The opportunity

In the current economic climate all businesses, including those in the City,  will have to watch their costs, and this could be an opportunity for Hackney based businesses to break into the supply chain, by offering great service and value for money with cost savings made possible by their proximity to the target market.
East London Business Place is a buyer/supplier matching initiative working with SMEs in ten East London boroughs, including Hackney, offering free advice and guidance on procurement practice. See our Business Support section in the Knowledge Centre for further details of ELBP and their work in Hackney.

Markets where proximity matters and where supply by SMEs is commonplace offer the best opportunity for Fringe businesses and the 2008 cebr report identifies 6 key sectors where this is the case;
· Property services
· Legal services
· Print and publishing
· Entertainment
· Office supplies
· Events and Seminars
Similarly, the report identifies 3 additional sectors where proximity offers clear advantages;
· Office cleaning
· Catering
· Facilities management/repair

Read the executive summary of the cebr report by clicking here.

The opportunities are not limited to areas adjacent to the City. The improvements to transport infrastructure that are happening in the borough will allow other areas in Hackney to benefit from the borough’s unique location. The East London Line Extension opening next year, will link Dalston Junction to the City via new stations at Shoreditch High Street, Hoxton and Haggerston, connecting Hackney to the underground network for the first time. The North London Line improvements will double the number of peak hour trains running from Dalston, via Hackney Central to Stratford and from there, Europe.