Lancaster's first Expo is huge success

The two-day event, designed to showcase the very best of business in north Lancashire, saw 100 exhibitions and more than 2,000 visitors to the site at Lancaster Brewery.

Alistair Eagles, president of the Lancaster & District Chamber of Commerce, which designed, organised and hosted the Expo, said: “This is a fantastic area with huge potential and I truly believe that we are right on the cusp of a really exciting period.

“As president of the Lancaster & District Chamber of Commerce as we celebrate our 120th year, I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone that made the event possible.

“To our sponsors, to our volunteers, to the Chamber team but primarily to the exhibitors.

“The effort and thoughts that they put into their stands was truly remarkable and it was amazing to hear the conversations going on and the connections being made.

“Ultimately the Chamber is here to support and facilitate local business, but it is you the people in those companies that actually makes the magic happen!

“Plans are already afoot for the 2018 Expo which will come back bigger and better.”

The Expo itself was experimental and deviated from the normal format of a Business to Business (B2B) Expo by having a day dedicated to the community on the Sunday.

Vicky Lofthouse, chief executive officer of the Chamber, said: “We are very excited at having the opportunity to run what we believe is the first Expo in the district.

“We believe we have well and truly been vindicated by running a two-day event, and focussing on the community on one day, and B2B the next.

“Whilst we don’t think we pioneered the idea, I think we have certainly set the new standard for regional Expos!

“I’d like to thank all our exhibitors, and the staff at Lancaster Brewery who helped put on such a great event.

“In addition I would like to thank our main sponsors The Bay Radio, Lancaster City Council, Black Bear IT, Lancashire Manufacturing Growth Fund, Lancaster University, and Uniform and Leisure, as well as all our other sponsors.

“We really look forward to 2018.”