Bank of Ireland threw opens its 36 branches in the north yesterday to allow both customers and non-customers to showcase their goods and services on the high street to help promote their business in new markets.
The initiative is part of the bank's UK Enterprise Week, a programme of 40 events including inspirational seminars from local business leaders, networking opportunities, business clinics and the yesterday's unique Show Your Business scheme.
Bank of Ireland has 286 branches across Ireland, and they are putting all of them at the disposal of businesses interested in showcasing their business, at no cost to them.
Local businesses have the opportunity to use branches in the south to promote their company, while businesses from the Republic can head to Northern Ireland, providing an opportunity for those companies with ambitions to increase their footprint in a new market.
Peter Dunlop, managing director of online bathroom store Bath Shack, was among the bank’s customers to take advantage of Show Your Business.
He founded the business in 2009 in shared premises and now employs 15 people across his website and the four showrooms he has across Ballymena, Belfast and two in Cork.
He says: "We’re a young business with showrooms in both Northern Ireland and the Republic and we want to grow our business on both sides of the border.
"Show Your Business is a fantastic opportunity to drive the promotion of our products in each respective market and to talk to potential customers about what products and services we offer."
Sean Sheehan, regional director of consumer and small business for Bank of Ireland in the north, said: "Our theme this week is ‘Let’s Connect’ and making connections is exactly what Enterprise Week in general and Show Your Business in particular is all about, connecting businesses to new markets, to new customers, and new opportunities.
"Enterprise Week remains the blueprint for engaging with SMEs and continues to offer a means of connecting this vital sector with practical and relevant support and delivering real benefits to businesses who take part."
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