Yorkshire Business Market 2008 is a great success!

The first Yorkshire Business Market on Monday, 28th April was a resounding success with over 1,500 business people attending on the day. In total 160 companies exhibited at the event and their feedback was very positive, with 97% of the exhibitors saying that it had met or exceeded their expectations.

Granville Simpson, the current President of Harrogate Chamber of Trade & Commerce welcomed an expectant crowd at the Opening Ceremony, saying “this is our fourth Business Market and we appear to be going from strength to strength, which is reflected in our new title of Yorkshire Business Market.”

Phil Willis, MP for Harrogate & Knaresborough, currently Chairman of the House of Commons Select Committee for Innovation, Universities & Skills, opened the event saying “the Yorkshire Business Market is the largest sub-regional Business Market in Yorkshire and Humber and it is also the largest sub-regional Business Market in the whole of the United Kingdom . That says something about Harrogate .”  

He began by congratulating the Chamber’s Chief Executive Brian Dunsby on receiving the Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion.   Then on a very serious note, he said “if we are not careful we will talk ourselves into a recession which will have the most fundamental impact, not simply on local business or business in the whole of the region, but on the whole of this country. The reality is that there are some massive challenges ahead of us. You look at the issue of business rates, which are going up. You look at the issue of energy prices up 15-20% and they are likely to rise by another 15-20% over the next 6 months. You look at the cost of transport, the cost of banking and particularly the squeeze on credit, and these are all massive challenges for the individual, but particularly for the business community”.

“However when you look at the other side of the coin and look at what is happening here within Harrogate and within the Yorkshire sub-region for the last 10 years, business stocks have risen every single year over the last 10 years. You look at VAT registrations; they have risen every single year over the last 10 years, outstripping even the London averages over the last 10 years. You look in terms of self-employment, a good indication of emerging businesses; we are a third higher than the national average at 12% of people employed in this sub-region actually involved in their own businesses”.

“This is why we are successful and this is what we need to be talking about today in the networking. The message that goes out from this Market across the region is that Harrogate is open for business, Yorkshire is open for business, the UK is open for business, so let’s start selling that message, rather than the doom and gloom.”

VIP Networking Buffet Lunch

A new feature of the Business Market this year was an informal buffet lunch in the YAS President’s Suite following the opening ceremony for Phil Willis, MP, the Mayor and Mayoress of Harrogate, Council Leaders & Officers and other distinguished guests from across the Region.  This was served as a high class finger buffet in order to facilitate informal discussions prior to looking around the Business Market.

During the lunch, Peter McCormick of McCormick’s Solicitors spoke a few words on behalf of the business community.   “Since consolidating our business solely into Harrogate, we feel that there is a real buzz in Harrogate . In the last 12 months when we have been out and about selling, there is a real buzz in the business community and it hasn’t taken a dip or a hammering yet, despite the misery that other people portray.  There is a lot going on around Harrogate . In particular, what we’ve witnessed is a lot of businesses wanting to move into Harrogate , a lot of companies wanting to relocate. There are some very good reasons for that. They’ve finally woken up to the fact that in the modern world with technology and with the communications links that we have, you don’t have to be based in the centre of a major city any more, you can be based in a town that’s a delight to live in as well as work in. They have also woken up to the idea that the workforce in Harrogate is slightly more intelligent than other parts of the country! 

Our workforces, your workforces, we’ve got some really good people and you get a lot of good people in Harrogate and they can be a great advert for your companies. I think that is what people have begun to work out. We’ve got out of town developments that have also helped this momentum - we are standing in one of them right at the moment. You’ve got Cardale Park , Hornbeam Park and St James’ Park.

You’ve also got the life that you can offer people. 221 places to eat, according to Harrogate Borough Council’s website, restaurants, bars, cafes, including some real landmark businesses like Rudding Park, Hotel du Vin and similar places. We’ve got the full range of businesses from the local community here today, from the one man band and the one woman band, right through to nationally known and internationally known names. It’s a great, great place is the Harrogate region to do business in and I would like you to thank with me the Harrogate Chamber of Trade & Commerce.  
Enjoy your lunch, get networking, it’s the lifeblood of business, enjoy the afternoon and let’s make this Yorkshire Business Market the fantastic success that actually we know it will be.”

SPONSORS & SUPPORTERS

The Yorkshire Business Market was sponsored this year by the Learning & Skills Council “Train to Gain” Programme and by Business Link Yorkshire.  It was actively supported by the Ackrill Media Group and Yorkshire Post Newspapers, by Harrogate Borough Council, by Leeds Chamber of Commerce and by several professional Institutes - IBA , IoD, CIM, CIMA and STEP.   St Aidan’s C of E High School provided a team of Stewards who guided visitors.

BEST STAND PRIZES

Ackrill Media Group Editor, Jean MacQuarrie toured the Yorkshire Business Market several times and judged the best stands in three stand size categories. The winners were:

Best Small Stand:  Grant Hotel & Chimney Pots Bistro

Commended:  Artisan Metal & Cathedral Financial Planning

Best Medium Stand:  DSC Chartered Accountants & Business Advisers LLP

Commended:   Cedar Court Hotel & Netconstruct Ltd

Best Large Stand:   St. Aidan’s Catering for Schools

Commended: The Jespers OFFICE & Vivid Media

The winners were each presented with a Best Stand Certificates plus a large iced Celebration Cake specially decorated for the Yorkshire Business Market by Bettys & Taylors

EXHIBITOR FEEDBACK ANALYSIS

Analysis of 113 Exhibitor Feedback Forms received to date shows that the event met or exceeded the expectations of over 97% of the exhibitors responding.  95% wish to take part in a similar event in 2009 and the overwhelming majority of respondents (91%) would like it to be on the same day and month.  28% of respondents would like more space next year – and only one wants less space! 

So the Chamber has provisionally booked the Pavilions of Harrogate again for Monday 27th April 2009 .

FOR FURTHER DETAILS OF THE 2009 YORKSHIRE BUSINESS MARKET CONTACT:

Brian L Dunsby, Chief Executive or Maggie Hall, Chamber Administrator –

Tel: 01423 879208 (2 lines)  Fax: 01423 870025; E-mail: market@harrogatechamber.org

Web site: www.yorkshirebusinessmarket.org