Some 250 businesses in South Bristol have now been recruited to a free support programme for firms in the area. The South Bristol Enterprise Support (SBES) scheme is a partnership led by Bristol City Council and Knowle West Media Centre, The Princes Trust, School for Social Entrepreneurs and YTKO.

The programme combines advice, mentorship, business support and funding opportunities for new entrepreneurs and existing SMEs throughout the south of the city.

The project, which is running until the end of March, is funded with £1.7m from the European Regional Development Fund and the West of England Combined Authority.

Deputy Mayor of Bristol Cllr Craig Cheney said the scheme had been “an overwhelming success” with entrepreneurs including engineers, bakers and wine retailers having benefited from its support.

Duncan Silvey, co-director of HumanKiND Festival – a sustainably-led events business in Bedminster – which has benefitted from the support, said: “SBES and SSE have helped us by validating our project.

Having an outsider looking in to help us to look objectively at ourselves, that’s the real value…it really helped align our strategy for how to do things both physically and digitally and think about those audience groups we want to attract.”