Hundreds enjoy first Swindon Business Show

Hundreds of people from Wiltshire and beyond enjoyed networking, seminars and trade stands at Swindon´s first Business Show yesterday - although Prime Minister David Cameron wasn´t one of them.

There was growing expectation as the day went on that the PM would drop in after his high-profile visit to Honda, across town.

A delegation of high level officials, including Swindon Council leader Roderick Bluh and chief executive Gavin Jones were dispatched to the entrance hall of the STEAM railway museum in Swindon to meet Mr Cameron.

In the event his visit to Honda reportedly over-ran, and excitement turned to disappointment as it became clear the PM´s unpublicised whistle-stop visit would not be happening.

Meanwhile, representatives of 500 local businesses networked over coffee or during one of two special ´speed networking´ events, brushed up on the latest intelligence from the worlds of social media, marketing, networking and trade marks as the leading authorities delivered seminars, and browsed the 80 trade stands manned by local companies, business organisations and government departments.

The event was organised by GWE Business West and sponsored by Lloyds TSB Commercial. Apart from the seminars, which cost a very reasonable £5 each, the event was free to attend. 

Running alongside the event was the fourth Swindon Strategic Economic Partnership Conference, during which Robert Gardner, chief economist of Swindon-based Nationwide, said Swindon was well positioned to weather the recession, but warned recovery would not be easy. 

And the day started early for some delegates with the Swindon Chamber of Commerce business breakfast, at which Dr Kegang Wu, chief China advisor to the British Chambers of Commerce, encouraged firms to invest in, and do business with, China.