Good Luck Helen!

This week has been a very momentous time in the BBS office. Helen has headed off on maternity leave to await the imminent arrival of her brand new bundle of joy! We all wish her the best of luck and are very much looking forward to visits from her and the new Harris little lady soon (yes that’s right we are placing all the odds on a new little girl and stocking up on the pink baby-grows!)

To say farewell in style we paid a visit to our favourite restaurant Sanmini’s in Ramsbottom. The food was amazing as usual and it is no coincidence that we chose an Indian for Helen’s last supper…. I think 9 months is slightly excessive to expect 6 women to wait for a new baby! Unfortunately, our plan was foiled and it appears the baby is holding firmly onto the entrance date of the 29th of July… Let the countdown continue!

Back in the swing of things

After a good couple of months of being back at BBS, I feel that I am back into the routine of working 9-5, 5days a week. I have just finished my final year at university studying BA Hons Business Studies and I am now just waiting for my final degree classification. Fingers Crossed that I pass!

After living the student life for the past year, it has been that little bit more difficult getting up early to make sure I am on time for work. Having been used to perhaps waking up at around 11:00 a.m. for the past year (minus the occasions where I did have 9:00a.m. start lectures), I am now up and out of the house for 7:35 a.m. (something my parents can’t seem to get their heads around)!

After a year away from BBS, it feels like I have never left the place and it is great to be back in the office with everyone. Everything in the office is as I left it and even the people on the bus every morning haven’t changed. It is great to see that BBS have been bringing in new clients over the past year including Stars in Waiting and Hall’s Bakery and I am looking forward to all the new opportunities that BBS can offer and working with the BBS team again along with their new clients.

Lancashire and Blackpool Tourism Awards 2010

BBS have successfully completed the event management of the Lancashire and Blackpool Tourism Awards for the 6th Year running with the client saying “it was the best awards lunch so far”.
Credit needs to be given to the presenter - Michaela Strachan who did an excellent job and the venue – Mecure Dunkenhalgh Hotel and Spa for their food and impeccable service.
The BBS team did a fantastic job on the day of event ensuring the awards were running smoothly with each member playing a vital role in the delivery of the project.

The Trip of a Lifetime

My visit to India was an amazing experience. I had so much fun but it was far from a relaxing holiday in the sun!

Temperatures reached 48° and everyday for 3 weeks there was some sort of activity or agenda. As you may remember from my blog previously I also went to attend the event on the new Bhuj temple opening. It was an outstanding event with thousands coming from all over the world.

The last couple of days were spent in Mumbai, shopping, visiting the bazaars, National Park, Taj Hotel, Gate of India and Bhandra (home to the Indian film stars and shooting sets).

Considering I hadn’t been to India in 12 years, I don’t think I’ll leave it as long in the future, 2 weeks in February or March when it is a lot cooler perhaps!

Sanmini's- The Taste of South India

The BBS team have recently discovered a gem of a restaurant nuzzled in the streets of Ramsbottom. The first authentic South Indian restaurant outside of London, the restaurant presents amazing food that could literally transport you to the streets of India. Run by a local family, the parents are Doctors by day and at night they open the doors of Sanmini’s to the North West. The family will be there to welcome you most nights and provide valuable insight into the culinary specialties of the area.

The food is not what you would expect from a typical Indian and is likely be a pleasant surprise even for those cautious around the cuisine. The food is light, highly flavoured and the spice can be adapted to suit all tastes. As an introduction, at lunchtimes rather than the usual menu a ‘thaali’ (tasting plate) is the offering and a vegetarian or meat option is provided. Examples of dishes you can expect are medhu vadai (deep fried blackgram doughnut cakes) and masala dosai (a flat pancake filled with spiced potato). You can find the full menu here: http://bit.ly/d5D19g.

And you don’t just have to take BBS’s word for it, Sanmini’s was nominated for ‘Best Newcomer’ in the Manchester Food and Drink Festival 2009!

What a great day it has been for us all here at BBS!

BBS for the past few months, have been working closely on the Lancashire & Blackpool Conference Ambassador Programme and today has been the day we have been working towards - the exclusive launch event for the Ambassador Programme at Northcote Manor where a number of high-profile, influential business and healthcare professionals attended. The day was a huge success giving the Lancashire & Blackpool Conference Team the ideal platform to attract more meetings and conferences to the area.

Watch this space as I’m sure there will be great things to come from this!

Today we also celebrated Danielle’s 22nd birthday with a home baked chocolate cake and some well deserved champagne! We all wish Danielle a very happy birthday and hopes she has a great time celebrating, not just today, but by the sounds of it, for the next week!

Lancashire and Blackpool Mystery Shopping Presentations

Brighter Business Solutions helps run Lancashire and Blackpool Conferences and Meetings in conjunction with Visit Blackpool and the Tourist Board. Over the next 2 weeks we will be busy travelling around Lancashire and distributing mystery shopping results to venues in the Lancashire and Blackpool Conference Directory.

All venues were mystery shopped on three sections:- Telephone, Website and Site Visit. BBS will be start each session with a presentation as to the purpose of the mystery shopping exercise and then will conduct one to one sessions with each venue personally in order to go through their results with them.

Overall the results were very good so there will be some very happy people walking away from these sessions. I am sure the venues are excited to see their results and all will be revealed soon!