Multi-million pound boost for Guild celebrations

Businesses in Preston will receive a £32 million boost when the city’s Guild celebrations start next year.

Up to one million people are expected to visit the city during the celebrations, bringing a wave of extra spenders to the city.

The Guild has already handed contracts for its marketing and website development to local companies including Preston-based web experts Interactive Dimension and Motionlab and marketing firm The Write Angle and Bespoke Internet, which are both based at Chorley.

Phil Walsh, head of the Guild Community Programme, said the spending power of the one million predicted visitors to the event would be a huge lift to city centre traders.

He said: “There is a real opportunity to draw people into Preston in huge numbers throughout the year; it is not just about the main Guild period in September.

“In 1992, there were 250,000 people out on the streets for the torch light procession through Preston, so we are expecting 2012 to be something special.”

Gayle Hewitt, head of destination marketing at Preston Council, said it had decided to hand the work to deliver the Guild campaign to Vivid as its ‘It’s On in Preston’ proposals “mirrored” the approach of the organisers.