Newtown’s Pryce Jones building is set to become a Mid Wales ‘business hub’ as part of a £4 million scheme to support business entrepreneurs across Wales.

The Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport, Ken Skates, announced the locations of four Enterprise Hubs across Wales as part of the Welsh Government’s drive to support business entrepreneurs across Wales.

The Hubs are funded by the Welsh Government with the support of European Regional Development Programme.

The Newtown Hub will join others in Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion as part of the scheme, which will see social enterprise Business in Focus work with Tramshed Tech, Robert Owen Community Banking Fund, University of Wales Trinity Saint David, University of Aberystwyth and Coleg Ceredigion.

Mark White, CEO of Newtown based Robert Owen Community Banking, said the hub would provide a ‘fantastic boost’ to the Mid Wales economy.

“We are delighted at Robert Owen Community Banking to be involved in this fantastic development at a time when we are expanding our business lending operations and taking on new fund management contracts,” he said.

“The Enterprise Hub will provide a fantastic boost to the Mid Wales economy and we are tremendously excited at the prospect of working with all the partners in the project.”

Business in Focus say they have brought together an exciting range of partners in each area to deliver an inspiring new support opportunity for entrepreneurs across both the Mid and South West Wales regions.

Business Secretary Ken Skates AM added: “Alongside the satellite locations, these five hubs will ensure that budding entrepreneurs in all parts of Wales can access the space and help they need to get their ideas off the ground, creating at least 700 new enterprises and 1,160 new quality jobs in the process.”

The Welsh Government says that the Newtown hub will be fully operational by January 2019.