How a £5,000 PBC Loan Helped Created a Million pound Business In 1995, before his meals appeared on shelves in Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Ocado, Booths and other major supermarkets, Charlie Bigham was simply a young man with a notebook full of ideas, a campervan and a desire to build something of his own. He left his corporate job and travelled through Europe, the Middle East and India, where he spent hours watching food being prepared by street vendors. He was struck by how simp

Behind the Scenes🌶️ From a family kitchen to a film set – Denise, founder of Scotch Rocket, is bringing her 150-year-old hot pepper sauce to life on camera. As one of our Ready Set Grow 2025 Hustle Hub winners, Denise recently spent the day with ✨ The Quick Brown Fox Video Production Ltd ✨, capturing her brand story as part of the prize package she received.   The shoot marks a defining moment in her business journey, celebrating heritage, creativity and growth. Her story wi

Something exciting  is taking shape under the arches of Latimer Road. What was once an unused stretch of railway space is being transformed into a vibrant hub for small businesses - a place where ideas and local ambition can thrive.   At the heart of this transformation is a new partnership  between Portobello Business Centre (PBC) and Transport for London (TfL). Together, we’re working to turn the Lockton Street Arches into a space where entrepreneurship can take root and gr

When the Portobello Business Centre  team visited Notre Dame Roman Catholic Girls' School  in South East London to talk about student entrepreneurship, the impact on students was clear to see. 134 Year 11 pupils explored what it means to think like an entrepreneur, develop a business idea of their own and see entrepreneurship as a real career opportunity. “We were very fortunate to have [Portobello Business Centre] Dr Sheela Sharma deliver a most engaging presentation on entr

What happens when young people fully understand what entrepreneurship means and see it as a real and achievable career path? The answer is simple. Everything shifts. Curiosity grows, confidence rises and students begin to imagine futures they may never have considered before. This week, Dr Sheela Sharma continued her work in schools across London, delivering impactful entrepreneurship sessions to students at two inspiring institutions. Each group was at a different stage in t

We’re thrilled to share some big news! PBC has been awarded the opportunity to deliver a brand-new series of Digital Workshops across East Sussex - in partnership with  East Sussex County Council ,  East Sussex Growth Hub  and the  Department for Business and Trade   Over the next five months (November 2024 – March 2025), we’ll be running free, in-person sessions in Hastings, Eastbourne, Battle, Lewes and Uckfield, helping local businesses strengthen their digital skills and

At the start of 2025 there were 5.64 million small businesses in the UK private sector. That figure represents 99.18% of all UK businesses. According to the Department for Business and Trade, the private sector had 5.69 million businesses in total with only 8,335 classed as large companies employing more than 250 people. These numbers show that the real strength of the UK economy lies not in the large corporations that dominate headlines but in the millions of small and micro

Creativity Meets Influence: Janizuka’s Journey At Portobello Business Centre one of our biggest priorities is helping ambitious...

Tradition Meets Innovation: Silvia’s Chocolate Journey At Portobello Business Centre, one of our biggest priorities is helping ambitious...

At Portobello Business Centre (PBC), we’ve had the privilege of supporting countless entrepreneurs as they transform ideas into thriving...

A Pitch with Clarity and Confidence At Portobello Business Centre, one of our biggest priorities is helping ambitious entrepreneurs take...

At Portobello Business Centre, one of our biggest priorities is helping ambitious entrepreneurs take their next step forward. Through the...

For 30 years,  Portobello Business Centre  has been helping people start and grow their own businesses - supporting economic development...

We’re excited to announce something special at this year’s Ready Set Grow business growth event in London  a chance for one lucky...

Not long ago, searching online simply meant typing a word into Google and clicking the top results. Businesses worked hard to appear on...

At Ready, Set, Grow , the day concludes with Hustle Hub  - a high-energy, Dragon’s Den–style session designed to give local businesses...

On 11th September , we’re hosting a free business networking event and we’re excited to have Tyler Lowe , founder of Loving Life , as one...

If you’re a founder, freelancer or side hustler in West London, Ready, Set, Grow  is the business event you can’t afford to miss. Join us...

Have you ever had a cup of tea that felt like a warm hug? That’s exactly how I’d describe Tea Coins a small, thoughtful business run by...

Free tools and advice from our business support team If you're just getting started, you don’t need to build a website straight away....