Boston Networks backing the Paisley 2021 bid

Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce believes Paisley’s bid to be UK City of Culture 2021 could be an economic bonanza for the area and will financially support the town’s potential year in the spotlight.

The UK Government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport have confirmed the 11 places bidding for the title has been whittled down to just five – Paisley, Coventry, Stoke, Sunderland and Swansea.

Paisley’s bid to be UK City of Culture 2021 has generated huge support from local businesses over the past year. The Chamber are following in the footsteps of other big-name firms who have agreed to support the 2021 year – Glasgow International Airport, intu Braehead, Diageo, Gordon Leslie Group and Malcolm Group, as well Coats Group PLC, the world’s largest industrial thread manufacturer, which started life in the town.

Around 200 chamber members have pledged their support by the time the bid was submitted. You can see the full list at paisley2021.co.uk/partners/business-backers/

Chamber chief executive Bob Grant, who is a member of the Paisley 2021 executive bid team, said: “The chamber board are financially supporting Paisley 2021 because they recognise winning the title would bring a massive economic boost to Renfrewshire, and our members would share in that.”

“Winning will bring huge benefits to business – it is estimated it would create 4,700 jobs and a £172m economic boost to Renfrewshire over the next decade.

We would also expect to welcome 800,000 visitors in 2021, creating huge footfall for local traders, while a winning bid would also attract major infrastructure investment.”

Management from the chamber showed their support on a visit to one of their members – Braehead-based internet firm Boston Networks, which recently won a £1m council contract to supply free public wifi to Paisley town centre.

Scott McEwan, Chief Executive of Boston Networks, added: “We are delighted to add our backing to the Paisley 2021 bid – the activity around the bid is already creating opportunities for local businesses like Boston Networks and there will be significantly more benefit to our business if Paisley wins.

“I would urge all our fellow chamber members and other local businesses to consider how they can get involved – by working together to make the town a more attractive place to invest and visit, we all stand to benefit.”

Boston Networks – named employer of the year at the chamber’s annual ROCCO awards last November – will soon roll out a free public-access wifi system in Paisley, Renfrew and Johnstone town centres as part of Renfrewshire’s digital strategy.