Champions: Bringing great firms together across our town is a real pleasure

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com 
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now
​Hi, I’m Simon Coy, co-founder of the Chesterfield Business Expo alongside my wife, Emily Coy. The Chesterfield Business Expo is Chesterfield’s biggest all-day business event.

​We hold the exhibition twice a year at Casa Hotel, bringing together organisations from across Chesterfield and the local region to exhibit, network and make new contacts.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

What was the greatest achievement for your business or organisation over the past year?

Our biggest achievement over the last year has been setting up and growing the Business Expo.

Our latest Champions columnist is Simon Coy, co-founder of the Chesterfield Business Expo.Our latest Champions columnist is Simon Coy, co-founder of the Chesterfield Business Expo.
Our latest Champions columnist is Simon Coy, co-founder of the Chesterfield Business Expo.

It started as an idea around the breakfast table between me and Emily, and then very quickly developed into quite a large business exhibition for the town. So going from nothing to having nearly 50 companies exhibiting at the Expo is certainly our biggest business achievement of the year.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

How would you describe Chesterfield, using only three words?

Growing business town!

What are your favourite places to visit in Chesterfield and why?

"The redevelopment of Chesterfield’s marketplace (will have the greatest impact on the town). Markets are a fantastic addition to any town. Over the years I’ve lived in different towns that have had marketplaces, but Chesterfield’s is the biggest", says guest columnist Simon Coy."The redevelopment of Chesterfield’s marketplace (will have the greatest impact on the town). Markets are a fantastic addition to any town. Over the years I’ve lived in different towns that have had marketplaces, but Chesterfield’s is the biggest", says guest columnist Simon Coy.
"The redevelopment of Chesterfield’s marketplace (will have the greatest impact on the town). Markets are a fantastic addition to any town. Over the years I’ve lived in different towns that have had marketplaces, but Chesterfield’s is the biggest", says guest columnist Simon Coy.

My favourite place to visit in Chesterfield is Casa Hotel, because not only is it the venue for the Expo, but Emily and I love it personally.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

We go there for our Christmas lunch most years and it’s just an amazing place to dine at, alongside carrying out business meetings. It’s just one of those places that we love going to.

Why do you love working in Chesterfield?

I love working in Chesterfield because I'm passionate about connecting businesses.

Amazingly, Chesterfield has 10,000 businesses and it gives me pleasure to work with such

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

an incredible, amazing array of different diverse companies across the town. Hosting the

Expo means that we can bring these incredible businesses together.

How are you supporting young people in your business?

We have fabulous organisations such as Chesterfield College and Buxton and Leek College,

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

part of the University of Derby, coming along to exhibit. At our first Expo, we welcomed

Taste, which is Chesterfield College’s restaurant. Students gain experience by preparing the

food and doing the waiting for their guests.

What support or advice has your business received recently and how has it benefited

your business?

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

My lovely wife, Emily Coy from Business Butterflies, is a business coach… She keeps me on

the straight and narrow! I tend to be the ideas man who pulls together and organises the

events. But I've got a solid organisational person behind me in Emily, who can give me

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

information and make sure that we're doing all the right things at the right time to make the

Expo successful.

Which upcoming development do you think will have the greatest impact on the town

and why?

The development that I think will have the most impact is the redevelopment of

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Chesterfield’s marketplace. Markets are a fantastic addition to any town. Over the years I've

lived in different towns that have had marketplaces, but Chesterfield’s is the biggest. It brings

small traders and new businesses into the town, which in itself brings money into the

economy.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

What is your vision for Chesterfield and North Derbyshire in 2030? What do you think

the town needs to achieve this?

I’d like to see Chesterfield being the heart of tourism for the Peak District, where people

come from all over the country and the world, before they head out to the Peak District to

enjoy this amazing area. Opening businesses like the Premier Inn in the town and

redeveloping the marketplace make the town so much more attractive, and will bring tourism

to boost the local economy.