The State of Small Business Britain 2024
This annual review from the Enterprise Research Centre offers a clear picture of the UK’s small business landscape in a year marked by cost pressures, economic uncertainty, and fragmented support. Entrepreneurial activity is rising—especially among women and ethnic minorities—but sustained business growth remains rare. The report shows declining access to finance, weak ecosystem conditions, and […]
Models of Engagement with Rural Communities
Community engagement is driving new forms of collaboration, policy development, and local innovation in rural areas. This resource draws on insights from ‘Community Visioning’ events held in Hexham and Wooler, where practitioners, community groups, policymakers, and researchers came together to share knowledge and explore future possibilities for rural development. The case studies showcase how different […]
Rural Enterprise Hubs
Rural Enterprise Hubs (REHs) are creating new spaces for business collaboration, innovation, and peer learning in rural areas. By bringing businesses together under one roof, these hubs support knowledge exchange, face-to-face interaction, and the development of shared solutions. Co-location enables informal networking and helps generate synergies between tenants that would be harder to achieve in […]
Resilience Toolkit
Small and medium-sized businesses often face significant barriers when it comes to planning for future risks—primarily due to limited time and capacity. Research by the Enterprise Research Centre shows that many are underprepared when crises strike, even though businesses that engage in advance planning tend to recover more strongly. The Resilience Toolkit is designed to help […]
E-cargo bikes: Potential for Rural Innovation
Electric cargo (e-cargo) bikes are emerging as a practical and sustainable option for last-mile delivery in rural areas—offering a low-emission alternative to vans, particularly for smaller-scale logistics. This resource explores how e-cargo bikes are being adopted by rural businesses to navigate geographic dispersion, reduce carbon emissions, and lower operational costs. While often associated with urban […]
Opening the Gate programme
Helping young people and new entrants enter, and succeed in, the agricultural industry. Author(s): The Royal Countryside Fund
The Royal Countryside Fund
The Royal Countryside Fund, focused on rural UK communities, aims to empower local solutions for a thriving countryside. With a new 2024 strategy, we’re enhancing our support through facilitation, connection, and sustainable initiatives. Our first pilot, in partnership with The National Lottery Community Fund, will roll out in Cumbria and Northumberland. Author(s): The Royal Countryside […]
A review of rural development funding processes and delivery
This report evaluates Community-Led Local Development (CLLD) in Northern Ireland, including various LEADER program phases, and offers recommendations for future rural policies. Key findings emphasize empowering communities, reducing bureaucratic barriers, fostering collaboration among stakeholders, and allowing flexibility in policy implementation to tailor strategies to local needs. Author(s): Rural Community Network Year: 2022
The policy landscape for remote working and rural development in Northern Ireland: A comparative study
This report, commissioned by the Rural Community Network, assesses Northern Ireland’s public policy landscape on remote working, focusing on its potential for rural and social development. Drawing on practices from the Republic of Ireland, it provides recommendations based on insights from policymakers and stakeholders in both regions. Key findings and policy suggestions are summarized to […]
Delivering a new rural policy framework for Northern Ireland
A proposed rural policy for Northern Ireland emphasizes community empowerment through grassroots involvement, trust-building, and inclusive decision-making. The framework advocates for reduced bureaucracy, decentralized decision-making, and a flexible, partnership-driven approach that values local knowledge and actively involves diverse community actors. Author(s): Rural Community Network Year: 2022
Covid-19 and rural economies
This briefing examines Covid-19’s impact on rural economies, offering recommendations for the UK government. While UK-focused, its insights resonate with EU rural economies. Author(s): Jeremy Phillipson, Matthew Gorton, Roger Turner, Mark Shucksmith, Katie Aitken-McDermott, Francisco Areal, Paul Cowie, Carmen Hubbard, Sara Maioli, Ruth McAreavey, Diogo Souza Monteiro, Robert Newbery, Luca Panzone, Frances Rowe and Sally […]
Response to a proposed rural transport strategy
Rural residents face significant mobility and service access challenges, worsened by the lack of a clear national rural transport policy. In response to the Department for Transport’s call for evidence on a future rural transport strategy, ACRE recommends targeted policy commitments and interventions, including the expansion of gigabit-capable broadband. Author(s): ACRE: Action with Communities in […]
