Year of the Monkey expected to go with a swing at business dinner

Bristol’s business community will welcome the Chinese New Year of the monkey in style with a banquet at one of the city’s top restaurants.

The gala banquet has been organised by the Bristol and West of England China Bureau, which works to connect businesses in the Bristol region with businesses in China, on Wednesday February 17 at Zen restaurant, Harbourside.

All businesses with an interest in doing business in China can attend and celebrate the New Year with like-minded people from the region’s business and Chinese communities.

Chief Executive Dianne Francombe said: “This is fast becoming the must-do event in the our business calendar, offering people the chance to network with new business contacts and make links with Chinese businesses and organisations that can help forge links in China.

“We are working closely with Bristol’s sister city of Guangzhou to forge beneficial links and with Chinese investment in Hinkley Point announced recently the region is now firmly on the map in China.”

Leading the celebrations to welcome in the Year of the Monkey will be The Lord Mayor of Bristol Councillor Clare Campion-Smith, who is President of the Bristol & West of England China Bureau.

A Lion Dance Troupe will perform a traditional dance for guests who will enjoy a specially selected banquet of the very best of Chinese food and have a chance to win some glittering prizes in a Fortune Cookie competition.