Venture helping Hucknall businesses to help each other is a real town success story

GO Hucknall Business has been running since 2009 but has really come into its own in the last sevenyears.

Running alongside it is Hucknall Business Club which is run by the same people and holds monthly meetings in the town for all local businesses and business owners to meet and talk about issues and news affecting the town business community.

Ian Brough is the man behind it all and he says the intention when he started it is the same as now – getting local businesses supporting each other in the town.

He said: “It started off when I was with a local taxi firm and I thought this would be a good way of getting the word around about them.

"Then I encouraged other businesses to join in and slowly but surely, and especially in the last seven years, it’s really taken off and we’ve got more than 2,000 members.

"We have regular contributors and I share stuff that I see on our Facebook page.

"It’s basically a bit of free awareness on Facebook for consumers and for local businesses to share their stuff and help each other as a result.

"From that, Hucknall Business Club is another venture I set up and they run hand-in-hand really.

"GO Hucknall Business – GO stands for ‘growth opportunities’ – is the Facebook site with the free online awareness and then I set up Hucknall Business Club, which meets at The Bowman on the first Thursday on each month, and that helps the Facebook site which then helps the club back as well.”

Hucknall Business Club has gained real momentum with a number of speakers from many different business areas, from lawyers, to mindfulness to a county councillor.

Ian continued: “They all help each other, people network with like-minded folk and small businesses just trying to help each other along, especially in the last few years after Covid.

“Anyone who is working in Hucknall, supplying Hucknall or servicing Hucknall, either from the town or the surrounding area, is welcome.

"And it’s about the long-term picture and everyone has gained something from it and it’s quite a unique thing in that it’s completely free for anyone to join.”