The Bath Business Expo is back for 2015, and the organisers are confident it is going to be the best so far.
“It’s about bringing a wide variety of local businesses together as part of one business community, breaking down barriers and build a sense of community”
The event is being held tomorrow (4 March) from 10am to 3pm at the Assembly Rooms in Bath. Last year’s business Expo had 400 visitors and had a total of 72 exhibitors, and they are hoping for a much larger turn out this year.
We caught up with the Director of the Bath Business Expo, James Tribe, to find out more.
“This event is about several things,” James explains. “It is about bringing regional business people together and creating new business opportunities. It’s about bringing a wide variety of local businesses together as part of one business community, break down barriers and build a sense of community which itself helps drive growth and opportunity.
“Experts on all sorts of business matters will be on hand to advise and educate”
“Experts on all sorts of business matters will be on hand to advise and educate. I’d like it to be a statement of intent for Bath and something that shows off its business credentials, which I think are improving all the time at the moment.”
Better than before
So how are they going to ensure it is better this year? “We’ve asked the exhibitors the same question after the first Expo and we believe we’ve improved the format by creating a bigger event with more going on that attracts as many regional business people as possible. It’s the level of interaction between business people that will make it successful.”
Bath Business Expo is set to have a larger more varied amount of motivational speakers and other contributors than last year’s 72. James told us: “I think they are all stars in their own right, and that people will book in to see them because the subject of the talk means something to their business at this moment.
“I chose all of them because I think they will each draw people to the event and I would like to sit and watch them all. Sorry for hedging but it is the truth!”
Calling school leavers
The expo also has opportunities for the young: “At the Expo we’re delighted to partner with The City of Bath College and their apprenticeship scheme,” explains James, “and we’d like to encourage young people to participate – it’s so useful for local business, look at Rotork for example as to how many young people they take on.”
Plans for expansion?
With the Expo’s previous successes will other areas of the South West like Bristol and Keynsham get their own Expo? “We don’t know yet,” says James, “we’re taking it one event at a time. We’re certainly going to organise further Bath events we hope with ever larger turn outs!”
Thanks to James for taking time out of his busy schedule to answer our questions. You can find out more about the event and the speakers at the Bath Business Expo website and keep up with their latest news on their Twitter account: @bathexpo
