ASIAN businesses have been urged to make more use of services to help their firms prosper.

Although East Lancashire's Asian business community is thriving, many businesses do not take advantage of help available, a conference heard.

"Lancashire's Asian businesses are well known for their enthusiasm, innovation and opportunism," Mark Price, chief executive of ELTEC told the conference at the Moat House in Blackburn.

"Some of the North West's most successful companies, including Joe Bloggs and Caprice Apparel were founded by Asians from East Lancashire.

"Yet for various reasons many Asian organisations still don't make full use of the support services available to them."

More than 100 Asian entrepreneurs attended the half-day conference organised by the Brettonwood Partnership with support from ELTEC, LAWTEC, Blackburn Council, Blackburn City Challenge, Lancashire Enterprises, Parcel Force and Midland Bank.

The Blackburn Partnership and Blackburn and District Enterprise Agency were also involved in the event. Asian business people shared their experiences with delegates.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.