REPRESENTATIVES from more than 250 businesses visited the first-ever South Lakeland Business 2 Business Exhibition, making the event a big success.

Parking in and around Kendal’s Castle Green Hotel was at a premium, underlining the popularity of the exhibition.

Organisers South Lakeland District Council, Cumbria Rural Enterprise Agency and Cumbria Chamber of Commerce, plus sponsors Cypher Digital Imaging, of Milnthorpe, deserved praise for staging the event, which attracted some 45 public and private sector exhibitors.

Visitors ranged from people considering setting up on their own, to both new and established businesses keen to network and find out about the wide range of business services available locally.

The exhibition also saw the presentation of the South Lakeland Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, with three prizes, sponsored by Invest in Cumbria, HSBC Bank and Talbot Insurance Brokers.

Food producers took top honours, with Maria Whitehead, of the Hawkshead Relish Company being named the overall winner, picking up £1,000 of prizemoney, while the runner-up was Joanne Wilson, who manages the Grasmere Gingerbread Shop. Third place went to Graham Sowerby, of SCK Webworks, based in Kendal.