An inaugural festival will take centre stage across East Suffolk as a packed 10-day programme of events raise the profile of the business community.

Local business owners are invited to find out more about how filming can benefit them at an event taking place as part of the first ever East Suffolk Business Festival.

Screen Suffolk, the official film office for the county, will host an event in Halesworth on Monday, October 29 to give businesses an overview of the filming industry and provide an opportunity to hear from others who have benefited from recent filming.

Taking place at The Cut, it will also be the official launch of the inaugural East Suffolk Business Festival and will begin with a welcome from the leaders of Suffolk Coastal and Waveney District Councils.

The festival, organised by the councils, features 10 days of business support and training events and aims to raise the profile of the East Suffolk business community. The events will provide opportunities for businesses to connect with each other, grow their business and create new employment in the area.

With businesses invited to attend the first ever East Suffolk Business Festival, running between October 29 and November 9, Geoff Holdcroft, Suffolk Coastal's cabinet member for economic development and Michael Ladd, Waveney's cabinet member for economic development and tourism said in a joint statement: 'We are looking forward to the start of the East Suffolk Business Festival, which will showcase the opportunities and support available to help local businesses to grow. We are pleased to be combining the official launch with this interesting event from Screen Suffolk. As well as promoting our beautiful part of the country to a wider audience, filming in East Suffolk brings a host of economic benefits and we look forward to seeing this event well attended by local business representatives.'

Rachel Aldridge, Screen Suffolk said: 'Opening the business festival is a real honour for Screen Suffolk. There are so many ways we can all work together to bring the economic benefit of filming to the area.'

Book your place at www.eastsuffolkbusinessfestival.org For details of the full Business Festival programme and to book on any of the events, visit www.eastsuffolkbusinessfestival.org