2027 sponsors

Blackpool and the Fylde College

Headline sponsor

Blackpool and The Fylde College (B&FC) is a leading provider of workforce development and apprenticeship solutions, supporting organisations across Lancashire and beyond to build the skills they need to grow, innovate and succeed.  As a key partner to the hospitality and tourism sector, B&FC delivers industry-leading culinary and hospitality training from state-of-the-art, industry-standard facilities, developed through significant recent investment.

Alongside apprenticeships and accredited qualifications, B&FC offer flexible commercial programmes tailored to employer needs, from bespoke training and leadership development through to specialist opportunities, such as hiring professional show kitchens for team training, product development and menu innovation.

The wider offer supports the full spectrum of business needs, including leadership and management, marketing, HR and emerging areas such as strategic AI for hospitality and tourism.  B&FC work closely with employers to provide meaningful placement opportunities and to support social value and corporate responsibility goals by inspiring and developing the next generation of talent.

With a long-standing commitment to skills, stability and partnership within the sector, B&FC plays a leading role in shaping the future workforce and is at the forefront of several exciting initiatives.  These include the £65 million Multiversity development, which is transforming access to higher-level skills across the region, the award of Defence Technical Excellence College (DTEC) status and a proposed merger with Furness College in Cumbria.

Whether you are a national brand or a local business, the B&FC for Business team offers a trusted, forward-thinking training partnership to help you meet today’s challenges and prepare for tomorrow’s opportunities.

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

Destination sponsor

Blackburn with Darwen is a place where vibrant towns are surrounded by glorious, rolling countryside.  Where a strong heritage is celebrated with an exciting new cultural scene.  Where crowds turn out in their thousands for some of the country’s biggest events of the year, including the award-winning National Festival of Making, the British Textile Biennial, Darwen Live, the UK’s largest free music festival and more.   It’s a place where top names grace the stage at King George’s Hall, where top chefs cook up a culinary storm and where top BMX stars come to train at Olympic skate park facilities.

This is a place where a successful industrial past meets with a bold vision for the future and where there’s a thriving business community with a powerful entrepreneurial spirit.   It’s a place with an ‘anything is possible’ attitude, with a deep sense of community pride and with powerful partnerships as a force for good.  It’s a place with so much to see and so much to do.

Be sure to discover Blackburn with Darwen.

B & D Print Services

Printing partner

Established over 50 years, supplying quality printing and mailing to customers nationwide.  B & D are committed to delivering a reliable, flexible and responsive service.  Operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week and offering a key account management structure.  Each customer having their own personal account handler.  In-house technical support is available to all customers, providing a start to finish seamless service.

Continuous investment in technology, along with skilled and dedicated staff, have made B & D a very successful company.  Being located in a convenient position for the motorway network system, enables easy access the whole of the United Kingdom.

HARRISON DRURY SOLICITORS

Category sponsor

With over 100 years of experience advising businesses and individuals, Harrison Drury is an award winning and Legal 500 recommended law firm, with offices across the North West in Preston, Garstang, Lancaster, Clitheroe and Kendal.  A people business with relationships at the heart.  The strength of the business is fundamentally rooted in the relationships with clients and communities which are formed, maintained, and enhanced by the people who work at Harrison Drury and the service they provide.  A working environment is created at Harrison Drury which attracts ambitious, talented and dynamic people who will provide the services clients want and need both now and in the future.

Harrison Drury have a team of solicitors across a range of legal disciplines who have significant experience in supporting businesses operating in the leisure sector.   They have a passion for the leisure sector, are advocates for the industry, and have a wealth of experience in providing services to the sector.  Harrison Drury combine the best of both worlds for their clients, providing the latest legal knowledge and insight with real experience of your sector.

Insight6

Judging partner

Insight6 is a customer experience (CX) specialist with a team covering the entire UK and Ireland.  Working with over 1,200 clients to measure, through the range of CX tools, the entire end-to-end customer journey.

Customer experience is fast becoming the number one reason why a customer would choose your business, overtaking price as the key brand differentiator.  Using their unique icx6 model, insight6 can partner you to map, train and motivate your team to provide an unforgettable customer experience.

The team of highly experienced customer experience directors each have brilliant local knowledge on the businesses within their region.  The CXD team has individual expertise in a number of sectors including law, pharmaceutical, retail and education and provide the very best service when it comes to training and mentoring.  When you work with insight6, transformation comes as standard.

Links Signs and Graphics

Category sponsor

Links Signs and Graphics have a long association with the leisure industry and it remains a very important sector to the business, over the years they have formed strong links with many of the major names who are active across the Fylde Coast and further afield.

Links Signs and Graphics are more than just a sign maker, creating full colour signage and display graphics, small, large and super-wide formats for use indoors or outdoors.  This includes applications such as exhibition stands, illuminated displays, signage, billboards, ambient media and many more bespoke items.

Northern Print Distribution

Category sponsor

Northern Print Distribution (NPD) provides an essential link between tourism businesses and their audience.  Distributing over 25 million pieces of print on behalf of tourism businesses large and small to more than 7,000 outlets across the North of England.  NPD can help you implement an effective leaflet marketing campaign, that will drive crucial footfall to your business.

NPD distribution will get your message to the right place at the right time.  Their services involve geographical and digital online distribution; marketing advice and planning; design and print; targeted leaflet distribution; storage and delivery of your marketing materials; leaflet display; monitoring and distribution reporting.  From planning to implementation and reporting, NPD has more than ten years of proven success in the tourism and leisure markets and offers a hassle free service that works.

PM+M

Category sponsor

With over 100 years of experience in advising local businesses and individuals, PM+M is recognised as one of the leading chartered accountancy, business advisory and financial planning firms in Lancashire.

PM+M’s team of over 165 specialists provide services to meet all financial requirements (whether business-related or personal), spanning all areas of audit, accounting and advisory, cloud accounting, corporate finance, financial planning, payroll and tax.  With deep roots in Lancashire, PM+M is incredibly proud to support the local business community, offering fresh thinking, diverse skills and industry insights to assist clients of all sizes across a range of sectors, including a wealth of experience acting for clients in the leisure sector.