Debut networking event proves popular with locals

To talk about the issues of the day, Goodwood Racecourse hosted its first business networking event on a day of racing.

The world-famous racecourse invited businesses from Hampshire, West Sussex and Surrey to take part in a question-and-answer session that was hosted by Paul Barber, chief executive of Brighton & Hove Albion, and Alex Williamson, CEO of the Goodwood Estate, to discuss and debate the issues.

Alex Eade, general manager of the racecourse, said on the day: ‘The event is about combining the fantastic racing with an opportunity for local businesses to get ideas and swap ideas.

‘The idea is about businesses coming together and swapping ideas about the problems they face, whether they are competitors in the same marketplace or they are businesses from a variety of areas.

‘They all – Goodwood included – seem to share the same problems so it’s about talking through those problems in a structured way, working out if one business has come up with a great idea to tackle them.

‘There is some hard-talking business chat going on and some difficult issues being resolved.’

Mr Williamson said: ‘I’ve been to business networking events across the world.

‘A lot of the time it mainly focuses on people getting up on a stage and then talking to the person next to you during lunch before going home.

‘Today is not about the people on the stage, but the people in the seats.

‘What we are trying to do is get people in a room
where they are willing to share ideas with others around them.

‘All businesses have some success and some challenges, including ourselves.’

Award-winning hair salon, HeadRomance has recently opened a new shop in Chichester after running its successful shop in Havant.

Co-owner Emily Warne said: ‘We’re here to introduce ourselves, being new to the area, and get some ideas from locals to give us more opportunities.’