03/02/10 Free Business Advice Open Day - Bromley

Today’s businesses are facing tough times and the most successful know what help is available and make use of it.   That help is at hand for businesses in Bromley next month when HM Revenue & Customs brings a free Local Business Advice Open Day (BAOD) to the Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley Hill, Kent, BR1 4JD on Thursday 11 February 2010, 10am to 3pm.

Whether you’re new to business or well established, finding customers, meeting your liabilities and getting to grips with tax and cash flow can be a real challenge.   The Bromley Local BAOD brings together the expertise of a wide range of organisations eager to provide practical, free advice under one roof. 

HMRC will be offering businesses practical advice and information about initiatives that support business and save time.  Information on the Business Payment Support Service, which can allow businesses to delay tax payments during difficult times, and its quick and easy online services, will be available.   There will also be free seminars covering a variety of topics, from tax issues to employment law.

Partner organisations such as Business Link, ACAS and the Health and Safety Executive will also be at the event, making this an ideal opportunity to pick up advice and information from a number of different sources all under one roof.  And while seminar places should be booked to guarantee a place, there’s no need to book to visit the exhibition and pick up advice from the representatives on each stand. 

Roger Lovell, Business Liaison Team manager said: “It’s inevitable that some people will find tax issues daunting, or be worried about meeting their liabilities during today’s tough times.  This event allows us to bring our advice directly into the heart of Bromley and offer practical assistance where it is needed. 

“HMRC runs a number of schemes to make tax as hassle free as possible, and engages with our customers.  And our attitude has always been to assist businesses in short term difficulty so that we can help keep viable businesses afloat.  Our partner organisations will also be on hand to explain their services and how they can help small and medium sized enterprises.”

Local BAODs are a new initiative from HMRC, and complement the existing BAOD programme which sees around 12 large scale events held across the country every year.   The Local BAODs are smaller, more localised and enable HMRC to offer help and advice to more locations than the larger scale events allow.  

The creation of the Local BAODs follows a review commissioned by the Department of Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) to look at the information provided by Government to small and medium sized enterprises.  The Anderson Review, published in January 2009, praised HMRC’s large BAODs and recommended further efforts and advice days in order to reach more small and medium sized enterprises. 

Among the exhibitors are:

-          ACAS

-          Business Link

-          Health and Safety Executive

-          HM Revenue & Customs

For further information about HMRC’s range of Business Advice Open Days please see our website at www.businesslink.gov.uk/advicedays, or telephone 0845 603 2691.

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