The Repair Shop star Jay Blades to give online talk to East Herts business people

Jay Blades, presenter of TV's The Repair Shop and the nation’s favourite furniture restorer, is to give a talk to East Herts business people.

He has teamed up with all local authorities in Hertfordshire, including the district council that covers Bishop's Stortford, to talk about his experiences as a business owner and his unconventional path to success.

Since 2017, Jay, 52, has hosted BBC TV’s heart-warming prime-time programme The Repair Shop, which shows how expert craftspeople bring treasured heirlooms with sentimental value for their owners, and the memories they hold, back to life.

In addition to presenting, Jay spends a large amount of time working on furniture projects for commercial and individual clients, running workshops and motivating disadvantaged people in the community.

He will talk through the obstacles he overcame – including undiagnosed dyslexia, racism and homelessness – to become an entrepreneur and TV personality.

Cllr Jan Goodeve, East Herts Council’s executive member for planning and growth, said: “We know this has been a tough two years for our business community, with many fighting hard to survive and keep trading during the pandemic.

“We wanted to find someone who would inspire businesses and show them how the most difficult challenges can often lead to great success; Jay’s story demonstrates exactly that.

"Together with his impressive track record running a small business, he is the perfect person to speak at this event. We expect the session to be hugely popular so do book early to avoid disappointment.”

Jay said: “My path to success may not have been straightforward, but those experiences made me stronger and more motivated to go on to what I’ve achieved in business and in TV.

“I look forward to sharing my story in a way that I hope will give businesses in Hertfordshire an entertaining break from the day-to-day, to boost morale and inspire fresh thinking as we continue to rebuild after the pandemic.”

Funded by the Hertfordshire Health Protection Board, the free session takes place online on Wednesday March 9 from 12.30pm to 1.30pm, including a question and answer session.

Businesses can find further information and book online at https://bit.ly/3uVGgDJ.