Lancashire For Shale, a new pro-shale group funded by local businesses and industry, held its launch reception on Monday (25th July 2016) for Lancashire firms at the White Tower restaurant in Blackpool to call on local and national decision-makers to get behind onshore natural gas development in the county.
Lancashire For Shale is a group made up of local businesses and residents that “believe natural gas from Lancashire’s shale will create opportunities for our businesses, new jobs and much-needed investment for our county.”
Ahead of the launch reception, over 95 local business leaders and residents, including David Haythornthwaite, Claire Smith, President of Stay Blackpool, Tony Raynor of Abbey Telecom and Babs Murphy from the North and Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, signed a letter to local media calling on all decision-makers, both national and local, to work together to ensure that Lancashire does not miss out on the jobs and investment offered by our county’s shale gas resources.
If the development of shale gas in Lancashire does get the green light, then the coalition of business leaders and local residents believe it will “create opportunities for our businesses, new jobs, and much-needed investment for our county.”
According to independent February 2016 polling by Comres, commissioned by the North West Energy Task Force, a majority of Lancashire’s businesses believe that shale gas development would boost the local economy. Similarly, independent polling by the European Commission from September 2015 showed a majority (53%) of Lancashire residents believed shale “brings new opportunities to me and my region”, the second highest level in Europe.
David Haythornthwaite, a Fylde-based businessman who has provided funding to Lancashire for Shale, said:
“Lancashire for Shale will hopefully speak for the majority of Lancashire residents and businesses. I believe that most people recognise that the development of shale will be good for jobs and economic growth in the county but critically right here on the Fylde Coast. The exploration and potential development of natural gas from shale presents a once in a generation opportunity which we must not miss.”
Claire Smith, President of Stay Blackpool and former panellist at the North West Energy Task Force, said:
“In coming together we can more effectively make the case for shale and demonstrate the strength of support in the county for shale gas ahead of the Secretary of State’s decision. We call on business, industry and policy-makers to get behind shale to ensure that Lancashire seizes this incredible opportunity for jobs and the local community.”
For further information and to register on the supply chain portal visit lancsforshale.org.uk
