Local businessman, parish councillor and chair of the Herefordshire Business Board, Frank Myers, was one of the speakers at Harrison Clark Rickerbys’ Brexit conference held at the Three Counties Showground, to discuss what the future holds for businesses in light of Brexit.

Speakers including Richard Butler, regional director of the CBI, and Mr Myers, gave their predictions for the outcome of the current Brexit deal.

Richard Butler, who heard both the Prime Minister and Jeremy Corbyn at the CBI conference recently said: “No-one in the EU wants a no-deal Brexit – that is the least favoured option. We have some success in getting Government to take on board the business issues. They have acknowledged the need for frictionless trade, but we have not made as much progress as we would like on migration issues.

“We are cautiously optimistic that Theresa May will be able to get something through Parliament; they may not want what is on the table, but they want a ‘no deal’ even less.”

Among the Herefordshire businesses attending were REHAU, Bull Products and ABT Products, as well as Jackson Property.

Practical advice came from Mr Myers who spoke of his own experience as a successful exporter and business owner – he owns Myers Road Safety and MCP, both based in Ross-on-Wye. “We need to redouble our exporting efforts,” he said, “especially if we can now sell anywhere.”

Speaking from his own experience, he said: “I went to as many exhibitions as I could afford to – at one in New York, I came home with a $55,000 order from the chief of the NYPD, so 350 vehicles are now driving around New York with my kit in them. My advice would be to make the most of any grants or funding that’s out there as well.

“What concerns me is the paperwork and how that will increase. Delegates had the chance to vote live throughout the conference – 82% said they would vote the same way now as they did in the referendum, with 46% now less confident of their business success post-Brexit than they had been a year before.”

While 32% of those at the conference have explored markets outside the EU since the referendum, 43% still believe that EU membership in some form is the best option for the UK economy. They also have the chance to vote as the situation develops – Harrison Clark Rickerbys has an online Brexit survey for businesses which will be open until March at www.hcrlaw.com/brexit-survey