Chamber and BECBC collaboration to bring business networking to wider audience
Cumbria Chamber has joined forces with Britain’s Energy Coast Business Cluster (BECBC) to expand its popular Business Bites networking events, offering networking opportunities to more businesses around the county.
The Chamber has been hosting Business Bites since 2021 in locations all over Cumbria including Penrith, Workington, Barrow and Carlisle.
Businesses of all sizes, are invited to come along free-of-charge, for relaxed after-work networking in a social setting over drinks and canapes. Everyone is welcome, you don’t need to be a member of BECBC or the Chamber to attend.
With a focus on community and collaboration rather than selling, the events have gained a crowd of loyal followers. A recent event at the Halston in Carlisle was a sell-out, following the first Businesses Bites of the year in Penrith which welcomed over 50 guests!
The collaboration with BECBC came about after calls for more combined networking events on a larger scale.
Eve Halliday, Head of Commercial and Business Growth, at Cumbria Chamber said: “Here at Cumbria Chamber, we are constantly listening to local businesses and tailoring our services accordingly. Recently the feedback has been that with so many networking events to choose from, it’s hard to know which to attend.
There’s also the perception that you must be a member of the Chamber to come to Business Bites or that members of other organisations won’t be welcome. That’s simply not the case. Our new partnership with BECBC makes it clear that these events are open to all.
Over the past two years Business Bites has become a huge success, bringing businesses together around the county to foster collaboration and relationship building. Working with BECBC we plan to build on this success and bring more people together from a diverse range of backgrounds and sectors.
We also plan to deliver more events in West and South Cumbria building on the momentum of our first three Workington Business Bites which have seen steadily increasing numbers and positive feedback from attendees.
What better way to launch this new partnership with the announcement of a brand-new venue? On 23rd March Business Bites will be taking place for the first time at The Fleece at Ruleholme near Carlisle, a beautiful newly-built venue, with great food and ample parking. We look forward to seeing you there!” (Book here)
Dianne Richardson CEO of BECBC said: “Collaboration is at the heart of everything we do at BECBC and working with Cumbria Chamber of Commerce to offer a wider range of opportunities to build networks makes sense for members of both organisations and the wider business community. Cumbrian businesses benefit when we all work together.”
On 30th March, Business Bites returns to Penrith (book here), before coming to Workington again on 20th April (book here) and Kendal on 27th April (book here). The events then continue on a bi-monthly basis throughout the year.
© Cumbria Chamber of Commerce