About us
LCVS Enterprises is a social enterprise company limited by guarantee and registered with Companies House. The Company is run by a board of Directors who give their time voluntarily. Any profits accrued go back into the buildings and provision of affordable workspaces. All our Directors are registered at Companies House. There are currently five directors who hold at least five meetings plus an Annual General Meeting each year. Directors are also involved in sub-groups which also meet to develop internal policies and plans and other projects. Each building is supervised by a Manager who responds to the Board and is available to give advice and help to Licensees from Monday to Friday.
LCVS Enterprises aims to:
Encourage the growth of small enterprises in Leeds City centre and to improve the economic and social health of the area
Alleviate the problem of a lack of affordable workspace in Leeds city centre of a size and type suitable for the new or expanding smaller business
Encourage small manufacturing firms in the area – countering the drift to distributive trades and the consequent loss of job opportunities
In 2018, Leeds City Council published its Leeds Inclusive Growth Strategy 2018 – 2023.
The strategy featured “12 Big Ideas” designed as an action plan - to encourage growth in Leeds city centre - focused on supporting People, Place and Productivity. One of the big ideas was backing innovators and entrepreneurs in business and social enterprises. LCVS Enterprises mirrors this idea and by definition, this objective is central to the purpose of LCVS Enterprises.
We estimate that over our 40-year history - 700 companies have benefitted from the services provided by LCVS Enterprises. Many of these companies have gone on to bigger and better things elsewhere in the city. Our “seed bed” principle of grow and leave has helped them on their way.
We are a “not for profit” company (but not a charity). We nurture start-ups and scale-ups by offering affordable workspaces. The Board of Directors give their time for free. We encourage trade between licensees. We enrich the Leeds city business community with a diverse and inclusive group of enterprises - including photographers, artists, clothing manufacturers, film-makers, interior designers, software developers, web designers, accountants, architects, film developers, publishers and recruitment companies. They are all here and more.
Our licensees create employment and in turn, those employees are an integral part of the socio-economic fabric of Leeds city centre - engaging with other businesses and people daily. They touch the city in so many different ways.
LCVS Enterprises is a shining example of Team Leeds. We want our licensees to be enterprising and ambitious. We want our licensees to help make Leeds the best city in the UK. People coming together to make things happen for a brighter future. Not only that, but LCVS Enterprises is also actively looking to reduce its carbon footprint by improving the internal fabric of its buildings and maximising energy efficiency.
LCVS Enterprises are proud of the role they have played over the last 40 years and look forward to serving the Leeds city centre business community for many years to come in both Aire Street and Dock Street.