Partner Article

Xcel gears up for major event

THE region’s newest conference and events centre is preparing to host its third – and possibly its biggest – business gathering.

As many as 1,500 would-be entrepreneurs are expected to attend the North-East Franchising Exhibition at the Xcel Centre, in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, on Friday, May 7.

The event – the first franchising symposium of its kind in the North-East - is being staged by Be Franchising, a “not for private profit” organisation based in nearby Shildon, which was set up to help more people get into their own franchise business.

“In the six months since Xcel Centre opened, it has been one first after another,” says centre manager Kerina Clark. “The North-East Franchising Exhibition will be our first franchising event, not to mention the region’s – and it will also involve our first ‘drive-in’, as exhibiting companies will be the first to bring vehicles into the main auditorium to demonstrate in full detail their business activities.”

The auditorium, which has a moveable stage and a capacity of up to 1,200, will be at the centre of the day-long exhibition.

The North-East Franchising Exhibition will include about 40 tried-and-tested franchised brands from across the UK who are actively recruiting franchisees in County Durham and throughout the North East. It is a free event, running from 10am to 5pm.

Scott Galloway, of Be Franchising, says: “Until now, the North-East has been badly represented in terms of franchising events such as this. The closest they’ve come is Manchester and Glasgow. There are undoubtedly a lot of frustrated entrepreneurs in this area and we’re very excited thatwe have been able to put together this fantastic opportunity to explore a wide range of franchising opportunities.

The Xcel Centre, a 33,000sq ft complex on a 4.25-acre site on Newton Aycliffe Business Park, has already hosted two hugely successful business events – welcoming Network North’s Business Roadshow Tees Valley on February 24 and Business Link’s The Innovation Factory on March 18.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .