Durham is a great place to live, work and invest. That’s the message the county’s leaders took right to the heart of government recently, where influential figures from the county, including our very own Allan Cook, demonstrated their passion for the area during a reception at the Houses of Parliament.
Hosted by Phil Wilson, MP for Sedgefield, and organised by Durham County Council, the event aimed to showcase all that the county has to offer, particularly for businesses and potential investors.
Invited guests, who included financiers, investors, property developers, MPs, members of the House of Lords, Government ministers and civil servants, also heard about the county’s Powered by People initiative and #Durham19 Year of Culture.
Those in attendance included Greg Clark MP, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Northern Powerhouse minister Jake Berry MP and a wide variety of representatives from outside the county.
Cllr Simon Henig, Leader of Durham County Council, said: “Durham really is a fantastic place for so many reasons. For those looking to bring their business here we have some great locations supported by excellent infrastructure and a wide range of thriving businesses just waiting to work alongside you. Our quality of life is also hard to beat, with stunning coast and countryside, world-class culture and warm and welcoming people.
“But if we do want people to invest in our area and support our ambition for the growth of the county, we need to make sure they know exactly what it is that we can offer them. The event at Westminster gave not just us but many of the organisations who are already enjoying success here in Durham the chance to really shout about all that’s great about the area.”
Mr Wilson said: “It was a privilege to host Durham County Council in Westminster. Durham is a great place to live and work with some great businesses. I would strongly recommend businesses locate in Durham because they always receive a great service from the county council and are made very welcome by the people who live there.”
Guests heard presentations by speakers including Cllr Henig; Terry Collins, Chief Executive of Durham County Council; Anne-Isabelle Daulon, CEO of Eleven Arches, the company responsible for Kynren; Brian Archer, managing director of Business Durham; and Arlington Managing Director Allan Cook.