15th March 2002
POSITIVE PERCEPTION SHIFT AS BARNSLEY GETS MESSAGE ACROSS

Barnsley Development Agency (BDA) is celebrating overwhelmingly positive feedback from its first ever property breakfast which was held recently to inform the Leeds commercial property sector about everything the borough has to offer potential investors.

Over half of the respondents said their impressions of Barnsley had positively changed during the course of the event, and almost 95% said they would now recommend or consider Barnsley as a business location.

Pictured: (L-R) Ian McMillan, Paul Barber, David Kennedy and John Penney celebrating the success of BDA's inaugural property breakfast in Leeds. Perceptions of Barnsley in the commercial property community have begun to change as a result, with 95% of respondents saying they would now recommend or consider Barnsley as a business location.

Further more of the many delegates responding, nearly 80% said the event was very good or good. Around 100 delegates attended the property breakfast, where the keynote speech was delivered by Paul Barber of Priority Sites. Other speakers included John Penney, Chief Executive of Barnsley Development Agency; David Kennedy, Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council's executive director of environment and development; and the 'Barnsley Bard', Ian McMillan.

John Penney commented: "We embarked on our inaugural property breakfast in Leeds to get the message across to key decision makers who have real influence over where wealth and job creating businesses choose to locate. Barnsley has some fantastic success stories to tell, and a massive part of the battle in turning around often negative perceptions is to communicate a clear and concise message that Barnsley values business."

For further information on Barnsley Development Agency call us on (01226) 784444.

If you require any further information please email us.

Barnsley Development Agency
Beevor Court, Pontefract Road, Barnsley S71 1HG
Telephone: +44 (0)1226 784444

© 2002