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City Centre Group means Business Print E-mail
Tuesday, 06 May 2008

Some of the city’s leading retail and commercial names have joined together to re-launch the City Centre Business Group (CCBG) in a bid to drive forward the development and regeneration of Sheffield.

The CCBG aims to foster an environment where businesses and the public sector work together, making Sheffield an attractive competitor to other UK cities and maximising potential inward investment, along with other towns and cities in the region. 

The group, backed by Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, also has a mission of creating partnerships between existing city businesses, the public sector and organisations responsible for future regeneration and economic growth.

The CCBG was originally launched in 2004 but key partners in the group decided that, with major revitalisation developments such as the re-vamped railway station and the Heart of the City project, the time was right for a new direction and outlook.

The first meeting of the new CCBG was held at Creative Sheffield’s headquarters and attended by representatives of businesses and organisations including Sheffield Chamber, Sheffield City Council, Creative Sheffield, Sheffield Technology Parks, The Moor, John Lewis, Marks and Spencer and the city’s two universities.

Sheffield Chamber policy and representation manager Helen Rana said: “The CCBG is aiming high to progress the business, cultural and social development of the city, as well as its ongoing physical regeneration.

“We want to work together to promote the attractions of the city and surrounding region to create greater wealth from tourism, conferences, students and new organisations that choose to come to Sheffield, as well as existing businesses.

“Establishing common themes and goals while pooling ideas and resources will ensure we tell the Sheffield story coherently, both nationally and internationally.”

At the first meeting, CCBG Chairman and managing director of John Lewis Sheffield, Mark Lewis told the group: “There’s real energy here. It’s about cross-fertilisation and feedback, ensuring we communicate and maximise the benefits to the business community.

“For this group, the main focus should be keeping people excited and enthused – that means customers, citizens, companies and inward investors.”

Events and initiatives such as ‘RE:Inventing the City -The International Business and Economy Summit 2008’ and Doc/Fest were highlighted as ways to raise the city’s profile and stimulate interest. 

Chief Executive of Creative Sheffield Ian Bromley added that the CCBG needed to be “a sounding board communicating with various constituent groups. We want to keep the city centre lively and reanimate it with an evening buzz.”

Other businesses involved in the CCBG range from DLA Piper, Hammerson, Holiday Inn Royal Victoria and HSBC to Inspiral, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Sheffield Theatres and Yorkshire Tourism South. 

For more information about the CCBG please email Helen Rana at the Chamber on This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

cathedral_group_shot.jpg 
Front row (L to R):  Hermann Beck (Holiday Inn), Helen Rana (Sheffield Chamber), Grant Keir (Inspiral),
Mark Lewis (CCBG chairman, John Lewis), Ian Bromley (Creative Sheffield), David Curtis (Sheffield City Council) and Sandra Barley (The Moor)

Back Row (L to R): Carolyn Kenney (Hammerson), John Palmer (SHU), Peter Wood (Sheffield Technology Parks), Mick Crofts (Sheffield City Council), Brian Littlejohn (Marks and Spencer), Mark Vines (HSBC),
Stephen Sly (DLA), Nigel Tomlinson (Sheffield Chamber) and Ann Gosse (Sheffield City Council) 

 

 
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