AN open air festival celebrating the best of Worcestershire businesses will be filling the city centre on Friday (September 16).

There will be 77 exhibitors raring to go at the Festival of Business in market stalls on Worcester High Street and inside The Guildhall.

The Start Up Britain NatWest Bus will also be taking part in the festival which runs from 9am to 4pm.

The festival has been organised by Worcestershire Enterprise Limited, the social enterprise behind the twice weekly Twitter event #WorcestershireHour.

Stuart Allen, MD of Worcestershire Enterprise Limited said: "I have always wanted to bring the Festival of Business into the very heart of Worcester but there isn’t a central indoor venue large enough to accommodate us.

"Then we came up with the idea for an open-air event, with the exhibitors housed under market stalls.

"It has taken some organising but with help from Worcester BID we have made it happen."

In association with Sanlam UK, other sponsors include Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce, Worcestershire Ambassadors, Worcestershire LEP, Worcester City Council and University of Worcester.

Money raised from the event will support entrepreneurial training for disadvantaged young people from Worcestershire.

It will provide them with the opportunity to learn the knowledge and skills required to set up their own businesses.

For more information call Mr Allen on 01905 384314.