A growing number of top Nottingham businesses are flying the flag for the city’s European Capital of Culture 2023 bid.
Annie’s Burger Shack, Nelsons Solicitors, intu Victoria centre and Santander are just some of the latest in a raft of local and national businesses backing Nottingham’s efforts to secure the prestigious title.
“We support the Nottingham 2023 bid to be European Capital of Culture. intu is a proud member of the city’s community and we are pleased to get behind the bid,” said Nigel Wheatley, general manager for intu in Nottingham.
“Attracting more people to visit, shop, live and work in our fantastic city will have a real positive impact on the local economy: creating new jobs, opportunities and growing our city’s reputation.”
Nottingham has just four weeks until submission deadline, where it will compete against Milton Keynes, Dundee, Leeds and Belfast to get to the second round of the bid race.
“I’m thrilled to see the city being so ambitious,” said Stewart Vandermark, chief executive of Nelsons Solicitors.
“Nottingham 2023 would be brilliant for the city and all businesses within it, not just those in the cultural sector. The arts are for everyone and it’s great to see the city want to recognise and encourage its creativity and culture. Successful creative companies and initiatives have a positive knock-on effect to other sectors as well as helping enrich the lives of local people.”
Sarah Bryant, relationships director at Santander in Nottingham said: “I was incredibly excited to hear that Nottingham was going for the 2023 bid. We support a number of local SMEs and the title would help generate business growth through investment, graduate retention and attracting top talent to the area.”
Annie Spaziano of Annie’s Burger Shack said: “I moved to Nottingham in 1994 from New England USA and started Annie’s Burger shack in 2009. The architecture and history in this area remind me of home and I couldn’t think of anywhere better to build my business.
“I am so proud of Nottingham and everything we have to offer residents and visitors – from history, to art, education and creative talents – and I think we would make a perfect European Capital of Culture in 2023.”
Paul Russ, chair of the Nottingham 2023 bid board has been presenting at a series of local business networking events, asking businesses to back the bid.
“It’s easy for businesses to show their support,” he said.
“We strongly welcome official letters of your business’s support to include in our bid submission, we ask that you follow us on social media and encourage your team members to pledge their support online by simply signing up with their name and email address.
“Getting to the next stage of this competition will be a team effort, and having the backing of businesses, large and small, will make all the difference to our appeal for the title.
“Nottingham 2023 will help build strong relationships between our city and Europe, as well as attracting start-ups, established businesses and top talent to our diverse city. So, it really will benefit everyone in Nottingham.”
The last UK city to hold the title as European Capital of Culture was Liverpool in 2008. In this year alone, additional visits to the city and surrounding areas generated more than £750 million for the local economy.
In 2023 both the UK and Hungary will host a European Capital of Culture. Nottingham has until 27 October 2017 to produce its bid.
