Businesses back festival as inaugural event looms

FOB Article

A new festival dedicated to celebrating and supporting entrepreneurship in Lancashire has earned the backing of some of the county’s biggest businesses, along with a host of prominent entrepreneurs lined up as guest speakers.

The first-ever Lancashire Festival of Business will take place on Thursday 1 February at the Dunkenhalgh Hotel in Clayton-le-Moors. It will feature talks, panel debates and masterclasses covering topics such as funding, recruitment, leadership, strategy, boosting sales and getting started with ESG.

Delegates will be inspired by the stories and expertise of Lancashire figures such as Edwin Booth, executive chairman of supermarket chain Booths, Paul Fox, CEO of the rapidly-growing Fox Group, Jen Briggs, head of HR and partnerships at Lancashire's leading hospitality group, James' Places and Paul White, once a Modern Milkman and now founder and CEO of PatchApp UK.

Rob Binns, founder of Cotton Court, and Caroline Noblett, the new managing director of fulfilment business Granby have also recently been unveiled as guest speakers.

The festival has been created by Lancashire Business View in partnership with Boost, Lancashire’s Business Growth Hub, and is supported by chartered accountants PM+M and award-winning law firm Napthens.

Organisations including Brown & Co, CG Professional, Chorley Council, the Department for Business & Trade, Rossendale Borough Council and South Ribble Borough Council will be exhibiting on the day, sharing their expertise and answering questions for those in attendance. 

Jamie Allison, partner and head of real estate of Preston head-quartered Napthens, said: “We’re delighted to be supporting this fantastic event, as we look to celebrate and support businesses and promote entrepreneurship across this great county of ours.

“Lancashire is a hotbed of innovation, and by coming together at unique gatherings like this, we can share information and opportunities, tackle challenges and bring together people from a wide range of businesses to discuss experiences and offer advice.

“On our part, we’ll bring the best expertise, guidance and inspiration from a wide cross-section of the legal profession, including employment law, HR, commercial, rural, licencing and corporate, to ensure Lancashire’s thriving business community continues to grow and be supported to go further.”

Helen Clayton, managing partner of Blackburn-based PM+M, said: “PM+M is delighted to be supporting what promises to be a fantastic event in celebration and support of business and entrepreneurship across the Lancashire business community and beyond.

“We look forward to welcoming many businesses from across the county to collaborate in sharing expertise, ideas and inspiration.”

Andrew Leeming, Boost programme manager, said: “The Lancashire Festival of Business will be a unique opportunity for those growing, scaling or starting businesses to gain insight and intelligence on key issues for the Lancashire economy.

“The strength of the lineup of speakers so far is a testament to the passion that our business leaders have for our county. I’m looking forward to hearing their inspirational stories and tips as well as meeting with new entrepreneurs and leaders who are growing brilliant businesses across Lancashire which Boost hasn’t yet supported.”

The festival will feature a main stage (the inspiration zone) alongside Boost zone, masterclass stage (the learning zone), one-to-one zone and refreshment zone.

Confirmed speakers so far are:

  • Rob Binns, founder, Cotton Court
  • Edwin Booth, executive chairman, Booths
  • Jen Briggs, head of HR and partnerships, James' Places
  • Helen Clayton, managing partner, PM+M
  • Paul Fox, CEO, Fox Group
  • Mark Gibbons, senior specialist, Access 2 Finance
  • Andrew Leeming, programme manager, Boost
  • Caroline Noblett, managing director, Granby
  • Adam Turner, managing director, Chorley Group
  • Paul White, founder and CEO, PatchApp UK

Stephen Bolton, managing director of festival organisers Lancashire Business View, said: “We are delighted with the response from the business community and are grateful for their support of this brand-new event.

“We were ambitious in our aims for this festival: bringing together the very best expertise, guidance, market intelligence and inspiration from across Lancashire’s business support community and beyond to help inspire current and future entrepreneurs.

“The heavyweight backers of the festival and the calibre of speakers who will be sharing their insight on the day highlight what a fantastic event this is going to be.”

Tickets for the event are now available here, at £40+vat for individuals and £70+vat for a pair of tickets.

For sponsorship opportunities including exhibition options please contact Stephen Bolton on [email protected] or 07966 090175 or Joanne Hindley on [email protected] or 07442 949697.

Enjoyed this? Read more from Lancashire Business View

Latest news

1

Construction begins on new Civil Service office building in Talbot Gateway Alan McBride Muse Will Town Defence Infrastructure Organisation Jennifer Chard Defence Business Services Cllr Lynn Williams Blackpool Council Garry Bowker Vinci

Construction begins on new Civil Service office building in Talbot Gateway

20 May 2025

2

Skiddle raises over £750,000 for charities Skiddle cheque presentation to Alder Hey Hospital

Skiddle raises over £750,000 for charities

20 May 2025

3

Former Victorian Hotel approved for residential conversion The site

Former Victorian Hotel approved for residential conversion

19 May 2025

4

REVOLUTION PARK: Work starts on Darwen’s new home of advanced manufacturing Oliver Webber, Tracy Clavell-Bate and Tim Webber from Barnfield Group with Cllr Phil Riley, second from right, Leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council

REVOLUTION PARK: Work starts on Darwen’s new home of advanced manufacturing

19 May 2025

5

Two Cuckoo Gins named winners in The Gin Guide Awards 2025 Mark Long

Two Cuckoo Gins named winners in The Gin Guide Awards 2025

19 May 2025

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
LBV122 May/June Launch Event
121 Lancashire Business View Magazine Launch
Networking
21 May 2025

LBV122 May/June Launch Event

Lancaster and Morecambe College, Lancaster, LA1 2TY

08:30 - 10:30

Sub36 Networking
Networking
11 Jun 2025

Sub36 Networking

British Jewellery School, Scorton, PR3 1BA

15:00 - 17:00

Lancashire Net Zero Carbon Conference
Net Zero Carbon Social 1200pxtrident 2
Networking
18 Jun 2025

Lancashire Net Zero Carbon Conference

Crow Wood Hotel & Spa Resort, Burnley, BB12 0RT

08:30 - 13:00

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025
BEC 315 X 315 Px
Networking
25 Sep 2025

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025

Blackpool Football Club, Blackpool, FY1 6HX

08:30 - 13:00

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

RISE - The Academy for Female Leaders and Managers
WENDY BOWERS RISE Illustrstion copy.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
02 Apr 2025 - 08 Oct 2025

RISE - The Academy for Female Leaders and Managers

East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, Clayton le Moors, BB5 5JR

09:00 - 15:30

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire
LBV Hub Networking
22 May 2025 - 22 May 2025

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire

Mytton Fold, Langho, BB6 8AB

11:30 - 14:15

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: May
Freelancer Meet-Up May.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
22 May 2025 - 22 May 2025

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: May

society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

10:00 - 11:30

Amber River True Bearing quarterly investment seminar
LBV Hub Seminars
22 May 2025 - 22 May 2025

Amber River True Bearing quarterly investment seminar

Cottons Hotel & Spa , Knutsford, WA16 0SU

16:00 - 18:00

Liverpool Business Expo 2025
https---cdn.evbuc.com-images-881365363-4862066883-1-original.20241023-085714.jpeg.jpg
LBV Hub Awards
23 May 2025 - 23 May 2025

Liverpool Business Expo 2025

Aintree Racecourse , Liverpool , L9 5AS

09:00 - 15:00

Advantage: AI – A Workshop for Business Leaders – May 29
Artboard 15.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
29 May 2025 - 29 May 2025

Advantage: AI – A Workshop for Business Leaders – May 29

Door4 Office, Burnley Wharf, Manchester Road, Burnley, BB11 1JG

09:00 - 11:00

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more LBV122 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin