Business Investment
IN SUSSEX
CHAMPIONING
small & medium businesses
As Mayor, I’d champion the small and medium-sized businesses that are the backbone of Sussex. We need businesses to thrive, create jobs and build the prosperity and opportunities our towns deserve. Here are some of the measures I’d introduce - drawing on my 40 years of hands-on business experience.
SUSSEX
trade show
We need to shout about our amazing products, people and services - and sell them to the world. That’s why I’d launch an annual Sussex Trade Show to showcase everything we do best. Whether it’s Rolls-Royce cars or the Wiston wines recently served to President Trump, let’s shout about our excellent products!
The show would be promoted nationally and internationally, positioning Sussex as a centre of innovation, creativity and high-quality goods.
The goal is simple: Sell, sell, sell - all that is good about Sussex to a global marketplace.
SUSSEX BUSINESS
Buying Group
I know how tough it can be for smaller firms to keep costs under control while competing with larger chains. That’s why I’d set up a not-for-profit Sussex Business Buying Group, open to businesses across the county for a modest administration fee.
By combining our collective purchasing power, the group would negotiate better deals and steep discounts on essentials - from utilities and insurance to cleaning supplies, stock, equipment and marketing costs. Businesses would still deal directly with suppliers, but benefit from bulk-rate pricing that’s normally only available to national chains. The admin fees would simply cover the scheme's operating costs.
The Result?
✓ Lower running costs for local businesses
✓ Stronger profitability and job creation
✓ A thriving Sussex economy built on collaboration
SUSSEX
mentors
Setting up a new business is exciting - but it can also be daunting and isolating.
That’s why I’d launch www.sussexmentors.com a platform that matches new start-ups with experienced entrepreneurs across the county. Mentors would help new founders avoid the common pitfalls, develop sound business plans, build confidence and make better decisions in those crucial early months.
This would strengthen our entrepreneurial ecosystem and ensure Sussex becomes one of the best places in the UK to start a business.
REVITALISING
old town centres
A strong county needs strong town centres.
If elected, I would launch a Sussex Town Centre Renewal Plan focused on:
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Bringing empty units back into use
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Supporting independent retailers
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improving public safety and reducing antisocial behaviour
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Creating mixed-use spaces with homes, workspaces, cafés and culture
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Upgrading streetscapes, lighting and accessibility
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Improving transport links and parking arrangements where needed
Whether it’s Eastbourne, Newhaven, Crawley, Burgess Hill, Worthing, Bognor or Hastings, every town deserves a vibrant commercial heart where people feel safe, spend money locally, and communities thrive.
DEVELOPING
A Skilled Workforce
Too often, training programmes are designed by colleges without meaningful input from the businesses that actually need skilled staff. I’d change that.
As Mayor, I would convene a Sussex Workforce Skills Partnership, bringing together:
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Local employers
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Further education colleges
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Universities
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Training providers
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Chambers of commerce
Together, we would design skills programmes that match real business needs - from engineering and construction to hospitality, logistics, digital, creative industries and green technology
That means:
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More apprenticeships
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More work-ready training
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More local people with the skills businesses are desperate for
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Less reliance on expensive recruitment from outside the county
Sussex businesses deserve a workforce trained for the real world - and they will have a direct say in shaping it.
LAUNCHING
Sussex Business Hubs
Some parts of Sussex have huge untapped potential - they just need the right infrastructure in order to thrive. That’s why I’d launch Sussex Business Hubs: modern, flexible spaces providing:
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co-working areas
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meeting rooms
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small workshop units
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access to business advisors
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digital and creative studios
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start-up support clinics
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networking and training events
The first two locations I’d like to explore are:
Newhaven - a strategic town with port access, regeneration potential and space for light manufacturing and green-tech enterprises.
Crawley - the county’s commercial powerhouse, with Gatwick on its doorstep and the strongest job market in Sussex.
These hubs would give start-ups and growing businesses the space, support and confidence they need to scale up, employ more people and invest locally.
YOUR VIEWS
really matter
Tell me about the changes you want to see in Sussex. I want a plan that works for all of us - so your opinions are essential to make this happen. Get in touch to help expand and define the community plan.
YOUR VIEWS
really matter
