The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea Business Guide. 2023.

The

Business Guide

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

place to grow and develop your business

Real Estate Development Management

Park Modern by Fenton Whelan

Meetings & Events

AT THE REMBRANDT KNIGHTSBRIDGE, LONDON

The Rembrandt Hotel is a historic 4 star conference venue with a modern vibe in the heart of Knightsbridge.

At The Rembrandt you will find recently refurbished conference facilities, featuring high-tech amenities, natural daylight and flexible seating

arrangements to suit all occasions

Our experienced meetings and events team will guide you through each stage of the planning process. Nothing is too much trouble for our dedicated team, so let us know your requirements and we will create the perfect package foryou

The Rembrandt is in a convenient location especially forHeathrow and the M4.We canhost anything from an executive board meeting to a fabulous dinner dance.

• 5 meeting rooms; canbe combined into 2 large suites

• Boardroom

• 194 bedrooms

• Palette Restaurant

• 1606 Lounge Bar

• 24-hour room service

• Full English and continental breakfast buffet

• Concierge services

• Complimentary Wi-Fi

• Secure nearby parking at a discounted rate

• Easy access to public transport

• Civil ceremony licence

• Business services

11 Thurloe Place London SW7 2RS

t 020 3355 1396 e rembrandt@sarova.com w sarova.com

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council is proud to be part of launching an exciting new service for businesses in the Borough of Kensington and

connecting local businesses with local customers, free of charge and keeping trade inside the local economy.

Images Courtesy of: Mickey Lee at Mediamixer and Opportunity Kensington, King’s Road Partnership and Cadogan, Meena Julien Photography and Scott Garfitt for PinPep. All pictures are of borough businesses, attractions and their products.

Kensington and Chelsea is a place to

do business

Kensington and Chelsea is a business-friendly borough. Located in the heart of London, we are committed as a Council to support the local economy, businesses, and entrepreneurs, and help residents from all walks of life access opportunities.

THERE IS SO MUCH OPPORTUNITY IN OUR PART OF LONDON, AMAZING PUBLIC SPACES; VIBRANT HIGH STREETS, HUGE VISITOR ECONOMY AND EASY TRANSPORT LINKS. WE WANT TO DO ALL THAT WE CAN TO BUILD ON OUR STRENGTHS AND MAKE THE BOROUGH GREENER, SAFER AND FAIRER.

To see the full Council Plan please use this QR code or go to the Council’s website www.rbkc.gov.uk

We want to make it as easy as possible for businesses to get information about the services and support available - whether it’s booking a venue or applying for a licence.

At the same time, we want to help our businesses by doing what we can to promote them and have developed an online local business database to promote Business to Business activity. I am grateful to our partners who have helped us deliver this guide. We are determined to help businesses thrive and prosper in Kensington and Chelsea.

Cllr Josh Rendall Lead Member for Local Economy & Employment

The borough as a backdrop to your business

The borough benefits from an open and welcoming business environment, a diverse and highly skilled workforce, and high quality transport connections, with every £1 spent with a borough business worth £1.76 to the local economy. That makes £1 spent locally worth almost 400 % more to the local economy*

*Source: LM3 online https://www.lm3online.com/

Each month, the borough acts as a backdrop for national and international films, which contributes significantly to the local economy.

London is the third largest film industry in the world. In 2016, investment in UK film, TV, animation and video games production reached £7.9bn, the highest on record, making it the second biggest growth sector of

The borough plays a role in defining London as a world city and London’s creative industries are a growing sector for employment.

10,000 people are employed by the institutions around Exhibition Road. Up to one million people each year visit Notting Hill Carnival, the largest celebration of Caribbean and Carnival culture in Europe.

WE HAVE WORLD-CLASS RETAIL STORES AND UNIQUE INDEPENDENT SHOPS AND MARKETS, INCLUDING THE WORLD-FAMOUS PORTOBELLO

Each day 87,000 people come into the borough to work.

56,000 visitors travel here every day to enjoy the culture, the internationally renowned museums, the galleries, to go to any of the 2,600 shops, eat at one of the 430 restaurants or stay in one of the borough’s 155 hotels.

Over 11.7 million people visited South Kensington’s museums in 2022.

More than one million people each year visit Notting Hill Carnival, the largest celebration of Caribbean and Carnival culture in Europe.

Imperial College has a student population of over 13,000 and employs over 6,000 staff.

Our borough is home to The Natural History, Science and Victoria and Albert Museums, while many other cultural gems include the Design Museum, Japan House, Leighton House Museum, the Museum of Brands and The Tabernacle (home to Notting Hill Carnival).

Workers and visitors love

what is on offer here

CULTURE IS A MAJOR DRIVER OF TOURISM TO LONDON AND CULTURAL TOURISTS SPEND £7.3BN A YEAR, SUPPORTING 80,000 JOBS IN THE CAPITAL. WITH A RECORD-BREAKING 31.9M VISITORS IN 2017, LONDON IS ONE OF THE MOST VISITED PLACES IN THE WORLD AND THE ROYAL BOROUGH OF KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA IS A BIG CONTRIBUTOR TO THOSE FIGURES.

The borough at a glance

ECONOMY

With 16,000 businesses and 136,000 jobs

Retail, food and beverage, accommodation, real estate, publishing and creative industries are the borough’s key sectors.

£ £ £

TRANSPORT

12 underground stations with over 150 million entries and exits each year

All residents are within a three-minute walk of a car club

8km of new ‘quietways’ or safer cycling

We maintain 190km of roads and 380km of pavements

CULTURE AND HERITAGE

Approximately 25,800 visitors daily (during 2022). More people come through South Kensington tube station each year than through London Heathrow Terminal 5

We have over 4,000 listed buildings and 177 English Heritage Blue Plaques

Over 1 million people each year come to Notting Hill Carnival, the largest street festival in Europe

The Council provides six libraries and two leisure centres, seven theatres and 15 museums, including three of the most visited museums in the UK

ENVIRONMENT

20 parks including 10 green flags

We have installed 782 electric vehicle chargers

Almost 144,000 residents Kensington and Chelsea, making it one of the most densely populated areas Europe

The Council collects rubbish and recycling twice weekly from 93,000 households with 22% household waste sent for reuse, recycling and composting

HEALTH AND CARE

The highest life expectancy in the country (2nd highest for men and highest for women) 5 years higher than the national average; at least 9 years lower in the most deprived areas

LANGUAGES

Our borough is home to residents speaking over 80 languages

The most common are English 76.4%, French: 3.4%, Spanish: 2.6%, Italian 2.5% Arabic 2.3%

68% of adults are physically active (as per the definition from PHE of 150mins moderate intensity exercise per week)

Over 275,000 first, second and booster Covid vaccination doses have been administered in the borough

Five world class reasons to locate and grow your business here

Transport

Incredible location with fantastic access to the best of London’s transport infrastructure. 12 underground stations with over 150 million entries and exits each year. All businesses and workers are within a three-minute walk of a car club alongside 8km of new ‘quietways’ for safer cycling. The reputation of Kensington and Chelsea as a clean, green and safe location reassures customers and visitors.

Talent

When it comes to ensuring you have the best employees working for your business, location matters. Locating your business in this borough would mean that you would have access to one of the qualified, international and diverse populations in the country. You’ll want to ensure that you are located in an area that provides a skilled workforce but will also attract talent to your business.

Cost

Cost is a big factor when choosing a good location and RBKC has some great-value start-up space, from co-working spaces to entrylevel retail spaces in our world-renowned markets.

Proximity

Alongside the world famous cultural and business hubs of the borough, you can benefit from their foot traffic. If your business needs to have physical premises where customers can view and buy your products, Kensington and Chelsea will provide that.

Competition

Your business can benefit from being alongside excellent competition that draws customers, investors and talent to the area. This is the bonus that Kensington and Chelsea provides.

Opportunity areas for development and investment

KENSAL CANALSIDE IS ONE OF 48 OPPORTUNITY AREAS WITHIN THE LONDON PLAN, 2021 AND THE LARGEST BROWNFIELD SITE WITHIN THE ROYAL BOROUGH OF KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA. THE KENSAL CANALSIDE OPPORTUNITY AREA HAS BEEN ALLOCATED TO DELIVER A MINIMUM OF 3,500 NEW HOMES AND 2,000 NEW JOBS.

Use this QR code to link through to the New Local Plan Review which has information on this and the Earl’s Court opportunity area.   The Council’s vision for the Earl’s Court Opportunity Area, developed in collaboration with the local community, the developer and other stakeholders  identifies the key placemaking priorities to deliver the Council’s vision for the site.  You can read the vision and site allocation here.

Alternative shopping

Smaller shopping streets, meeting local needs and often offering something special.

South Kensington

Specialist shops, cafés and restaurants, and a Lamborghini garage.

Clarendon Cross

Boutiques, restaurants, pampering and pets.

Earl’s Court

Restaurants, cafés, pubs and fast food take-aways. The area is undergoing significant change as the Exhibition Centre is redeveloped.

Chelsea Green

Food lovers’ destination.

Notting Hill Gate

Boutiques and vintage clothing, antiques, cafés and restaurants.

Pavilion Road

Artisan food and drink street.

Thackeray Street

Eclectic mix of galleries, restaurants, cafés and specialist shops.

Stratford Road

Offering specialist retailers, restaurants and cafés.

Holland Street / Kensington Church Walk

Two tucked away streets of tiny boutiques and specialist shops.

Shopping in our world class high streets

King’s Road, Chelsea

Knightsbridge

The world famous Harrods and Harvey Nicols department stores are the key attractions, but this luxurious destination has everything from big designer names to unique and stylish boutiques and specialist shops.

Steeped in history and associated with some of the most iconic names in fashion, music, and the arts, it is a stress-free place where you can sit in a pavement café, pub or restaurant and absorb the atmosphere as well as shop. Below is a small selection of the businesses.

• King’s Road Curve - Details of events in the smaller independent shops, art galleries, restaurants and bars at the western end of King’s Road.

• Haines of Sloane Square - London’s oldest news kiosk has been run by the same family for over 125 years, currently occupying a kiosk designed by Thomas Heatherwick.

• Peter Jones - Chelsea’s department store, part of the John Lewis Partnership, stands at the beginning of King’s Road.

• Antikbar - Original vintage posters

• Trotters - Family owned business providing stylish /traditional children’s clothing.

Designers Guild - Flagship store offering furnishing fabrics, wallcoverings, upholstery, bed and bath collections worldwide.

• Anthropologie - Women’s clothing, accessories and home décor.

Fulham Road / Brompton

Designer boutiques and specialist shops.

• Apple Brompton Road - Multinational technology company.

• Joseph - Designer fashion.

• Stella McCartney - English ethical fashion designer.

• J.Crew. - American clothing store.

High Street Kensington

The Borough’s High Street and civic heart is a hub for culture, arts and design set between two beautiful parks - Holland Park and Kensington Gardens. It has fashion boutiques, bespoke travel agents and outdoor retailers, Japan House cultural centre, Kensington Palace, the Design Museum, Leighton House and 18 Stafford Terrace, as well as a wide array of cafés and restaurants. Free Wi-Fi available –O2 Wi-Fi.

• Whole Foods Market - Their largest store with a food court upstairs, hosts a range of events and tastings.

• Snow and Rock - Specialists in outdoor and winter sports clothing and equipment.

• Trailfinders - The UK’s largest independent travel company has a ‘drop–in’ travel clinic offering travel health advice and vaccinations.

• Cass Art - Staffed by artists, offering artists’ materials, workshops, events and advice on creative projects.

• Waterstones - Literary haven for locals and visitors.

• Guru Makeup Emporium - Run by professional makeup artists supplying the TV, film, fashion and theatre industries and sharing their expertise with the public.

Space for business growth

RBKC has been very careful to preserve its world class high streets and commercial spaces and has removed permitted development rights for changes of use from Class E (commercial, business and service uses) to C3 (dwelling houses) in parts of Kensington and Chelsea.

This means that planning permission is required for the conversion of any space for commercial and business use, so preserving space for entrepreneurs and businesses.

Our world class business hubs in numbers

Explanations:

No. of premises: These are all ground floor units which are shops, restaurants and all other uses. Source: Our own 2019 town centre survey. Multiples: Units not floorspace. A multiple is defined as a chain of nine or more units.

£15.1m new investment in the borough by businesses

Businesses and property owners have shown confidence in the borough by investing an incredible £15.1 million of new private sector investment in the borough over five years.

This investment has come via the introduction of three Business Improvement Districts (BID) that were launched in 2022. These BIDS will help businesses recover from the impact of COVID-19, upgrade the public realm, improve traffic management, enhance the local environment and ultimately promote the borough’s key shopping districts attracting people to work, visit and live in the borough.

The first ever Business Improvement District in Kensington and Chelsea was voted through in 2021. Since then two more Business Improvement Districts have been voted in, with more on the way, bringing with them jobs, employment opportunities and customer spending.

Knightsbridge Partnership

The Knightsbridge Partnership BID is situated in both Westminster City Council and Kensington and Chelsea. 90 per cent of businesses who voted supported the BID and together they represent over 99 per cent of the total rateable value that voted.

https://www.knightsbridgepartnership.com

The King’s Road has an innovative line-up of fashion retailers with many brands choosing the destination for their first UK shop. It is home to leading independent British fashion brands such as RIXO, SirPlus, Copit, and JAM industries, as well as Belgian brand, Essential Antwerp, and responsible Danish brand, Ganni. The Fashion School, a haberdashery and sewing school has become so popular that it has recently upsized.

https://kingsrdpartnership.com

The King’s Road Partnership is a continuation of the programme started some years ago by major landowners. It builds on the King’s Road’s unique characteristics and global reputation but evolving them to remain fresh and relevant for the everchanging retail environment.

With a £4 million investment budget, the new BID has an ambitious five-year plan of enhanced street services, a programme of promotional events and activities and long-term public realm improvements to encourage more people to visit the King’s Road more often and spend more time and money in our shops, bars and restaurants.

Already we are seeing a big difference, with our new Street Teams creating a more secure and welcoming district for visitors, workers and residents.

Opportunity Kensington

In February 2022 businesses voted ‘yes’ to establish Opportunity Kensington, a Business Improvement District centred around Kensington High Street. The new Opportunity Kensington BID will secure at least £5 million investment.

Henrietta Rix, Co Founder, RIXO

“We love being on the King’s Road - we feel the road and its history have such a synergy with RIXO! There have been such an incredible number of celebrated boutiques including Granny Takes a Trip and we love vintage fashion and eras such as the 60s and 70s so it’s only right that we have a store here!”

We want to encourage businesses, both high street and office based, to choose the King’s Road for the quality and mix of retail, hospitality and leisure, as well as that particular King’s Road experience as a place for avant-garde fashion, art and culture.

We are working with the wider community to ensure that our activities are well managed and appropriate for the residential and commercial mix along the King’s Road.

The BID also provides a united voice for King’s Road businesses and a catalyst for encouraging greater investment from partners such as Kensington and Chelsea Council , the Mayor and Transport for London.

The King’s Road already outperforms many of London’s high streets. With the added impact on the King’s Road Partnership, we are sure of a vibrant, viable and sustainable future.

https://www.opportunitykensington.co.uk

Steve Medway, Chief Executive of the King’s Road Partnership

Investing in a cleaner, greener borough for everyone

For those who live, work or visit Kensington and Chelsea we want to provide a healthier, cleaner and greener borough. We are supporting electric vehicles by providing more chargers. For businesses this means more charging points. Kensington and Chelsea has:

THREE RAPID CHARGERS

Source London charging points

545 LAMP COLUMN CHARGERS

The 116 charging points are spread across the Borough. Full details can be found on the Source London website. Source London offers three tariffs, including two membership rates and a pay-as-you-go rate: Source London also offers a reservation system to full and flexi members.

Find out more about Source London at www.sourcelondon.net

Lamp column charging points

Non-residents will need to pay during all the pay-by-phone visitor parking controlled hours.

Contact Ubitricity Customer Services to report a faulty charger at 0800 024 6279 (available 24/7) or support@ubitricity.co.uk.

Please see Zapmap website for the locations of all charging points in the Borough.

www.zap-map.com

Rapid chargers

The three rapid chargers in the Borough are in Oakley Street, Symons Street, and Russell Gardens.  These are operated by BP Pulse and provide 50kw of power. In March 2023, the average pay-as-you-go tariff is 67 pence per kW per hour.

See www.bppulse.co.uk for more information.

Visitor parking for electric vehicles

We offer discounted rates for visitors with electric vehicles in pay by phone bays, see our tariffs webpage. If you have any other queries relating to EV charging points, please email EVCharging1@rbkc.gov.uk.

Where businesses and visitors can park

During controlled parking hours, all visitors can park in:

• pay-by-phone parking bays • off-street public car parks

Outside of controlled parking hours anyone can park for free in:

• any resident permit bay • pay-by-phone parking bays • on single yellow lines

Paying to park

Please check the signs carefully!!

The easiest way to pay is via the PayByPhone app. If you don’t have a smartphone, you can also by pay by phone 020 7023 9078, text to 65565 or online at https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/parking-transport-and-streets/visitor-parkingand-pay-phone/paybyphone

If you don’t have a phone, you can pay at a local Paypoint store.

Borough Investment in achieving Net Zero

Alongside our Green Plan, the Council has launched its new “Green Fund”. This fund, totalling £10 million over 10 years, will be used to enable ambitious exemplary projects, to encourage environmental innovation, and to help deliver the five environmental priorities and a Green Recovery.

The Green Plan pulls together existing, new and developing environmental-related strategies, plans and key targets, into one simple document, so that we can give ourselves the best possible chance of meeting our environmental goals.

The scale and pace required to deliver the Green Plan requires significant and bold action, and for everyone to be involved –residents, community groups, schools, businesses, and the Council, to build a greener borough and a sustainable future.

The scale, complexity, and urgency of the challenge ahead is unprecedented, and we must therefore meet it with an unprecedented and sustained level of focus, effort and pace.

Kensington and Chelsea’s “Green Plan” now sets out how this will be delivered.

For more information on this go to https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/environment/ climate-change/green-plan

Are you an entrepreneur or a new market trader?

Do you want to start, expand or grow your business on one of our worldfamous markets?

Market FAQS

There is a vast amount of information on how to get your first stall on one of these markets. Go to https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/ business-and-enterprise/ business-advice/marketsand-street-trading

OUR LOCAL MARKETS ARE DIVERSE AND OFFER A VARIETY OF GOODS. WE LICENSE TRADERS IN:

Golborne Road market

https://visitportobello.com/

golborne-road

Portobello Road market

https://visitportobello.com/

AND SELECTED ISOLATED SITES ACROSS THE BOROUGH.

Portobello

Famous for its street market, Portobello Road and the surrounding side streets have a wealth of independent shops and some fashion chainstores.

Portobello Road market

• Antiques - goods over fifty years old (Friday & Saturday)

• Designer-maker products - goods designed and/or made by the trader

• Homeware such as bedding, kitchen ware, household goods, crockery and glassware

• Menswear

• Very unusual goods not being sold by other traders

Golborne Road market

• Antiques - goods over fifty years old

• New goods including clothing, accessories and goods not being sold by any other trader

• Second-hand goods

Specialist markets

Looking to trade somewhere special alongside like-minded businesses?

The borough’s specialist markets also offers excellent trading opportunities for entrepreneurs and small businesses. If you would like to trade on one of these markets, go to our website for more information: Specialist Markets | RBKC

Bute Street

A lovely little street five minutes from South Kensington tube. It’s full of great food shops and on Saturday the farmers’ market comes to town.

For information about trading here go to London Farmers’ Markets | South Kensington (Saturdays) Farmers’ Market (lfm.org.uk)

High Street Kensington Farmers’ Market

Shady, tree-lined Phillimore Walk is the perfect place for a farmers’ market. Stroll through the stalls and you’ll find everything you need from freshly caught fish and shellfish to seasonal fruit and vegetables, pies, fresh bread, game in season, free range and organic eggs and poultry, meat, preserves, flowers and much more. Opening times: Every Sunday 10am-2pm.  For information about trading here go to www.lfm.org.uk and look for High Street Kensington.

Duke of York’s Square Fine Food Market

Open every Saturday from 10am until 4pm curated by Partridges, offers artisanal and locally produced meat, game, fish, bread, cakes, cup-cakes and much more.

For information about trading here go to https://dukeofyorksquare.com/food-and-dining/ partridges-of-sloane-square

Portobello Green Market

Friday – Sunday 9am-5pm. See the kind of traders who are already there on Instagram @portobellogreenmarket.

This is London’s leading Vintage Fashion, Creative Designers and Antiques Market held in conjunction with by the world famous Portobello Road.

For information about trading here go to Welcome to the world famous Portobello Green Market (portobellofashionmarket.co.uk).

Notting Hill Farmers’ Market

Notting Hill farmers’ market is open every Saturday.

This is a market that sells unpasteurised milk and cream, fresh herbs & salads, cultivated and wild mushrooms.

For information about trading here go to London Farmers’ Markets | Notting Hill Farmers’ Market (lfm.org.uk).

Imperial College Farmers’ Market

A lovely location, on Imperial College Road, by Dangoor Plaza on the Imperial College campus, 5 minutes from The Science Museum. It’s open to everyone and is an oasis of calm for lunch; everything on the market either comes straight from the farm or uses local, sustainable ingredients. Lots of choices for meat eaters, vegetarians and vegans. Top up your shop with fresh vegetables, bread, fruit, juice and more. For information about trading here go to www.lfm.org.uk and look for Imperial College.

About Bellrock

Bellrock is a technology-enabled business in the property and facilities management services sector Over 1,000 property and facilities professionals are located at 1,000 sites across the UK, working on behalf of our clients with access to 700 accredited suppliers.

We help our clients understand the maturity of their Facilities Management and property processes and data gathering so that we can implement the most efficient delivery model for their organisation.

Our philosophy is to apply the most relevant delivery model whether that is using a supply chain or our in-house teams. We harness the emerging world of the intelligent workplace, robotics and artificial intelligence (AI), not only to reduce costs and risk, but to enhance the customer experience.

How we helped RBKC mobilise

Following Bellrock’s contract award in May 2019 we carried out a very short mobilisation period of only 8 weeks. Bellrock have helped the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council provide the best possible working and recreational environments for their employees and their service users, using our technology enabled estates and facilities platform Concerto.

Bellrock are delivering hard and soft services facilities management and planned and reactive services across their entire diverse property portfolio from corporate office buildings and registry offices, to children's nurseries and public libraries.

The large-scale transfer of services was a challenging time with the risk of customer disruption and possible backlogs in planned and reactive maintenance and maintaining compliance. To ensure services were maintained Bellrock focused heavily on collaborate working between our mobilisation team and key stakeholder working groups to ensure clear and consistent actions and deadlines were established and met

Services we deliver for RBKC

✔ Planned and reactive engineering maintenance services

✔ Statutory compliance management

✔ Building fabric, planned and reactive maintenance

✔ Asset management

✔ Projects and asset verification

✔ Consultancy and strategic procurement

✔ Cleaning and hygiene management services

✔ Pest control

✔ Waste management

✔ Security guarding and electronic security

✔ Front of house reception services

Enhanced mobilisation through Concerto

Concerto is an unique mobile-enabled property, project and CAFM software platform with real-time analytics powered by a rich database.

Concerto have helped customer for over a decade to build knowledge of their estate and assets Management control is improved and the costs of managing the entire portfolio are reduced. Concerto simplifies internal processes, reduces complexity and improves communication.

Concerto was introduced from the outset of the mobilisation and through links to Concept our teams began transferring asset data and estate related information into the systems. Our engineering teams began validating site assets and their applied and historical maintenance cycles and condition. Concerto was used to support the mobilisation programme with documented key milestones established and updated to reflect progress and outcomes in line with plans set.

Supplying the Council

The Council is committed to the economic development of the Royal Borough and to stimulate markets and use our buying power to drive innovation in the design, construction and delivery of service.

Procurement FREE

To enable local business to see what potential Council contracts they could tender for, these are published on https://www.capitalesourcing.com/ web/login.shtml

For more information on upcoming Council contracts email procurement@rbkc.gov.uk

Business Support for suppliers and buyers

In the last year, our construction supply chain project has engaged 125 SMEs in the borough and supported 17 tender invites.

Businesses backing businesses

When businesses buy locally and use local services, the whole borough benefits.

Here’s why:

• Finding goods and services locally can save you time and money

• Every £1 spent with a local supplier is worth £1.76 to the local economy, and only 36 pence if it is spent out of the local area. That makes £1 spent locally worth almost 400 % more to the local economy.  Source: LM3 online https://www.lm3online.com/

• A trip outside the borough costs you and your business money - so use the wealth of local outlets and services on your doorstep

• Buying locally helps save the environment through emissions - and saves you money at the petrol pump. It’s a win - win!

• Areas with a distinctive local character have a competitive advantage, so support independents and start-ups and your business will benefit too

• Tell local suppliers you want them to stay in the borough

• Money spent here, stays here. If every resident and business in RBKC spent just £5 locally, it would generate £32.3m for the local economy each year

• Supporting local businesses supports local jobs. RBKC’s 15,000 businesses employ more than 120,000 people – every one a potential customer

• Find your local supplier in the borough’s online listings register, and make sure you have registered your business there too. Go to It’s local!

http://www.itslocalrbkc.co.uk

Support for small suppliers

Helping local companies win more work in the construction and construction related sectors access and win work from new build developments, property refurbishment and maintenance going on in the borough; the programme has already had many successes.

• Simone de Gale Architects to win a full architectural appointment to design Kensington Memorial Park buildings for the Council.

• 99 Structural Engineers Ltd’s appointment to Simon de Gale’s team as the structural engineers.

• Studio Bednarski’s appointment by Ballymore for a feasibility study of a new railway bridge as part of their Kensal Canalside development.

• Homyze Ltd to win a CCTV security contract from WRM Developments for their Kensal Road site.

• Skipit (Central Waste Services Ltd) to obtain a skip hire and waste removal contract with Willmott Dixon on their Hewer Street social housing contract for the Council.

RBKC Supply Chain is a local procurement initiative funded by the Council and delivered by MTW Consultants Ltd. The programme helps both buyers to source good local suppliers, and suppliers to obtain formal accreditation such as CHAS or Constructionline and improve their chances of being selected by buyers. We have around 150 companies on the programme covering 40 different trades.

Join the RBKC Construction Supply Chain programme, contact us at: RBKC@mtwconsultants.co.uk https://rbkcsupplychain.co.uk/ 020 3002 4017

Who has benefitted so far?

Simone de Gale - Simone de Gale Architects (local resident)

RBKC’s Parks Department has appointed Simone de Gale Architects as Lead Architect and Principal Designer to transform the Kensington Memorial Park. Designs are underway.

Cezary Bednarski of Studio Bednarski, is an awarding-winning and internationally renowned Architect. Cezary said:

“I have been living and working in the RBKC since 1981, and north of the borough since 1984. I was overjoyed when Ballymore asked me to join their team for the project in North Kensington, to design a new pedestrian and cycle bridge over the Paddington train trackssome 100 metres from my studio in Barlby Road. Working with Buro Happold we will design a bridge that my co-residents will be proud of, that is safe, and marks our area as a gateway for Paddington bound trains.”

Paul Tierney, RIBA ARB, founder of Tierney Architects, is a supplier in the project and said:

“I decided to join as I saw it as an opportunity to be part of shaping, and improving, my local area. Since joining the initiative, I have been introduced to other local services, expanding my professional network within Kensington and Chelsea. It has also allowed me to access valuable training workshops and to be notified of upcoming opportunities as and when they arise.”

“Genuine networking, genuine connections, genuine growth”

The Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Chamber of Commerce promotes and supports both locally based businesses and organisations and those working within the boroughs through networking events and representation at local Retail Forums and other London events.

Members of the chamber are a wide range of businesses varied in both size and speciality. Networking within the chamber offers real business leads and opportunities along with access to MPs and local councillors.

TO QUOTE ONE OF THEIR MEMBERS

“Their events are a fun, friendly and relaxed opportunity to meet other Chamber members that ordinarily you would not, allowing you to establish and build upon useful relationships for the future. It is also great networking resource to share skills, find local suppliers and promote my business…the amount of value they provide their members is impressive and I am truly proud to be a part of the KCW community.”

For more details on memberships & sponsorship opportunities, and exciting news about their Upcoming Business Awards, please do get in touch at team@KCWChamber.org

www.KCWchamber.org

Enterprise and Business Support

Portobello Business Centre (PBC) is an award-winning independent social enterprise that has operated as a not-for-profit organisation for 28 years. Described as ‘the best in London’, PBC is nationally recognised as a leading quality provider of a wide range of professional enterprise support services.

WE HAVE HAD SOME GREAT FEEDBACK FROM OUR CLIENTS!

“PBC has been an incredible support, particularly through a lonely time in the pandemic. The beautiful nature of everyone at PBC gives a welcoming and inclusive feeling to businesses. This meant that at many roadblocks and struggles, I would immediately think of them. I am so grateful for PBC!”

Tabassum Awan, Founder pinkteacafe.com

“PBC has been with me throughout the whole of my entrepreneurial journey. They have been staunch supporters, giving sound business advice and assisting in securing start-up finance. If you are looking to start a business then PBC should be your first port of call as the team is amazingly supportive.” honeycornuk.com

“At PBC I had the support I needed to understand all areas of a business. I went to an event called “Meet the Experts”, it was eye-opening for my business. PBC was incredibly helpful and they gave me a clear vision of what I needed in order to run a business on a daily basis. I felt very welcome and everyone was extremely professional.”

PBC offers and delivers high quality, innovative, confidential one to one advice, training courses, workshops, business consultancy and networking opportunities to pre-start, start-up and existing businesses across London, especially in the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea and West London. They also provide advice and access to business loans, finance, and grants to help people start, grow, and expand their businesses as they seek to reach their full potential.

Eliana, Founder ecokindly.co.uk

We asked Portobello Business Centre to tell us all about what they do for businesses.

PBC

PBC has been involved in the creation of over 5,000 businesses with over 13,000 customers in various sectors including fashion, media, catering, design, retailing, music, beauty, hospitality and manufacturing. PBC also played a leading role in supporting over 80 businesses directly affected by the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

Their offices are located in the newly refurbished Morley College – North Kensington Centre.

Partnering with the North Kensington Centre is an opportunity to reinforce links with local businesses and keep the face-to-face business advice service readily accessible to those who most need and value it, at close proximity to where they live.

www.pbc.co.uk

has been involved in the creation of over 5,000 businesses

Business Profile

A BUSINESS JOURNEYADRIANA’S CAFÉ

Adriana’s Café is in a leafy North Kensington spot on St Helen’s Gardens, and opened in September 2018. The café has a smartly decorated interior and there’s a patio at the front for those sunny days.

Adriana came to Britain some 24 years ago, escaping the volatile political and military situation that engulfed Kosovo as Yugoslavia fell apart in the 1990s. Originally, she arrived in London as a student. “I still get back to Kosovo every summer,” Adriana says, “but London is my home now.”

Adriana and her family, her partner and her two sons, were victims of the Grenfell tragedy. Having lived in Grenfell Tower for 16 years, she and her family managed to escape from the fire in June 2017 but lost everything.

When she opened the café, one of her regulars, TV adventurer Ben Fogle, tweeted, “I love Adriana. She lost her home in Grenfell. Then our local café where she worked closed. Still living in temp accom. She has now opened her own café #hope #resilience #grenfell #adriana #hero.”

“Opening this business has actually helped me to get over the trauma of that night,” Adriana says. “It has kept me busy and taken my mind away from that terrible tragedy.”

Nevertheless, setting up a business on her own for the first time had plenty of challenges, and that was where the Portobello Business Centre came in. “A friend told me about the Business Centre so I got in touch,” Adriana says, “and they assigned Colin Rutt as my adviser.”

“Colin was really a great help with all the details that come up when you’re setting up a business,” Adriana continues. “He knew all the right people to get in touch with for things like getting the necessary permissions to have seats out in front of the café. His expertise and knowledge saved me an enormous amount of time. In fact all of the staff at the Business Centre were very professional and helpful.”

Adriana goes on to describe what’s on offer at her café. “Everything we serve is made from scratch by our chef. We offer full breakfast and lunch menus seven days a week, and the menus change frequently. There are six different salads each day plus baked goods and dishes include things like cottage pie, homemade fishcakes and chicken with couscous. We always offer healthy options and there’s also a children’s menu.”

It’s great to see regular customers from when I worked here returning now that I’ve opened as my own business. And the people at the Portobello Business Centre were such a help in making it all possible.

Space

Where can I locate my business in the borough?

One of the most difficult decisions for a new businesses is where to grow their business.  Kensington and Chelsea is a great place to start, but whereabouts in the borough would be good for you?

It all depends on what you need

Do you want to be amongst like-minded entrepreneurs in shared co-working space?  Or perhaps a self-contained workspace unit where you can assemble and box up your product?  Maybe a retail unit – or perhaps a stall on one of our great markets?

There are lots of landlords in the borough providing space, at all sizes, prices and quality.

All the sites that have residential property, also have commercial property; search Zoopla, also Propertylink and Realla.

What has the Council got?

The Council has very few commercial premises, but what it does own will be listed here:

https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/business-and-enterprise/council-services/landand-property-managing-agents

Look out for our units in Baseline Studios, a very popular space on the Lancaster West Estate.

We also have some really good value office space within our Libraries, where you would be joining an affordable co-working space, offering an inclusive and supportive network of ambitious individuals and small businesses.

K+C Co-works has comfortable and affordable co-working space for freelancers, remote workers, and businesses, at three libraries:

• Brompton Library (Monday to Saturday: 7am - 8pm)

• Chelsea Library (Monday to Saturday: 6am - 8pm)

• Notting Hill Gate Library (Monday to Saturday: 7am - 8pm)

https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/libraries-0/ libraries-and-room-hire/kc-co-works

Where else?

Have a look at the websites of some of the major landowners in the borough and see what’s available.  Such as:

Transport for London

https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/business-and-commercial/commercial-properties Arches mostly. Affordable and market rents.

RBKC markets and street-trading

Portobello Market & Golborne Market

https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/business-and-enterprise/business-advice/markets-and-street-trading Outdoor retail.  Affordable and market rents.

Westway Trust Plc. North Kensington

https://www.westway.org/apply-now/our-spaces/ Studios, office, retail and garage space. Acklam Workspace. Offices based within Thorpe Close (Charities), Retail Arcade, Garages. Affordable and market rents.

Workspace PLC

https://www.workspace.co.uk

Flexible office space to rent in Westbourne Studios, Grand Union Studios, Pall Mall Deposit and Canalot House.  A substantial portfolio. From creative studios to a light industrial headquarters (and everything in between).

Cadogan Estates

https://www.cadogan.co.uk/our-property/ A great mix of retail, restaurants and offices to let in some of the best locations in the borough.

Social Investment and Property

Social Investment & Property manage the Council’s commercial and operational portfolio. The team manages commercial property across the borough from Portobello Road in the north to King’s Road in the south.

Our properties can be used for a wide range of business needs. Current tenants within Use Class E include shops, cafés, offices, day nurseries and health clinics. We also manage office incubation units that allow you to grow your business in its early years, with costs set for three years allowing you to budget confidently. We also have a small portfolio of thirty artist studios located in Chelsea.

Over 90% of our tenants renew their leases on expiry. We have a focus on Social Investment for new lettings. Social Investment is our commitment to use our assets to achieve the greatest possible benefit for local people. We’d be interested in hearing from businesses that could commit to delivering social value to our community in exchange for some concessions on letting terms. Please contact PropertyInformation@rbkc.gov.uk with the subject ‘Social Value’ to let us know your thoughts and ideas.

Our retail agents HNG and office agents Frost Meadowcroft can provide further information on properties currently being marketed by the Council.

Commercial space in the borough

Check market prices on commercial property through websites such as Zoopla.

• RBKC - commercial portfolio (https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/business-and-enterprise/councilservices/land-and-property-managing-agents) including;

• Baseline Studios. http://fm.search-prop.com/properties/49887-baseline-studios-whitchurchroad-notting-hill

• K+K Co-works Libraries. https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/libraries-0/libraries-and-room-hire/kc-co-works

• Peabody - Freston Road Enterprise Hub. https://sobus.org.uk/office-space/freston-road/

• TfL - advertising and commercial spaces. https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/business-and-advertisers/ commercial-properties

• Westway Trust - commercial spaces. https://www.westway.org/apply-now/our-spaces/spaces-to-let/

• ECDC - Studio space Earl’s Court. https://www.empress-studios.co.uk

• Workspace Plc - commercial spaces in North Kensington. https://www.workspace.co.uk/commercialproperty-london/offices-to-rent-notting-hill

• For markets and street trading check. https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/business-and-enterprise/businessadvice/markets-and-street-trading

OVER 90% OF OUR TENANTS RENEW THEIR LEASES ON EXPIRY

Business Rates FAQs

Confused about your business rates? Don’t be, here are answers to the most frequently asked questions.

Who sets business rates and how are they calculated?

Non-Domestic Rates, or business rates, are collected by the Council, but your bill is calculated by the Government using a Governmentset multiplier along with the rateable value of the property. For 2023/24, the multiplier is 51.2 pence or 49.9 pence for businesses that qualify for Small Business Rate Relief.

Am I eligible for Small Business Rate Relief?

If you’re a small business owner you might be eligible for business rates relief through the Government’s small business rates relief scheme. This will depend on the rateable value of your property.

Can I check the information the government holds on my property that affects the rateable value on my premises?

Yes you can. The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) values all business properties for business rates. You can view and update this information at online on the Gov.uk website.

Where can I get more information on Business rates?

Further information about rates can be found on the explanatory notes accompanying your bill, or by contacting RBKC’s Business Rates Office. Contact details below.

What happens if my business property is unoccupied?

Business rates are generally not payable for the first three months that a property is empty. This is extended to six months if, for example, you have industrial premises.

Are there any other types of Rate Relief?

The Council can grant hardship relief if paying all or part of the bill would cause hardship. You can apply but relief is usually only granted in exceptional circumstances.

Contact details

RBKC business Rates

Website: https://www.rbkc.gov. uk/business-and-enterprise/ business-rates

Email: businessrates@rbkc.gov.uk

Tel: 020 7361 2828

Post: The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, PO Box 10413, London W8 7WT

Visit by appointment only: The Town Hall, Hornton Street, London W8 7NX (Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm)

Employment and Skills

Supporting businesses with staff recruitment and retention.

Would your business like some help to: promote jobs, pre-screen applicants, develop apprenticeships, or find recruitment support?

We can help you, just email our employment and skills team at employmentandskills@rbkc.gov.uk

We are developing a range of activities to assist employers find local talent in these key sectors.

1 Care and Health

These include promotional events, circulation of opportunities and links with local employment and skills providers.  If you want to take part in our regular job fairs, let us know.

2

Hospitality and Retail

Our Employment Opportunities Co-ordinator is working with our globally renowned retail and hospitality clusters to understand employers’ needs, if you have jobs available, let us know.

The team from Healf

3 Creative and Digital

We are working with Morley College and their creative and digital training offer and looking to further invest in this area. Talk to us if you are recruiting in this sector.

4 Construction

We work with local developers and their contractors to tap into local talent and provide employment and skills opportunities. Are you a business in this sector that needs support?

A local online entrepreneur and owner of healthy living brand Healf opened his first store in Chelsea in November 2022, spreading his mission to improve the four pillars of health: eat, move, mind and sleep.

Healf founder Lestat McCree was one of the first local employers to benefit from various Council initiatives that linked employers to job seekers aged 16-30 and on Universal Credit. The Council’s economic development team has worked to date with over 50 employers and placed 121 young people into paid placements.

For business owners like Lestat, the Council’s initiatives have proved to be a lifeline. He said: “Our business definitely couldn’t have survived without Kensington and Chelsea Council’s support, we now have six employees and are growing strongly. We’re hugely grateful for the support of the borough and the government, and can undoubtedly say that we wouldn’t be where we are today without it!”

Links to Resources

RBKC. See and be seen. Build marketing lists. Find customers and let them find you!

• www.itslocalrbkc.co.uk See page 7 in this Guide.

• Portobello Market directory, open link for the larger Market Directory: https://www.westway.org/market-directory

• UK Business Database: Contact libraries@rbkc.gov.uk for help to compile your marketing list from FAME: https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/ libraries-0/read/online-resources-and-digital-library/business-information

• Map of the ward boundaries: https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/council-councillors-and-democracy/wards/wards

RBKC Enterprise and small-business support

• Portobello Business Centre email info@pbc.co.uk to book an appointment for free:  https://pbc.co.uk

• Join the library for free online at https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/libraries-0/information-and-enquiries/join-library and get access to:

• Niche Academy, to help improve digital skills, research skills or get started with social media: https://my.nicheacademy.com/rbkc

• COBRA an information resource for anyone who is running a small business or thinking of setting up a business: https://rbkc.cobwebinfo.com

• Construction Supply Chain.  Get support and access to opportunities coming off the borough’s major sites: https://rbkcsupplychain.co.uk

• RBKC website - business pages: https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/business-and-enterprise

• Premises and special licences: https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/licensing

• Pavement licences: https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/business-and-enterprise/regulation-enforcement/tables-and-chairs-licensing/applypavement-licence

• Free food hygiene courses:  https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/newsroom/free-food-hygiene-e-learning-courses-offer

• Holding an event in the borough: https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/leisure-and-culture/filming-and-special-events/holding-event-publicspace-borough

• Business continuity advice: https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/community-and-local-life/community-safety/resilience-and-emergencies/ business-continuity

Other organisations offering enterprise and business support to borough businesses

• Westway Trust start up support: https://www.westway.org/start-up-entrepreneurship-and-business-development-course-22-23/

• GLA London Business Hub Supporting London’s businesses: https://www.businesshub.london

• Gov.uk. Intellectual property and your work: https://www.gov.uk/intellectual-property-an-overview/protect-your-intellectual-property

• Federation of Small Businesses: Knowledge Centre. https://firstvoice.fsb.org.uk/the-knowledge-centre.html

Sign up to Kensington and Chelsea news channels

• RBKC Business Matters e-newsletter, the Council’s official news channel for businesses:  https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/ UKRBKC/subscriber/new?topic_id=UKRBKC_32

• Subscribe to all RBKC newsletters at https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/UKRBKC/subscriber/new?preferences=true#tab1

• Communications Team: Contact pressbox@rbkc.gov.uk

• RBKC Twitter, RBKC Facebook, RBKC Instagram, RBKC You Tube; @RBKC

Networking and support-forums for RBKC businesses

• Chamber of Commerce - Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster: https://www.kcwchamber.org

• Business Forum - North Kensington: https://pbc.co.uk/nkc/

• Business Forum - Earl’s Court: https://www.us4.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=e22732a55326a2c9a90d1c620&id=12b94bd3a9

• Business Improvement District - Kensington High Street: https://www.opportunitykensington.co.uk/

• Business Improvement District - King’s Road: https://kingsrdpartnership.com

• Business Improvement District - Knightsbridge: https://knightsbridgepartnership.com

Would you like to work with us?

Is your organisation a skills training provider? If you deliver courses or activities that support adults in the borough to improve their skills, support their wellbeing and social integration, then please talk to us. Email us on adultlearningservice@rbkc.gov.uk, so we can let you know when we are next commissioning.

Recently the adult learning service commissioned Portobello Business Centre to offer a Fundamental Digital Skills course, that covered website building and free online tools to help residents build their business. We are keen to hear from other providers of skills training – such as childcare providers, hairdressers, barbers, bicycle repair, local artists – who have ideas for courses for adults and families.

Adult Learning

What can you tell us about skills or staff shortages?

We are always very interested to hear from employers and businesses about potential skills shortages and staff shortages in different fields within the borough – this useful information helps us to focus on what matters to businesses and helps us to develop courses that will support the local economy better.

Please do get in touch with us at adultlearningservice@rbkc.gov.uk

About us

Adult Learning supports residents by providing a range of courses that focus on their wellbeing, social integration and skills development, to help them move forward in life. The service is delivered by a range of organisations in the borough who provide face-to-face and online learning courses.  This resident-facing service sits in the Economic Development Team of Kensington and Chelsea Council.

https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/adultlearning

How else can the Council help your business?

We have a range of business-friendly services to help your business succeed in the borough.

Licensing

Please contact the Licensing Team if you would like to submit a Temporary Event Notice (TEN) or apply for a licence to provide beauty and massage treatments or other activities including alcohol, late night refreshment, live or recorded music. Go to https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/licensing

Site inspection

Our team of experienced surveyors can provide a comprehensive site inspection for your project.  To request a site inspection:

• use the new Local Authority Building Control (LABC) Site Inspection App

• email building.control@rbkc.gov.uk

Planning

Getting specialist advice from us before you make a planning application could help you:

• avoid costly mistakes

• save time

• understand our policies and specialist areas

• identify potential problems early on and find solutions

• get advice about how to improve your scheme

You can submit a planning advice request using our online form by scanning the QR Code opposite or go to: https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/planningand-building-control/planningapplications/planning-advice-service

Food business information

Food businesses that process or handle certain foods of animal origin and supply these foods to other food businesses will generally require to be approved.

• call your assigned Building Control Surveyor

Potential applicants should contact the Environmental Health Team on 020 7341 3002 or email environmentalhealth@rbkc.gov.uk for further advice and guidance prior to making an application for approval.

Trading standards

Free, impartial legal guidance for businesses. You can find advice about the laws that affect you at the Business Companion website.  If you can’t find what you need there, or if it’s unclear:

• telephone 020 7361 3002

• email trading.standards@rbkc.gov.uk

The Trading Standards Team will enforce criminal laws that encourage fairer trading. This team are happy to

• advise local businesses on how to comply with the law

• investigate complaints

• work in partnership with other agencies such as the police

• work on projects to protect people, including honest traders

Food business registration

When you start a new food business or take over an existing business, you must register with your local authority. You should do this at least 28 days before trading or before food operations start.

Apply here https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/ business-and-enterprise/food-safety/ food-business-registration

Business continuity

Business continuity is about having a plan to deal with difficult situations, whether it’s an extreme weather event, or the collapse of a key supplier, so your organisation can continue to function with as little disruption as possible and return to normal quickly. Advantages of having a Business Continuity Plan

• a good plan could prevent your business from collapsing

• undertaking the process can identify other business efficiencies

• it can reduce your insurance

• it may be a requirement if you want to bid for a tender

Whether you are a business owner, resident, or employee, if you contact us, we will always do what we can to help you or steer you in the right direction for further help. Contact Resilience@rbkc.gov.uk.

A borough full of world-class treasures to attract and keep your customers

Keeping your guests, customers and clients in the borough are our incredible green and pleasant spaces that the Council continues to invest in.

Here is some of those spaces that your workers can enjoy:

Kyoto Garden

A gift from the city of Kyoto, this tranquil kaiyushiki, or stroll garden, features a koi carp pond, a waterfall and stone lanterns set in a Japanese-style landscape.

Holland Park

Holland Park contains areas of woodland, a Japanese garden, the Ice House Gallery, a sculpture garden and Holland Park Theatre. It is home to Opera Holland Park, and the Ecology Centre, which runs events and activities for children and young people.

Kensington Gardens

In the gardens of Kensington Palace you will find the famous Peter Pan statue and the Peter Pan themed playground with a pirate ship and beach, created in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales.

Chelsea Physic Garden

The oldest botanic garden in London, it houses around 5,000 medicinal, herbal, edible and useful plants.

Brompton Cemetery

A celebration of the high tide of the British Empire and commercial prosperity. It contains memorials to the great and the good including more Victoria Cross holders than anywhere else in the world and over 2,000 Chelsea Pensioners, and is a haven for wildlife.

Kensal Green Cemetery

This was the UK’s first purpose built cemetery. It was designed as a park with gravelled carriage drives and smaller paths to stroll along, and contains many ornate mausoleums.

The Cultural SectorInvesting and working together

The borough is home to an extraordinary cluster of world-leading organisations, pioneering innovation and learning in science and the arts. Here we generate and share knowledge and inspire the engineers, designers, scientists, musicians and artists of the future and together we welcome over 20 million visitors each year.

Members work together to:

• Experience: Improve how it feels to visit, work, study and live here by enhancing the public space as an introduction to the creativity and innovation within our institutions

• Explore: Make it easier to find out what you can do here and to understand the value of this group of organisations by describing and promoting what this area has to offer

• Exchange: Help each other promote innovation, inspiration and learning by addressing shared issues together and sparking new ideas.

Members of the South Kensington Group:

Natural History Museum

Science Museum

V&A

Royal Albert Hall

Imperial College London

Royal College of Music

Goethe-Institut

Institut français

Kensington Palace

Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)

Serpentine

The team:

The team is headed by Sarah Berresford –Marketing & Communication Manager Contact us at info@exhibitionroad.com or

0207 942 5320.

The South Kensington Group coordinate an annual programme of free public events in Exhibition Road that bring innovation and inspiration in the arts and science into the public realm.

Royal Parks

Design Museum

The Ismaili Centre

Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

Westminster City Council

Royal Commission for the Exhibition 1851

South Kensington Estates

The Royal Society of Sculptors

Japan House

Leighton House and Sambourne House Museum

Royal College of Art

Cromwell Place

For more information go to: https://www.discoversouthken.com/

Venues available from the South Kensington Group

If you are looking to hire somewhere in South Kensington, whether it is for a conference, private party, meeting room, film location or wedding, there are some unique venues to consider.

Science Museum

The museum offers the perfect destination for an inspirational and accessible event experience. The Science Museum has a wide range of unique galleries and blank canvas spaces to accommodate from 10 to 1,500 guests for events in the day or evening.

https://www.hirethesciencemuseum.com/space-type/ conferences-and-meetings/

Design Museum Kensington

Host your event in London’s newest venue located on Kensington High Street with beautiful views over Holland Park. The stunningly refurbished 1960s building features an incredible hyperbolic paraboloid roof and features seven beautiful spaces for hire.

https://designmuseum.org/venue-hire

V&A

Iconic, atmospheric and unique: host your event at the V&A to create unforgettable experiences

Hiring the V&A for an event is a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate your support for the arts and to associate with one of the most recognisable and admired international brands. Venue hire is vital to the V&A and by choosing to host your event at the museum or booking a private tour for clients or your staff, you enable us to maintain and enhance the leadership in the fields of art, design and performance, and you directly support us to make our collections accessible to all and to remain a vital part of public life and heritage.

The V&A is a treasure house with collections of fabulous scope and diversity and boasts extraordinary rooms and spaces which offer exceptional possibilities for entertaining in a prestigious central London location.

The John Madejski Garden is one of the most elegant outdoor venues in central London, particularly stunning for evening events. For rainy weather your event would be fully covered as a complimentary indoor space is part of every booking.

Hosting your event at the V&A means you can add a gallery or exhibition of your choice onto your event, ensuring an unforgettable experience for your guests.

Contact: corporateevents@vam.ac.uk

Venue hire: www.vam.ac.uk/info/venue-hire

Exhibitions: www.vam.ac.uk

Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)

Located in the heart of South Kensington’s arts and science district, the Society is one of London’s most charming and iconic venues. Our Grade II* listed building combines unique character with modern facilities to create a perfect backdrop for your event.

For over a century, the Society has been one of London’s leading venues for a wide range of events including conferences, lectures, meetings, drinks receptions and exhibitions. From our grand Main Hall steeped in history and charm to our modern exhibition pavilion, our experienced venue team can support you to create your special event.

Kensington Palace

Discover the stylish spaces available for events at Kensington Palace catering for weddings, stylish dinners and receptions, private tours or for staging large-scale commercial events. Wed - Sun.

https://www.hrp.org.uk/kensington-palace/hire-a-venue/

Ognisko Polskie

Ognisko is well suited to large corporate events, exhibitions, product launches, gala dinners, fashion shows, weddings and other private functions.

http://www.ogniskopolskie.org.uk/hire.aspx

Serpentine

Available for corporate and private hire, Serpentine South Gallery and Serpentine North Gallery and the Magazine restaurant are contemporary art spaces in which to hold beautiful events.

https://www.serpentinegalleries.org/support/private-hire/

The Society’s impressive Ondaatje Lecture Theatre is the goto destination for event organisers seeking state-of-the-art AV broadcast and recording facilities to deliver successful and impactful events. Our high quality, cost-effective hire options, combine the very best elements of ‘face-to-face’ audience-based events with live streaming and other digital features, enabling clients to reach out and share content digitally with the widest audiences.

Email: venuehire@rgs.org

Telephone: 020 7591 3090

Address: 1 Kensington Gore, London, SW7 2AR Web: www.rgs.org/about/hire-our-venue

The LookOut, Hyde Park

A unique, eco-friendly building nestled in an acre of enclosed grounds in the heart of the park.

The LookOut enables people of all ages, abilities and communities to escape the hustle and bustle of the city and:

· Learn about the natural world

· Take part in family and wellbeing activities

· Hire our venue for private celebrations and events

Our purpose-built gardens and indoor spaces are practical all year round, and our two bright and airy ‘discovery’ classrooms can host up to 30 students each.

https://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/hyde-park/things-to-seeand-do/the-lookout-hyde-park

Royal College of Music

As part of our continued investment in facilities, the Royal College of Music is embarking on a major £40m project to create a range of new spaces, including new performance areas and public spaces. Currently they are not accepting commercial or external event bookings.

https://www.rcm.ac.uk/hire/

Institut français

The Institut can accommodate functions with a cultural focus, from large-scale parties to small group events. It also provides a stunning backdrop for filming and photoshoots. The Ciné Lumière can also host private screenings for up to 229 people.

https://www.institut-francais.org.uk/about/ about-us/room-hire/

Imperial College London

The South Kensington Campus offers a diverse range of spaces, from Grade II listed buildings to modern meeting spaces all in one great central location. From venues for conferences, meetings, training sessions to private parties, weddings, dinners and receptions.

https://www.imperial.ac.uk/white-city-campus/ community/the-invention-rooms/interactionzone/venue-hire/

Royal Albert Hall

150 Years of Unforgettable Experiences. Situated in the cultural quarter of South Kensington, the Royal Albert Hall is one of London’s most iconic and magical venues.

Our stunning architecture, legendary performance history, and award-winning food and drink make the Hall a popular backdrop for any event for anything from 20 to 5,000 guests, day or night.

With a dedicated team to support you from the initial planning stage through to your event, your guests will have an unforgettable experience at the Hall.

For more information please contact meetingsandevents@royalalberthall.com or visit royalalberthall.com

Royal Society of Sculptors

Dora House, headquarters of the Royal Society of Sculptors.

Dora House is a striking, Grade II-listed building in the heart of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Minutes from South Kensington and Gloucester Road tube stations, it is an easily accessible venue in a beautiful area. This venue is available to hire for events from drinks receptions and small conferences to creative workshops and training sessions.

As a guide, capacity ranges from a champagne reception for 200 to a small conference of 70 to 100 and a board meeting for 14. Past clients include: Walker Books, Elysian Residencies, The Society of Authors, Archives for London, Touring Exhibitions Group and the Higher School of Economics (Russia).

For enquiries please contact Lorraine Pajak awards@sculptors.org.uk

See link for more information and our hire pack herehttps://sculptors.org.uk/about/venue-hire

Goethe-Institut

Stein’s Berlin Restaurant is a new and exciting addition to the well-loved Stein’s group of German restaurants. Their modern contemporary restaurant inside a Grade 2 listed building also features a fantastic terrace overlooking Princes Gardens. https://www.goethe.de/ins/gb/en/ sta/lon/oph.html

Cromwell Place joins the Exhibition Road Cultural

We are delighted to welcome the international arts hub and membership organisation, Cromwell Place, who join Discover South Kensington, an initiative of the Exhibition Road Cultural Group. Our partnership now consists of 22 leading cultural and educational organisations in South Kensington, London’s arts and

https://www.cromwellplace.com/

Natural History Museum

From informal and intimate to creative and spectacular, the Natural History Museum’s variety of spaces suit any private party, conference or event.

Celebrate in style at one of London’s most popular venues for everything from gala dinners to product launches. The Museum’s purpose-built lecture theatre is ideal for daytime events such as conferences, talks and training days while the Museum’s large private courtyard makes a perfect outdoor setting for summer events and celebrations. The Museum’s dedicated and experienced team will provide expert support to plan and deliver your event.

By choosing the Natural History Museum you are booking much more than a beautiful venue. Impress your guests with a private after-hours tour of Museum exhibitions, galleries and collections. By hosting an event at the Natural History Museum you are helping to inspire the next generation of scientists and supporting our vital research into the big challenges facing our planet.

Want to explore the space right now? The Museum has launched a unique virtual tour experience for its Venue Hire clients. Clients can now walk through the spectacular Hintze Hall, Darwin Centre and Earth Hall for themselves, via 3D technology which can be found on their website. During the tour, clients can gain inspiration with images of the spaces exquisitely transformed at previous events, from fashion shows to weddings, including details such as bar or dining set ups.

For more information on event hire at the Natural History Museum, please get in touch with the Venue Hire team on 0207 942 5434 or by email at venues@nhm.ac.uk.

Kensington and Chelsea Council Conference and Events Venues

At Kensington and Chelsea Council, the Conference and Events Team is at your service whether you’re planning a Conference, Exhibition or Cocktail Party, explore our range of venues to discover the perfect setting for your event. We provide an exceptional level of support for our quality venues. Our industry awards, accreditations, repeat business and customer feedback pay tribute to our achievements of which we are justifiably proud. Please get in touch if you would like to meet us and view the venues featured below. We would be delighted to show you our facilities, share our expertise and partner you in the presentation of your event.

For more information please visit www.rbkc.gov.uk/venues contact us at 020 7361 2220 or venues@rbkc.gov.uk

Leighton House and Sambourne House

Leighton House and Sambourne House are extraordinary venues for entertaining, proving an unforgettable setting for dinners, receptions, lectures, concerts and photographic or film shoots. Our team is experienced in providing stunning events. With our exceptional catering partner Bovingdons and our handpicked list of florists and production teams, we are perfectly placed to deliver anything from corporate dinners to operatic soirées.

Contact us here: https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/ museums/venue-hire

Kensington Conference and Events Centre

Kensington Conference and Events Centre is one of the largest venues in central London, playing host to a range of meetings, conferences, dinners, filming and TV productions, exhibitions corporate events and many more.

The venue is fully accessible for guests with mobility difficulties and has an on-site 24-hour underground car park with a capacity for up to 460 vehicles.

The Orangery, Holland Park

A hidden gem located in one of London’s most beautiful settings, situated within the grounds of Holland Park. This glorious glass and stone palace flooded with natural daylight, once played host to Lord and Lady Holland’s many receptions and to this day boasts elegance and charm. Outside, venture through the fragrant rose garden as the scent drifts across the lawn encapsulating the ambience of the day. This prestigious venue is the perfect backdrop for a range of corporate and private events.

Chelsea Old Town Hall

Newly refurbished, this magnificent Grade II, late Victorian building, lovingly restored to its original glory, provides a beautiful, memorable and photogenic backdrop, while its central position at the heart of the exclusive Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, offers event organisers a well-placed, endlessly adaptable space.

Businesses that give back

The K+C Foundation (KCF) is an independent charity working towards a vision of the borough where everyone can live happy, healthy, and fulfilled lives.

KCF uses local knowledge and insight to identify and support projects which improve the lives of the borough’s most vulnerable residents and help to address inequalities.

Businesses can work together with the foundation by offering advice and expertise, supporting fundraising, taking up volunteering opportunities and establishing employment initiatives.

Businesses are also able to become patrons of the charity and connect with other locally engaged businesses in the community.

Over the next five years the foundation is growing investment portfolios to fund initiatives to support residents affected by unemployment, poor mental health, and low educational attainment.

To get involved in testing innovative and collaborative ideas to help tackle community concerns, please contact team@thekandcfoundation.com or visit

www.thekandcfoundation.com

Want to make our spaces and places the backdrop to your filming?

We have a friendly and effective service, using our local knowledge and expertise in dealing with all manner of filming enquiries and facilitating large and small shoots.

providing a trouble-shooting

To film or photograph in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, you will need to apply for a Notice of No Objection unless your shoot is all of the following:

· cast and crew is under 5 people

· all equipment is handheld, and

· the shoot is on a public street

We require a minimum of 10 working days to process your application, but can sometimes process late applications at the Film Officer’s discretion.

Apply for a filming and photography application at https://app.apply4.com/Filmapp/uk/rbkc

You must provide Public Liability Insurance covering a minimum indemnity of £5million.

Young K&C are looking to collaborate with local businesses!

Young K&C brings together businesses, employers, voluntary, community and public sector organisations to create great opportunities for children and young people. They support local charities and non-profit organisations in Kensington and Chelsea with information sharing, advice, networking and small grants.

How could your business get involved?

When you become a Young K&C partner, there are many ways for you to help us to support our member organisations to deliver projects that inspire and champion young people in Kensington & Chelsea. For more details, visit: https://youngkandc.org.uk/support-us and become a Young K&C partner and collaborate with us.

A list of Services for business from the Council

www.rbkc.gov.uk

https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/contactsdirectory

Business Rates

Billing and collection of business rates. Business rates are charged on all non-domestic properties.

Email: businessrates@rbkc.gov.uk

Business Continuity

Business continuity is about having a plan to deal with difficult situations, whether it’s an extreme weather event, or the collapse of a key supplier, so your organisation can continue to function with as little disruption as possible and return to normal quickly. If you contact us, we will always do what we can to help you or steer you in the right direction for further help.

Email: Resilience@rbkc.gov.uk

Climate Change Programme

This has been set up by the Council to deliver a programme of measures and initiatives for tackling climate change. The Council will work with residents, businesses and other partners in order to help reduce climate change.

Email: environment@rbkc.gov.uk

Commercial Waste

Provides a quality comprehensive commercial waste collection service to businesses in the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea.

Email: commercial.waste@rbkc.gov.uk

Community Safety Team

The Community Safety Team is a joint Council and police team established to keep residents, visitors and businesses in the borough safe.

Email: commsafe@rbkc.gov.uk

Corporate Property

To ensure that the Council’s property is used to its full potential, and to advise on all property matters.

Email: propertyinformation@rbkc.gov.uk

Customer Services

The Customer Service Centre is the face-to-face access point for a wide range of Council services. There are a number of facilities that we have put in place to assist people to get the help they need.

Email: RBKCCustomerServices@rbkc.gov.uk

Development Control

The consideration of all applications for change of use or building works in the Borough. Enforcement investigation and appeals against decisions.

Email: planning@rbkc.gov.uk

Economic Development Team

Providing information on the borough’s economic development, signposting to partner organisations that help with unemployment, training and business start-ups and promoting partnerships to improve economic opportunities in the borough.

Email: employmentandskills@rbkc.gov.uk and business@rbkc.gov.uk

Environmental Health

Council department which covers a wide range of complex public health and trading standards issues.

Email: environmentalhealth@rbkc.gov.uk

Food Hygiene and Standards

Enforcement of food safety and food hygiene in food premises. Email: environmentalhealth@rbkc.gov.uk

Health and Safety

Provides information on health and safety. Part of the Directorate of Environmental Health.

Email: environmentalhealth@rbkc.gov.uk

A quick Google for the service you want e.g. RBKC planning, RBKC business rates or RBKC commercial waste will get you quickly to the relevant page. Otherwise for all council services, please go to

Below are a small selection of email addresses for key business-facing council services taken from the full Council’s directory

Highways and Construction

A division of the Directorate of Transportation and Highways that deals with the maintenance of the Borough’s carriageways, footways and street furniture.

Email: streetline@rbkc.gov.uk and streetlighting@rbkc.gov.uk

Kensington Conference and Events Centre

Conference and events centre including:- Great Hall and foyers, Small Hall and foyer, Council Chamber, Mayoral Suite and Committee Rooms.

Email: venues@rbkc.gov.uk

Licensing

Team which deals with the administration of various licence applications (excluding skips and street trading) and supervision of all licensed premises.

Email: licensing@rbkc.gov.uk

Media and Communications

The team that is responsible for the Council’s internal and external communications, and the first contact point for all journalist and media enquiries.

Email: pressbox@rbkc.gov.uk

Noise and Nuisance Service

Noise-related issues are dealt with by a team within Environmental Health tackling noise from both domestic homes and commercial businesses, as well as other nuisances such as smells and dust.

Email: environmentalhealth@rbkc.gov.uk

Parking Services

Services for all the Council’s parking operations. suspensions@rbkc.gov.uk residentparking@rbkc.gov.uk enquiries@rbkcparking.com

Parks and Open Spaces

General information about parks and open spaces in the Borough.

Email: leisure.services@rbkc.gov.uk

Pest Control Services

Provides a range of services to individual residents and businesses, including pest control treatments, pest prevention contracts, unblocking drains, CCTV inspections of drains, replacement air vent covers, room disinfection and pest awareness training.

Email: information@rbkc.gov.uk or environmentalhealth@rbkc.gov.uk

Planning and Borough Development

Provides a professional information service to the public. Email: planning@rbkc.gov.uk

Procurement Unit – Supplying the Council

The Strategic Procurement Unit is responsible for making the Council’s procurement procedures more efficient by reducing costs for buyers and suppliers.

Email: procurement@rbkc.gov.uk

Recycling

Council recycling service. Email: streetline@rbkc.gov.uk

Street Cleaning and Sweeping

For information and enquiries on street cleaning, sweeping, litter and illegal dumping.

Email: streetline@rbkc.gov.uk

Street Trading Office and Markets

Issues licences for pitches in Portobello and Golborne Road markets and existing isolated pitches around the borough.

Email: street.trading@rbkc.gov.uk

Trading Standards

Trading standards service for the Borough.

Email: trading.standards@rbkc.gov.uk

Royal Borough of

Kensington

& Chelsea Customer Service Centre

Come and see us and speak to a real person.

You can visit the Customer Service Centre if you need support with:

• Accessing online services at our self-serve area

• Making payments

• Picking up or dropping off documents

• Support with Housing and Council Tax queries

• Contacting a council service/officer by phone in the building

• The safest and quickest way to access our services and support is through our website or by calling the numbers listed on our “contact us” page.

The Customer Service Centre at Kensington

Town Hall is open daily

Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm.

If you do not have access to a computer, you are welcome to use the self-serve area within the Customer Services Centre where a member of staff will be available to support you.

Step-free access to the Customer Service Centre is via the Holland Street entrance.

Address Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea Customer Service Centre Town Hall

Hornton Street W8 7NX

TRANSL ATION & INNOVATION HUB (I-HUB)

In White City, London

Available now 187,000 sq ft of fully fitted & bespoke laboratories and grade A offices at Imperial College's White City Campus. For star t-ups, spin-outs, major corporations, high-tech and high-growth companies

• Fully fitted offices and wet lab space from 250ft2

• In par tnership with Central Working to offer co-working space

• Cat A offices from 12,000ft2

• Flexible lease options

White City Campus is a multidisciplinar y innovation district for researchers, businesses and par tners. Imperial is bringing together organisations at every stage of their growth to work alongside each other, develop cutting edge research and discover new applications.

Gerda Security Products Ltd is a leading British manufacturer with over 25 years’ experience designing and producing secure and reliable, high quality products for a safer built environment.

Designer’s note: The logo and images have been taken from the website and are low res, which will mean they will be blurred when printed. Could you please supply these at high resolution (300dpi). Many Thanks

T: freephone 0800 389 1521

Chris Edge Tree Care Limited are a well-established Tree Care, Grounds Maintenance and Horticultural company, dedicated to providing the highest possible service to all of our customers. We have an extensive private client base across the whole of the South East and have delivered the grounds maintenance contracts for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea for the past 12 years. We are fully committed to ensuring that we provide an excellent service. Our objectives are to deliver a focused, flexible “right first time” approach that have guaranteed complete service to our clients, whilst encompassing the ethics and principles of best value and sustainability. At Chris Edge Tree Care Limited we pride ourselves on our ability to provide quality services across Surrey, London and the South East. Our fully qualified and motivated teams will carry out works to a high, professional standard.

Chris Edge Tree Care Limited provides emergency cover 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. 01372 454110 Chrisedgetreecare@hotmail.com http://chrisedgetreecare.com

To find out more about our services, contact us on:

The Rembrandt Hotel

A favourite of independent business and leisure travellers from all over the world, this 4-star hotel gets the details right: complimentary Wi-Fi, free English breakfast, a popular lounge bar and restaurant, and discounted use of the adjacent spa and swimming pool at Aquilla Health and Fitness Club.

At The Rembrandt, you can hold anything from an executive board meeting and training seminar to party reception and creative team challenges for up to 200 guests. Each of the six suites are elegantly decorated with a nod to the hotel’s history, featuring natural daylight and flexible seating arrangements.

The suites have been recently refurbished and combine to create two large banqueting halls, Kings Suite and Queens Suite. Kings Suite has a maximum capacity of 200 guests for a conference or indoor team building activities. In house chefs can arrange catering from coffee breaks and working lunches to delicious banquets.

t 020 3355 1396 e rembrandt@sarova.com w www.sarova-rembrandthotel.com

ADV147333

Unique UK Property Investors

We are a privately owned property company that invests in all sectors of the property market throughout the UK, including retail, offices, residential and pubs

We are cash purchasers and are not reliant on bank funding for our acquisitions. We pride ourselves on assessing opportunities quickly and making decisions immediately, giving vendors the certainty and peace of mind of a quick sale.

What We Do...

Once an opportunity has been identified, our highly skilled legal team work tirelessly to enable us to exchange contracts within the shortest period of time possible.

Our combined knowledge and experience in all sectors of the property market throughout the UK gives us the confidence to acquire assets other property companies may shy away from.

JONATHAN KESSEL

T: 020 8346 3498

M: 07880 558055

E: jonathan@tri-capital.co.uk

MATTHEW SUGAR

T: 020 8343 3205

M: 07990 724 963

E: matt@tri-capital.co.uk

www.tri-capital.co.uk

Every place we create has a unique personality inspired by its location, history, people and culture.

ballymoregroup.com