Enterprise Oxfordshire launches new High Street Summit

Enterprise Oxfordshire is launching the High Street Summit to champion town centre businesses across the county.

The event takes place on April 16 at the Cornerstone Arts Centre in Didcot and runs from 10am to 2.30pm.

The event will include a keynote speaker on ‘The High Street is Human’, business stories, an open mic opportunity and a dedicated afternoon session to turn insight into action.

It will also feature a networking lunch to encourage collaboration among attendees.

Sarah Beal, growth hub manager at Enterprise Oxfordshire, said: “High streets remain the heartbeat of our communities, and the Helping High Streets programme has been about helping businesses adapt, grow and remain vibrant in a changing economic landscape.

“The High Street Summit event is the first of its kind for Oxfordshire, putting high street businesses at the centre, with councils and partners in a supporting role.

“Nationally, there have been a small number of high street branded gatherings, but most have focussed heavily on big structural and infrastructure issues – the Oxfordshire High Street Summit is uniquely business centred and collaboration-led in its design and content.”

The summit is open to all high street businesses in Oxfordshire, regardless of whether they have previously engaged with Enterprise Oxfordshire’s support programmes.

It marks the conclusion of the ‘Helping High Streets’ programme, a government-funded initiative to boost the prospects of businesses in high-footfall, town and city centre areas.

Although programme-specific support ended at the end of March, the summit will be a final event to bring together businesses from across the county.

Growth hubs across the wider region – of which Enterprise Oxfordshire Business is one – have also been under the spotlight following the publication of the Growth Hub Cluster Impact Report.

Covering the period from April 2020 to March 2025, the report shows the collective impact of hubs in Oxfordshire, the South Midlands, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, and New Anglia.

Over five years, the hubs supported 92,719 businesses, delivered 178,563 hours of support, enabled 3,934 business start-ups, and helped create 6,970 jobs while safeguarding 6,093.

They also attracted an additional £24 of funding for every £1 of core government investment and delivered £35 of economic and social value.

March also saw the launch of Enterprise Oxfordshire’s Marketplace and Celebration Event 2026, with the prestigious marketplace and awards evening set to take place on Wednesday, November 4.

Open to all eligible businesses in Oxfordshire, the awards will highlight the achievements of SMEs, innovators, and leaders who have engaged with Enterprise Oxfordshire Business since April 2022.

There are six free-to-enter categories, with an overall winner revealed on the night.

Businesses interested in attending the High Street Summit or entering the awards can find more details at www.enterpriseoxfordshirebusiness.com.