BUSINESSES across the borough will gather next month for the first-ever Bury Gala Dinner event hosted by Chamber Business Connections.

The occasion, to be staged at 7.30pm on Thursday, May 13, will be a celebration of local business and the highlight of the evening will be the announcement of the Bury Business Member of the Year.

Guest speaker will be John Welch, a former sergeant in the Coldstream Guards, who later joined a well-known international business systems company.

The "black tie" dinner, to be held at the Elizabethan Suite in Bury, will feature a buck's fizz reception, four course meal, together with live music, entertainment and dancing.

When the chambers of Oldham, Rochdale, Bolton and Bury merged last year, it was decided to hold a annual Chamber dinner in each of the towns. The Bury dinner is the fourth one.

The Bury Gala Dinner is open to non-Chamber members took. Tickets are £45 plus VAT per person and £400 plus VAT for per table of ten.

Personal bookings will be taken by fax on 0161 620 0030.