Be Inspired Business Awards cost is spent in Lancashire

The North and Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce said it has secured 76 per cent of the suppliers for the prize-giving ceremony of the Be Inspired Business Awards, the BIBAs, from within the county.

A further 12 per cent of the suppliers to the ceremony at the Blackpool Tower in September come from the rest of the North West, meaning just 12 per cent coming from outside the region.

Chamber chief executive Babs Murphy said the ceremony’s A-list celebrities were the only people being hired from the rest of the country. She said: “The BIBAs entertainment has become legendary with our previous headline acts including opera star Russell Watson and Spandau Ballet’s Tony Hadley, so we have had to go international in search of the star of this year’s show.”

Suppliers include chauffeur transport provided by Fylde Executive Cars, accommodation by The Big Blue Hotel and The Imperial in Blackpool, chocolates by West Lancashire-based ChocAmor.

The main caterer for the awards at the Blackpool Tower on September 12 is Heathcote and Co, with further catering services supplied by Preston-based Café Fresch and Derek A Smith Catering.

Gary Iddon, General Manager for Scotland and the North for Virgin Trains which is sponsoring the Excellence in Customer Service awards at the BIBAs 2014, said “Through our long-standing relationship with the BIBAs we know a wealth of Lancashire companies hold the values of excellent customer service in high esteem. It is for this reason that Virgin Trains is once again sponsoring the BIBAs.”