July 2026

The Business Bulletin is produced by the Economic Development Team and brings together relevant information for business across the Harborough district. It is your essential monthly update with information from Harborough District Council and our partners across the county.

Quick wins this month

Create Efficiencies with AI: Practical Applications for Business

Discover how businesses are using AI to save time, improve productivity and create real value today. This practical session will showcase tools and techniques that can streamline everyday tasks, from generating consistent, branded documents such as invoices and reports to transforming meeting transcripts into actionable insights.

You'll also learn how AI can reduce the time spent drafting emails by producing ready-to-send responses in seconds. Whether you're new to AI or looking to expand its use in your organisation, this session will provide practical examples and ideas that can be implemented immediately to improve efficiency and effectiveness.

Harborough District Business Survey 2026

Harborough District Council is gathering insight from local businesses to better understand your current challenges, opportunities, and support needs across the district. Your feedback will directly inform future business support, funding allocation, and local policy decisions.

• Time to complete: 5 to 7 minutes.
• Impact: Ensure your business needs are heard.

Become the Leader Your Business Needs

The Help to Grow: Management Course is a 12-week, 90% government-funded programme delivered by Small Business Charter-accredited business schools. Designed for SME leaders, it requires just 5 hours a week. What you get: 10 hours of 1:1 mentoring, peer networking, and a tailored Growth Action Plan.

If your small or medium-sized business employs between five and 249 people this is well worth getting involved with! If you have a businesses with five to nine employees are eligible for one participant on the course, with two able to attend per programme for businesses with 10 – 249 staff.

The Market Harborough Chamber of Trade and Commerce has secured a cohort of Help to Grow to be delivered in Harborough District.

To register, get in touch with De Montfort University:

• W: dmu.ac.uk/helptogrow
• E: h2gm@dmu.ac.uk

Save the Date! Netwalking - Foxton Locks

Join us for a relaxed, informal NetWalking event at Foxton Locks, networking with a walk at one of Leicestershire’s most iconinc waterways.

📍Canal & River Trust Welcome Point (Top Lock Cottage)

🅿️Paid parking is available on site.

Thinking about exporting for the first time?

Expanding into international markets can open exciting new opportunities for growth. Before making your first overseas sale, it’s important to understand the essentials of exporting, including customs requirements, shipping options and payment methods. Businesses exporting goods from Great Britain will need a GB EORI number, while exporters in Northern Ireland may require an XI or EU EORI number.

For shipping, many first-time exporters choose express operators such as DHL or Parcelforce, which can handle customs declarations as part of their service. Businesses dealing with higher-value or more complex shipments may benefit from working with a customs agent or freight forwarder.

Exporters must also ensure goods are cleared through customs before leaving the UK and should consider suitable payment arrangements, ranging from advance payment and international bank transfers to letters of credit for larger transactions.

The Government provides a range of guidance and resources to help businesses navigate the exporting process and start trading internationally with confidence.

Enter the 2026 Leicestershire Tourism & Hospitality Awards

It is time to celebrate the very best of our local tourism sector! Applications are officially open for the Leicestershire Tourism & Hospitality Awards 2026. Whether you run a cosy guest house, a bustling pub, a brilliant tea room or a large visitor attraction, there is a category to highlight your hard work.This year's spectacular gala ceremony will take place at the award-winning National Space Centre on Thursday 26th November.

Key Deadlines:

• 31 July: Closing date for Visitor Attractions
• 11 September: Closing date for all other categories

Community Awards 2026

⭐ Nominations are now open for our Community Awards 2026!

🤩 You are invited to nominate individuals, groups and businesses who make a valuable contribution to their local community in the Harborough District for a special award.

The categories are:

👉 Voluntary and Community Group of the Year

👉 Young Person of the Year (11-18yrs)

👉 Volunteer of the Year (19-59yrs)

👉 Volunteer of the Year (age 60+yrs)

👉 The Citizenship Cup

👉 Stronger Together: Workplace Impact Award

👉 Business-Community Impact of the Year Award

Purposeful Sustainability & Commercial Value

Discover practical, cost-saving sustainability strategies that deliver real business benefits.

This interactive workshop will show businesses how to adopt sustainable practices efficiently, engage stakeholders in the green transition, and turn environmental initiatives into a compelling customer value proposition. 

Through the hands-on Value Proposition Mapper exercise, participants will identify a sustainable change and explore how it can reduce costs while creating value for customers. 

Attendees will leave with a Fast-Track Sustainability Guide packed with actionable steps for achieving immediate commercial impact through sustainability.

Supporting Residents into Employment

Businesses are encouraged to share details of Harborough District Council’s new Skills, Training and Employment Pathways (STEP) programme.

The free service supports residents aged 16+ who are looking to find work, change careers, return to employment or develop new skills. Through personalised one-to-one support, career guidance, CV and interview help, and access to training opportunities, STEP aims to help more local people become job-ready and connect with employment opportunities across the district.

For more information, visit www.investinharborough.com/jobs or contact work.skills@harborough.gov.uk.

Networking Groups

1-2-1 Business Meetings

Whether you need help finding funding, locating property, or connecting with local suppliers, our Economic Development Team is here to support you.

Stay Connected

Notice something different? We have recently switched to a new newsletter distributor, so our layout might look a little new to you this month.

Share your news or advertise with us: Have a story you'd like to feature, or want to reach over 1,500 local businesses? Email us at: business@harborough.gov.uk 

Stay in the loop: Follow us on Social Media for updates, or sign up for the Harborough District News e-newsletter for wider council news.

Harborough District Business Bulletin from Harborough District Council 

 The Symington Building, Adam & Eve Street, Market Harborough, LE16 7AG

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