Assembly election candidates to pitch to business

New faces from all five of Northern Ireland’s main Assembly parties are to pitch their ideas to improve local business to NI’s leading retailers.

Organised by the Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association (NIIRTA), the Elevator Pitch Event will take place on March 10 at the Europa Hotel.

It will involve Assembly candidates Cllr Carla Lockhart (DUP), Cllr Linda Dillion (Sinn Fein), Cllr Carl McClean (UUP), Cllr Nicola Mallon (SDLP) and Cllr Nuala McAllister (Alliance). All five will give a three minute pitch on their party’s economic policy to the audience of NIIRTA members and business figures.

Speaking ahead of the event, NIIRTA chief executive Glyn Roberts (pictured) said: “Up to 40 per cent of the next Assembly could be new faces and it is clear a generational shift is taking place with our local political parties. It is vital that the business community engages with these new political leaders and influences their policy priorities.

“Our Elevator Pitch event is designed to give new first time candidates an opportunity to sell their economic policies to an audience of local business owners.

“NIIRTA has already published a detailed 97 point plan for each of the new nine departments and is keen to engage with candidates from all parties.”

Local business owners interested in attending should email policy@niirta.com.