Posted on Thursday 22nd January 2026
Staffy, the county's new visitor mascot
Ambitious plans to grow Staffordshire’s visitor economy and standing as leading investor destination gathered pace this month as the county council expands its support for small businesses.
It has reported another positive month of activity supporting job creation, skills development, business growth and tourism promotion across the county.
January saw the hosting of the Big Tourism Conference at Uttoxeter Racecourse, which welcomed record numbers of delegates from the region’s tourism, hospitality and leisure sectors. The event included the launch of Staffy, the new Staffordshire and Stoke‑on‑Trent visitor mascot.
Developed with local creatives with partners the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Local Visitor Economy Partnership, Staffy will play a central role in a three‑year plan to grow the visitor experience, already valued at £2.7 billion. Staffy will front many different events and activities to increase visitor spend and will front this year’s tenth anniversary Staffordshire Day celebrations on 1 May. People can find out more by signing up to ‘Staffy’s Blog’ now on the project webpage, where businesses can also find out how they can get involved and benefit.
The county’s cultural and creative profile has continued to grow, with the World of Wedgwood featuring on BBC One’s Celebrity MasterChef finals – further showcasing Staffordshire’s attractions to national audiences.
Work to promote Staffordshire as a prime investment location progressed, with this month’s partner launch for the county’s presence at the UKREiiF national inward investment conference in May. Key opportunities being promoted include the Stafford Eastgate regeneration, the A50/A500 growth corridor, Chatterley Park and the Central Edge development in South Staffordshire.
Supporting businesses to start, grow and innovate remains a core priority for the county council. Demand for flexible workspace has increased sharply, with hot desk and meeting room bookings rising by 16 per cent across the council’s eight enterprise centres. New facilities have opened at Waterside Court in Burton, expanding the county’s offer to entrepreneurs and small firms.
And the council’s county farms estate reported the delivery of another strong year, generating £734,000 in net income while supporting five new tenants into farming. The estate plays a vital role in local food production, rural jobs and environmental stewardship.
Meanwhile latest labour market data shows that Staffordshire’s out of work claimant rate remains well below the national average (2.8 per cent of working age population). This continues to demonstrate the strength and resilience of the local economy.
Martin Murray, acting leader of Staffordshire County Council said:
It’s fantastic to report on real progress across business growth, skills, tourism and investment. From the launch of our new visitor mascot and preparations for UKREiiF, to the continued success of our enterprise centres and county farms estate, we are delivering activity that strengthens our communities and supports good quality jobs.
Staffordshire’s position at the beating heart of the country remains one of our greatest assets, and we will continue to champion our county as a fantastic place to live, work, visit and invest.”
Martin updated the progress at this week's cabinet meeting.