Success for Meet the Buyer scheme

THE launch of a pioneering project to boost the local economy was hailed a success as scores of businesses came together in Haringey.

Around 150 companies took part in the Meet the Buyer day at the Decorium, Wood Green, where they met with buyers from six Haringey Council departments and 20 large buying organisations, including many of the council's major contractors.

Business leaders were able to ask questions, share best practice, and find out more about contract opportunities from buyers including North Middlesex Hospital, Tottenham Hotspur, Hayes Recruiting and London Waste.

The focus of the day was on creating genuine business opportunities, with an effort made to match suppliers with buyers' specific requirements.

A number of buyers and sellers who attended the event pledged to meet again to discuss business deals.

Meet the Buyer will also be followed-up with a series of smaller workshops where firms will have the chance to get hands on help with writing bids to win future contracts with buyers.

Cllr Bob Harris, Cabinet Member for Resources, said: "Local businesses have told us that the advice and support they received at Meet the Buyer was very valuable - and that for a number of companies the event has opened the door to some very real business opportunities.

"Attending these kind of events can cost several hundred pounds in the private sector, so it is fantastic for the Council to have been able to offer this level of support free-of-charge to local businesses.

"I hope that the forthcoming workshops will prove just as useful - the more we can do to help local companies to tap into business opportunities right here in the borough, the better."

Meet the Buyer was organised by Haringey Council alongside partners and sponsors including Supply London, the London Development Agency, and the European Commission's Regional Development Fund.

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