FSB EXPO 2011 28 April - a BIG success! 

The FSB's 4th EXPO exhibition at the East Sussex national Golf resort near Uckfield, lived up to its billing as bigger, better bolder!  220 exhibitors, visitors and VIPs gathered as a celebration of all that is best in the south east and East Sussex economy.

Richard Ashworth, MEP spokesperson for Agricultural and Rural Affairs opened the event, followed by impassioned speeches in support of small businesses place in the economy and community by John Walker, FSB National Chairman and Chris Dowling, Vice Chairman of East Sussex County Council.

Charles Hendry, MP for Wealden and Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change and Stephen Lloyd MP for Eastbourne and Wealden toured around the 42 exhibitors with Lord Brett McLean FSB Regional Chairman to gain an up to date picture of the small business scene.

The exhibitors and seminar programme fully supported the themes of business to business, business to consumer, education to business and rural business.  Brett McLean added: 'EXPO is the only sizeable business show in the beautiful rural hinterland of East Sussex and as such is unique'.

Seminar programme, VIPs attended and exhibitor listing

Quite a bit of business was completed on the day - anecdotally to the tune of £125,000, and here are some of our visitor and exhibitor comments:

‘Calm and yet busy for professional trade visitors'

B Hamilton MB Commerce Ltd

‘Excellent effort on part of local FSB to help and inspire its membership' Ronald C Gee, East Sussex Medical Events and Training Service

‘An excellent opportunity to meet like minded people'

Jackie Appleton, Experience Holidays

‘It has allowed us to spread our brand further into the small business community'

Duncan Porter, Adept Telecom

‘I have introduced the centre to people who did not know about us and networked with people who I already knew, reminding them we were there' Claire Duc, Newhaven Enterprise Centre

‘We made new contacts and reminded people of our existence'

Linda Carr Taylor, Carr Taylor Wines Limited

‘Established potential for future collaboration with the FSB'

Les Newell, Wealden District Council

‘Learnt new marketing and networking techniques'

Ian Douglas, Douglas Adjusting Limited

‘Gained some good new contacts and raised the profile of the company name' Jeremy Green, Let's Do Business Group.

‘Met with several companies I would not have found so quickly. Seminars very useful' Richard Marchant, Informed design.

‘Useful contacts, marketing presence and strengthening existing relationships' Alan Jackson, Jackson Wealth Management.

The final words rest with our National Chairman, John Walker

I would like to congratulate you and your colleagues on such a wonderful event which I was pleased to attend...in particular the number of politicians you had present was a highlight...'

East Sussex FSB Regional Chairman Lord Brett McLean, concluded

‘overall the feeling amongst our visitors at EXPO 2011 is that the economy locally is buoyant and growing in strength. This supports the recent FSB ‘Voice of Business Index' which showed a rise in business confidence of 6.7 percent in the first quarter of 2011. Nationally, 36 percent of small firms expect overall business performance to improve in the next three months. Our part of the south East of England appears to be doing a good job to make this a reality'.