Following an enforced break, BINGLEY Business Expo is back for its fourth year and aiming to rescale the heights of success it enjoyed from 2017 – 2019!
One of the fastest-growing business-to-business events in the Bradford district, the first Bingley Business Expo (BBE) was held in 2017 and it received such a good response that more than half of the exhibitors signed up immediately for the 2018 event.
Not surprisingly, the organisers say this year’s event – which takes place at Bingley Arts Centre, on Wednesday, September 27th – will be bigger and better than ever!
The event will be opened by the Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Gerry Barker, at 9.30am.
The brainchild of local businesswoman – Rachel Barratt, of digital marketing agency Aire Media, BBE 2023 will have almost 30 businesses and organisations putting their wares on show.
“I’ve been blown away by the support we’ve received for this year’s Expo,” says Rachel. “The response before Covid was great but I had no idea it would strike such a chord with local companies, and we’d reach a point where we’ve now run out of space!”
Some indication of how word has got around can be seen from the fact the businesses involved are based in all corners of the Aire Valley.
“I don’t think people realise what a diverse and creative place Bingley is,” Rachel added. “Many think of business in terms of just high street shops but there are lots of areas of the town where some thriving and inspiring firms and industries are tucked away.
Bingley Business Expo is on a mission to showcase the skills, expertise and services of those businesses based in Bingley and the Aire Valley and help to put the area on the business map. The organisers want to encourage businesses to work together, make the most of the services available on their doorstep and attract attention from further afield.
Andrew Milnes Business Principal of Mortgage Advice Bureau Bingley, the Headline Sponsor of the event said, “Bingley Business Expo is great for Bingley, it really adds to the town, and we’re delighted to be involved as sponsor once again”.
Colin Darley of Event Sponsor Eagle Safety Associates Ltd added “We have made some great contacts at previous Expos so the chance to be a sponsor and be involved again was a no brainer for us.”
The organisers are also proud the event raises money for local good cause Manorlands Hospice at Oxenhope. The Manorlands team commented “We are so grateful to the team at Bingley Business Expo for choosing to support us, they are helping us be there when it matters for more people”.
“We felt it was important to use the opportunity to give something back to the local community and raising money for such a brilliant cause is the perfect way to do it,” says Rachel.
This year’s BBE certainly has a something-for-everyone feel to it.
Exhibitors range from the Federation of Small Businesses, as well as solicitors, insurance and tax experts, IT specialists, property consultants, a recruitment agency, and a networking group – all of which you might well expect to see at such an event.
But what makes BBE so special is that it also caters for businesses who are either looking for sponsors, who want to showcase their event space or corporate offering or who want to team up with local businesses to provide opportunities for students, from Shipley College, from to one of the town’s bars and social venues, from a casino-restaurant to a local printing company.
The event is free to business delegates who are asked to register here.