Top business bosses fly flag for city bid
Business leaders on Wearside are flying the flag for Sunderland’s City of Culture bid as the countdown to decision day continues.
Members of the city’s Economic Leadership Board have met and wrapped themselves in the bid colours, with the flag one of 15 that have been made in Sunderland to help show support for the 2021 bid.
Among supporters is Liebherr Sunderland Works Ltd which manufactures cranes at its base in Deptford, and the North East Business and Innovation Centre, based at the Wearfield Enterprise Park.
Liebherr’s managing director, Ralph Saelzer said: “At Liebherr we’re very proud of Sunderland, very proud of our workforce, very proud that the city is in the final round of the City of Culture Bid, and now we’re very proud to be supporting and flying a bid flag.”
Paul McEldon, chief ex- ecutive of the North-East Business and Innovation Centre, said: “The arts, culture and tourism are major industries and here in Sunderland we’re no exception.
“The City of Culture Bid is helping to raise our profile, and the BIC is pleased to be flying the flag and showing its support.”
The city’s bid is among the final round of five contenders alongside Coventry, Swansea, Stoke-on-Trent and Paisley.
The flags now flying with public and private sector partners were made in Sunderland by the city’s oldest manufacturers Speedings Ltd, of Leechmere.
Rob Hammel, Speedings director, said: “As a company and the oldest manufacturer in Sunderland, we’re very happy to support the bid.
“The culture flags are a special polyester weave that has to be both tough, to survive the weather, and also light enough so that they will fly.”
Speedings have been making flags since the 1820s and also manufacture flags for city names such as Sunderland AFC and Nissan, who are also culture bid backers.
Deputy Leader of Sunderland City Council, Councillor Harry Trueman, said: “Studies have shown and are continuing to show how the current City of Culture Hull is benefiting with boosts to its national and international profile and, of course, its economy.
“We’ve got a strong bid here in Sunderland and are definitely a strong contender.
“The arts and culture are a big part of modern-day city economies, including ours.
“Our profile is already up and boosted with the bid and could go further yet.”
Sunderland’s final second stage bid was officially lodged with the Government at the end of last week.