East Durham Business Network, which was launched three years ago to support the area’s thriving economy and stimulate growth, is to expand.
The expansion will officially open up the network to areas including Belmont, Bowburn, Sedgefield, the Trimdons and Durham City.
An event to officially roll out the expansion will take place on Wednesday, October 2, at the Radisson Blu hotel in Durham and businesses are urged to book their place (https://www.businessdurham.co.uk/event-details/east-durham-business-network-meeting).
The larger network will be led by existing co-chairmen Ranj Gill and Gursh Kahlon, directors of commercial property company Clearwater Developments, and Leanne Fawcett, owner of communication and design agency LEC.
Business Durham will provide ongoing support to the network, but it will be driven by the business community and plans for the creation of a steering group to drive its continued development are being discussed.
Gursh Kahlon said: “Over the past year or so East Durham Business Network has grown rapidly, attracting businesses from across County Durham and the wider North East area.
“In response to that, and our dialogue with employers from the likes of Belmont and Bowburn, it has become clear that there is a desire to create a larger network which will support County Durham’s economic growth and encourage businesses to work together to create a stronger community which nurtures home-grown firms and provides innovative global companies and our larger inward investors with the perfect location from which to grow.
“However, the expansion of the network must be driven by the business community so this launch event will look to see what sort of appetite there is for it.”
The event will also look at the possibility of rolling out the flagship East Durham Business magazine, which was launched four years ago and has become firmly established as one of the leading business publications in the North East.
Leanne Fawcett said: “There is real potential to expand the reach of East Durham Business magazine, in line with the expansion of our network, but as with the network, it must be driven by demand from the business community.
“We rely on sponsorship and advertising revenue to cover production costs, so if businesses are prepared to support it we will look to expand. The magazine is an excellent platform to showcase the many diverse and innovative companies that call County Durham their home, so we really do hope they get behind it and make it their own.”
