Ambitious West businesses are being invited to bid for a share of a £200m investment pot – the latest phase of the Government’s Regional Growth Fund (RGF).
Firms applying for round six of the RGF, launched this week by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, will be following in the footsteps of businesses such as aerospace giant Airbus and Somerset luxury goods brand Mulberry. 
They are among the firms benefiting from the £210m invested in South West in the first five rounds of the RGF. Across the region 39 projects and programmes are being supported through the RGF, creating or safeguarding thousands of jobs and stimulating private sector investment worth £700m.
Mr Clegg, pictured, name-checked Mulberry as he launched round six today. The firm, best known for its upmarket handbags, put its £2.53m RGF round two grant funding towards opening a £7.5m factory in Bridgwater which has created around 300 jobs and complemented its main base at Chilcompton.
Mr Clegg said: “The Regional Growth Fund is a helping hand from Government to create thousands of jobs that last, boost the private sector and rebalance the economy.
“I’ve seen first-hand at Mulberry in Somerset how the fund is supporting businesses that are working hard to fuel our recovery and help us build a stronger economy.
“I would encourage any businesses that can generate significant private sector investment and sustainable jobs to bid for a share of the £200m available from the fund.”
Mr Clegg launched RGF round six at a manufacturing summit on Merseyside today which was also attended by Business Secretary Vince Cable business minister Michael Fallon.
Dr Cable said: “The Regional Growth Fund is a fundamental part of our efforts to boost manufacturing and rebalance the economy, helping to create new jobs in the South West. Round six is now open for applications and I urge businesses to see how it can help them to increase their workforce or expand to new markets.”
Mr Fallon added: “Through the Regional Growth Fund, we are investing £210m in the South West, which will help growing businesses create long-term, highly-skilled jobs.”
Round six will be open to private sector bidders seeking £1m or more. The Government is calling on companies to plan high-quality projects that will generate significant private sector investment and sustainable jobs. Businesses have until noon on September 30 to submit bids.
Airbus received a £1.4m investment for its Filton plant from the RGF in an earlier round, helping create 200 engineering jobs. The funding formed part of a larger Airbus investment package, totalling more than £6.5m at Filton, helping secure the giant plant’s position as the European planemaker’s centre of excellence for wing and landing gear design, testing and research.
Marine Current Turbines, which employs 50 people at the Bristol & Bath Science Park, has received a £1m from the RGF for research and development into innovative tidal technology. Destination Bristol secured £500,000 through RGF to help boost tourism in the city.
To help round six bidders with their applications, a road show will visit the University of the West of England in Bristol on July 15.
