Telford International Centre notches up another year of growth

Southwater Event Group saw turnover rise by 6.3 per cent to £15.8 million in the year to the end of March.

Its improvement in operating profit accelerated event faster, rising by 22.7 per cent to £1.98 per cent.

It all came despite a competitive environment for conference venues, the company said, which it overcame by investing in its facilities.

Last week the company revealed it had spent another £400,000 on a new seated auditorium in its Ironbridge Suite, and it has now landed planning permission for a new hotel beside the conference centre in the centre of Telford.

In a statement accompanying its accounts, the company said: "The market for exhibitions and conferences remains competitive, with several competitor venues coming on stream each year.

"The company seeks to manage the risk of losing its key customers, whilst attracting new customers, by providing high quality facilities through continual investment in both new and existing facilities and high levels of customer service and support."

The company also runs a number of hotels around the centre of Telford, including the Ramada, the Holiday Inn and the International Hotel.

The statement added: "The market for hotel accommodation in the Telford area remains highly competitive. The companies continued to invest in their personnel and with their planned refurbishment programmes to upgrade guest facilities.

"This refurbishment will be ongoing, in order to maintain the high standards required by both its owners and its franchisors and should lead to higher accommodation demands and levels of guest satisfaction."

The International Centre is continuing to draw events into the town, including the annual UK Dairy Day, which draws crowds of thousands of people, as well as the annual Shropshire Business Awards.

The company increased its staff numbers over the period, with an average of 464 people working for Southwater Event Group over the course of the year – up from 438 the year before.