It seems like a long time ago we held the South West Business Expo 2019, a time when we could all get together and for sure no one could have seen the dramatic change that COVID-19 would have our business lives and personal lives. We hope and trust that you are safe and well if you are reading this.

After nearly a year COVID-19, when any events or normality have been taken away from us, has left us all in a state of constant flux, but with the development of the vaccines (and more likely to come) there is at least hopefully an end in sight.

We obviously had to postpone the South West Business Expo 2020, due to have been held in November 2020 and in the Summer we decided to move that event to March 2021 - at the time we were hopeful that we would be out of this. We have of course have now been plunged into another lockdown and our venue is being used as a mass vaccination centre. So it is with a heavy heart we most move the Expo back to the 10th November 2021, our original date for the Expo for this year.

The government is assuring us that by the autumn those that want the vaccine will have been vaccinated. The world will at last be moving back to a type of normal and it will be a busy time for all businesses and hopefully enabling us to do that thing we have missed most, meet face 2 face.

Most other exhibition organisers are digesting the news and coming to the same conclusion, so to secure any dates in November has been extremely challenging.

We have been successful in negotiating a new date with Westpoint. The new date is Wednesday 10th November 2021. With the setup day being 9th November 2021. The expo will of course be following an government guidelines that we may need, to comply with, in order for us to put a safe expo on for staff, exhibitors and sponsors and attendees. None of us what to go back to this current situation.

In the meantime, we will be offering all current exhibitors (who signed up for SWB Expo 2020) the opportunity to join South West Business Connections Membership FOC, our sister organisation, where we market and promote companies, run networking events and much more so we can help keep your profile high and your opportunities open to you. As we get nearer to the Expo we will running a series Exhibitor events including our Making the most of the Expo events. These are a great opportunity for you to network with fellow exhibitors, hear from ourselves and pick up some tips from us. These will be conducted for now via Zoom.

We are 100% committed to bringing the Expo and enabling you all to start talking and doing business together and for us to be able to showcase the South West Business Community.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and look forward to seeing you in November, if not before.