Our history
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In 1978, East London Small Business Centre was founded with a goal of improving the living conditions and social fabric of east London.
We believed that creating new forms of enterprise and employment - by encouraging small businesses to form and thrive - would help to improve the quality of life in east London's deindustrialised areas.
Since then, we have expanded our operations to serve people based in five east London boroughs: Tower Hamlets, Newham, Redbridge, Havering and Barking and Dagenham, as well as the City of London.
In May 2008 we launched a joint initiative with East Thames Group and London Borough of Newham to open Business Place in Stratford, Newham.
The recent introduction of some pan-London programmes has enabled us to support businesses across London.
Since our formation, we have helped over 15,000 people to set up in business. generating significant social value and giving a large boost to the local economy.
East London is increasingly recognised as an area of enterprise, with a growing economy of fashion businesses, creative industries and restaurants around the Brick Lane area in Tower Hamlets, Newham serving as the host Olympic borough in 2012, and significant transformation taking place in Barking.
