'˜We can benefit from this boom'

Leisure businesses in the county must offer customers the chance to experience Lancashire to make the most of a new spending trend.
CEREMONY: The BibasCEREMONY: The Bibas
CEREMONY: The Bibas

Alison Tootill, Station Director at the region’s biggest radio station, Smooth Radio, said new research showed Britons are increasingly ditching big ticket items in favour of “little and often” spending on experiences.

The study by accountancy firm Deloitte showed activities such as visits to restaurants and cafes were the leisure activities which 95 per cent of 3,000 people surveyed had spent money on in the first quarter.

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But, it also showed that a large amount of people were spending their money on in-home leisure, a market now worth an estimated £5.8 billion.

Alison Tootill said: “Leisure is no longer exclusively something people leave their homes to do and it is important to recognise that.

“Whether it is streaming films or television or listening to music at home, technology means people have a lot more choice around how they spend their disposable income these days. But, what leisure businesses in Lancashire have in their favour is the ability to offer experiences which people could only get by visiting locations in the county.”

The station director led the judging panel for the Leisure Business of the Year category of the Be Inspired Business Awards, the BIBAs, which sees eight Lancashire businesses competing to be named the best in the county.

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The finalists include the Sandcastle Water Park and Winter Gardens venue in Blackpool, Preston Grasshoppers RFC and the Clifton Buying Group, which is involved in a range of sectors including hospitality, retail and healthcare.

The 19 prizes which will be handed out at its prize-giving ceremony at The Blackpool Tower in September.