About Centa

Centa has teamed up with leading international law firm Herbert Smith LLP and King's Cross Central to launch Business for Women – a pilot programme to sponsor female entrepreneurs looking to establish small businesses in the King's Cross area. 

Business for Women will support four female entrepreneurs in its pilot year. They will be entitled to free membership of The Hub – a local workspace and networking venue – given access to coaching and tailored professional advice to meet their needs, as well as receiving financial support toward their business expenses. The programme will be managed by Centa – the local business support agency.

Herbert Smith real estate partner, Iain Rothnie, who chairs the King's Cross Business Action Group – a corporate responsibility initiative focused on developing links with the community in King's Cross – commented:

"Small business and social enterprise are vital to the sustainability of our local communities – providing much needed jobs and services, as well as being a source of innovation and new ideas.  We are delighted to be working with Centa Business Services, the organisations behind the King's Cross Central redevelopment, and other members of the King's Cross Business Action Group, to ensure that local women with the potential to succeed in business have the support that they need."

Roger Madelin, Joint-CEO of Argent, the Asset and Development Manager of King’s Cross Central, commented:

"At King’s Cross Central we are committed to supporting local businesses and ensuring that innovative ideas are harnessed and taken forward. The redevelopment is creating a host of opportunities in the local area, and we want to make sure that budding entrepreneurs are able to take advantage of these."

The Business for Women programme is targeted at women who are looking to contribute to the business community in King's Cross and the wider Camden area.  Recruitment for the programme is via an application form that can be downloaded from the Centa website at www.centa.co.uk. Candidates who meet the grant criteria will be offered one-to-one support with a Centa business advisor as they work their application up into a business plan. The four successful entrepreneurs will be selected by a panel interview with representatives of the project partners.

-ENDS-

Notes to editors
Further information about the Business for Women programme together with the application process can be downloaded from Centa's website at www.centa.co.uk

Herbert Smith LLP
Herbert Smith LLP is an international legal practice with over 1300 lawyers (including over 240 partners) and a network of offices in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. It has a formal alliance with leading German firm Gleiss Lutz and leading Dutch and Belgian firm Stibbe. On 1 April 2005 Herbert Smith became Herbert Smith LLP, a limited liability partnership. www.herbertsmith.com

Business for Women is part of the Herbert Smith's Corporate Responsibility (CR) programme.  For information see:
www.herbertsmith.com/corporateresponsibility 

For further information on Herbert Smith's support for the Business for Women programme please contact Sarah Robertson in the communications team on +44 20 7466 3139 or sarah.robertson@herbertsmith.com.

King’s Cross Central
King’s Cross Central (www.kingscrosscentral.com) is one of the most significant development and regeneration opportunities in central London.   Arts, culture and heritage are at the heart of plans for the site (www.artatkingscross.com).
 
Outline planning permission is for a high density development of nearly 8 million sq ft.  The permission includes up to 2,000 new homes, 20 new streets, 10 new major public spaces and the restoration of 20 historic buildings and structures which are to be retained and refurbished.  As buildings come forward their detailed designs will be submitted for reserved matters approval by Camden.
 
Up to 4.9m sq ft of office space and 500,000 sq ft of retail space will be available at the development which has the best public transport accessibility in London with access to 10 rail and underground lines and two major rail termini – St Pancras International and King’s Cross main line station.
 
University of the Arts London will take a total of 420,000 sq ft at King’s Cross Central including the former Granary Building and the Eastern Transit Shed which will be imaginatively converted into the new campus for Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design. The world famous College will take occupation ready for the 2011 / 2012 academic year.
 
About King's Cross Central Limited Partnership
King’s Cross Central is being developed by the King's Cross Central Limited Partnership, acting by its general partner, the King's Cross Central General Partner Ltd (KCCGP).  The KCCGP Board is chaired by Sir David Clementi and is currently a partnership between three companies which all have seats on the Board.  These are:
 
Argent King's Cross Limited Partnership (AKXLP) – is backed by Argent Group, one of the UK's best respected property development companies and Hermes Real Estate on behalf of the BT Pension Scheme.  Argent is the Asset Manager for King’s Cross Central. (www.argentgroup.plc.uk)

London & Continental Railways Limited (LCR) – delivered the award winning High Speed 1 railway, including the restoration of St Pancras International, on time and to budget. (www.stpancras.com / www.highspeed1.com)

DHL Supply Chain - is a world-class provider of supply chain solutions. (www.dhl.com) 
 
King’s Cross Central General Partners Board Members are: Sir David Clementi (Chairman), Peter Freeman (Argent), Roger Madelin (Argent), David Partridge (Argent), Alasdair Evans (Hermes Real Estate), Stephen Jordan (LCR), David Joy (LCR), John Casey (DHL Supply Chain), Roger Mann (DHL Supply Chain)

Centa Business Services
Centa Business Services has over 24 years experience of providing impartial advice and hands on support to start-up and micro businesses; from securing finance, to mentoring, expanding business ideas, training and practical help to set up and run a business.

Centa are at the leading edge of independent information and advice, guidance, training, networking and specialist services to pre-starts, start-ups and micro-businesses in Camden, Westminster, Islington and the City of London. Centa’s offices in the heart of Kings Cross also include conference and meeting rooms, post boxes and virtual office space.  www.centa.co.uk