A NEW vision for Kendal has been unveiled as the town strives to be at the forefront of the Northern Powerhouse initiative.

The plan is to market Kendal as an attractive place to live and work for creative business people from all major northern cities - drastically boosting the local economy by enticing in the industry's best and brightest.

It is hoped that creating links with big business in other cities will act as a two way street, opening the door for Kendalians to get top jobs in places like Manchester, Liverpool and the North East while continuing to live in the area.

Speaking at Kendal and South Lakeland Wired on Thursday, June 18 - a networking event for the local creative industry - Cllr Hogg said: "I want more Kendalians working in Manchester but staying here.

"I want people to have the quality of job to be able to buy their own homes here - people are going to be happy if they have a good job, a good house and a good education system for their children - it's not rocket science."

"There's a lot of exciting new technology and some incredibly creative people in Kendal.

"We punch miles above our weight but the creative industries have gone under the radar.

"Brighton takes business from London so it's the same with Kendal and Manchester, for example.

"We can offer people a great quality of life in Kendal and it's easy to get from here to places like Manchester and develop connections with Media City to link into the Northern Powerhouse."

More than 30 of South Lakeland's top creative business owners ranging from web designers to photographers attended the event at The Factory, Kendal.

Annette Ritson, managing Director of Net, a full-service design and development studio in Kendal, said: "There is a skills vacuum in this area. I'm desperately looking for web developers but every company's the same.

"A relationship with Manchester and the M6 corridor could entice people to come to this fabulous area.

"I want it to become the economy of the North - a great place to work full-time that creates permanent jobs, careers and long term employment."

The event was organised by Les Selby from the Wired Cumbria Team to 'bring people together to create a rural growth network'.

"Cumbria is all about networking and meeting people and it's absolutely lovely to see so many creative people in one room," said Linda Bassey, owner of PixL photography company, Armathwaite.

"Business is about being able to get on with people so this is a perfect event."