Plymouth Argyle Football Club‘s return to the EFL (English Football League) Championship will provide a welcome boost for the region’s leisure, hospitality and tourism industry, says Devon & Plymouth Chamber of Commerce.
The Pilgrims secured promotion from League One with a 1-0 victory over Burton Albion, and will now be playing in the second tier of English football next season.
That achievement could be made even sweeter if Argyle win their final game at Port Vale on Sunday (7 May) or match Ipswich Town’s final-day result.
The South West relies heavily on leisure, hospitality and tourism, together with the food and drink industries, but businesses have been feeling the long-term effects of Covid and Brexit.
Argyle‘s promotion will boost Plymouth city as a whole, increasing the profile of Britain’s Ocean City, bringing more people in and putting our region on the map.
Devon & Plymouth Chamber of Commerce represents hundreds of businesses across the region. The Chamber’s CEO, Stuart Elford, told ITV news: “It’s not just fantastic news for the club, but of course for the wider economy.
“There will be thousands and thousands more visitors coming down here, spending their money in the leisure, hospitality and tourism industry, which of course has taken a bit of a shock over recent years. But it’s also about civic pride and civic confidence.
“It’s just great for the city, it’s great for the region, and good news for the economy all round.”
