A flagship centre in Ramsgate is leading the way for small businesses to work with the local community.

And MP Penny Mordaunt, minister for communities and local government, was at Marlowe Innovation Centre (MIC) yesterday to officially open the building’s extension.

The centre, which is the only one of its kind in the country, opened in 2008 and the second phase of building work was completed in May, doubling the venue’s number of workspaces used as offices or light industrial units by start-up firms.

The minister was welcomed by Trevor Minter, the chairman of the centre’s steering group, who introduced Miss Mordaunt to business tenants along with pupils from Marlowe Academy, which has close links with MIC.

Miss Mordaunt commended the progress made by businesses based at the centre and the contribution they make to the local community.

She said: “Rather than the Government give money out and tell people how to spend it, we want to see ideas come up locally and this is a homegrown idea where things work well and people pick up ideas and share good practice, so I think it is likely to be replicated by others.

“It has clearly brought huge benefits to start-ups, it provides that flexibility for people who don’t want to take a risk in getting their own shop-front.

“There are so many additional positive spin-offs to help the Academy, to raise aspirations, to help businesses get where they want to be and increase the skills base and get people focused on what they want to do after they leave college.

“It’s fantastic and I’m sure others will be stealing the idea!”

“Before I got into Parliament I set up my own business and just being in a shared office with other companies, you pick up ideas and support each other because you’re all going through the same thing.

“There is a lot of cross-selling and you trade together and help market each other.

“And what was true of that shared office is true of this centre because people have so much more support.

“It’s a turbocharged centre to help entrepreneurs in the local area and in turn they are helping the future generation of entrepreneurs.”

And the minister has noticed plenty of changes since her last visit.

She said: “One of the exciting things about this place is that’s it’s never static.

“There’s someone here over from Europe who is looking at starting up businesses in London or in Kent and using this place as a base.

“Some companies I met here just a short while ago have increased their job numbers and there are new businesses moving in so it’s very dynamic and the job numbers are fantastic.

“One company that works in the care sector has created 50 jobs in a very short space of time.”

And Kent is firmly under the spotlight for future growth.

Miss Mordaunt said: “When I got this job the Prime Minister said that this country has turned the corner, the economy is growing and we need to ensure that every community is benefitting from that and there are some areas of the country that have a tougher situation facing them than others, that’s why we’re here and focusing on these areas.

“Thanet and the Thames Gateway have the biggest opportunities for growth in Europe, with huge potential, so we need to ensure that the right momentum, support and focus from local authorities and enterprise partnerships are focused on those opportunities.”

Among pupils from Marlowe Academy who have worked with businesses based in the centre is Ruby Hingley.

She is helping Cave Creative with market research and social media.

She said: “I’ve been enjoying myself very much. I thought the work might be boring but it’s not boring at all and I feel honoured that I was given this opportunity to do something productive that I could turn into a career.”

Pupil Mohammed Faiz has working with podiatrist Colin Hopper.

Mohammed said: “I’ve been helping him with data inputting which has been helpful for him because he’s not too good with computers!

“While I’m doing that he can get on with other work.”

Mr Hopper said: “I only opened up shop about four weeks ago and I’ve done some spreadsheets myself which Mohammed tells me are not up to standard.

“I was struggling and he has been a star.”