THE growing range of exhibitors at Malvern's annual business festival has been welcomed by local firms.

The Chamber of Commerce event, held at the Three Counties Showground yesterday (Thursday), featured more than 100 companies, some from as far afield as Cardiff and Somerset.

The Malverns Experience, The Map Shop in Upton and the Abbey Hotel were among the local businesses and organisations making the most of the opportunities on offer.

Despite a complaint that the festival should not feature businesses from outside the Three Counties, most were delighted that it was proving such a draw.

Former exhibitor Simon Hodgetts, of Shelsley Beauchamp-based SB Print, said he had decided not to rent a stand this year, due to the fact that businesses from outside the Three Counties had been allowed to exhibit.

"I don't see why, as paid up members of the Chamber of Commerce Herefordshire and Worcestershire, we should have to compete against Welsh businesses at our own business event," he said.

However, Tina Wells, of The Map Shop in Upton, said she thought the competition was a good thing.

"There's always going to be competition but I wouldn't have thought it was a big problem," she said,

"You just have to be able to hold your head up and say that you're the best business in that particular field."

Joanne Haynes, of the Abbey Hotel, agreed.

"I don't think it's such a bad thing," she said.

Deborah Clarke-Sutton, of the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce, said: "We don't believe that business should stop at borders.

"Obviously this is predominantly Hereford and Worcester and 90 per cent of our exhibitors are from the area, but if companies from outside the area are going to come to us and ask for a stand, there's no way we're going to knock them back."