DELEGATES are set to attend the closing event of the Open4Business extravaganza on Friday on Portland.

They will hear speakers and review the success of this year’s series of activities and events, including the annual awards earlier in October.

Open4Business chairman Gareth Jones said: “The Open4Business festival is always an exciting time.

“It’s the one time of the year that local businesses can get together recognising achievement and hard work plus an opportunity to celebrate success. “Open4Business is a team effort where public and private sectors work together as a team for the benefit of all businesses in south and west Dorset.”

The closing event will be in the Mulberry Suite at the Boat That Rocks at Portland Marina. Weymouth and Portland Chamber of Commerce and Business Link are sponsoring the event.

Speakers will include Mr Jones, chamber of commerce president Nigel Reed, Matthew Butcher from Business Link and Jon Badge from the REL Group, which has recently taken over the Boat That Rocks.

There will also be a business case studies featuring 2010 Open4Business awards winners Swift Signs and Equation Accounting.

Events also continued this week with a Battens business briefing at the Bull Hotel in Bridport and a Business Link Masterclass at Kingston Maurward College yesterday.

There was a Lloyds TSB Growing your Business workshop at the Osprey Leisure Centre on Portland this morning.

Tonight there is a Mary Portas branded Retail Taster Class at 6.30pm in the Ocean Room, at Weymouth Pavilion.

Tomorrow there will be a Business Link marketing event at 9.30am at the Rembrandt hotel in Weymouth.

The main events of Open4 Business opened on October 4.

Organisers say 500 businesses have been involved through the award entries, ceremony and dinner as well as business events and activities.

Attendance at the closing event at the Boat That Rocks is by invitation only via the president of Weymouth and Portland Chamber, Nigel Reed. Contact him at nigelreed@basepoint.co.uk For all other events book free of charge at www.o4business.co.uk