Chamber Calls on Council and Fly Doncaster Leadership to Ensure Airport Delivers for Business

Hosted by City of Doncaster Council, Tuesday’s Meet the Buyer event brought together local businesses and key stakeholders to explore how companies from across the region can engage with the supply chains that will support the redevelopment, reopening and future operation of DSA. 

Since the airport's closure in 2022, businesses across the region have consistently demonstrated their support for bringing DSA back into operation. As plans continue to progress, one of the most common concerns raised by the business community has been ensuring that local SMEs have genuine opportunities to access and benefit from the airport's supply chain. 

Doncaster Chamber welcomed the event as a positive step towards addressing those concerns and ensuring that local businesses are placed at the heart of the airport's future success. 

The Chamber believes that the reopening of DSA presents a significant opportunity to drive economic growth, create jobs and attract investment into the region. However, for those benefits to be fully realised, procurement processes and supply chain opportunities must be accessible to businesses of all sizes. 

Speaking at the Doncaster Council led Meet the Buyer event, Dan Fell highlighted the transformative economic potential of Doncaster Sheffield Airport’s reopening. He emphasised the importance of creating meaningful opportunities for local businesses and ensuring South Yorkshire firms play a central role in the airport’s future supply chain and growth. 

Dan Fell MBE, Chief Executive of Doncaster Chamber, said: "Businesses across Doncaster have been unwavering in their support for the reopening of Doncaster Sheffield Airport over the past three years. As the project moves forward, it's vital that this support is recognised through meaningful opportunities for local firms to become part of the airport's supply chain. Events such as this are an important step towards ensuring that local companies can access the opportunities created by DSA and help deliver lasting economic benefits for Doncaster and beyond." 

The Chamber is therefore encouraging project leaders, contractors and procurement teams to actively consider local suppliers at every stage of the airport's redevelopment and operation. Where supply chain opportunities are complex or beyond the capacity of a single SME, consideration should be given to breaking contracts into smaller packages or creating collaborative opportunities that enable more local businesses to participate. 

However, improved access to supply chains must be matched by wider developments that help businesses, including a first-class cargo operation that supports exporters, better connectivity to key business destinations and global hub airports, stronger partnerships with local tourism attractions, and business parks that attract high-value investment. 

Doing so will help ensure that investment generated by the airport stimulates the local economy and delivers long-term benefits for communities across Doncaster and the wider region.