CO-OPERATIVES and community run businesses in East Lancashire are booming.
The number of ventures has doubled in the county in the past four years to 110. And they now support more than 1,100 jobs.
The Lancashire Co-operative Development Agency said more and more people were looking at setting up community-based enterprises including worker co-operatives and credit unions .
Examples in East Lancashire include Slaidburn Trading set up to buy the village shop and post office.
Other community-based ventures include Nelson Community Credit Union where 800 members have combined savings of more than £450,000 and have taken out more than £3.5 million worth of loans.
The Lancashire Mutual Guarantee Society based in Burnley - the first in the UK - gives small businesses in the county the chance to raise finance.
The Lancashire CDA provides advice and support to co-operatives and community enterprises.
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article