Open for business – Biz Week organisers planning for 2026

POSITIVE FEEDBACK: Pay Coyle speaking at the Biz Week Lunch

By Rick Lyon, Co-Editor

Humber Business Week 2025 hit the heights in terms of bringing businesses together and planning is already under way for 2026, with organisers urging participants and those who missed out to help get the ball rolling.

Pat Coyle, chair of Humber Business Week, said early preparation was a major factor in delivering big numbers and extended reach with this year’s programme, and the aim is to build on that.

Pat said: “I’ve had loads of really positive feedback about how much of a buzz there was from start to finish during Humber Business Week 2025.

“I’m sure there will be more to come as people receive and respond to our latest newsletter – you can register for it on the official Biz Week website and please don’t be shy in sending us your thoughts.

“The steering group will be having a wash-up session in the coming weeks and we’ll get together again in September to start planning Humber Business Week 2026. It’ll be Monday June 1, so save the date!”

From day one, with the Bondholder Breakfast and the Humber Business Week Lunch at the MKM Stadium right through to The Business Day at Bridlington Spa on the Friday, the annual festival of business featured more than 40 events with many of them fully booked well in advance.

The Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce Expo generated praise from delegates and exhibitors and Hull Truck Theatre became a Biz Week hub for a day with three events back-t-back. HullBID’s Inspiring People dinner – first held ten years ago – was another sell out.

Pat said: “It’s impossible to pick out my personal favourites from the events programme – for me the highlight was how Humber Business Week continued to develop on all fronts with more people getting involved across the entire region, regular exhibitors returning and new faces getting involved for the first time.

“I’m sure a big factor in that was the preparation which the volunteer steering group carried out behind the scenes. Our new recruits across the Humber worked extremely hard and made a big impact with a series of events including a dedicated south bank launch.

“Meanwhile our investment in upgrading the official Humber Business Week website and in staging our ‘get-ready’ presentation made the events programme more accessible in every sense, empowering businesses to deliver their own events and jump on the Business Week bandwagon.

“We set out to show that Humber Business Week is all about bridging business and showcasing excellence by celebrating the talent, innovation, and opportunities in the Humber region. All I can do is thank everybody – volunteers, visitors, participants, businesses, exhibitors and sponsors – who enabled us to do that.”