Member Article

Grand Depart Business festival opened by Lord Livingston "will generate £20 million"

An International Business Festival to support the Yorkshire Grand Depart will generate £20 million in new business and “create a lasting legacy to boost the regional economy” according to the UKTI and Welcome to Yorkshire.

Officially launched by trade minister Lord Livingston, UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), Welcome to Yorkshire and partners, the three-day event this summer will showcase the very best the regional business community has to offer.

Organisers are striving to capitalise on the global appeal of Le Tour to promote the opportunities to visit and do business in Yorkshire, and deliver commercial benefits stretching far beyond the end of the race on the Champs Elysees.

Trade minister Lord Livingston said: “The eyes of the world will be watching Le Tour, and the Festival provides a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate on a global stage the strength of Yorkshire and UK business in terms of creativity, quality and world-class manufacturing.

“The festival will also be an opportunity for Yorkshire firms to get support and advice from UKTI’s expert advisors on how to get their exports into a higher gear.”

The Festival will run from 2-4 July 2014 around two main business hubs at The Carriage Works in Leeds and the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield. York and Harrogate will also host events for the North Yorkshire community.

The festival will also see a 48 hour ‘Gamejam’ to provide a novel platform for regional game developers to demonstrate their innovative ideas and creative flair.

Mark Robson, regional director of UKTI, is urging the business community to embrace and support the festival. He said: “The Grand Depart provides a fantastic opportunity to showcase the innovation, entrepreneurial spirit and leadership that has put local companies at the forefront of the global race.

“We’re determined to deliver a flagship business spectacle befitting the arrival of the world’s largest annual sporting event.

“Many local companies already have plans in place to bring clients or potential customers over for the race, and there will be unique opportunities to network and gain expert insight. That is the foundations of the legacy programme we are striving to deliver.”

Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, added: “Hosting the Grand Départ here in Yorkshire is a once in a lifetime opportunity and we want to showcase what the county has to offer across all industries and sectors.

“This will be the first ever festival of its kind and it will be our chance to show that Yorkshire is the place to do business.”

Bdaily spoke to Gary at the event, and assured us that not only was Yorkshire ready to host one of the biggest sporting events in the world, it would certainly thrive on it.

Roger Marsh, Chair of Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership, commented: “As an emerging economic powerhouse the Grand Depart International Business Festival presents Leeds City Region with an unrivalled opportunity to showcase our strengths and opportunities to a global audience.

“Inward investment is a key pillar in our Strategic Economic Plan and working with Leeds and Partners we will be using the festival to demonstrate our compelling and competitive offer and present a transformational economic story for the North.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Clare Burnett .