MORE work needs to be done to make Winchester more attractive to companies, a leading city business figure has said.

Dr Paul Spencer, executive director of Winchester Business Improvement District (BID), made the notion during the organisation’s annual general meeting.

The owner of Dispensary Kitchen, in The Square, questioned Dr Spencer about what was being done to attract firms to set up in the city.

In response, he said: “I think we need to think about what makes Winchester attractive, there are a lot of things that do make it attractive but there also a lot of things we can do to make it more attractive or break down some of the barriers there might be for people wanting to come in to the city.

“Regeneration is a key part of that we need to think about what sort of spaces we need in Winchester that we don’t have.”

Dr Spencer said that there is a need for space for new businesses wanting to start up in Winchester and those who want to develop in the city.

“That is something that is quite challenging, we’ve got a small space in Winchester Business Centre and there are some facilities round the city but I welcome what the council is looking to do at the moment with Kings Walk hopefully creating a space with more flexible and affordable work space,” he continued.

“I think at the moment there are some people that might consider Winchester but might be able to find the right space. It is about that wider attraction and what we can do as a city as a whole.”

The city council has begun work to create up to 50,000 sq ft of work space in Kings Walk and will enable the use of currently largely empty, council-owned offices, whilst plans for the wider project are finalised.