POSITIVELY promote York, not just as a tourist honey pot, but also as a centre of business excellence.

That, concluded top business brains at a Leadership Business Forum organised by York-based law firm Langleys, was what was needed to attract new commercial talent to the city.

Taking part in the forum were high- profile business leaders from Yorkshire, including York-based rail operator GNER, Hunters Property Group and the York-based National Food Crops Centre.

Issues discussed included selling and promoting York as a dynamic business opportunity for employees, not just a tourism success story; attracting top talent from outside of York into the city and the lessons learnt by the organisations at its heart.

Juliana Delaney, managing director of Heritage, said York's message had to be clear. "Potential employees know that they will not achieve the work/life balance in London.

"We have seen considerable success in attracting talent from the South, in the fields of education and science in the city.

"We need to roll out this success to other areas, but this will only happen if businesses work with the public sector to promote York as a commercial centre and not just a tourism centre."

Andy Kay, Langleys' corporate partner, who chaired the forum, said: "The general feeling is that York needs to shout louder and be better promoted as the leading commercial centre that it has become.

"If we are to sustain growth, we need to recruit from outside York and possibly Yorkshire with a new dynamism, to attract employees who might not yet have considered a career move to the region."

Nick Sheppard, Langley's head of employment law, said on average, Yorkshire companies paid about £6,500 to recruit a new member of staff, which was a high price, particularly for small organisations. "The key is to nurture your workforce and identify what inspires them. For committed and inspired staff, you need to see them as people not simply employees."

Scott Robinson, managing director of TBO Investments Limited said the decisions made by people aged 25 to 35, were the key to the problem.

"They are looking to settle down, balance a career and a family and, importantly, are recognising the benefits of a career and life in York," he said.

Kevin Hollinrake, chief executive of Hunters, said: "There is a huge amount of people with an affinity to the region. They might have family here, studied here or lived here as a child. We should be encouraging them to return, by highlighting York has just as much to offer as a centre of business excellence as many other leading cities."

Updated: 09:47 Thursday, April 27, 2006