BT Group is responsible for generating £1 in every £105 produced in the North West’s economy, according to an independent report published today.

‘The Economic Impact of BT Group plc in the UK’ report, by Hatch Regeneris, shows that the communications company generated a £1.6bn (£1,600 million) contribution, expressed as “Gross Value Added” (GVA), to the North West economy during the 2017/18 financial year.

The report estimates that the equivalent of 20,700 full-time jobs in the North West are supported through BT’s direct employment, its spending with contractors and suppliers and the spending of its employees.

BT Group directly employs 7,460 people in the North West, with a further 1,670 employed as contractors. It’s estimated that BT Group supports one in every 110 employees working in the North West’s private sector, reinforcing its position as one of the region’s leading employers.

The Group also spent nearly £416 million with suppliers based in the North West.

Across the UK, BT Group directly employed 94,800 people (FTE) and supported an estimated total of 290,000 full-time jobs. It also generated, in total, almost £23bn (£22.8bn) to the UK economy.

BT Group and EE are making major investments in the North West, bringing 5G to Manchester and Liverpool in 2019, building on major full fibre infrastructure already underway.

Tim Fanning, Director at Hatch Regeneris, said: “Our analysis underlines how vast BT Group’s contribution is to the UK economy, particularly across the nations and regions.

“BT Group is almost unique in contributing to the economies of virtually every community across the UK, supporting significant levels of GVA spend and employment opportunities per region.”

The report from Hatch Regeneris comes in addition to a recent report by PWC which highlighted that BT Group is the 5^th highest tax contributor in the UK among FTSE 100 companies, and the highest contributor among non-financial companies. The PWC report also identified BT as the largest capital expenditure investor in the UK.

Kieran Charleson, BT Group Regional Director, North of England, said: “Few companies play as important a role in the North West as BT Group. Not only does BT connect friends, families and businesses across the UK, but we also make a significant contribution to the region’s economy.

“We’re proud to be one of the region’s largest private sector employers and investors. Our investments, including the latest 5G mobile technology through our mobile network EE, will ensure the UK continues to be one of the world’s best-connected economies.

“With 9,130 people directly employed in the region, spending their salaries in local businesses, as well as regularly volunteering on activities such as our Barefoot tech literacy programme in schools, our people are at the heart of the community.”

Damian Waters, Director, CBI North West, added: “BT is a major employer in the North West and has a big impact on the economy and jobs. It is good news to see this significant presence in the region continuing.

“BT Group’s investment in the area not only means a boost to the local economy, but also to skills and high quality jobs, including recruiting apprentices and graduates. BT’s investment in the fastest networks and latest technology is also vital for the region. Being connected is essential for our businesses and for improving quality of life in all our communities.”

Created by Coral Horn, founder of North West based Pink Link and The Enterprise Vision Awards, the first LIFE Expo was held at the fantastic Concorde Conference Centre, beneath the wings of the mighty Concorde. The LIFE Expo was an Expo for “Ladies Inspiring Future Enterprise”, whether they wanted to start a business, grow one or find out how they can change their lives for the better. The next LIFE Expo is planned for 2020.

Coral Horn said: “This year, Pink Link celebrates its tenth anniversary and the EVAS have grown to be the largest awards for women outside of London The LIFE Expo was a natural progression for supporting women in business, since it is relevant for all ladies who know they want to do more with their lives.

“The combination of motivational speakers, banks who could fund expansion plans or social media experts to help grow an online presence, was ideal for the busy woman, who could find it all out under one roof, in one day at The LIFE Expo.”

Speakers included Dr Cheryl Chapman (author of Find Your Why – How To Be Frickin Awesome), Rosie Dummer (C4 Extreme Cake Makers), Leanne Brown (ambassador to One Woman At A Time), Dan Sodergren (BBC Breakfast) and contestants from The Apprentice (BBC1). Their presentations inspired and motivated the listeners and were rapturously received.

Coral was assisted by Rebecca Jane, who created ‘The Lady Detective Agency’ in 2009 with only £200. It became the largest female investigation agency in the UK and was sold in 2018. Rebecca said: “‘A few years into my business journey, I knew I wanted to expand but didn’t know which route was best. I spoke to advisors, like the Business Growth Hub. who exhibited at the Expo. I decided to franchise my business model and saw my ‘good little business’ become an international success.”

Manchester Arena, the largest indoor arena in Europe, has welcomed 30 million visitors through its doors since its opening in 1995. Following the acquisition by its new landlord in 2018, discussions are now underway to ensure the arena remains a focal point at the heart of the city for years to come.

This comes as the venue embarks on a packed 2019 show schedule that will see 140 live event nights for the third year running – making it one of the top billed live venues in the world.

The SMG Europe managed and operated arena is expected to welcome 1.2million visitors through its doors in 2019 – a number that has steadily increased since its first year of operation and places it right in the mix with the world’s leading indoor venues. Former Manchester City Council Chief Executive, Sir Howard Bernstein previously credited the arena as being a fundamental part of Manchester since its inception.

Commenting on the milestone, John Sharkey, Executive Vice President at SMG Europe, said: “Reaching 30 million visitors is a tremendous achievement, but not just for us. This represents every resident and business that make up this great city, as well as every artist that has graced our stage over the years.

“The arena’s impact on Manchester and its economy cannot be underestimated. Global acts have driven visitor numbers from far and wide, in turn utilising the city’s hotels, visiting its restaurants, shops and other central leisure and tourist destinations. Vital to this has been the arena’s location in the heart of the city – served by unrivalled transport links – which truly sets us apart from other arenas of this size in the UK.”

In its illustrious history, the 21,000-capacity venue has hosted some of the biggest names in live entertainment including U2, The Rolling Stones, Madonna and Pavarotti. In 2019, the arena will welcome fan-favourites Andrea Bocelli, Hugh Jackman, Little Mix, George Ezra, Michael Bublé and Take That, who will be returning for the 44^th time.

John continued: “There’s no doubt that we are in the midst of a hugely significant period in the arena’s history. We are fast-approaching our 25^th anniversary in 2020, and we recently welcomed new landlords with an ambitious mindset that is aligned with our own. Look out for further announcements in the coming months that should prove really exciting for the city.”