A new team has taken the reins at Merton’s hothouse of budding businesses.

The Generator Business Centre in Mitcham was relaunched on Friday. A contract to run the council facility, as well as the Merton Means Business (MMB) support service, has been handed to Merton Chamber of Commerce.

Small companies can hire low cost office space and light industrial units at the Miles Road centre - which also offers mentoring and training as well as help from a panel of business experts.

The facility’s new manager, Jane Howden, who has run two other business centres and a large enterprise agency elsewhere in London, said local companies could benefit from vital support at a difficult time.

She said: “The competition out there is huge - we can build up expertise and confidence.”