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March Business Newsletter |
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Your monthly business update from the Economic Development Team at Tunbridge Wells Borough Council.
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In this edition: Visit Tunbridge Wells Plus |
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This month marks the West Kent Expo, the premier event for West Kent Business connections and networking. It will be taking place at The River Centre, Tonbridge on Wednesday 11 March 2026, from 10am to 3pm.
With over 60 exhibitors confirmed, this event showcases our local economy and creates opportunities to build and strengthen business connections across the region, attracting investors and businesses looking to relocate to West Kent. There are four event workshops, which are as follows: - 10:30am - 11:15am: Get Well. Stay Well. Thrive: Creating workplaces where every generation thrives (West Kent Mind)
- 11:30am - 12:15pm: Public Procurement Decoded: A Guide for Local Suppliers and an informal opportunity to meet the buyers! (TMT Procurement Partnership)
- 12:30pm - 13:15pm: Panel Discussion chaired by Federation of Small Businesses
- 13:30pm - 14:15pm: Practical ways to use AI for your business (Avalon Insights)
Advance registration is encouraged to support event planning. However, businesses are also welcome to attend on the day. |
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The West Kent Expo is offering a dedicated space for start-ups and early-stage businesses within the Enterprise Hub. This area is specifically designed to provide businesses with a professional platform to promote their services and meet a wider audience.
For £50 + VAT, eligible participants will receive: - A dedicated space within the Enterprise Hub
- Direct exposure to established SMEs and local partners
- A cost-effective way to build visibility and confidence
- The opportunity to be part of the wider Expo experience
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Creative Tunbridge Wells is seeking to gather information about skills and training needs for the sector. If you are a Tunbridge Wells based creative business or freelancer, please take a few minutes before 12 March to complete the short survey. |
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The Government has announced an expansion of its financial support for the UK’s creative industries. New measures were unveiled recently at The Big Creative UK Investment Summit in London. A new “single front door” for creative business finance will launch later in 2026, helping firms access funding more easily. |
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Made Smarter South East provides a fully funded package of support for eligible SMEs. This includes the opportunity to work with a team of experts to unlock support for growth as well as leadership development support.
Assistance is also available for creating a detailed action plan for digital transformation and increasing your workforce’s digital skills.
As well as this, match-funded grants to purchase hardware or software are available. The programme will be available until the end of March 2026. |
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Are you a local employer looking to upskill your team? Then look no further than the Kent Adult Education Skills Bootcamps.
These Skills Bootcamps are 90% funded by the Department for Education if you are a small or medium sized employer (fewer than 250 employees), and large employers receive 70% funding.
There are upcoming course topics in a range of sectors including: - Creative
- Construction
- Retail
- Health and Social Care
- Early Years/School
Wave 6 of Skills Bootcamps closes on 31 March 2026, and the new wave (Wave 7) will open on 1 April 2026. |
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Businesses should be aware that the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) has updated the rateable values of all commercial, and other non-domestic, properties in England and Wales. These future values will take effect from 1 April 2026. Further information and assistance can be found on the GOV.UK website. |
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The Government has provided guidance on carrying out right to work checks before taking on new staff. Employers must do this to prevent illegal working in the UK. You can use the guidance to find out: - What a right to work check is
- Why you need to do right to work checks
- How to carry out checks
- When to carry out initial checks, follow-up checks, and what happens under TUPE
- What documents are acceptable for a manual right to work check
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LGR Consultation: Share your opinions |
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The UK Government is consulting on proposals to reorganise local councils in Kent. Under these plans, all local services would be delivered by a single new council structure.
Five options are being considered, from creating one unitary council for all of Kent to establishing five separate unitary councils.
Tunbridge Wells Borough Council supports Option 3a: Three councils for Kent and believes this three unitary model offers the best balance of stronger services, better value for money and more local accountability. |
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We encourage you to share your views on which option you think would work best for your area.
You can share your thoughts in the online survey on the GOV.UK website. The consultation is open until Thursday 26 March. |
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Tickets are now on sale for the 2026 Tunbridge Wells Literary Festival. With 10 days of world-class speakers, there is something for everyone. Expect an increase of visitors to the borough as big name stars including Davina McCall, Brian Bilston, Gyles Brandreth and Donna Ashworth speak in the town. From 1-10 May with events in Calverley Grounds, The Amelia, The Forum, Assembly Hall Theatre and more! |
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If you’re interested in attracting international visitors to your business, Visit Britain offers an array of business resources including international market webinars on: - France and Netherlands
- The GCC
- Germany and the Nordics
- USA and Canada
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Follow us on Social Media! Instagram: visit_tunbridgewells Facebook: Visit Tunbridge Wells |
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TEDxRoyal Tunbridge Wells 2026
Sunday 8 March 11:00am – 6:15pm Assembly Hall Theatre, Tunbridge Wells, TN1 2LU See a range of local speakers sharing ideas on growth acceleration at the Assembly Hall Theatre and make connections throughout the day. Tickets £38. Find out more and reserve your place. |
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Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce - Business Talks at West Kent Shooting School
Tuesday 10 March 10:30am – 12:30pm West Kent Shooting School, Old Hay, Brenchley, TN12 7DG Learn the history of the school, have a chance to test your aim with some clay pigeon shooting, and network with other professionals. Tickets £30.
Find out more and reserve your place. |
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Sevenoaks District Chamber of Commerce – Third Thursday Networking
Thursday 19 March 10:30am – 12:00pm Town Hall, Civic Way, Tunbridge Wells TN1 1LS Join for a networking session at the Town Hall in the centre of Tunbridge Wells, now home to Office Space, Co-working areas and Meeting and Events Spaces. Guest Tickets £15. Find out more and reserve your place. |
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