£100k loans set to create 20 new jobs

More than 20 jobs are to be created in the Lothians after two companies secured a combined £100,000 in business loans.

Midlothian Council approved the loans, which will go to five and seven-a-side football centre Kickabout Arena, which is set to open in Mayfield this month, and Audio Light Systems, which has outgrown its present premises in West Telferton and is moving to larger premises in Newton Village.

Economic development spokesman Councillor Russell Imrie said: “One of our key priorities is to promote inward investment and help grow the economy of Midlothian.

“We can achieve this through approval of loan funding – up to a maximum of £50,000 – for eligible local businesses where the commercial lending market is unable to provide business finance.”

Audio Light Systems, which provides audio, lighting and audio-visual installations, predicts the creation of two additional full-time equivalent posts by the end of 2012 and another five to ten extra posts by the end of 2014.

Kickabout Arena is to recruit and train around 13 new full-time equivalent staff.