Aycliffe Business Responds to the Call

The launch of Aycliffe Business Community attracted over 100 local companies to the Xcel Centre last Friday, all keen to know how this new group could improve their business and bring Aycliffe industry and commerce together.

It was an encouraging turnout of almost half the businesses operating here and they were all very pleased to hear how this intitiative would help them, and the promotion of Aycliffe Business Park as a major source of supplies and services to the region and nationally. Aycliffe is the second largest industrial estate in the north employing over 8,000 people and with Hitachi coming should start to make itself heard.

Breakfast was provided and a business card draw was held with an Ipad as a prize. Our MP Phil Wilson was present and he remarked how Aycliffe has, up until now, punched below its weight. He welcomed the formation of the new group and promised any help he could to support its aims and objects.

Durham County Council Business Development team have been a great help financing a good part of what has been achieved so far, the most successful service being the creation of Aycliffe’s own website. It will be up to the businesses in Aycliffe on how successful the movement will be in the future.

John Parnell Development Manager visits Aycliffe every Monday afternoon and is available to talk to business leaders over a cuppa at Starbucks, at the Xcel Centre.

“The website is brilliant and a very useful tool for everyone to use, offering links to their own websites. Every business in Ayclife should take the opportunity to register and see the benefits for themselves in logging on www.aycliffebusinesspark.co.uk” said Chairperson of the Steering Group Pamela Petty, Ebac’s M.D.

In the Question and Answer session business representatives asked how they could get involved with local schools, how the environment could be improved by grasscutting, pothole repairs and whether it was possible to combine training facilities on the park.

Answering questions for the steering group were Kerina Clark, Dave Spensley, Paul Stiller, John Findley, Amanda Hird, helped by Sarah Slaven from Durham Business Development.

A programme of events is scheduled for 2013 and includes networking and meetings to aid businesses in Aycliffe, details of which are on the website.