How can the local economy be tilted towards a more sustainable, fairer and inclusive model?

The local and regional economy post-Covid-19 faces a number of new challenges – growing inequality; the death of the high street; resources draining away from the region (an estimated £100m leaves Bristol every year in transaction charges alone); the inequity of an increasingly cashless society for the unbanked, and more.

Living in a wealthy region of one of the world’s strongest economies, are we right to focus on the immediate issues for our city? Or should we be more globally focussed, looking to support economies in less prosperous places?

Using local initiatives Bristol Pound and City Funds as a starting point, Diana Finch (MD Bristol Pound), Charles Larkin (Director of Research at the Institute for Policy Research, University of Bath), Zara Nanu (Gapsquare), Ed Rowberry (CEO of Bristol and Bath Regional Capital) and Martin Parker (University of Bristol) explore ways of addressing these challenges, which build on the strong responsible finance and investment sector already in the region. Can we deliver leading, scalable projects which show the way forward for other city regions – or are these concepts too small scale or niche to change  economic and social behaviours to create a more equal society?

In our ninth Festival of Economics, co-programmed by Diane Coyle and Richard Davies, economists and experts from around the world debate with each other – and their audiences – some of the key economic questions of our time.

It's important to us that ideas and debate are affordable to everyone. It's also important that our commentators, artists, writers, poets and thinkers are paid. This is a Pay What You Can event. You are invited to choose your own contribution to the event, from £0 to £8. All proceeds go towards supporting our speakers and sustaining Festival of Ideas. The option to attend for free is available for all online events.

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Festival of Economics: Building Bristol Back Better, Principles into Practice