The 2012 statistics indicate that women are still reluctant to start a business but that doesn’t appear to be the case in Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire.  As larger businesses close, women are opening up high-street, on-line and home-based businesses that are diverse, encouraging local shopping and are visually pleasing.

 

Record percentages of the working population surveyed in the GEM UK Report 2011 indicated that they were running their own company or thought that they would start to do so within the next three years.  Does Bishop’s Stortford have record breading percentages of female entrepreneurs?

 

Business growth is welcome and such business growth is interesting.  Today I met Sophie Noble who is the proprietor of Traditions, a high street hairdresser. Tomorrow I am meeting Rebecca Callaghan of Rebecca Callaghan Photography, a new business c. 3mths old.  Tomorrow evening I am attending the Dingwuddles launch party.  Dingwuddles have offered 1,000 free videos clips on their website after I asked them to film our lovely town.  The tweet on 12 June 2012 stating “@dingwuddles 'Help The High Street Campaign' coming to Bishops Stortford 1st!” was the start to an extraordinary journey.  Last week they filmed our central under 12s play area on Sworders Field.  This video can be viewed at: http://dingwuddles.com/listing-details/itemid/475/sworders-field-playground--bishops-stortford