IN PICTURES: Hundreds attend enterprising group's first hard-hitting Business Expo

Scores of businesses attended the first hard-hitting expo organised by a new enterprising group in Peterborough

​The Local View hosted its first Business Expo at the Kingsgate Conference Centre in a bid to help local businesses to ‘Be Seen, Grow Their Business, Build Their Brand.

The event was opened by Annabel Murcott, the owner of Annabel Murcott Schools of Tae Kwon Do, who kicked things off by demonstrating her martial arts skills – breaking a plank of wood with her bare feet.

Annabel was the first British woman to gain an 8th Dan black belt in Tae Kwon Do and she has 10 branches of her Tae Kwon Do schools across Peterborough and Lincolnshire.

Sara Hemp, who organised the event with her business partner Julie Marsh, said the aim was to help local businesses owners network, source new suppliers, see new product demos and hear talks on industry leading topics.

Afterwards, organiser Sara said: “About 320 local businesses attended.

"It was a fantastic turnout for our first expo.

She said: "We’ve had some wonderful feedback. Those who attended say they made sales, generated new leads and had some fantastic conversations.”

The Local View provides an affordable platform for businesses to promote themselves online.

Sara said: “We decided to put on the expo because we recognised that not everything can be done online and that an important part of business is still making those face-to-face connections.”

“The expo was a sell out and will be the first of many. We have lots of pre bookings for the next one.”