“What Makes a Thriving City Centre?” was the hot topic for Preston Partnership’s third #InTheCity event for 2026. 

More than Retail

Hosted at Cotton Court Business Centre, the event kicked off with a presentation from long-term retailer, Peter Jackson, on behalf of Preston BID. Passionate about the city centre, Peter told the audience that future town centres cannot depend on retail as the primary draw – they must be a place where people live, eat, socialise, work and visit after the shops are closed. 

Setting out the case for voting “yes” for Preston BID at the upcoming election, Peter told us that “Preston needs the BID,” and that the next five years would allow them to continue to build upon the work they’ve done, including:

• CCTV and other security measures
• Improvements to Winckley Square
• Events (at Christmas and during the summer)
• Street cleaning
• Flower Displays
• Christmas lights 

He also urged everyone in the room to remember their role in making sure our city centre thrives, by using it. 

Panel Discussion

Chaired by Beckie Joyce, the panel included special guests:

• Mark Whittle, Manager at Preston BID
• Chris Moss, Journalist & Cultural Historian
• Marianne Hesketh, Deputy Chief Executive for Preston City Council

The wide-ranging discussion covered topics from reality vs perception, investment and footfall to business rates, the Guild Hall and parking. Author Chris Moss highlighted how Preston’s main axis (Fishergate) feels lively and thriving, but acknowledged the challenge of spreading that energy to the side streets. Marianne Hesketh echoed this positivity, talking about the opportunity to increase how the city celebrates its history and heritage. Beckie Joyce teased a soon-to-be revealed Preston narrative and brand, expected later this year and all agreed that the city’s walkable core is an underused asset.

Upcoming events

A Mayor for Lancashire? 

Wednesday, October 14 // 6pm – 8pm

Cotton Court Business Centre

Tickets available now

Preston Partnership Presents: Healthy Preston Quarterly Event

Thursday, November 26 // 8am-10am

Join us 14 October to explore what devolution and a potential Lancashire Mayor could mean for Lancashire’s businesses and communities.

Devolution and local government are hot topics that feature in every single Preston Partnership panel discussion. Why? Because they are intrinsically linked to Preston’s ability to thrive.

Politics aside, whether or not there is a Lancashire Mayor will have an impact on our businesses and communities.

Our host, Ed Walker will be joined by panellists:

• Henri Murison MBE, CEO Northern Powerhouse Partnership
• Councillor Phil Riley, Leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council
• Jane Dalton, Founder of Groundswell Innovation

Together, they will look at how we can achieve the best outcomes for businesses and residents across Lancashire through devolution.

Join us to find out how and why.

14 October

6pm – 8pm

Cotton Court Business Centre

Book your tickets now

Meet the Panel

Henri Murison MBE, Chief Executive, Northern Powerhouse Partnership

Since his appointment in 2017 he has established the partnership as the business led organisation which convenes the North together. From having made the case consistently for Northern Powerhouse Rail, to challenging for a better deal for the most disadvantaged from the education system, his team are focused on how government, business and partners can drive the North’s ambitions. Before joining the Partnership, he worked in senior research and policy roles in policing and financial services, and as a former senior local government figure in Newcastle upon Tyne remains a commentator on regional and wider industrial policy.

He is a member of the Royal Society Science, Industry and Translation Committee and the Court of Newcastle University.

Councillor Phil Riley, Leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council

After a working career in the food industry, Phil has been a councillor on Blackburn with Darwen Council since 2011. He became Executive Member for Growth in 2015 and Leader in 2022. Long before it became fashionable, he saw new housing, not just as a vehicle for regeneration in Northern towns with large amounts of Victorian housing stock, but also as a driver for an improvement in public health. He was an original member of the Lancashire Combined County Authority and is clear that Lancashire desperately needs an elected mayor.

Jane Dalton, Founder, Groundswell Innovation

Jane Dalton is an innovation strategist, creative catalyst and design thinker with more than 20 years’ experience helping organisations turn insight and ideas into commercial opportunity.

A Cambridge MBA graduate, Jane founded Groundswell Innovation in 2008 to help businesses and places use new ideas to grow and prosper.

She is an Entrepreneur in Residence at Lancaster University and a member of Lancashire’s Early Stage Investment Board as well as an ambassador for We Are Power, supporting Northern talent and more diverse participation in the workplace.

Jane’s particular focus is place-based innovation – unlocking prosperity in regional economies by making innovation pay its way for SMEs.

What makes a city centre thrive? The future of high streets is a hot topic, but what does it look like when applied to Preston?

Join us at Preston Partnership’s next #IntheCity quarterly event for a presentation an update from Preston Business Improvement District (BID) and a panel discussion where our panel will be discussing the essential ingredients for the future of a successful Preston City Centre.

The details:

• Thursday 24 September
• 8am – 10am
• Cotton Court Business Centre

You’re also invited to an exclusive drop-in consultation with Preston BID, taking place after the main session.

Book your tickets now.

Join us at our upcoming event – The Social Value Workshop

Hosted by Stepnell and Preston Partnership, this will be a practical and interactive workshop, exploring key themes in social value, including common barriers and recent wins.

This session will be particularly relevant to businesses involved in projects or services linked to the built environment.

Details:
📆 Tuesday 14 July
🕛 9.00am – 11.30am
📍 OneCoWork (Winckley Square)

There are limited spaces available, please book your (free) ticket now.

Light refreshments will be available. There will also be plenty of opportunity to network with the other attendees.

Our second #InTheCity event of 2026, Preston: Future Talent, took place in the recently (but not fully) opened Vault, Preston Youth Zone, bringing business owners, city leaders and those earlier in their careers together in an inspiring (and well-air conditioned) space.

This event was sponsored by IN4 Group by way of a donation to our hosts, Vault.

Vault Youth Zone 

If you haven’t had the opportunity to see inside the £12m purpose-built youth facility, which is part of the On-Side network, you may be surprised just how much they are able to offer young people.

Tim Jacques, CEO of Vault, explained to our members that the youth zone has been partially open since late March (waiting on final road works to be completed before fully operational), and already has more than £2k members accessing facilities such as:

• Boxing suit (where we were hosted)
• Kick Pitch
• Makers Zone 
• Music / DJ suite
• Climbing wall
• Sports Hall
• Health & wellbeing room
• Training Kitchen

Tim explained that the running costs are around £1.5m per year, an amount that is not covered by the £5 membership and 50p session fees. You can find out more about Vault and becoming a Founder Patron on their website.

AI Super Curriculum

Mo Isap OBE, guest speaker and CEO of IN4 Group, inspired the room with his insight into education outcomes, lifetime earning potential and real-life inequalities that are present in our communities and emphasized the importance of the business community in working with organisations such as the Youth Zone.

Mo introduced IN4’s AI Native Youth pilot programme, designed to disrupt the education system for young people at risk of becoming NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) with AI apprenticeships. This government-backed programme focuses on AI literacy, critical thinking, creativity and problem-solving, based on a recruit-train-employ model, with a Level 3 Digital Champion AI apprenticeship. 

What makes this model different is that IN4 take on all compliance and risk concerns from employers, removing barriers so that the young people can make an impact from day one.

This builds on IN4’s established MEGA HUbs, currently rolling out across every secondary school in Lancashire. 

You can find out more about the AI Native Youth Pilot on IN4’s website.

Building Preston’s Future: panel discussion

Mo joined panel host, Gaby Ingham, Head of Fundraising and Communications at Vault, and fellow panelists:

• Helen Wright, Training Manager, Westinghouse
• Martin Blunt, Head of Enterprise and Engagement Unit for the University of Lancashire

They discussed important themes such as:

• Developing & retaining future talent in the city
• Social capital and advocacy
• Preston’s economic case for change
• Future leadership
• Partnerships between business and youth organisations

Upcoming events

• 14 July Social Value Workshop with Stepnell
  • Join Preston Partnership and Stepnell for this exclusive workshop exploring social value, including common barriers and recent wins.
• 29 July Preston Partnership CoWorking Day at Society1 
• 29 July A new chapter for Avenham, guided netwalk.

Save the dates for our future quarterly events in 2026:

• 24 September
• 26 November

Join us for our annual summer netwalking event – an informal opportunity to network, learn more about Preston and get some fresh air. If you want to make the most of the day, why not sign up for our Preston Partnership co-working day, at Society1?

This year, our walk (led by Preston Partnership Director, Alban Cassidy) will focus on two major developments in Avenham: the newly transformed Tram Bridge and the Park Hotel, where we will hear an exclusive update from the Heaton Group.

The details:

• 29 July
• 4pm – 5pm
• Meet at Society1.

Limited spaces, so book your netwalking ticket now

*The tour will end at The Continental, feel free to stay and chat afterwards!

About Preston Partnership’s co-working day:

We are pleased to offer Preston Partnership members a discounted day pass of £18, to cowork at Society1 on 14 July. This includes a hot desk, plus tea & coffee throughout the day.

It will provide you with the opportunity to get the most from your day before joining the netwalk and meet some fellow Preston Partnership and Society1 members.

Society1 is a friendly and welcoming space in the centre of Preston, close to the train station and Avenham carpark. Just a short walk from the high street, it offers a perfect base for a day in the city.

Come and work from our creative and vibrant space. Find some inspiration and meet a few new faces along the way. This is a perfect opportunity to take a break from your usual routine and work in a different surrounding.

Book on for the Preston Partnership co-working day now

This week, we co-hosted an interactive workshop with Stepnell to help attendees consider the challenges of sustainability standards, as well as engage with peers from across the industry. 

With an early rallying cry that “net zero is impossible in isolation,” the session was a collaborative “listening exercise,” designed to understand the regional supply chain’s current position and identify the support they need to thrive. Led by Jennie Pollard (Strategic Sustainability Manager, Stepnell) and Dan August (Group Buyer, Stepnell), the morning was facilitated by Tan Knowles (North West Regional Business Development Manager, Stepnell) and Preston Partnership to a range of local and regional businesses. 

The event acted as a networking catalyst, fostering new relationships between local architects, consultants, and suppliers who identified opportunities for mutually beneficial working partnerships. 

The advantage of the group approach to activities such as the ESG Maturity Assessment, was the resulting collaborative feeling in the room. The room came alive with conversation as participants used a RAG framework to score their businesses against six key focus areas, an activity which will help Stepnell identify blockers like technical data gaps and client specification constraints. 

One attendee commented that the information being shared “makes you think about what you can do in your own company, and what you can achieve working with others.” The strategic role of design partners was a key takeaway from the session. Even when restricted by client budgets, architects and consultants are the primary stewards of a building’s sustainability legacy.

Businesses at the event also benefited from direct access to the Stepnell Procurement and Sustainability teams, and the opportunity to influence their 2027 supply chain strategy.

The insights gathered will be used by Stepnell to build a mentorship and upskilling hub—providing the templates and workshops the local supply chain actually needs to remain competitive.

Tan Knowles said,

‘Participant feedback clearly shows that open discussion and collaboration genuinely allow people to work more closely and effectively together. By creating space for honest conversations, we strengthen relationships and drive more meaningful outcomes across our projects.

As a business relatively new to the region, this was a particularly positive experience for us. It’s been a great way to get to know local businesses purposefully and supportively, helping us build strong foundations for future partnership working.  We’re committed to continuing this approach: working with Preston Partnership and our supply chain partners to deliver sustainable outcomes and long-term value for the communities we serve.’

Are you interested in collaborating on a special interest event with Preston Partnership? Get in touch to discuss how we may work together.

Our first #InTheCity event of 2026 brought Preston Partnership members and guests together at OneCoWork. We welcomed over 80 business and civic leaders, entrepreneurs and their teams to explore Preston’s residential sector. 

Preston Partnership Update 

Chair of Preston Partnership John Chesworth provided an update on activity, including Preston’s response to the consultation on Local Government Reorganisation; the Partnership’s new free membership; and sponsorship of the first Proud Preston Awards. 

Housing Delivery in Preston 

Director of Development and Housing for Preston City Council, Chris Hayward opened his presentation with a quote from housebuilding lobby group Britain Remade: 

Relative to its housing targets, Preston built more housing than anywhere else in England from 2021 to 2024. Since local housing targets were introduced in 2018, Preston has exceeded its target by a substantial margin every year.

Chris’ point? That there are lessons that other cities can learn from Preston.

Chris explored in more detail the reasons for this growth, particularly the Preston, South Ribble and Lancashire City Deal which provided essential infrastructure to support the scale of housing growth in North-West Preston as well as the role of the Central Lancashire Local Plan, and cultural change in the Council and on the Planning Committee. 

Chris went on to talk about Making Homes from Houses Project working with Gateway Housing Association to bring empty homes back to life. 

Chris highlighted the work of Preston’s City Living Strategy in promoting residential opportunities in the City Centre.

Panel Discussion 

Following his presentation, Chris joined our panel to broaden out the discussion on residential activity in the city.

• John Heaton, Managing Director for the Heaton Group – a specialist property company with a portfolio and pipeline of residential and commercial developments throughout the North West. John talked about their pioneering residential developers in Preston City Centre, including the exciting plans for the Park Hotel. 
• Stuart Sage, Founder and Director of Hive Land and Planning, an award-winning planning and surveying practice. Stuart talked about the work they are doing with Preston City Council, Homes England and developers to deliver the City Centre Living Strategy (put link here) 
• Claire Lowe, Head of Space and Property Management at University of Lancashire, which has over 30,000 students and academics at it’s Preston Campus. Claire talked about the importance of culture and events to attract and retain students and staff.  
• Stephen Heverin, Growth and Regeneration Director for Onward Homes, one of the largest registered providers of social housing in the North West Stephen talked about the renewal of their estate in and around Stoneygate, a key regeneration priority for the City.

Closing Remarks 

Following audience questions the panel were asked 

what is the one change you would make tomorrow to turn Preston in to the North’s most desirable postcode?

Answers included: making sure that the City has a multi-purpose venue for cultural and business events; strengthening collaboration between the public and private sector; targeted funding to help deliver priority housing sites; new office space to attract well paid job opportunities; and focussed support from government agencies including Homes England. 

We are pleased to announce that the Preston Partnership Board has secured funding from Preston City Council that will enable the Partnership to continue to fulfill its important role in the city. 

This funding also means that the Partnership can move into its next, subscription-free phase, allowing local entrepreneurs, businesses and organisations to join Preston Partnership and attend our quarterly events free of charge.

There will also be opportunity for collaborations and one-off sponsored events to complement our regular activity.

Leader of Preston City Council, Councillor Matthew Brown said,

“We are pleased that we have a bit of a larger budget to play with this year and therefore able to support some ongoing key projects that were previously funded by UK government, of which the Preston Partnership is one. The Preston Partnership is integral to collaborative working between the public and private sectors in the city’s regeneration journey and is a strong voice representing the business community in the city, in its strategic role as a partner on the Preston Regeneration Board, the first of its kind in Lancashire.”

Chair of Preston Partnership, John Chesworth said,

“This is great news for the Partnership and its members.  We are really pleased to have two of Preston’s anchor institutions, the BID and the City Council, behind us as we move forward into a new way of operating.

Members can still expect to see high quality quarterly events and know that we will continue to work alongside public sector bodies to unlock investment and other opportunities. Preston Partnership has a very important role to play in Preston, more now than ever with local government reorganisation (LGR) on the horizon, and this funding secures our place in the landscape.”

Interested in becoming a member of Preston Partnership? Request to join now.

Last week we were proud to be sponsors of the first ever Proud Preston Awards, celebrating Prestonians who are doing extraordinary things for their communities. 

The awards ceremony,

held at Barton Manor Hotel, saw more than 200 people come together, representing Preston’s communities, charities and businesses, with special guest Councillor Sue Whittam, Mayor of Preston. 

“Just by being in this room, you’re a winner – all of you,” Mayor of Preston, Councillor Sue Whittam.

Hosted by John Gillmore and Neetal Parekh, the event was a true celebration of all things Proud Preston – with winners having the opportunity to share their personal stories and thanking their wider support networks and communities for all of the hard work that happens behind the scenes. 

The award categories recognised outstanding achievements from across the community and business sectors in Preston:

• Volunteer of the Year
• Carer of the Year
• Arts and Culture Hero of the Year
• Charity Hero of the Year
• Inspirational Young Leader
• Community Initiative of the Year
• Business in the Community Award
• Inclusive Leadership Award
• Environmental Hero of the Year
• Active Inspiration Award
• Education Award
• Lifetime Hero
• Proud Preston Award

On the night, Board Member and Director, Alban Cassidy represented Preston Partnership to present the Community Initiative of the Year award to winners Bounce Back Netball. Bounce Back Netball engages more than 800 women in accessible netball, promoting well-being and community. 

“We [Bounce Back Netball] began after Covid when we realised women in Preston were not getting the sporting opportunities and physical and mental health was suffering. Netball is a platform, a community and it’s all about empowering women and creating equality.”

Editor-in-chief for Iconic Media in the North West, Nicola Adam set the tone for the night perfectly when she said, “Like so many of you I live in, work and care very much about Preston…In a world where it is easy to be selfish or complacent, you have risen your head above the parapet and deserve to be celebrated.”

The awards were a collaboration between Preston City Council, Lancashire Post, Central Radio and Blog Preston, with a wide range of business sponsors (including Preston Partnership). 

You can see the full list of winners on Blog Preston