CWAC’S (Cheshire West and Chester) London Embassy Aims To Attract Investment and New Jobs to the Borough
Cheshire West and Chester Council has launched a London Embassy aimed at attracting vital investment and new jobs to the borough.
Grosvenor Estates’ Mayfair HQ, hosted the first of a series of top level business meetings designed to spotlight West Cheshire’s qualities to the national and international world of commerce and industry.
Council Leader, Mike Jones and Chief Executive, Steve Robinson, were joined by diplomats, Government officials, leading business representatives and MPs to discuss Chester’s attractions for the financial, professional and business services sectors.
And today (Tuesday) it was revealed that German and Belgium delegations were to visit Chester as a result.
Said Cllr Jones: "West Cheshire’s Embassy will enable us to showcase the ideal locations we have to offer all types of industry and commerce at the heart of one of the country’s best transport networks.”
"We are already at the heart of a sub region which punches well above its weight in the North West, in terms of economic output and we certainly have the ambition, skills and facilities required to keep on growing.”
Added the Leader: "Initial feedback from delegates at the first Embassy meeting was very positive indeed and we have already had expressions of interest to view firsthand what the Borough has to offer.
After the meeting, Baroness Berridge tweeted: "Inspired after hearing at bfast of great dev in city of Chester.”
Andrew Mitchell, Director of Prosperity at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, highlighted the opportunity of the global economy for business and investments in localities like West Cheshire.
Delegates heard Muse Director, Phil Mayall outline the opportunities presented by his company’s City Place development, which will provide up to 440,000 sq feet of state of the art office accommodation at the heart of Chester’s Central Business Quarter.
And Mark Elliot, Head of Corporate Affairs at MBNA – currently celebrating the company’s 21st anniversary in Chester – described its local investment and why the city had been such a successful location for them.
Subjects for future West Cheshire embassy meetings include the chemical, energy and logistics and retail sectors.
Story Note:
The key selling points of Cheshire West and Chester are:-
• Quality of life
• Diverse economy across Chester, Ellesmere Port, Weaver valley towns of Winsford and Northwich and businesses based in our rural areas (over 80% of borough is Rural).
• Over 1 million population within 30 minutes drive time – over 150,000 in senior grade occupations.
• 15% employed in Financial and Business Services (over 20,000 people)
• Over 12,000 active enterprises
• Track record attracting key companies in financial services sector
• Excellent connections – motorway network, rail links (Hourly service to London, frequent to Liverpool, Manchester, B’Ham), Manchester Airport.
PHOTO CAPTION: Left-Right: Mark Elliott (Director of Corporate Affairs, MBNA), Stephen Mosley MP, Baroness Elizabeth Berridge, Steve Robinson, Councillor Mike Jones, Andrew Mitchell (Director of Prosperity, Foreign and Commonwealth Office).
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