Success for Burgess Hill Means Business: hundreds of visitors attend biggest expo in Mid Sussex

Burgess Hill Means Business, organised by Burgess Hill Business Parks Association (BHBPA), was at The Kings Centre on Friday, January 20, from 10am to 3pm.

Richard Cox, CEO of BHBPA, said the event was officially opened by Mid Sussex MP Mims Davies who met with the 65 exhibitors.

He said: “During the day there were an estimated 250 visitors, both from across Burgess Hill and from many nearby towns.”

He added that there was ‘a real buzz at the Kings Centre all day’ and said parking was well managed, which enabled more people to come along.

Richard continued: “Burgess Hill Business Parks Association (BHBPA) has seen extraordinary growth over the past 12 months. In 2022 its membership grew by over 30 per cent and as of December 2022 it had 168 members. Following the expo many more have pledged to join.”

Among the four aisles of exhibitors was Meed’s Job Club, which is building awareness among its members to realize the potential of Woodlands Meed students. Another was Community Transport Sussex who offered a free shuttle service to and from Burgess Hill railway station.

BHBPA is a representative lobbying group that is engaged with issues affecting the town centre. Richard Cox said: “We need a town centre that will help attract the very best talent – a vibrant place to live and work.”

He told the Middy: “Apart from this super event, BHBPA has monthly face-to-face meetings, an SEO optimized website business directory and a highly informative weekly newsletter with 3,500 subscribers. This is all amplified by a strong social media presence.

“One of the reasons behind our growth is the group’s distinctive focus. It is a community led organisation where best practice is shared and collaboration achieves results, whether that is sustainability issues, such as solar power generation and creating a local energy cooperative, or equality, diversity and inclusivity. This is where we get the most engagement from our very largest members, it creates a ‘trickle down’ of experience and knowledge for our larger and smaller SMEs.”

Find out more about BHBPA at www.bhbpa.co.uk.