A SPECIAL drive to find exporters in the Harrogate area is being made by York and North Yorkshire Export Club.

It is in response to the hopes of Alan Sandy, the business support officer in Harrogate's economic development unit, that enough exporters attend meetings to justify forming their own club.

The result is a promise from the York and North Yorkshire group that it will lay on extra meetings at Harrogate.

Mr Sandy said: "Normally three or four exporters from Harrogate turn up at York meetings but many others find it too far to travel.

"We want to unite them so they can compare notes and share shortcuts to exporting success. Too many pop over to Ireland or France 'to see what's there' without careful preparation. A club of their own could cure that.

"Meanwhile York and North Yorkshire Export Club has offered the area's exporters a piggyback by staging Harrogate meetings. It could take about two years to work up the numbers for a breakaway group but it will be worth it.

Meanwhile there will be a two-hour introductory seminar for new and would-be exporters at Conyngham Hall, Knaresborough, starting at 6pm on March 4, followed by an interest-fostering meeting for exporters in Harrogate on June 4.

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