The directors behind The Business Culture Hull and East Yorkshire (HEY) are celebrating after the organisation’s first large-scale public event was met with a hugely positive response.
The Hull Business Expo, which was held on Wednesday 10 April inside Princes Quay Shopping Centre, attracted over 5,000 people from across the city, the county and even further afield. This makes it the biggest event ever to be held in the shopping centre’s 33-year history and a pioneering example of how retail spaces can collaborate with the business community.
Tony Bowler, Managing Director at The Business Culture HEY, said: “We packed out both the foyer and the expo space, which have a combined area of around 18,000 square feet. We even had retailers from across Princes Quay popping down to thank us for drawing so much foot traffic to the shopping centre, as it also resulted in a significant increase in their daily takings.”
The Hull Business Expo presented 78 exhibitors from across the city and the wider region promoting their products and services. Visitors came from as far away as Harrogate, Leeds, Sheffield, Rotherham and Manchester, making it a truly Northern business event. As a result, local businesses were given a unique opportunity to spread awareness of their offerings and forge valuable new connections.
Pete Mills, a presenter at 107FM who was broadcasting live from the event on the day, had this to say: “This is brilliant, I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s great for the city – well done!”
Lee Cronshaw, Director of Lee Chinese Style Therapy, said: “I have worked for companies who turn over £200-£300 million and exhibited for them at huge national exhibitions, but I have never had the interest that I received at the Hull Business Expo.”
Other feedback included:
“Wow – what a day! Never been to an expo like it. So much going on and the energy was fantastic.”
“We have exhibited in London and Manchester and never had as much interaction as we have had at The Hull Business Expo. It’s been a blast – thank you!”
Michelle Bowler, Director at The Business Culture HEY, said: “The key to success was constant collaboration with the local business community, open communication throughout its development, and of course plenty of teamwork. By connecting and engaging with so many businesses, we attracted thousands of people to the Hull Business Expo, Princes Quay and Hull city centre. It exceeded our expectations and has set an ambitious target for future events.”
Tony added: “The Hull Business Expo was such a huge success that we’ve already booked Princes Quay for Wednesday 2 April 2025. We’ll be working alongside Tokyo Industries to make full use of the shopping centre, so it’s going to be even bigger and better than our inaugural event.”
To find out more about the many benefits offered by membership to The Business Culture HEY, visit www.thebusinessculture.co.uk/hey.