THE region’s newest conference and events centre is playing host to hundreds of would-be entrepreneurs who want to start their own franchises.

As many as 1,500 would-be business people are expected to attend the North-East Franchising Exhibition at the Xcel Centre, in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham next Friday.

The event, the first franchising symposium of its kind in the North-East, is being staged by Be Franchising, based in nearby Shildon, which was set up to help more people get into their own franchise business.

It is the Xcel Centre’s third major event in six months of being open. Kerina Clark, Xcel Centre manager, said: “In the six months since Xcel Centre opened, it has been one first after another.

“The exhibition will be our first franchising event, not to mention the region’s, and will involve our first ‘drive-in’, as exhibiting companies will be the first to bring vehicles into the main auditorium to demonstrate in full detail their business activities.”

The exhibition includes about 40 established franchised brands actively recruiting in the North-East. It is a free event, running from 10am to 5pm.

For more information, visit befranchising.com