potential and gearing up for a bright and fruitful future.

Future events will cover topics including key leadership challenges of growth and business transformation, closing the skills gap through finding, developing and retaining talent, and the challenges of entering new markets and international expansion.

The next Growth Insights Breakfast Clubs will take place in April in both Bournemouth (April 21) and Southampton (April 30). To find out more information and register interest in the event contact [email protected].