A BUSINESS boss has praised East Lancashire companies for ‘holding their own’ through the recession.

Employers across the area have been ‘resilient’ in a downturn which has claimed thousands of victims, Business Link North West managing director Peter Watson.

Business Link earlier this year teamed up with the Lancashire Tele-graph to help firms through the downturn with our We’re Backing Business campaign.

The initiative has led to a huge surge in calls to Business Link, a free, impartial advice service for companies of all sizes.

Mr Watson said his 340-strong North West team had inevitably had an influx of inquiries from businesses struggling to survive the recession.

But he added: “We have been tracking East Lancashire and it has been more than holding its own.

“I think that is because the area relies a lot on manufacturing and these businesses are already very lean.

“They did not come into the recession with extra baggage.

“To be successful in the sectors East Lancashire is strong in, such as manufacturing, is difficult anyway.

“But we have seen that businesses have been very resil-ient, especially compared with other parts of the North West.”

Mr Watson, who previously ran companies in Britain and Spain, has been Business Link boss since the North West service was set up three years ago.

He said campaigns such as We’re Backing Business were helping to inform businesses about the help they can get.

Mr Watson added: “Companies are more likely now to ask us for help.

“And that’s thanks in part to the Lancashire Telegraph.

“From a customer point of view, we have gone from assis-tance to help.”

For help and guidance, visit www.businesslinknw.co.uk or alternatively you can call 0845 0066888.