Hilton & Co Accountants

The business: Hilton & Co Accountants, Bridgnorth

Amount received: Just over £16,000

Purpose of grant: A move to new premises

The accountancy firm led by Managing Director John Hilton started trading in April 2012 and enjoyed a steady rise in business during the initial period of trading.

In January 2014, a strategic focus to build the business saw the client base double year on year. In July 2016, such was the demand for its services, the firm realised it had outgrown its existing premises and negotiated a lease on a bigger office to allow it to take on more staff.

Hilton & Co applied for funding from The Business Growth Programme to assist with some of the capital and revenue costs. This included office equipment and new signage for the office.

John said: “Applying for the grant was surprisingly easy once I had gathered all the information together. We applied in the first round of the funding programme, but there were few issues that caused a slight delay in starting the project. This was soon ironed out and the project met the deadlines.

“The experience was made easier by having the support of The Marches Growth Hub Shropshire. The team assisted me with any questions I had and helped make the process as painless as possible.

“Having the grant has made it easier to complete the move as we were able to move in with all the right equipment from the start instead of delaying some purchases due to cashflow. This has meant that staff could hit the ground running and support the growth of the business that was intended.”